The Beloved Imperial Consort - Chapter 69
Tang Yi Ru felt uneasy inside. As long as she couldn’t figure out what has happened on that night, she won’t be able to sit still.
Fortunately, her household has quickly sent a message which said everything was settled. This made her feel a little assured.
By the time when his Highness has returned with cefei for seven-eight days and nothing particular has happened in the estate, Tang Yi Ru’s heart could finally calm down.
On this day, Tang Shufei has invited lady Qi to Shuhui courtyard to try the newly invented snack. The two sat in the water pavilion, dismissing the services of attenders.
“How is little sister doing in recent days? If you run short of something, you needn’t be polite, don’t hesitate to tell me about it.” Tang Yi Ru acted gently on the surface. However, inwardly, she contemplated that this lady Qi was quite well versed with incenses. If she was able to obtain some incenses that were beneficial to love act between man and woman, it would be for the best.
Looking at shufei who was much more spirited than in the past, lady Qi has guessed it was because of little lady Tang’s “recuperating” outside of the palace. She has originally thought her scheme failed. How would she know that the mountain road would wordlessly twist around each new peak1?
“This servant thanks shufei’s for your thoughtfulness. There’s cefei to watch over the estate. Servants privately don’t dare to deduce allowance money.” Lady Qi replied politely as if she didn’t hear lady Tang’s affectionate “little sister”.
The hand of Tang Yi Ru that was kneading the handkerchief under the stone table paused. However, the expression on her face was as warm-hearted as before. The two have chatted and laughed for a while before Tang Yi Ru had Shu Mei to send lady Qi off.
“You fool who don’t know to appreciate other’s favor.” Tang Yi Ru looked coldly at departing lady Qi.
Want to sever ties at this time? It was so like her weak personality. No wonder she was always so good-for-nothing.
On the other side, as soon as lady Qi came back to her room, she drove people out. She shut herself in the room, recalling about the oddity in Shuhui courtyard.
Originally, seeing Tang Yi Ru win an effortless victory, having disposed of little lady Tang, she planned to curry favor with her. However, as she was about to open her mouth, she had unexpectedly smelt a faint sweet scent.
It was precisely this extremely light scent that has alerted her.
It wasn’t an ordinary fragrance. It was a life-taking thing.
This was Tang Shufei’s second time being schemed by someone. What’s more, it was fatal and merciless. The first time, it was little lady Tang. She has accidentally seen through the trick and enlightened Tang Yi Ru.
But now that little lady Tang was gone, there were still people who wanted to deal with her?
Lady Qi got up and slowly paced back and forth in the house. She felt like she had neglected something. She bit her lips and thought hard. Suddenly, lady Qi’s face turned stark pale. She stood still, rooted in the place with a stiff body.
Truly. She was only half a step away from bumping into her doom. When she thought of those pair of ice-cold eyes, lady Qi felt terrified inside. She thought that she had a close call.
It was indeed dangerous. This wasn’t something she could touch. She better try to avoid it as much as possible.
After that day, Tang Yi Ru has once again come to invite her. However, to her surprise, lady Qi didn’t come under the pretext of illness. Tang shufei was so infuriated she tore a sketch that was about to be completed.
“Just a mere concubine, yet she disregards her mistress. She clearly wants to distance from us.” Shu Tao complained while fuming with anger.
Tang Yi Ru’s expression was ugly. These lowly servants, seeing that she was not favored, they didn’t even bother with pretense.
Initially, she wanted to go to Danruo courtyard to pay respect and use this opportunity to show her face to his Highness and curry favor with him. But who knew that these days cefei also didn’t feel well and wouldn’t receive visitors nor see anyone.
A certain unwell woman whom Tang Yi Ru was currently thinking of was at the moment eating in Danruo courtyard till her little face turned reddish.
Mu Xi Yao has cooked the soup for a whole day over a low flame and seasoned it with soup stock. Currently, she was dipping the fish meatball in the boiling liquid for Zhong Zheng Lin. Both of them didn’t like to eat spicy food. Mu Xi Yao chose for the soup base the wild mountain mushroom and an old duck. It was very delicious. Especially in the deep winter season, even their hearts warmed up as they consumed the soup. Even the picky eater the sixth Highness has greatly praised the food.
“She wants to see you?” Zhong Zheng Lin’s dislike of Tang Yi Ru was plain as day from the way he addressed her. Before, it was still Tang shi for the honor of shufei. However, he was extremely disgusted by that woman nowadays. He felt that even the respectable position of shufei was besmirched by her.
“Um. Qie has avoided her by calling sickness.” Mu Xi Yao wasn’t as prohibited with taboos as ancient people were thus she has used the most convenient excuse. Would not saying you’re sick make you not get sick? In that case, why would she then work so hard and torment herself each day?
Dissatisfied, Zhong Zheng Lin put aside the chopstick, “Don’t treat yourself lightly.”
Nothing was a taboo to the little woman. The sixth Highness thought it was irksome.
Mu Xi Yao delicately pouted her little mouth. She smacked her lips and pecked Zhong Zheng Lin’s cheeks. Beaming with smiles, she said lovably, “Your Highness will have to remind qie in the future.”
Seeing her acting shamelessly, frustrated yet loving her delicateness, Zhong Zheng Lin caught her over and nipped on her fiercely. Since he couldn’t bear to chide her he could only fix her in the bed.
Mu Xi Yao was infuriated. They were using a meal! This man was too shameless. Didn’t he see there were other people in the house?
Also, what was this smell?
“Your Highness, qie hates radish!” Mu Xi Yao’s mouth opened and closed, anxiously exhaling the air.
Zhong Zheng Lin was amused by her.
The rabbit complained to him while panting in the rage that she disliked the radish?
The sixth Highness suddenly made a resolution that the radish must be fed to her. He was fascinated by the sight of rabbit crossing swords with the radish.
However, his rabbit wasn’t a domestic rabbit, thus her temper was inevitably fierce. Hence, it was reasonable that she liked to eat meat.
“Aren’t you going to make a good example? Going back on your words, en?” This woman was a typical example of a double standard person. She was lax to herself, looking only after a comfortability.
Mu Xi Yao chuckled. She pointed with her right hand at the tip of her nose and then pointed at little bun who was looked after by a wet nurse in the inner room.
“Master Confucius says: Only women and small-minded men are hard to deal with ～～” Her tone rose and fall. She was very satisfied with herself.
Zhong Zheng Lin broke into laughter. He threw away the bowl and chopstick and carried the glowing woman into the study in the front.
“Did master teach Jiao Jiao about: red sleeve replenishes an incense2?” The sixth Highness smoothly answered her.
Seeing that she was further and further away from the fine food she had busily prepared for the whole day, she was so infuriated her little feet wiggled chaotically, “Your Highness, qie is still hungry!”
Zhong Zheng Lin pressed her swaying head to the hollow of his neck. His big palm greeted her plump derriere with two smacks.
“Don’t eat too much. Beware of indigestion.”
Mu Xi Yao was furious. What was “don’t eat too much”? She has only used a half of a bowl, alright? Sperms have wormed their way into this man’s brain. He was spurting pure nonsenses!
In the middle of their hot dispute, they saw Tian Fu Shan rush over.
Zhong Zheng Lin, seeing that the chief steward didn’t step back even though he was fully aware the two of them were alone, knew that the matter was urgent. He put down Mu Xi Yao and help her stand up. Afterward, he waved his hand, exempting him from salutation.
“Your Highness, Pin xiuyi3 is not good. His Imperial Majesty and his eighth Highness are keeping watch by her side. All the mistresses in the inner palace have gone over.”
The eighth prince was fourteen years old this year4. Xiuyi was a ninth rank secondary class pin. As a result, Zhong Zheng Han has been personally brought up by Pin xiuyi. They had a deep affection for each other.
Zhong Zheng Lin’s expression became solemn. If Pin xiuyi passed away now, changes will fall upon all the princes’ forces. The elder brother of Pin xiuyi was Chen Yan Kui, the regional commander of Guanxi whom will Yuancheng Emperor soon put into an important position.
Mu Xi Yao had the same thoughts as Zhong Zheng Lin. She has instantly understood that the situation has changed.
“Your Highness has important matters to attend. Qie will retreat first.” After finishing, she curtsied and was about to return.
“Wait.” Seeing that she wanted to leave by herself, Zhong Zheng Lin immediately called Wei Zhen to send the person to the inner yard. “Be careful on the way back.” This woman often made him some troubles. If he didn’t let someone watch over her, he won’t be at ease.
When Mu Xi Yao returned to Danruo courtyard, she was no longer interested in using the meal.
Pin xiuyi was actually critically ill? It was another thing that didn’t happen in previous life.
If she passes away now, Yuancheng Emperor will inevitably feel guilty about the eighth prince inside his heart and will want to make up to him to some extent. Moreover, it seems that Pin xiuyi’s parental home had quite an influence in the army. Choosing such a moment, she indeed knew how to pick time. This woman was truly…..
In the previous life, apart from Zhong Zheng Lin, the one most promising to seize the throne wasn’t the fifth prince Zhong Zheng Ming but the eighth prince Zhong Zheng Han. This person had a tenacious character, was extremely forbearing and also had a gloomy and cold temperament. His moves were both vicious and merciless. This was a young lion who was ignored by people in the early days.
If he entered the game ahead of time, then the battle over the throne in this lifetime will become even more fierce.
Translation notes:
[1] The mountain road twists around each new peak is a Chinese idiom meaning an opportunity has come unexpectedly; things have taken a new turn
[2] Red sleeve replenishes the incense is a Chinese idiom meaning a scholar who’s accompanied by beauty
[3] Xiuyi is a title of an imperial consort belonging to pin ranks (see in Tang Dynasty section – link)
[4] The eighth prince’s age is calculated according to the traditional Chinese method of reckoning. In this system, a person’s age is one year at birth, and increases by one year at the beginning of the first solar term each year, rather than on one’s birthday. Hence, his real age is actually thirteen.
