The Beloved Imperial Consort - Chapter 77

“Miss, news spread out that his Highness went to the army barracks at the suburbs of the capital. He’s specially assigned the commander of imperial guards to perform the welcome rite on his behalf.” Hong You bowed her head to stare at her tiptoes, saying it very carefully.

Su Lin Rou turned around stiffly. Seeing her personal maidservant’s wretched appearance, she became infuriated, “Get lost!”

Hong You quickly retreated and closed the doors. Her face was filled with worry. Miss had such a temper, how can she get by peacefully in the prince’s estate?

“Miss, why are you being angry with a servant girl? It’s an auspicious day today. Don’t spoil your good mood.” Dai momo softly appeased her and passed her a brocade gown of cefei.

“Momo, you’ve heard her! His Highness disregards House of Su. If not, why would his Highness dispatch a lowly servant to humiliate me?” Su Lin Rou pushed away Dai momo’s hand, her expression infuriated.

“When that lady Mu entered the estate as shufei, she’d received his Highness’s personal welcome rite. So many well-bred ladies in the capital were green with envy! Now that was my, Su Lin Rou the dignified cefei’s, turn to marry over, I’ve been actually reduced to such circumstances. How would people see me, see the House of Su!”

“His highness’s actions aren’t something up to you to evaluate!” In the front, sir Su was keeping commander Yan a company, waiting for Su Lin Rou for a long while. Just as he went back to prompt her, he heard his daughter’s treacherous speech. Her words brazenly indicated that his Highness’s actions were biased. Sir Su quickly chided her.

“Father.” Su Lin Rou was extremely fearful of sir Su who has been strict on her since childhood.

“You were motherless at a young age. Father is to blame for being negligent in your discipline and making you grow up into not knowing what’s important. At home, you were free to behave a bit more willfully. However, if you keep saying and acting insolently, how are you going to establish yourself?” Su Bo Wen’s brows were furrowed into a deep frown, furious that she was such a disappointment.

Seeing Su Li Rou still being obstinate and only know to feel aggrieved, Su Bo Wen silently watched her for quite a while before coldly speaking out,” After today, if you make no progress and keep making problems, don’t blame father for speaking bluntly and informing his Highness that we, House of Su, don’t have such an impossibly stupid daughter.” Once his words fell, he threw off twenty thousand taels of banknote and left angrily.

Su Lin Rou looked at the pile of banknotes on the table with astonishment. With a pale complexion, she looked at Dai momo, “Momo, what does father mean? Could it be that he won’t ever again care about me, the daughter of Su House?”

No matter how spoilt and willful Su Lin Rou was, she knew that if a woman had no reliance from her parental house, she will get by miserably in the inner yard. After being reprimanded by sir Su, she dared not to make troubles again. She obediently let servant girls help her change clothes and groom her. Half an hour later, she had Dai momo support her into a little sedan chair.

“Mistress, the one in Fanhua Courtyard is probably infuriated right now.” Yin Shuang carefully put a hairpin into lady Wan’s hair. Subsequently, she withdrew a bit to wait at side.

Wan Jing Wen’s left hand gently stroked the tassel on the dangling hairpin. She spoke neither too fast nor too slow, “What’s there to be pleased with? The one who slapped her face was lady Mu. It has nothing to do with Jiangzi Pavilion. When I entered the estate yesterday, wasn’t his Highness also absent from the concubinage rite?”

Wan Jing Wen got up and let Yin Shuang smooth the hem of her skirt, “Bear in mind that you have to be cautious of your words and actions in prince’s estate. Don’t let others get something on you.”

Yesterday, Zhong Zheng Lin didn’t go through the concubinage rite with her altogether. Furthermore, one couldn’t even see his shadow on the wedding night. There was news today that he went to the suburbs of the capital. He has clearly picked this day beforehand to deliberately avoid the welcome rite. It seems like his sixth Highness didn’t feel like paying attention to them, the women who have just joined the household.

Originally, she thought Zhong Zheng Lin’s feelings toward lady Mu were of the same kind as toward consort Xian. Things have apparently changed. She has underestimated greatly the weight of that lady Mu. Otherwise, his sixth Highness wouldn’t specially send her to the villa to nurture the fetus during this occasion.

As for that lady An, she has entered the estate two days earlier than her in a small sedan chair. She heard that lady An is housed in a courtyard Zhang shufei has originally dwelled in and that she was actually quite close with lady Qi. The two were of the same mold, both were spineless and liked to take advantage of the situation. When people put those two women together, they immediately took a liking to each other.

“Are there any news from Zhu Jin?”

Yin Shuang just has been admonished. The smugness that stemmed from the rejoice in other people’s misfortune disappeared from her face. She replied obediently, “This morning she sent a message. Everything is settled. The drug has been put in for sufficient time.”

Wan Jing Wen snorted, “Good then.”

Supported by Yin Shuang’s hand, Wan Jing Wen strolled in Jiangzi Pavilion for a while. As if inadvertently, she asked Yin Shuang about the circumstances at home. When she heard her elder brother joined the garrison barrack in the capital, her brows furrowed slightly. Was it not possible for him to enter the military inspectorate unit? The war in Mobei was within sight. They must make a move as soon as possible. If they were late how can they earn the biggest benefit?

At the moment, his sixth Highness was in charge of patrol and the military inspectorate unit of the capital and its surrounding area. If they are unable to follow Zhong Zheng Li to be at the waterfront towers and be the first to catch the moon1, at least they should still gain some profit from it. In previous life, the first prince’s subordinates were also capable. If things truly didn’t work, they will have no other choice than to settle for the second-best. Build the foundation first and then enter the military inspectorate unit through the military merits. It’s just that they will have to make a bit more of detours.

“Min Min, today that girl from Su House has completely lost her face. Fortunately, sir Su is an extraordinary broad-minded man. He wore poker face the entire time and even went on praising his sixth Highness for strenuously training the army. He’s indeed worthy of his noble Imperial Academy pedigree.”

“Su Bo Wen isn’t an ordinary academic commissionary. In comparison to him, the nobles were a second-class. This person has a keen foresight and is very clearheaded. Su Lin Rou has such a capable father, yet she hasn’t learnt anything from him.”

“As for those welcome and concubinage rites, they are nothing more than a formality. Days are pretty long. Striving for this one moment wasn’t worth it.” He Lian Min Min gently caressed the robe of a princess consort sent by the palace. When she recalled the glimpse of the man’s silhouette in the palace, she made up her mind.

Looking at the hot yellow-colored soup in front of her that assailed her nostrils, Mi Xi Yao’s brows furrowed tightly. She hid behind Zhong Zheng Lin’s back as if her life depended upon it.

Zhong Zheng Lin’s one hand held a book, while the other seized firmly her waist. His expression was insipid.

“Be well-behaved and use medicine. If it gets cold, it’ll be cooked again.”

Zhao momo who waited at side sighed helplessly. She’s never seen such a troublemaking mistress. As soon as his Highness left, full of joy, cefei run to the new courtyard to view flowers and tour around the lake. That was just what they needed. She had played so crazy she has caught a cold. Now that she had to drink a bowl of ginger soup to warm herself, she was at loggerheads, creating fuss while having her eyes shut. In obedience, she probably can’t even compare to the young master.

Mu Xi Yao squinted her eyes and cast a glance at that yellow-orangish soup. She made a great resolution yet she still couldn’t convince herself to drink it in one gulp. What’s up with being chilled by the wind? Her body was very fit. Tomorrow she will naturally be alive and kicking. Why can’t she sleep a night and sweat?

“Your Highness, qie guarantees you qie will be all vigorous tomorrow, not hindering your eyes. Won’t it do?” Mu Xi Yao miserably pulled at Zhong Zheng Lin’s cuffs. Her little nose rubbed against the hollow of his neck, breathing there a warm air.

Mo Lan outside hung down her eyelids. Vigorous? If she wasn’t vigorous, their heads will have to find a new home. How come the fact that words their master utter scare people still doesn’t change?

Zong Zheng Lin let go of her and turned a page. He quietly stroked the head of a wheedling rabbit, patiently “reasoning” with her.

“Dare to act willful again and tomorrow bendian will go and ask mother-consort to sent few nutriment servants over.”

Mu Xi Yao immediately recalled the nutriment momo consort Shu had sent while she was pregnant with Cheng Qing. They took care of her like taking care of a pig, watching her attentively eating meals and drinking soups all day long. If it wasn’t for her taking time off to practice health preservation exercises during her free time, she would have long ago become a living Yu Huan2. How could she then go out and seduce Zhong Zheng Lin to make babies with her?

She indignantly bit Zhong Zheng Lin’s neck. Mu Xi Yao shut her eyes tightly. Without taking in or out a breath, she fiercely drank the soup in one go. She took the last gulp too quickly, thus she choked on it and kept on coughing. Her little face turned crimson.

Zhong Zheng Lin had no other choice than to put down the book. As he watched the little woman’s desperate fortitude, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Only today he learnt how hard it was for Mu Xi Yao to drink a medicine. He gently patted her back and consoled her with gentle words while looking at the pair of watery eyes gleaming with tears that watched him. Zhong Zheng Lin’s body tensed.

The little woman’s cheeks were crimson. Those eyes of hers were vivid and her breathing was hurried as if she was in a state of extreme arousal. Without waiting for her to calm her breathing, the sixth Highness directly carried the person to the inner chamber.

Mu Xi Yao first looked at Zhong Zheng Lin who was transforming into a wolf and then she glanced at the bright sky outside. She became so anxious she started to cough incessantly.

“Don’t be anxious Jiao Jiao. Bendian will do utmost to comfort you.”

Mu Xi Yao desperately dodged him. Anxious. Of course, she was anxious. She was so anxious she wanted to kick Zhong Zheng Lin out of the room. She won’t let this shameless one tarnish her reputation.

Seeing the two masters make a fuss till they’ve disappeared from sight, Zhao momo took the empty bowl and shook her head as she left. How come that his Highness was so impatient? Could it be that mistress held his Highness back to much?

Translation notes: 

[1] To be at the waterfront towers and be the first to catch the moon is a Chinese idiom that means to enjoy the benefits of a favorable position

[2] Yu Huan was the personal name of concubine Yang, one of the four great Chinese beauties who was known to have a voluptuous figure