The Beloved Imperial Consort - Chapter 87
“Does Jiao Jiao immensely enjoy the fact that bendian has lost face at the old man’s place?”
These few days that Zhong Zheng Lin has been confined in the palace, each day he faced a group of grown-up men. In the evenings, he went to sleep all alone. Right now, as he held a soft and fragrant beauty in arms, he felt like a thirsty man discovering an oasis in the desert. His mood was jolly.
Mu Xi Yao stuck out her pregnant belly, hinting him to wake up. There was a pregnant woman in front of him.
“Your Highness, you’ve left gracefully. However, qie was left to deal with thousands of ducks that rattles on and on. So annoying. Qie is very sleepy nowadays.”
As soon as Mu Xi Yao seized the opportunity, she began to complain.
Zhong Zheng Lin laughed. The little woman was increasingly casual in the way she spoke. In any case, he did read the report, so he understood her meaning.
“Uh-huh. Jiao Jiao is exhausted, and therefore, can be excused from paying respect.”
Mu Xi Yao’s beautiful eyes instantly brightened up with a spark. It was such a dazzling sight to behold. Your sixth Highness, you indeed know how to play the game! She kissed his Adam’s apple, stirring a desire in the man.
“Your Highness, let’s settle.” Mu Xi Yao paid no heed to his restless hands. Swinging her little bottom, she turned and went to sleep.
I let you cause troubles and attracting peach blossoms1. Serve you right!
Since Mu Xi Yao left Zhong Zheng holding the sack, he had to do his best to control himself. Thinking of how tiring were these days for her and that he couldn’t bear to torment her, he forced himself to stifle the desire, enduring for the rest of the night. On the next morning, he climbed up from the bed early to practice martial arts and take a cold shower to vent his pent up lust from yesterday.
He Lian Min Min looked at orioles and swallows2 underneath. Everyone was present except the most finicky one in the residence.
“This morning, qie heard his Highness rested in Mu cefei’s place yesterday. No wonder that she didn’t get up today. She must have been tired from attending to his Highness; unable to take into consideration the etiquette.”
Su Lin Rou looked at He Lian Min Min and took delight in her misfortune. Her voice rose and fell in cadence, while her words were sophisticated.
Serve you right! That day, you should not have seized the occasion to chastise Mu’shi, and put on airs. Right now, you must regret your past deeds! He Lian Min Min that stupid woman missed the perfect timing of his Highness not being in the residence. Instead, she let Mu Xi Yao grab the chance to establish herself and let her prestige rise to a new height.
“Is attending to his Highness a reason to not come to pay respect?” Zeng Yu didn’t bear the polite and modest manners of a concubine at all. She mindlessly interrupted them with a voice dripping with sarcasm: “After attending to his Majesty, aunt still goes to Yaohua Palace to call her attendance.”
The whole room quietened, scared by Zeng Yu’s words. She actually dared to talk about her Ladyship and his Majesty’s private affairs. Did she wish to die?
The first things Su Lin Rou and Zeng Yu did in the morning was making He Lian Min Min so angry that her chest ached. Why only did these idiotic women insist on making life difficult for her? One Mu’shi already made her head ache very much. Now, there were, in addition, two extremely noisy, and good-for-nothing women who constantly raised a hue. How can such life be endured?
“Concubine Zeng lacks ethical codes. She will be responsible to make three hundreds copies of 《Woman’s lessons》and put under house arrest for three months.” He Lian Min Min was at the end of her patience. She directly picked Zeng Yu to kill the chicken to warn the monkey3.
“How dare you!” Zeng Yu suddenly got up and swept to the ground tea on her hand while glowering at He Lian Min Min. She acted extremely rude and unreasonable.
“Tian Fu Shan, drag down Zeng’shi and punish her with domestic discipline.” Zhong Zheng Lin raised his leg to step in. He didn’t even bother to look at Zeng Yu. His tone was laced with coldness.
“Elder cousin!” Zeng Yu’s eyes teared up. She dashed in front of Zhong Zheng Lin with an incredulous look on her face. Subsequently, she grabbed the sleeve of his robe and kept on pestering Zhong Zheng Lin.
The sixth Highness was on guard when a woman took the initiative to become intimate with him. He raised and swung his hand, and the person was already outside of the main house.
“Elder cousin, how can you treat me like this? Aunt told you to take well care of me!” Like as if she has lost mind, Zeng Yu punched and kicked Tian Fu Shan. Her hair became messy and her makeup smudged in the process.
Looking at ghost-like woman, Zhong Zheng Lin uttered coldly, “Put her into house arrest for half a year. Drag her away.”
Since Zhong Zheng Lin entered in, everyone kept quiet out of fear. They were terribly frightened inside. How come his sixth Highness was out only for a few days, yet he came back being even colder than before? Could it be that lady Mu has displeased his Highness last night?”
What these women didn’t know was that the sixth Highness was sexually frustrated and had no place to disperse his anger.
“Serve the meal.” Zhong Zheng Lin was impatient.
He Lian Min Min was in a dilemma, “This…Your Highness, cefei hasn’t arrived yet. Do we wait for her a bit?” At this moment, the anger made Zhong Zheng Lin lose his head hence he ordered for the food to be served. If he recalls later that he didn’t wait for his darling, won’t she be then blamed for neglecting the concubine?
“Mu’shi is heavy with pregnancy. Before the childbirth, she will be dismissed from paying respects. There’s no need to wait for her.” He spoke while having a servant girl attending him with washing hands. His expression was composed as he justly broke the rules.
He Lian Min Min’s heart clutched tightly. On the surface, she stiffly complied. Did his Highness just openly denied her the honor due to the principal consort?
Su Lin Rou’s eyelid jumped. Lady Mu took precedence everywhere. She can even not arrive to pay respect. Did his Highness want to indulge in her acts of arrogance?
The rest of people secretly harbored resentment against Mu Xi Yao. However, they dared not to overstep He Lian principal consort and Su cefei. Since the two of them have borne it in silent, what else could they say?
“In a few days, a family banquet will be held in the palace. He Lian’shi, make the preparations. Decide for yourself if you want to bring someone.” Zhong Zheng Lin instructed He Lian Min Min and then put down the chopsticks in his hands.
“Yes.” He Lian Min Min respectfully replied. Seeing him pick only some small side dishes, she became worried, “Your Highness, it’d be better to use more of the meal. You mustn’t be hungry while running errands.”
Zhong Zheng Lin waved his hand and rinsed his mouth with lukewarm water passed by the servant girl.
“No need. Bendian won’t return for lunch. Dinner will be directly used in Danruo Courtyard. You don’t need to trouble yourself. Principal consort should properly examine the residence’s account book and have Tian Fu Shan explain it to you more attentively.”
He Lian Min Min understood his implication. Everyone will be using breakfast in the main house in the future. The rest of the time, he won’t be coming. It was good like that. At least, she could see the person every day, right? Moreover, when his Highness mentioned account book, did it mean he has already collected account books from Mu’shi to hand them over to her?
Her face looked a bit better. She personally sent Zhong Zheng Lin out of the house. Only then did she return to the inner room.
—–
“Mistress, his Highness let you manage the account books. How can you dispose of the matter by throwing them at this servant?” Hui Lan was so anxious she kept going frantically around Mu Xi Yao. The above-mentioned amount was so big it made her afraid and daring not to take it over.
“You mean that I, the mistress, have trained you for so many years, and when it comes for you to show yourself, you want me to personally do the work?” Mu Xi Yao swayed her calf while twirling the grape and sending it into her mouth.
When Zhao momo saw cefei’s appalling seating manners, she bowed her head and withdrew outside.
His Highness handed all the overt accounts of the prince’s residence over to He Lian principal consort to manage. The ones that were specially picked out were his Highness’s exclusive private property. Those few important assets were all given into mistress’s hands. Unfortunately, cefei wasn’t fond of accounts. She threw them at servant girls with a face filled with disdain. This was, indeed, a blessing one couldn’t snatch even if one wished.
Seeing Hui Lan solemn-faced, she good-heartedly called for Chun Lan and Ruo Lan to act as her assistances. Thus, she has finally dumped this unnecessary burden.
Zhong Zheng Lin that man, did he think she didn’t know these were all just smokescreen? The important assets were bullshit. Just by relying on these furs and jewels, could he support his secret forces and Yue Lai Ge? Gibberish!
The grain transportation and iron ore foundry he possessed were his real trump cards. Unfortunately, she couldn’t openly reveal it to people. Otherwise, everyone will be finished.
Mu Xi Yao’s face was written with “what a shame”. She sighed to herself. If they were able to wrench the armaments from Yuancheng Emperor’s hands, then those assets…the idea was too beautiful. Mu Xi Yao shook her head. She better wait for Zhon Zheng Lin to ascend to the throne and then she will sleep while hugging the money from the state treasury.
“Mistress, He Lian principal consort sent people to ask you whether the purchase of food for your little kitchen will follow the others or you will be on your own and call someone else to run the task?”
Gui mono smiled and carried Cheng Qing inside. As soon as she came in, she heard Mo Lan mention affairs in the little kitchen.
“Mistress, the little kitchen has to be carefully managed. You mustn’t let the principal consort intervene.” Gui mono was a long-time servant of lady Yu. She loved Mu Xi Yao dearly since she was little. Her words weighed a bit more than the ordinary servant girls.
Mu Xi Yao nodded. If one was not mindful of the food, what was that person even doing in the inner yard? “Have Tian Fu Shan continue to take charge of it for the time being. After leaving the palace, tell mother to send some of your family members over. It’s time for some of our people to enter the residence.”
Once they leave the palace to establish the residence, Mu Xi Yao had no plans for He Lian Min Min to enjoy such a good thing by herself. If she let go of this best opportunity for people to come in, it would be like surrender half of the country.
It was foreseeable that at that time lady Su will certainly also do her utmost to plant her people in. If He Lian Min Min wished to hide the sky with her one hand, it would be rather too unrealistic.
When Gui momo and Mo Lan heard that Mu Xi Yao planned to elevate long-time servants from Mu House, joy appeared on their faces. Based on how his Highness indulged her, it was all only a matter of few words. Compared to Mu House, to be able to enter the prince’s residence was a different story altogether.
—–
“She, indeed, grabs tightly on it.” He Lian Min Min coldly snorted.
At the moment, it appeared like his Highness gave the authority over the residence to her. In fact, everybody was well aware that this matter had a bottom line. She couldn’t intervene in the affairs of Danruo Courtyard. This was also the reason why Zhong Zheng Lin could let her easily take charge of the residence. Because she was “sensible”.
When He Lian Min Min remembered the fifth princess consort’s circumstance, she became distressed. These princes and Highnesses, which of them sincerely showed solicitude for their legal wives? Above, she had a mistress in the palace pressuring them. Underneath, there were cefeis and concubines forcing her to step down. Even that lady Zeng who has been put under house arrest by Zhong Zheng Lin; she could only punish her according to the rules. Don’t tell her she truly could disregard consort Shu’s face and just dispose of her?
Since there is already one Mu’shi, she cannot let Su Lin Rou follow closely her suit.
—–
“Mistress, things have been done.” Zhu Jin leaned over to hand a reply letter.
“Remember to tell them to leave no trails. This thing absolutely mustn’t be exposed to people.”
“Yes.”
—–
When Zhong Zheng Lin returned to the residence in the evening, he just happened to be stopped midway by Su Lin Rou who has been waiting for him.
“Your Highness, my father has sent news. He specially instructed qie to personally deliver it to your Highness.”
A tiny light flashed in Zhong Zheng Lin’s eyes. Su Bo Wen actually passed like thunder and moved like the wind4.
“Follow bendian.” His footsteps halted. Halfway, he made a detour to Fanghua Courtyard.
Once they entered the study room of Fanghua Courtyard, Su Lin Rou took out the letter and respectfully presented it to him.
Zhong Zheng Lin unfolded the letter. His brows furrowed.
Zhong Zheng Ming truly wanted to concentrate his efforts on civilian court officials. Right now, there was a large number of officials and scholars drew over by him. Unexpectedly, even Xiao Ye Ting has become his follower.
How did this great scholar of the present dynasty willingly bow before him?
Zhong Zheng Lin closed his eyes to contemplate. He tapped softly against the table with his right hand, attempting to find a way to ask a distinguished scholar who was Xiao Ye Ting’s equal to leave the mountain5.
Seeing Zhong Zheng Lin frowning and being silent, Su Lin Rou dared not to disturb him. She only quietly observed at the side.
“Su’shi.” Zhong Zheng Lin’s phoenix eyes stared at the woman in front of him, “Make a preparation. Tomorrow, you will accompany bendian out of the capital for a few days.”
Su Lin Rou was elevated. She quickly complied. Seeing Zhong Zheng Lin get up, she hurried to follow, sending him off out.
“His Highness went to lady Su’s place?” He Lian Min Min put down the needlework she had in hands.
What was going on? Everyone in the residence knew about lady Mu’s immense favor. How come Su Lin Rou was able to intercept the person from her?”
—–
As soon as Zhong Zheng Lin stepped into the house, he saw Mu Xi Yao tapping his son ceaselessly down to the bed while laughing mischievously.
“Ba-ba!” The tiny one kept crawling while throwing himself at Mu Xi Yao.
“Mom!” Mu Xi Yao corrected him. “You little naughty boy, you can call daddy clearly. Yet, whenever you call mom, you start to cause trouble.” As she was speaking, she rewarded his chubby bottom two slaps.
Zhong Zheng Lin looked at her, amused by her pouting and displeased expression. He walked over and took Cheng Qing. Subsequently, he leaned over and plant a kiss on her moist and alluring lips.
“Did you have a good time playing with bendian’s son?”
Translation notes:
[1] Attract peach blossom is a Chinese phrase meaning to attract the opposite sex
[2]Orioles and swallows is a Chinese idiom meaning a bevy of young girls; a crowd of women chattering together pleasantly
[3]Killing the chicken to warn the monkey is a Chinese idiom meaning to punish an individual as an example to others
[4] Pass like thunder and move like the wind is a Chinese idiom that means a swift and decisive reaction
[5] To leave the mountain is a Chinese idiom meaning to come out of retirement and take up an official post
