The Beloved Imperial Consort Chapter 46

Mu Xi Yao got up early on this day. As soon as she sent Zhong Zheng Lin off, she began to trim ginkgo bonsai in the courtyard. Just as Ruo Lan passed her the scissor, Zhao momo came over along with Shu Tao.

“This servant pays respect to cefei.” Mu Xi Yao told her to rise. She then heard Zhao momo say that lady Tang’s shu sister sought an audience outside the residence, wanting to visit her di sister and, in passing, greet cefei.

Mu Xi Yao contemplated a little. She had no impression of Tang Yi Ru’s shu sister in her mind. She ought to be an irrelevant person. Mu Xi Yao was disinterested. She didn’t make things difficult for her and let her in.

“She is dismissed of greeting. Immediately have people take her to shufei.”

Later, when Ruo Lan returned she told them that on her way back, she met Shu Mei who was sending a young woman out of the inner yard. They happened to run into his Highness who was heading to the study from the Danruo Courtyard. As the two paid respect to his Highness and respectfully saw him off, apparently an argument broke out. In the end, that young woman, with a face full of cockiness, left the the gate, infuriating Shu Mei so much that she angrily went back to Shuihui Courtyard to report this matter.

Mu Xi Yao’s brows slightly knitted. Tang Yi Ru’s shu sister came to visit. However, it wasn’t to curry favor. On the contrary, she made a ruckus which caused the two to part on bad terms. Although Tang House of Shengjing was a bit better than her household, it was far from reaching the point of taking no regard of the imperial prince’s residence. Even if di sister was a shufei, she was still a proper member of the prince’s household. How strange.

This Tang Yi Ru and her shu sister’s abnormality was maybe worth to look into. Unfortunately, she lacked manpower nowadays. She didn’t have people that were able to avoid Zhong Zheng Lin’s eyes and ears to assist her. She could only passively wait and see. Only when time to establish a residence outside of the palace comes, she would be able to plant her people discreetly. Zhong Zheng Lin’s eyes and ears, though not very clear, she also knew a little about them.

—–

The fourteenth day of the second month, the twenty-eighth day of Hui An’s calendar. It will be the last day of the lunar year in another two days. A family feast will be held in the palace. The chief steward sent a list of gifts intended for each palace and residence to Danruo Courtyard so that Mu Xi Yao could look over and see whether changes should be made. Mu Xi Yao took a rough look. After careful thought, she used a brush to highlight several spots. Subsequently, she added the congratulatory gifts from Jia Yi House that were prepared beforehand. She then sent the list to Tian Fu Shan and instructed him to deliver the gifts on time in two days.

Tian Fu Shan originally thought this was cefei’s first time managing affairs in the residence. She was so young hence she ought to be still inexperienced. However, to one’s surprise, those few spots that were modified seemed to be reasonable, justified and more thoughtful. Perhaps, she had well-considered the matters long time ago. Furthermore, she was very skilled at housekeeping. If so, why was she usually so unwilling to manage household affairs? Other cefeis fought endlessly over the position of the principal consort’s aid. Their cefei, on the contrary, refused profusely. Tian Fu Shan couldn’t understand.

Mu Xi Yao was naturally unwilling to meddle excessively with the residence’s matters.

Firstly, when Zhong Zheng Lin marries and goes out of the palace, all these serving people, beside the most capable few stewards, has to be sent back to the imperial household department. She couldn’t take them with her.

Secondly, if she performed too well and shone brightly, wouldn’t she be only looking for a trouble after the principal consort enters the residence? She already had a child before the legal wife. If she also took over the household affairs, it’ll be no different as clamoring to your immediate superior, “You’ve got nothing to do here. Go and have fun somewhere else.”

Besides, she, Mu Xi Yao, never did things like defending a knife attack for the woman of the inner yard. An insignificant cefei like her wasn’t able to accomplish such a self-sacrificing deed!

After that woman enters the residence, she needn’t rush forward to confront tough with toughness and hence tax her mind. When the time comes, wouldn’t it be wonderful to go and hug the boss’s thigh? Having no high ambitions was currently the safest strategy.

—–

Two days later, the congratulatory gifts from other places were also successively delivered to the sixth prince’s residence. Since Zhong Zheng Lin had cefei, the visits between women of the inner yard had also increased. Tian Fu Shan became so busy he had to borrow Chun Lan and Ruo Lan to help him with registering hosts in book record. Mu Xi Yao also dispatched Gui momo to assist him. For a moment, everything run neatly and orderly in the residence. There wasn’t even the slightest bit of disorder.

Reading the report from the shadow guard, Zhong Zheng Lin felt very helpless. That woman clearly could do a good job, yet she always refused to do so. Based on her cleverness, she ought not to feel like wading that muddy water¹. But, it was good this way so as she won’t make herself conspicuous in front of the future princess consort who would then make things difficult for her. 

On a twenty-ninth day, a feast was held in the imperial prince’s residence. Zhong Zheng Lin was hosting a feast at the front and entertaining advisors and subordinate officials, while pregnant Mu Xi Yao along with the women of the inner yard drank tea, engaged in talks and watched the play in the inner yard. In between, a gatekeeper came to report that shufei’s sister came to pay a New Year call. 

Tang Yi Ru’s face paled, feeling deeply embarrassed. She could only inwardly hate that inappropriate wench. She was such a disgrace. The concubines below were also puzzled as for why shufei’s sister chose to make a visit today. Wasn’t she supposed to pay visit few days before the first month of the lunar year? She had actually made herself a laughing stock.

Mu Xi Yao felt that it would be improper to publicly reject a person in. It would only make the prince’s residence seem lacking broad-mindedness. She turned her head to ask Tang Yi Ru’s opinion, only to see her forcibly call Shu Mei to bring the person over. Everyone then again listened to the play for a while. Shortly after, they saw a woman in the prime of youth who appeared to be around fifteen-sixteen years old come in leisurely with lotus steps. She had a very pretty and flirtatious appearance, looking prettier than Tang Yi Ru.

“This common woman is Hui Ru of Tang House, pays respect to Mu cefei and all the present sisters.” As she said, she curtsied alluringly.

Mu Xi Yao looked at that woman and then turned her head to cast a glance at Tang Yi Ru. Subsequently, she told her to rise and exchanged some pleasantry words with her. Tang Hui Ru was, on the contrary, a natural socializer. She enthusiastically came to join the fun. First, it was paying a New Year call ahead of time and then pulling Tang Yi Ru to chat with her. For a moment, the atmosphere wasn’t as cold and awkward as before.

Everyone was engaging in small talks. After the feast in the front finished, they moved to the main hall, waiting for his Highness’s arrival. Mu Xi Yao tired for the whole day. She was currently forcing herself to maintain her spirit. As soon as Zhong Zheng Lin came in, she quickly ordered people to serve food.

Zhong Zheng Lin practiced martial arts. Though he has also engaged in social niceties for the whole day, he fared much better than Mu Xi Yao. Seeing the clearly tired face of the little woman, he didn’t talk much. Everyone used the meal in silence.

Women like lady Kong haven’t seen his Highness for several months. There was no one who wasn’t happy inwardly. They only wished that his Highness would cast them few more glances to not put in vain their meticulous dressing early this morning.

Unfortunately, Zhong Zheng Lin’s mind was fully preoccupied with Mu Xi Yao and her belly. He had no time to pay heed to other matters. As a result, he didn’t notice the burning gazes coming from these women that would wander to him from time to time.

Even before Zhong Zheng Lin came in, Tang Hui Ru hid behind the screen and secretly peeked out from a small crack. When she saw the tall and handsome side profile of the man, her heart kept pounding loudly. She thought that her sister was incapable. She had such a good match, yet she could only spent days alone in an empty boudoir and let that lady Mu take up all the benefits.

Mu Xi Yao had sharp senses. As she was sitting beside Zhong Zheng Lin, she has detected Tang Hui Ru’s inappropriate behavior more than once. She finally understood this woman’s intentions. She was secretly laughing inside. Tang Yi Ru certainly wanted to squeeze this shu sister to death at the moment. She coveted for her di sister’s husband in such a brazen manner. No wonder the two would part on the bad terms.

She was bewildered. With Tang Yi Ru’s capabilities, how come she didn’t get hold of this sister and instead tolerated her greatly? Could it be that woman had something against her? Mu Xi Yao guessed inside.

After using the meal, Zhong Zheng Lin sent Mu Xi Yao back to her courtyard first and then he turned and headed to the study so he could call Gong Shu Yang and instruct him the assignments of the staff during the New Year’s festival.

Before walking out of the inner yard, he saw in the front an unfamiliar woman talking with Tang’shi at the water pavilion. They seemed to have a disagreement. They had no maidservants around. Displeasure appeared on Zhong Zheng Lin’s face. Where were their manners?

Tang Hui Ru glimpsed from the corner of her eyes a man attired in the brocade gown coming from the distance. She only felt it was a golden opportunity bestowed to her by Heaven which she couldn’t miss. Instantly, she made a decision. She abruptly walked toward lady Tang and quietly said few words against her ear.

Before Zhong Zheng Lin approached them, he saw Tan’shi who was turned backward to him suddenly become so outraged she spoke incoherently. Following after, she raised her hand and a heavy slap fell on that woman’s face. It was fast and fierce. The slap occurred so unexpectedly that the other woman made two steps backward. Her body leaned to the side and with a plop, she fell into the pond.

“What’s going on?!” Zhong Zheng Lin furiously shouted and quickly walked over, only to see that woman not know how to swim, still struggling in the pond and calling for help. In a flash, his complexion paled with anger.

A dignified imperial prince’s courtyard. In the middle of the night, shufei has a secret rendezvous with a person in the garden. Not only was there a dispute but a person has almost died. It was simply outrageous!

Zhong Zheng Lin swept lady Tang a cold glance. He gathered the internal force at the tip of his foot and then leaped over in a few steps and grabbed that sinking person, bringing her back to the shore.

Only after putting the person down did he discover that woman had her eyes tightly shut. Her face was pale. Due to late winter’s weather, one could well imagine how ice cold was the water in the pond. The dripping wet hair that was plastered on the woman’s face was still dripping water. She didn’t wear a coat over her long dress which caused the wet cloth to stick on her delicate body. The curves on her body were completely exposed.

Zhong Zheng Lin’s expression become even more uglier. He turned his head and looked coldly at Tang’shi, forcefully stifling the anger. Just as he was about to have her call people to take this woman away, unexpectedly, tears came out of Tang’shi’s eyes and her whole body trembled. She just fearfully looked at him and then her eyes rolled and she fainted due to the scare.

The sixth Highness looked at two passed out women on the shore. His ice-cold phoenix eyes were undisturbed. He casually swept a glance at the two’s faces, reckoning that they won’t die for now. As a result, he paid them no more heed. He swung his sleeves and left. After arriving to the outer courtyard, he called Tian Fu Shan to take the two away. 

Wei Zhen was guarding at the doorway to the inner yard all this time. When he saw his Highness come out with a cold and solemn aura, he thought that he had a disagreement with mistress Yao. How could he know that the person who angered his Highness was the one from the Shuhui Courtyard? Wei Zhen shrunk his body and well-behavedly followed behind Zhong Zheng Lin. His eyes were fixed on his feet. 

When Zhong Zheng Lin recalled the messy incident just now, his brows gathered together. Tomorrow will be the last day of the lunar year. A family feast will be held in the palace. To encounter a mishap at such time, it was truly wretched. 

Translation Notes: 

[1] Wading muddy water means involve oneself in trouble

Relationship Diagram  (by Sith Kazar)

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