The soup had spilled all over Ye Wan, and the rat’s head had fallen under the stool. At the same time, the sound of servants paying respects came from outside: “Your Highness.”
Zhu Yuanshu’s face instantly changed. She bared her teeth at Ye Wan and hissed in a low voice, “Hurry up and clean this up!”
“Yes, yes.” Ye Wan, ignoring her fear, first picked up the rat’s head from the floor and threw it back into the soup, then covered the porcelain jar with its lid.
Seizing this moment, Zhu Yuanshu quickly walked out of the room to greet Prince Jing. “Your Highness.”
“A’You.” Prince Jing reached out to help her up. “Rise quickly.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.” Zhu Yuanshu stood up, her heart filled with delight, a gentle smile appearing on her face—a stark contrast to the person who had just scolded Ye Wan.
Prince Jing held her hand as they walked into the room together.
Ye Wan had just finished cleaning the table and chairs. Carrying the gift box Zhu Changsheng had sent, she quickly left the room.
Seeing this, Zhu Yuanshu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
“After court today, Steward Wei told me that you stayed in the Princess Consort’s room all last night attending to her illness and didn’t sleep a wink.” Prince Jing had already taken her hand and sat with her on the soft couch.
Hearing Prince Jing’s concern, Zhu Yuanshu felt that all the hardship was worth it.
“Your Highness, this is my duty. You have to rise early for court meetings. If you don’t sleep all night, you might not be able to handle government affairs properly. From now on, leave the care of Her Highness the Princess Consort to me. I will definitely take good care of her.”
Her voice was soft and gentle, filled with affection.
Prince Jing pulled her into his embrace, gently stroking her back. “You’ve suffered, A’You. But…”
He suddenly released her and took a string of keys from his waist, then called Steward Wei inside.
He first handed the keys to Zhu Yuanshu, saying, “The Princess Consort and I have discussed it. After the side consort enters the household, she will manage the internal affairs of the estate. From now on, the household accounts will be entrusted to you. Steward Wei has brought the account books for the estate and the shops in the capital. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask Steward Wei.”
Steward Wei walked up to Zhu Yuanshu, holding the estate tally and account books.
Zhu Yuanshu was overjoyed but had to suppress her delight. She reached out and opened the estate’s account book.
In the Zhu household, she had only learned music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Matters of household management were guided by the steward nanny, and her skill in reading account books was superficial at best. She couldn’t understand the estate’s financial situation at all.
In her eyes, once she took over the estate’s affairs, Nanny Min would be there to guide her. All she needed to do was please the prince, conceive Prince Jing’s child as soon as possible, help Prince Jing become the crown prince, and eventually become the empress herself.
As for Princess Consort Jing, judging by her illness, she didn’t seem like someone who could bear a son and daughter.
If only Princess Consort Jing could die sooner…
“Don’t be afraid. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can also ask me. I know it’s difficult for you to take over the estate’s affairs immediately.”
Hearing the voice beside her, Zhu Yuanshu snapped back to reality. She grasped Prince Jing’s hands and smiled softly. “Your Highness, rest assured. Although I was raised by my parents on the estate, I managed the fields and lands there all by myself. I won’t disappoint you.”
She glanced at Nanny Min.
Nanny Min stepped forward and took the estate tally and account books from Steward Wei.
Prince Jing’s gaze swept lightly over the account books Nanny Min took away. His narrow eyes narrowed slightly, a strange glint flashing briefly in their depths.
What Prince Jing said next made Zhu Yuanshu’s face change drastically.”You, You.” He turned his hand to firmly grasp both of hers: “This prince has heard that your master, True Lord Changguang, possesses a Foundation-Returning Longevity Pill that can cure all ailments. Imperial Physician Lu said that if we could obtain a Foundation-Returning Longevity Pill refined by True Lord Changguang, the Princess Consort’s illness could be saved. Could you write a letter to True Lord Changguang, inviting him to the mansion to refine pills and treat the Princess Consort?”
“By the way, this prince has also heard that you, You, are skilled in medicine, having inherited True Lord Changguang’s true teachings, capable of treating difficult and complicated illnesses. You watched over the Princess Consort all night last night. What is your understanding of her condition?”
Zhu Yuanshu’s expression stiffened at the corners of her mouth.
She wasn’t the real Zhu You; how could she have medical skills? How could she possibly invite True Lord Changguang?
Zhu Yuanshu never expected that on the second day after marrying into Prince Jing’s Mansion, Prince Jing would ask her for True Lord Changguang’s Foundation-Returning Longevity Pill and probe her “capabilities.”
“You, You, why do you look so pale? Is the Princess Consort’s condition not good, or is it difficult for you to ask True Lord Changguang for the Life-Returning Pill?”
Prince Jing frowned but patiently coaxed Zhu Yuanshu: “If the Princess Consort truly cannot be saved, then this prince…”
“Your Highness.” Fearing her identity would be exposed, Zhu Yuanshu reached out and placed a finger on Prince Jing’s lips, making an extravagant promise: “The Princess Consort’s symptoms of coughing blood have persisted for some time, and her physical condition is indeed not good, but it is not beyond cure. Your Highness, rest assured, your concubine will write to my master, asking him to send the Foundation-Returning Longevity Pill to Shengjing posthaste. However…”
“However what?”
Zhu Yuanshu looked up at him: “However, whether the Foundation-Returning Longevity Pill can cure the Princess Consort depends on her ability to absorb it. It all depends on fate.”
“Do not worry, regardless of the outcome, this prince will not blame you.” After saying this, Prince Jing turned to look at Steward Wei.
Steward Wei waved his hand.
Two maids from the Princess Consort’s courtyard, each holding a gift box, walked up to Zhu Yuanshu.
“Concubine, these are gifts the Princess Consort ordered us to present to Your Ladyship the Concubine. The Princess Consort said that Your Ladyship attended to her illness all night last night and has worked hard.” The speaking maid was Hong Shan. She reached out to open the gift box, introducing the gifts inside: “This is a red gold pine and crane long hairpin, a birthday gift from the Empress Dowager to the Princess Consort last year. The Princess Consort has been reluctant to wear it and specially chose it to give to the Concubine.”
After speaking, Hong Shan opened the gift box in Hong Luan’s hands: “This is a thousand-year blood ginseng. Imperial Physician Lu said the Princess Consort’s constitution is not suitable for using blood ginseng, so the Princess Consort ordered us to bring it for Your Ladyship the Concubine to use.”
Thousand-year blood ginseng! Red gold pine and crane long hairpin!
In her previous life, after Zhu Changsheng entered the mansion, she indeed received these two items, causing great envy among noblewomen toward a concubine.
Now these precious items were all hers.
Zhu Yuanshu quickly stood up to express gratitude, then instructed Ye Shuang and Ye Yu to put the items away safely.
Just then, a mansion guard entered the courtyard: “Your Highness, the carriage is ready.”
Prince Jing nodded and said to Zhu Yuanshu: “This prince is going to Wei Mansion to offer incense for the fallen martyrs. You have been exhausted all night; stay in the mansion and rest well.”
What? The prince is going to Wei Mansion alone?
Wouldn’t that give him a chance to encounter Zhu Changsheng!
No, she couldn’t let Zhu Changsheng have an opportunity to interact with Prince Jing.
As Prince Jing was about to walk out the door, Zhu Yuanshu quickly stepped forward and blocked his path: “Your Highness, the entire Wei family died in battle. Since the Princess Consort cannot accompany Your Highness to Wei Mansion to offer incense, I wonder if your concubine is qualified to accompany Your Highness there.”Prince Jing turned around, lowering his gaze to look at the delicate-featured woman, and asked with concern, “But you haven’t slept all night. Can your body hold up?”
“After the princess rested, I dozed off for a while. Now I feel refreshed. Please wait for me, I’ll change my clothes and accompany you to Wei Mansion.”
“Alright.” Prince Jing revealed a gentle smile, reaching out to smooth the stray hairs on her forehead. “Then I’ll wait for you.”
Zhu Yuanshu gave a slight bow. As she turned away, a glint of calculation flashed in her eyes.
This was the perfect opportunity to have Zhu Changsheng write a letter back to Azure Cloud Temple, asking True Lord Changguang for that Life-Returning Pill!