“Wet Nurse Shen said that Consort Song had asked her to do something, but she forgot about it yesterday. So she temporarily switched shifts with me,” Wet Nurse Zhao answered respectfully.
“What could be more important than taking care of the Little Prince?” Aunt Pei had served the Prince for ten years. She had a feeling that instead of going back to rest, the Prince was sitting here watching the magic show with the Little Prince because of Wet Nurse Shen.
“This servant does not know either,” Wet Nurse Zhao said, her eyes flickering slightly. “But I saw her carrying a bottle of frostbite ointment when she left.”
“Wet Nurse Shen doesn’t have frostbite, and Consort Song certainly doesn’t either… Then she is…” Aunt Pei stopped halfway through her sentence. She suddenly remembered how Wet Nurse Shen had been visiting Steward Xiao whenever she had free time these past months.
Could she be delivering the frostbite ointment to Steward Xiao?
“I don’t know the details,” Wet Nurse Zhao continued. “But ever since the Mid-Autumn Festival, whenever Wet Nurse Shen had free time after work, she would sit in her room sewing things. Then she would go out, and whatever she had made would be gone afterward.”
She secretly glanced at Wet Nurse Qian.
Understanding immediately, Wet Nurse Qian took over.
“Wet Nurse Shen is skilled at embroidery. Maybe because the weather has become cold, she has been making things for her family and asking Consort Song to send them home. That bottle of frostbite ointment is probably meant for her family as well.”
Yun Suiwu took a sip of hot tea. It seemed as if he had not caught the hidden meaning behind the two wet nurses’ words.
But Aunt Pei understood perfectly.
They were clearly hinting that everything Wet Nurse Shen embroidered had been given to Steward Xiao.
Since one was the chief steward of the Prince’s estate and the other was Consort Song’s cousin, neither woman dared to speak openly.
However, both Aunt Pei and Steward Xiao knew very well that Shen Lianxiang was only being so attentive because she wanted Steward Xiao’s help with something.
Yet in other people’s eyes, it looked like a secret romance.
More importantly, it was Consort Song who had taught Lianxiang to behave this way, deliberately making others misunderstand the situation.
At that moment, Consort Song, having heard that the Prince was visiting Qingzhu Courtyard, hurried over.
She loved sleeping late. During winter, she even had her meals brought to her bed.
The moment she heard the news, she immediately climbed out of bed and rushed over. As she reached the doorway, she overheard the wet nurses talking.
First, she entered and gracefully bowed to the Prince.
Then she spoke directly.
“That frostbite ointment was probably something Lianxiang took to give to Steward Xiao.”
Yun Suiwu looked up at her.
Consort Song continued:
“When I arranged for Lianxiang to enter the estate, I actually had another purpose in mind. I pitied her because her life was so difficult, and I hoped to help her find another husband here in the estate. Whether it was a guard or a servant, as long as Lianxiang liked him…
“Previously, Steward Xiao gave all of the crystal grapes to her alone. Lianxiang was grateful for his kindness, so she often made things like waist warmers and knee protectors for him.
“Over time, she naturally became closer to Steward Xiao.
“Yesterday, after the heavy snowfall, she thought that such cold weather might be hard on him, so she took a bottle of frostbite ointment from me and planned to give it to him.”
Consort Song spoke openly without any attempt to hide it.
Wet Nurses Zhao and Qian were astonished.
Why had they not thought of it?
Getting close to Steward Xiao was far better than being the Little Prince’s wet nurse.
Although Steward Xiao was a eunuch and would never have children of his own, Shen Lianxiang was a widow who already had a son.
If the two of them got together, Steward Xiao would gain a woman to care for him and a son to look after him in old age.
Consort Song’s scheme was truly clever.
And Shen Lianxiang was clearly willing to do anything for a life of wealth and comfort.
The room suddenly became very quiet.
Well, not completely quiet.
The Little Prince was still laughing, and the magician was still entertaining him enthusiastically.
Yet those sounds seemed distant, as though separated from everyone else.
Consort Song was truly ruthless and calculating.
To secure her own position in the estate, she was willing to use any means necessary.
Aunt Pei carefully glanced at the Prince.
He was gently rubbing the rim of his teacup with his long fingers.
His expression remained calm and indifferent—so calm that no emotion could be seen at all.
“I truly did not expect Lianxiang to switch shifts while she was on duty…” Consort Song continued, thinking the Prince was simply considering the matter.
“My cousin has had such a hard life. Her late husband treated her well, but after he died, she was driven out of his family home and suffered greatly.
“Even though she has me here in the estate, she is still alone and has no one she can truly rely on.
“Her child remains with her family to be raised, so naturally she longs for someone she can depend on…”
As she spoke, she carefully watched the Prince’s expression.
If this match succeeded, her own position within the estate would become even more secure—at least until they returned to the capital.
Most importantly, with a powerful supporter like Steward Xiao, she would have nothing to fear even if new women entered the estate in the future.
“Consort Song,” Aunt Pei said sternly, “His Highness allowed Wet Nurse Shen to enter the estate so that she could properly care for the Little Prince. How can she allow her attention to be distracted by other matters?”
“Yes, Aunt Pei is right.” Consort Song quickly looked toward the Prince.
“I will speak to Lianxiang and make things clear. I only ask that Your Highness not blame her.”
The plea in her narrow eyes was not truly for mercy toward Wet Nurse Shen.
What she really wanted was for the Prince to approve a match between Steward Xiao and Shen Lianxiang.
In her heart, she believed she had every right to ask.
Back then, when the Empress suffered severe bleeding after childbirth, Consort Song had donated a large amount of her own blood to save her. As a result, she had become unlikely to bear children herself.
Now she merely wished to arrange a marriage for her cousin. What was wrong with that?
After all, the Little Prince’s safe birth was partly due to her sacrifice.
Yun Suiwu pressed his lips together.
His dark eyes were deep and unfathomable, like a boundless sea that no one could see through.
Then he rose gracefully to his feet and walked toward the door.
“Your Highness…” Consort Song called out.
She had only just arrived, and he was already leaving?
She tried to follow him, but Aunt Pei stopped her.
“Madam, His Highness returned to the estate early this morning and has not yet had a chance to rest. If you have something to discuss, please wait until he has recovered from his journey.”
And so Consort Song could only watch helplessly as the Prince walked out of Qingzhu Courtyard.
His tall figure looked especially cold and imposing against the snowy landscape.
On the way back to Chaoxu Hall, Aunt Pei wanted to explain that the relationship between Steward Xiao and Wet Nurse Shen was not what Consort Song had described.
But when she saw the Prince’s calm and unreadable expression, she swallowed her words.
Why should she even explain such things to the Prince?
What status did the Prince hold, and what status did Wet Nurse Shen have?
If she explained, would she not be indirectly suggesting that the noble and highly respected Prince had developed feelings for a humble wet nurse—a widow who had been married before and already had a child?
Would that not be an insult to the Prince?