11 – Guarding against fire and theft, but not against Yinzhen’s heart for her
Qiao An quickly said, “Don’t misunderstand, Azi.”
Fu Qingzi helplessly rubbed her forehead and teased, “Look at how you’re trying to cover things up. I haven’t even said anything yet.”
Qiao An blushed and lowered her head, as if admitting that was indeed the case.
Just as Qiao An was about to leave, Fu Qingzi suddenly asked, “Does Yin Zhen really have countless women?”
Fu Qingzi herself didn’t know why she asked such a question. It wasn’t as if she didn’t already know—why bother asking?
Qiao An sat back down, her eyes flickering slightly, and patiently explained, “Actually, in this dynasty, Fourth Master is already considered quite restrained. Just look at his father—he’s the real rotten cucumber.”
Fu Qingzi chuckled softly, her gaze fixed ahead as if lost in thought. After a long while, she calmly said, “In a few days, there will be new people in the mansion. When they start fighting, if I fail to manage properly and cause trouble in the rear courtyard, it won’t just be Fourth Master who has something to say—Consort De will also have her words.”
Just thinking about this gave Fu Qingzi a headache. Why did she have to be the primary consort? If she were just a secondary consort, things would be much easier.
Qiao An couldn’t help but stick out her tongue. She had thought Fu Qingzi was starting to care about Fourth Master, but it turned out she was worried about this matter. She sighed with slight regret.
When would the couple she was rooting for finally get together? It was bad enough that one of them was clueless, but both of them were equally oblivious.
On the other side.
“Miss, are you really going to stay calm? I heard Consort De will send people into Fourth Prince’s mansion in a few days. When that happens…” The nanny trailed off, but her meaning was clear.
Ulanara clearly looked down on these lowly women who had neither background nor family status. Her own identity and status were firmly established. Once she entered Fourth Prince’s mansion, not only would these concubines be nothing, but even the primary consort, Fu Qingzi, wouldn’t be able to do anything to her.
Someone like Ulanara naturally had a proud and lofty temperament.
“Fourth Prince’s heart is with me. What are you worried about?”
The nanny sighed. If the young lady continued to act so willfully, she might not only lose Fourth Prince’s heart but also his person entirely.
Ulanara plucked a flower, a smile curling at the corner of her lips. “Fourth Prince hasn’t come to see me at the mansion for a long time. Tomorrow, nanny, spread the news to Fourth Prince’s mansion that I have a headache.”
The nanny leaned close to Ulanara’s ear and whispered, “I heard from Fifth Prince’s consort that Fourth Master caught a fox at the hunting grounds to please Fourth Consort.”
Ulanara’s expression instantly changed, and the flower in her hand was crushed into a ball. “What did you say? Say it again!”
The nanny knew she couldn’t repeat it, so she fell silent. It was enough that the young lady understood.
The next day.
Yin Zhen was having lunch with Fu Qingzi, while Su Peisheng had been hesitating outside for a long time. Should he say it or not? How should he say it? If he spoke, he would offend the consort and Qiao An; if he didn’t, he would offend Fourth Master. He was utterly conflicted.
But he couldn’t afford to hesitate for too long. After all, if something happened to Ulanara, Fourth Master would blame him for not reporting it promptly.
Yin Zhen noticed that Fu Qingzi particularly enjoyed boiled eggplant, so he added more to her bowl.
Fu Qingzi immediately frowned but didn’t know what to say. When would he ever change the habit of using his own chopsticks to serve others during meals?
She could only gently remind him, “Lord, I have hands and can serve myself.”
Yin Zhen was taken aback for a moment before realizing that Fu Qingzi’s cleanliness obsession had flared up again.
Yin Zhen’s dark eyes fixed on Fu Qingzi with an indescribable feeling, then he took the boiled eggplant from her bowl and put it into his own mouth. “If you won’t eat it, I will.”
Qiao An noticed Su Peisheng hesitating outside and gave him a meaningful look.
Su Peisheng shook his head.
Qiao An looked at him with exasperation. What was this man so conflicted about? Or was there something he couldn’t say in front of Fu Qingzi?
Su Peisheng finally mustered his courage and entered, whispering into Yin Zhen’s ear, “Lord, Lady Ulanara has a severe headache and says Fourth Master hasn’t visited her in a long time.”
Fu Qingzi, being close to Yin Zhen, heard every word clearly. Her phoenix eyes involuntarily turned toward him.
A slight smile touched Fu Qingzi’s lips as her thoughts drifted. If this were modern times, wouldn’t this be considered marital infidelity?
Seeing Fu Qingzi not angry but even smiling, calmly taking another bite of food as if she didn’t care at all, a faint irritation rose in Yin Zhen’s heart.
It had to be said that aside from her appearance, Fu Qingzi was truly well-suited to be a consort—not prone to jealousy or pettiness, always maintaining that same composed expression.
Thinking this, Yin Zhen felt relieved. A consort should indeed be like this.
“I’m leaving now. Don’t wait for me for dinner,” Yin Zhen said before departing the Main Courtyard.
Fu Qingzi began to wonder what kind of person Ulanara really was here.
She who should have been the consort, now…
A severe headache? Fourth Master hasn’t visited her in a long time? Fu Qingzi shook her head and rested her forehead in her hand. It seemed there would be much to deal with in the future.
Qiao An’s expression turned deadly serious, her eyes sharp and unguarded. “Look at this, look at this. If Ulanara were to enter this household, what chaos would ensue? Scheming in the shadows to steal someone away—such cunning. Azi, we must be on guard.”
Fu Qingzi chuckled playfully. “We can guard against fire and theft, but we can’t guard against Yin Zhen’s heart being set on her.”
…
These past few days, Su Peisheng couldn’t understand why Qiao An kept glaring at him, ignoring him. Had he somehow offended her? That didn’t seem to be the case.
Unless… it was because of Lady Ulanara’s matter…
Could it be that the consort, unable to vent her anger, was taking it out on her? But that didn’t seem right either—he had seen how well the consort treated her.
Perhaps Qiao An was indignant on the consort’s behalf and thus taking her anger out on him, the “culprit.”
What nonsense!
Seizing the opportunity while Fourth Master was busy in the front courtyard, Su Peisheng slipped quietly into the Main Courtyard, only to be caught by Qiao An.
Su Peisheng ventured cautiously, “Are you really angry?”
Qiao An glared at him again, pointing at her own face. “Can’t you see the words ‘I’m very angry’ written all over my face?”
Inside, Fu Qingzi was reading but listening attentively to the commotion outside. A glimmer of understanding flashed in her eyes.
The more Qiao An thought about it, the angrier she became, her tone growing more agitated. “How could you side with outsiders over your own people? Ulanara says she has a headache, so she must have a headache? Couldn’t you have pretended not to hear?!”
Su Peisheng fell silent. So it was indeed because of this.
He was helpless too—failing to report such matters here would be a crime.
“An An…” Su Peisheng had barely uttered the name when Qiao An cut him off. “An An what? Who gave you the right to call me An An?”
Su Peisheng immediately closed his mouth, at a loss for words.