Liu Qingxi’s expression stiffened, and a flash of anger crossed her eyes.
She had not expected Chu Yunfei to be so rebellious, not even giving face to the Noble Consort.
What a Chu Yunfei.
Not to mention a female official like her, even a small palace maid or a eunuch from the Noble Consort’s palace, as long as they were sent by their master, represented the face of the master behind them.
Who among them was not respectful and fearful toward them?
This Princess Consort Zhan, however, was deliberately going against her. Was she not afraid that she would go to the Noble Consort and report her for being unruly?
"Give it to me." Chu Yunfei took the medicinal soup from her hand, ignoring what Liu Qingxi was thinking, and simply instructed Nanny Xiong calmly, "Physician Liu came personally to decoct the medicine for the Prince. It has been hard on her. Please, Nanny, give her some silver."
Nanny Xiong nodded and agreed, "Yes."
Liu Qingxi looked at Chu Yunfei in silence, the color in her eyes shifting, but in the end, she gave a faint smile, "The Princess Consort is very thoughtful. This servant came under the orders of the Noble Consort and dare not accept the Princess Consort’s silver. I shall return to the palace to report now."
Saying this, she curtsied slightly, "This servant takes her leave."
"Since that is the case, this Princess Consort will not force you." Chu Yunfei dropped this sentence, turned around with the medicinal soup, and walked toward the Inner Courtyard, "Nanny, see Miss Liu out."
Using the Noble Consort to pressure people time and again—did she really think she was afraid of her?
Liu Qingxi’s expression froze. She watched Chu Yunfei leave in disbelief. Once her figure disappeared from sight, she turned to look at Nanny Xiong with a gloomy smile, "The Princess Consort’s temper seems rather poor. It must be very hard for you to serve her here, Nanny."
"The Princess Consort is just in a bad mood today, Miss Liu, please do not take offense." Nanny Xiong raised her hand to gesture for Liu Qingxi to proceed, then turned to walk outside with her, "Today’s events happened too suddenly. The Princess Consort cannot accept it for the moment, so she is cold and sharp even toward the Prince, let alone others."
"To speak bluntly, for someone of Prince Zhan’s status, having three wives and four concubines is a common occurrence. For the Princess Consort to be so jealous and possessive is not a good thing." Liu Qingxi’s tone was indifferent, as if she were reprimanding someone, "The Noble Consort used to praise the Princess Consort for being tolerant, generous, gentle, and virtuous. I did not expect that just one Chu Yun Jiao would reveal the Princess Consort’s true colors. If the Noble Consort were to take this seriously, Nanny, do you think the Princess Consort will have a good outcome?"
"Miss Liu is right." Nanny Xiong sighed softly, "In the end, the Princess Consort was spoiled by the Prince. At the beginning of their marriage, the Prince promised the Princess Consort that he would only like her alone in this life. The Princess Consort might have taken it to heart."
Liu Qingxi scoffed. Only like her alone in this life?
Ask if the Emperor agrees? Ask if the Noble Consort agrees?
"That is why this incident was such a huge blow to the Princess Consort, to the point that she cannot even control her emotions. If there was any impoliteness, I hope Miss Liu will forgive me." Nanny Xiong lowered her head to watch the path, not noticing Liu Qingxi’s expression, "I will talk to the Princess Consort properly tonight, and it will not be like this tomorrow."
These words were clearly meant to give Liu Qingxi a way out, and also a hope that she would speak well of her in front of the Noble Consort.
Liu Qingxi’s expression softened slightly, "Nanny Xiong’s words make sense. The Princess Consort is young after all, I hope you will remind her more often."
Nanny Xiong agreed repeatedly.
Only then did Liu Qingxi step up to board the palace carriage.
Nanny Xiong bowed, "Safe travels, Miss Liu."
After the carriage drove away, the smile on Nanny Xiong’s face faded bit by bit, and she turned to walk back into the Prince's Estate.
..
When Chu Yunfei entered the room with the medicinal soup, the previous bowl of medicine had already been finished.
Chang Qing placed the empty bowl aside, and when he turned his head and saw Chu Yunfei walking in with another bowl of medicine, he immediately showed an expression of wanting to speak but hesitating.
"Chang Qing, you go out first." Chu Yunfei instructed, her tone revealing neither joy nor anger, "Take the bowl with you and give it to Baochan."
"Yes." Chang Qing took his leave and departed.
Rong Cang picked up a book scroll placed to the side, his tone cold and distant, "This Prince is tired and needs to rest. Get out."
"There is no rush to rest." Chu Yunfei walked to the back window, pushed it open, poured all the medicinal soup onto the ground, then closed the window and turned to walk toward the bed, "Is the Prince determined to give me a letter of divorce?"
Rong Cang did not expect her to ask this suddenly. He pursed his lips and fell silent, staring at the open pages of the book without saying a word.
Chu Yunfei walked to the bed and sat down, casually putting the bowl aside, and calmly repeated, "Rong Cang, are you determined to divorce me?"
"...Yes." Rong Cang’s tone returned to indifference, "I hope you will be sensible and take the letter of divorce to leave the Prince's Estate quickly."
Chu Yunfei paused and nodded slowly, "I can take the letter of divorce and leave."
Rong Cang was startled, unconsciously gripping the book scroll tightly.
Chu Yunfei’s gaze fell on his fair, slender fingers, her eyes as calm as the sea, "But I have a few conditions."
"Speak."
"First, during the period of your recovery, I will fulfill my responsibilities as a wife and take care of you until your injuries are fully healed." Chu Yunfei began to set her terms, "During this time, you are not allowed to mention the words 'letter of divorce' again."
"This Prince does not need—"
Chu Yunfei coldly interrupted him, "These are the conditions I have set; it is not up to you to say you do not need them."
Rong Cang shut his mouth and let her continue.
"Second, during your recovery, you will listen to my arrangements in everything. You are not to resist, and you do not need to worry that I will take the opportunity to poison you, nor will I frame you or take the chance to seek revenge."
A flash of darkness crossed Rong Cang’s pupils, "Anything else?"
"Third, you want Chu Yun Jiao to enter the estate as a concubine; that is no problem, but she must abide by the rules of being a concubine." Chu Yunfei said slowly, proposing the conditions one by one, "Before I leave the Prince's Estate, she must unconditionally obey my orders."
Rong Cang slowly loosened his fingers, smoothing out the wrinkles on the book page, his voice calm, "Very well."
"And one last point." Chu Yunfei raised her eyes to look at Rong Cang, her words clear and rational, "If I give birth to a child while in the Prince's Estate, that child can belong to you, but if it is a child born after I have been divorced and left the estate, I hope you will not fight me for it."
Rong Cang’s pupils flickered slightly, the color in his eyes becoming even dimmer, "This Prince agrees."
"The Prince is indeed heartless. In order to get rid of me, your wife, you can even abandon your own child." Chu Yunfei gave a cold smile, her voice cool and ruthless, "Rong Cang, you are a general who leads troops into battle, so you should understand the principle that 'one wrong move and the whole game is lost.' You made a wrong move today; I hope you will not regret it in the future, and do not come to me crying about it."
After dropping these words, she turned and walked toward the East Warm Pavilion, which was separated only by a curtain, "I will rest in the Warm Pavilion tonight. If you have any needs, you can call me at any time."
Rong Cang turned his head and silently watched her figure, the emotions in his eyes deep and unfathomable.
Not until Chu Yunfei lifted the curtain and entered the East inner room, disappearing from sight, did he slowly withdraw his gaze, his eyebrows and eyes tinged with a touch of loneliness.
Will he regret it?
He asked himself quietly, and then answered in his heart: no.
Because he would not even have the opportunity to regret it.
A familiar, dull pain rose in his heart. Rong Cang no longer had the mood to read, so he closed his eyes and casually set the book aside.
The bedroom fell into a state of quiet.
The East inner room was equally silent, to the point where one could hear a pin drop.
Chu Yunfei sat on the brocade couch, raising her hand to rub the space between her eyebrows.
This day had finally passed.
Her gaze fell into the void, recalling the events of today, and she suddenly regretted not returning to the capital for seven years in her previous life.
She should have understood more.
If she had known earlier what had happened in the Prince's Estate during those seven years, and how much unknown pain Rong Cang had endured alone.
Perhaps in this life, she would have been able to handle it more easily.
✦✦✦