“Miss, Concubine Jin obviously came here to flaunt her position. Why do you still want to see her?”
“I’m currently confined to my courtyard. Xie Jin is probably only holding back from sending all of you away because he’s concerned about my customary return visit to my maiden family. Once that visit is over, he can easily find some excuse to sell all of you off. And without you by my side, I doubt I’ll last very long in this prince’s residence…”
Yingxiu was not incapable of understanding Xiao Yu’s reasoning. She simply had a fiery temper and was more impulsive than Anxiang, so she rarely thought that far ahead. Now that Xiao Yu had pointed it out, everything became clear to her.
“Miss, Yingxiu understands.”
“Let’s go. From now on, keep your temper in check and learn more from Anxiang.”
Yingxiu nodded and helped Xiao Yu change into a bright red ruqun embroidered with cloud patterns. She adorned her hair with a golden phoenix hairpin, then carefully concealed the bruises around her neck before supporting her out of the room.
As soon as Xiao Yu entered the reception hall, she saw Jinniang standing there. The elderly maid beside her was urging her to sit down, but Jinniang stubbornly insisted on remaining on her feet.
Xiao Yu deliberately gave the elderly maid another look.
Yingxiu had already told her that Nanny Diao had served in the residence for many years. Presumably, Jinniang had deliberately brought the woman along just to provoke her.
Xie Jin had said that Jinniang was already pregnant. Yet she had deliberately remained standing here. If Xie Jin happened to see this, he would undoubtedly assume Xiao Yu had intentionally forced her to stand.
“Why is Concubine Jin still standing? She is carrying His Highness’s child. If anything happens to her, which one of you can bear the responsibility?”
The maid attending them was Xiaocui, a servant of the prince’s residence. Seeing Xiao Yu’s displeased expression, she hurriedly knelt and admitted her fault.
“Your Highness, Concubine Jin refused to sit. She said this was her first time paying respects to Your Highness and that proper etiquette must not be neglected.”
Only after Xiao Yu had taken her seat at the head of the room did Jinniang step forward and bow.
“Your Highness, please don’t blame them. I was the one who insisted on waiting. I have yet to serve Your Highness tea, so I would not dare expect special treatment simply because I am with child.”
Xiao Yu stared at Jinniang’s lowered eyes.
She refused to believe that Jinniang had not heard about Xie Jin confining her to her courtyard. Yet Jinniang had deliberately come here under the pretext of serving tea. Just what was she scheming?
“Concubine Jin, I am currently confined by His Highness. Surely you’ve heard about that? Whether you serve me this cup of tea or not will make no difference to your status. Besides, your health is delicate. If something were to happen to you, His Highness would hold me responsible. Or could it be that you want His Highness to blame me?”
Jinniang’s gaze froze for an instant.
She raised her head to look at Xiao Yu, her expression displaying just the right amount of surprise and remorse.
“I was thoughtless and have caused Your Highness trouble. I truly did not know that Your Highness had been confined. Last night, I even mentioned to His Highness that I intended to serve you tea. His Highness said nothing, so I assumed he had given his approval. That is why I came today. I hope Your Highness will forgive me.”
At those words, Anxiang’s face flushed red with anger. She was about to reprimand Jinniang when Xiao Yu stopped her with a glance.
Jinniang’s words were clearly meant to provoke Xiao Yu’s jealousy.
She might as well have openly announced that Xie Jin was currently doting on her so much that he had even spent his wedding night in her room. Once word of that spread throughout the residence, who would dare not show Jinniang some respect?
Unfortunately for her, Xiao Yu had already lived through one lifetime.
She no longer cared whom Xie Jin favored.
As a member of the imperial family, Xie Jin had brought a pregnant concubine into the residence immediately after marrying his principal wife. If the late emperor were still alive, he never would have allowed such a thing to happen. Even a prince with the slightest sense of propriety would never favor a concubine to the point of humiliating his principal wife.
Yet Xie Jin had done exactly that.
Clearly, his feelings for Jinniang were genuine.
Since it was true love, Xiao Yu did not mind being a little more “generous.”
“In that case, we’ll do as Concubine Jin wishes.”
Xiao Yu gave Anxiang a look, and Anxiang immediately spoke on her behalf.
“Xiaocui, pour the tea. Concubine Jin wishes to serve tea to the Princess Consort.”
Xiaocui poured a cup of tea and handed it to Jinniang.
With utmost respect, Jinniang presented the tea to Xiao Yu. Her expression was so solemn and reverent that she looked as though she were making an offering before a Buddha.
“Your Highness, from this day forward, I will serve you wholeheartedly. I am willing to work tirelessly for you.”
Xiao Yu accepted the tea and took a sip, her expression indifferent. At her signal, Yingxiu handed Jinniang a red envelope.
“You need only serve His Highness well and bear children for the prince’s household as soon as possible.”
Jinniang accepted it happily and bowed in thanks.
After going through all those formalities, however, her face had already turned somewhat pale.
“Concubine Jin, are you feeling unwell? Have you been standing too long?”
Xiao Yu asked with apparent concern.
Before Jinniang could answer, she instructed Yingxiu, “Send someone to fetch the residence physician. Have him examine Concubine Jin.”
Jinniang lowered her eyes, making her expression impossible to read. She tried to stand and bow, but Xiao Yu stopped her.
“You are with child, so there is no need for such formalities. Are you accustomed to the food in the residence? Since I am currently confined, there are many matters I cannot personally arrange. If you need anything, simply speak to Nanny Chen. She is someone His Highness trusts and has served in this residence for many years. She has always been careful and reliable. If there is anything she cannot decide herself, she will naturally ask His Highness for instructions.”
With the simple reminder that she was “confined,” Xiao Yu absolved herself of every responsibility.
The authority to manage the prince’s residence had not yet been completely handed over to her. The three senior nannies overseeing the household had all been appointed by Dowager Consort Yu in the past, and Nanny Chen was responsible for the inner residence.
Even if Jinniang wanted to cause trouble behind the scenes, it would be difficult for her to stir up anything serious under Nanny Chen’s watchful eyes.
“Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Nanny Chen has been very attentive. All three of my daily meals are carefully prepared.”
“That’s good.”
As they spoke, Physician Liu entered. After greeting Xiao Yu, he stepped forward to take Jinniang’s pulse.
“There is nothing seriously wrong. Her constitution is merely somewhat weak, and the pregnancy is not entirely stable. I will prescribe some medicine for her. As long as she rests and takes good care of herself, she should be fine once the first three months have passed.”
Xiao Yu inclined her head toward Physician Liu in thanks.
“Then I’ll have to trouble Physician Liu to personally prepare her medicine. If it is entrusted to someone else, His Highness may not feel reassured. Concubine Jin also has no truly trusted maid by her side in this residence, so I’m afraid I must trouble Physician Liu to pay extra attention to her condition.”
Physician Liu inclined his head, calmly accepting her request.
He had once served in the Imperial Medical Bureau before retiring due to old age. Since he was advanced in years and had few relatives left, Xie Jin had invited him to live comfortably in the prince’s residence. As a result, everyone in the household treated him with considerable respect.
“Rest assured, Your Highness. This is already part of this old man’s duty. I will regularly check Concubine Jin’s pulse and adjust her prescription whenever necessary.”
Hearing this, Jinniang seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
“Concubine Jin, you should return and rest. If you do not have enough attendants, and there is any maid in the residence you find suitable, simply tell Nanny Chen. You are carrying His Highness’s child, so nothing can be left to chance. Since I am confined to my courtyard, there is no need for you to come and pay your respects every day. Just concentrate on taking care of yourself.”
“Yes. Thank you, Your Highness.”
Jinniang bowed before being helped out by a maid.
Nanny Diao and several other maids followed behind her, carrying the clothes and jewelry Xiao Yu had bestowed upon her.
As for precious tonics and nourishing supplements, Xiao Yu had deliberately refrained from giving her any.
It was not that she was overly cautious. Jinniang simply struck her as the sort of woman who concealed needles beneath soft cotton—seemingly delicate and harmless on the outside, yet possibly far more calculating than she appeared.
Xiao Yu had no intention of creating unnecessary trouble for herself.
Giving Jinniang clothes and jewelry was enough to make her attitude clear to Xie Jin and prove that she had not mistreated the woman.
Unfortunately, even if Xiao Yu did not go looking for trouble, trouble would still come looking for her.
Sure enough, by evening, Xie Jin stormed into Qinglan Courtyard in a fury.
Xiao Yu was eating dinner.
There were only simple vegetarian dishes and plain congee on the table.
The moment she saw Xie Jin enter, hatred inevitably surged within her heart.
In her previous life, she had died at this man’s hands.
Seeing him again now, she could only think about how blind she had once been.
How could she have grown up as childhood sweethearts with such a hypocritical man?
Suppressing the emotions surging inside her, Xiao Yu rose and gave Xie Jin a formal curtsy.
“Your Highness.”
Xie Jin had entered with an extremely unpleasant expression, but when his gaze landed on the meager dishes on the table, he paused for a fraction of a second.
His voice, however, remained cold.
“Did you make Jinniang stand on ceremony today?”
Xiao Yu smiled faintly.
She had known nothing good would come from Xie Jin’s visit.
Sure enough, someone had deliberately—or perhaps seemingly inadvertently—gone to complain to him.