Just as dawn began to reveal a pale fish-belly white in the sky, the courtyard gates of Prince Rui’s residence were finally unlocked. Most of the servants had not even risen yet.
Nanny Lü, her face filled with urgency, hurried through the second gate and strode southward along the corridor until she finally stopped at Qin Yue Garden.
She was Qiao Chuyue’s wet nurse and had served her since childhood. Yesterday, because her grandson had developed a fever, she had requested leave to return home.
But not long after lying down that night, someone came with alarming news: Qiao Chuyue had gone mad and smashed an entire room full of porcelain and antiques.
Knowing her young mistress’s temperament well, Nanny Lü understood immediately—she must have suffered a grievance and fallen into a furious rage.
She had worried the entire night. The moment the side gate of the residence opened at dawn, she rushed back inside.
Her heart had already been tightly clenched with anxiety, but when she saw Qiao Chuyue sitting blankly on the cold floor with disheveled hair and lifeless eyes, she could no longer hold back her tears.
She quickly called to Yinqiao nearby.
“Hurry, help the Secondary Princess Consort onto the bed.”
Hearing the commotion, Qiao Chuyue slowly raised her head. The moment she saw Nanny Lü, she burst into tears like a child seeing her mother.
Grabbing tightly onto the nanny’s arm, she sobbed brokenheartedly,
“Wuu… Nanny… he doesn’t want me anymore… Yesterday such a huge commotion happened… and he still didn’t come see me. He… he’s even going to marry a twice-married woman into the residence.”
Nanny Lü’s heart ached terribly as she pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears.
Ah… they always said one glance at the right man could ruin a woman for life.
After that Spring Banquet years ago, her young miss had become utterly bewitched, insisting on marrying Prince Rui as his secondary consort.
The General and Madam had opposed it, but she threatened them with death until they finally gave in.
Yet the prince himself had always been cold-faced and cold-hearted. He treated all the women in the rear court indifferently.
It was only through Qiao Chuyue desperately fighting for affection that she managed to obtain the tiniest sliver of favor.
If Madam knew how miserable the treasured daughter she once held in the palm of her hand had become, she would probably regret her decision back then.
Afraid Qiao Chuyue would cry herself sick, Nanny Lü comforted her against her own conscience.
“You are the person closest to the master’s heart. He would never abandon you. In the three years since you entered the residence, he hasn’t taken in any other concubines. Isn’t that proof enough of his favor? A twice-married woman is nothing to fear.”
“No… it’s different.” Qiao Chuyue cried so hard her insides seemed torn apart. She had bitten her lips until blood beads formed.
“She’s being brought in as a favored concubine, with the rites of a secondary consort. The prince even opened his private treasury for her betrothal gifts and… and granted her residence in Qingfu Pavilion.”
Qingfu Pavilion was the most honored residence in Prince Rui’s estate.
Every blade of grass, every brick and tile had been personally designed by Gu Zhanzhen himself and built by master craftsmen.
And since its completion, it had remained empty.
Relying on her noble family background, Qiao Chuyue had begged countless times to live there, yet he had never once agreed.
But now this twice-married woman had somehow made Gu Zhanzhen voluntarily offer it to her.
How could someone as crazily in love as Qiao Chuyue not hate her?
By the end, she cried until she nearly fainted.
Yinqiao wiped her tears from the side and said resentfully,
“That slut must’ve used some kind of seductive trick to enchant the master. Your Highness needn’t panic. Perhaps once the novelty wears off in a few days, the prince will grow tired of her.”
Hearing this only made Qiao Chuyue cry even harder.
Everyone knew Gu Zhanzhen was cautious and stubborn by nature. Once he genuinely set his heart on something, he would never let go.
If he truly liked someone, it would probably last a lifetime.
Realizing she had kicked a hornet’s nest, Yinqiao hurriedly tried to fix the situation.
“Your Highness, this servant spoke carelessly. Please stop crying. Since she hasn’t entered the residence yet… why don’t we simply…”
Yinqiao drew a finger across her throat.
Surprisingly, the suggestion worked immediately.
Qiao Chuyue abruptly stopped crying and sprang up from the floor. Staring straight ahead blankly, she let out several eerie laughs.
The sight terrified both women.
Nanny Lü pinched Yinqiao’s arm sharply.
“Look at the trouble you’ve caused! The Secondary Princess Consort has gone mad now!”
Yinqiao panicked and hurriedly grabbed Qiao Chuyue.
Her voice trembling, she tried persuading her,
“This servant only said it casually! Please don’t take it seriously! Killing a twice-married woman is one thing, but if the master discovers it, your relationship with him will truly be over!”
Qiao Chuyue tossed back her messy hair. The pale, ashen color on her face gradually regained a flush of red, and confidence returned to her eyes.
“Wouldn’t dying outside be letting her off too easily?”
She slowly clenched her fist and gritted her teeth viciously.
“I’ll wait until she enters the residence. Then I’ll torment her little by little. I’ll ruin her beauty until the prince despises her. I’ll make her kneel at my feet and bark like a dog.”
After saying all this, she seemed to regain her will to live. She plopped down onto the bed and swung her legs leisurely.
Stretching lazily, she let out a huge yawn and ordered Yinqiao,
“All that crying was exhausting. Hurry and prepare breakfast. I’m starving.”
The crisis was over just like that!?
Nanny Lü and Yinqiao stared at each other blankly in disbelief.
Qiao Chuyue dragged out her tone impatiently.
“Why… are… you… still… standing… there?”
“Yes!” Yinqiao quickly answered and ran off.
Watching Qiao Chuyue lie sprawled carelessly across the bed without the slightest concern for dignity, Nanny Lü turned away and muttered to herself,
“All my worrying really went to waste…”
Then again, how could she forget?
The Secondary Princess Consort had always been whimsical and unpredictable, like a child drifting wherever the wind blew.
Meanwhile, over in the main courtyard, they had already waited three full days without Qiao Chuyue storming off to confront Gu Zhanzhen.
The spies sent to watch Qin Yue Garden reported that meals were delivered four times daily, every single dish packed with meat and not a single vegetable leaf in sight.
Nanny Kong knew Qiao Chuyue had always been restrained under Nanny Lü’s constant guidance.
That was why she deliberately leaked the news while Nanny Lü was away from the residence.
Her goal had been to push Qiao Chuyue into losing control and causing a huge scene with the prince.
Then the Princess Consort could step in as mediator and showcase her own gentleness and magnanimity.
Who could have expected that after smashing things, Qiao Chuyue would simply calm down and spend her days doing nothing but eating and sleeping?
Could it be she planned to win through sheer body mass from overeating?
No matter how much Nanny Kong thought about it, she couldn’t understand.
She then asked about the other two courtyards in the residence.
A servant replied,
“Concubine Wei is entirely focused on Third Young Master’s studies. Concubine Lin is only concerned with nurturing her pregnancy.”
At that moment, the bead curtain behind them rustled as Shen Wangshu emerged from the inner chamber and dismissed the servants.
“One is focused on her child, the other on the baby in her womb. Both only care about making their own child the heir apparent. Who still has the spare energy to care about what kind of woman is entering the residence?”
Nanny Kong helped the Princess Consort onto the chaise lounge and began massaging her shoulders from behind.
“This old servant merely thought that before the woman has even entered the residence, she’s already receiving endless favor. I wanted to stir public resentment to suppress her a little.”
Shen Wangshu patted her hand.
“There’s no rush. Once she enters the residence, there will naturally be ways to deal with her. Besides, she’s merely a tool to divide Qiao’s favor. The more fiercely those two fight, the more secure my own position becomes.”
Nanny Kong smiled flatteringly.
“Your Highness is wise. This old servant was simply too impatient. Right now, you only need to take good care of your health and give birth to a little heir soon. As for everything else, leave it to this old servant.”
While these two plotted against Zhu Xinyan…
Zhu Xinyan herself remained blissfully carefree, spending several consecutive days sprawled atop piles of money counting silver.
Not only did she sell every valuable item she owned, she even sold both her natal family residence and her marital home.
Once the buyers learned she was about to enter Prince Rui’s residence as a favored concubine, none of them even bothered bargaining. They paid immediately.
Qiao’er stood nearby clicking her tongue in distress.
“You even dare sell the ancestral home? Miss, are you planning to stop living altogether?”