Chapter 84

Despite what the Jing Prince said, he actually didn’t know how much was in his personal storage. The next day he called Eunuch Chang over to show him the storage’s account book.

Actually the Jing Prince had overthought things. He didn’t have the convention of bestowing things to his harem, and everything that was bestowed to the servants were taken from the estate’s public storage. This private storage was his own little gold mine. Normally things only went in and nothing came out. Over the years, things had accumulated.

Forget being able to stuff the western pavilion’s eastern wing. Even after stuffing a few more wings it wouldn’t be enough to empty it out.

Only after looking at the account book did the Jing Prince feel relieved.

The Jing Prince checking the account book was just to ease his subconscious mind, and didn’t have any other meaning.

However, Eunuch Chang who had been carrying things over to the western pavilion these days was mentally exhausted. He had thought the Jing Prince was planning to gift Madam Hua something once again, and asked for the account book because he was too busy to look over the items individually. He sighed over how favored Madam Hua was, but suggested another few trinkets that women would like.

The Jing Prince listened to his words, and thinking they sounded good, nodded his head in approval.

Over by the Changchun Pavilion.

Ever since the Jing Consort’s aides had all been beaten to death, she had fallen ill and never recovered. Her personal servants were all new faces, and each of them were agreeable and had excellent etiquette. However, she saw all of them as Eunuch Fu that old castrate and that bitch Qi’s informants.

Her health had never been good to begin with, and with the negative emotions such as anxiety and sorrow, her health had gotten even worse.

Doctor Hu had personally come several times, and could only do his utmost to take care of her health. There wasn’t anything else he could do. Of course, he still had to speak the superficial words telling her to relax her mind and not to overthink things.

The Jing Prince bestowing a large quantity of items to the western pavilion was something known throughout the estate since the movement was too big. Although the Changchun Pavilion’s servants would carefully serve and do their jobs, there would inevitably be some envious discussions.

After all, everyone knew that Madam Hua used to be a palace maid herself.

Since their circumstances were similar, these palace maids naturally couldn’t help but imagine that one day they themselves could become a second Madam Hua and enjoy such limitless pampering.

These envious discussions inevitably reached the Jing Consort’s ears.

Hearing this, the Jing Consort felt even more unbearable jealous resentment, grief and indignation. Being ruthlessly provoked once again, she directly spat a mouthful of blood and fainted once again.

The subordinate palace maids saw this and lost their heads from fear. They reported it to Auntie Qi who invited Doctor Hu for treatment.

Over the last few days of treatment by Doctor Hu, the Jing Consort’s illness had pretty much been cured. Unexpectedly, things had suddenly become serious once again. Doctor Hu took her pulse, asked about the situation and understanding dawned in his heart.

He prescribed the same medication as usual and ordered the personal palace maids to properly serve and try their best to console the consort against suffering any pent up frustration. He also implied that they shouldn’t tell the Jing Consort anything regarding the outside in the future.

Only then did these personal palace maids understand. Turns out that the consort suddenly spraying blood wasn’t because her illness worsened, but was because she was angered.

This situation was not expressed at this time. Regardless, the Jing Consort was once again ill and wouldn’t recover for some time.

As for the Rongxi and Hanxiang Pavilions, they also were aware of the happenings outside, especially those regarding the western pavilion.

They naturally cursed Xiao Hua for being a vixen several times behind closed doors, but since Madam Hua was extremely favored as of today, no one dared to go cause any trouble.

Especially since after the consort was restricted, the western pavilion had kept its doors closed and didn’t interact with other areas normally. Without this interaction, even if Yu Jiao had hundreds of curses in her heart, she had nowhere to vent them. Furthermore, since she and Yu Rong were both crippled, they had completely lost hope and didn’t really desire to be favored anymore. Cursing Xiao Hua was also just to vent their emotions.

Since the main culprit of their situation was still confined within the Changchun Pavilion, the two of them still knew what was more important.

As for Senior Concubine Qiao’s side, although she was thoroughly upset, she knew her own situation wasn’t good. Her body needed a year and a half of treatment, and since her relationship with Madam Hua wasn’t harmonious, going over to exchange blows was just wasting her energy. She might as well focus on her recovery and start scheming again once her body was cured.

Since the other areas were peaceful as though the people were invisible, and the Jing Prince’s visits became more and more frequent, Xiao Hua’s days were naturally as happy as she could hope for.

Her body still needing treatment before she could get pregnant was her only regret. However, Xiao Hua had also thought this through. She was still young, and getting pregnant too early wasn’t a good thing. Temporarily being unable to get pregnant wasn’t a bad thing.

Moreover, based on the current situation, half a year’s treatment wasn’t a huge problem. As long as she was favored, there was no need to worry about giving birth to a child in the future.

*****

The Jing Consort spitting blood was reported to the Jing Prince, as well as news that she wanted to see him.

The news was delivered by Auntie Qi. After the Jing Consort awoke, she had her personal palace maids relay her message to Auntie Qi.

Although Auntie Qi understood the Jing Consort’s intentions, she was the consort after all and couldn’t be brushed off like regular people. She could only deliver the news. As for his highness’s decision, that wasn’t something they as servants could interfere in.

The Jing Prince froze for a while after suddenly hearing this news. Only now did he realize that he hadn’t been going over to sit in the Changchun Pavilion every ten days as he did in the past.

Considering the seriousness of her situation since she had spat blood, the Jing Prince decided to make a trip to the Changchun Pavilion in the end.

This was the first time the Jing Prince entered the Jing Consort’s bedroom. He was rather unused to it. It was precisely a feeling of unfamiliarity. To be honest, apart from being familiar with his own bedroom in the Hall of Splendor, the only other familiar place would be over by the little flower’s western pavilion.

He sat down on a chair to the side while Eunuch Fu stood beside him. A palace maid brought in some tea before taking her leave.

The Jing Consort sat leaning against the headboard, her face deathly pale. Her previously full cheeks were now a little sunken and her lips were a little dry. It was clear she hadn’t been well recently, whether she was suffering from illness or suffering from the heart.

“You are finally willing to come?” The Jing Consort’s voice was still the same as before, but had a trace of weakness and seemed a little lacking in energy.

The Jing Prince’s seat faced the window, and his gaze was fixed outside. Apart from giving her a glance when he came in, he hadn’t looked at her at all.

“You still have this same appearance, always having no one else in your eyes.” She paused and spoke again: “I’ve already repented, acknowledged it and learned from it. Why are you just unable to forgive me?”

The Jing Consort’s tone had been very level, but perhaps she wasn’t able to control herself when speaking about emotional matters. Her last sentence “why are you just unable to forgive me” suddenly became high pitched and a little shrill.

The Jing Prince still didn’t look over, continuing to look fleetingly outside the window.

“It’s said you have a favored concubine now. I just can’t figure it out. Just what do you see in that little hussy that makes you favor her so? Can your eyes that have never had anyone in them truly contain someone? Ha, can’t sit still when I call her a little hussy….this consort is going to curse her. Bitch, little hussy, wastrel….”

The Jing Prince’s gaze moved over because of the words “little hussy” but then returned to their original spot. Towards the Jing Consort’s emotional abuse, his brows merely furrowed a little before smoothening again, and he didn’t respond to it anymore after that.

Such a Xiao-Shi wasn’t unfamiliar to the Jing Prince. When they had first married and were still living in the palace, she was like this. Her words weren’t as ugly but they had been full of mockery. After moving to the Jing Province, that Xiao-Shi had disappeared. It seemed as if she had matured and her personality had become stable. Later, during his most difficult period of time, she had started acting hysterical once again until the end.

Only then did he know that she had never changed, but had merely hidden that face of hers.

Everyone had things they didn’t want to face, but had to face in the end.

For Luo Jing, due to being mute he had attracted mockery, his royal father’s contempt, the Jin Emperor’s malice after his ascension and finally Xiao-Shi, who should have been his most intimate person, digging into his heart over and over with a knife.

It had stopped hurting a long, long time ago. Anyone when faced with pain would find a way to make it stop. Some would choose to destroy those who gave them pain, making them never appear again. Luo Jing chose to ignore her until it became complete disregard.

This was all one could do when one was helpless. Luo Jing’s upbringing was different from normal people, and he was quite familiar with this method of handling things. In the eyes of outsiders, he had soon returned back to normal.

Actually no one knew that he was also hurt before.

It’s just that after being overly hurt he started ignoring her. After ignoring her for a while, it had truly become disregard. As of today, her words were no longer able to affect him whatsoever. It was to the extent where he could listen if he wanted to listen, and hear nothing if he didn’t want to listen.

On one side the Jing Consort was still hysterically venting her emotions while on the other the Jing Prince had already entered the “hear nothing” mode. The room which was only a few meters across was split into two polar extremes. One side was extremely peaceful and cold, the other initially wanted to hold it in, show her softer side and goodwill yet couldn’t suppress her nature and reverted back to her old ways.

The Jing Consort’s current body was not suited for outbursts of emotion. Her shortness of breath made it impossible to maintain the spew of harsh words. Only when the Jing Consort finally ran out of breath and lay panting on the pillow without speaking did the Jing Prince turn back to look at her once before standing.

He turned around and left.

“Luo Jing—–” The voice was suddenly high pitched and shrill.

The Jing Prince turned his head back, his mysterious dark eyes that were clear as crystals looked directly at her twisted face. The Jing Consort had intended to speak further, but suddenly felt a little guilty. Seeing his gaze suddenly fixed on her, she inexplicably shrunk back.

“I had given you your dignity before.”

You were the one who didn’t want it.

The second half was only mumbled within the Jing Prince’s heart. As he stepped outside, he suddenly felt derision arise in his heart. This feeling was something he had never had in the past.

Since she didn’t want it, why should he waste his efforts?

******

On the other side, Eunuch Fu’s plans had already come into fruition.

After all, as the estate’s general manager, he had several people under him that he could send to do his bidding. Even further removed was still a Eunuch Su on the outside who could help out. Arranging for a few young, pretty girls with clear backgrounds was extremely simple.

Before half a month had gone by, two or three carriages pulled into the Jing Prince Estate’s training area.

Auntie Qi stood on the steps and her gaze circled around once. She faintly sighed in her heart. She had come to give her admonishing speech, but at this time she suddenly felt her enthusiasm wane.

She gave a couple of orders to the mid-ranked palace maid by her side before leaving.

Eight young girls were lined up below. Their expressions were curious but they understood the rules and didn’t ask anything. The mid-ranked palace maid looked at these girls and also understood why Auntie Qi’s expression looked so weird. But while Auntie Qi could leave, she could not. She could only refrain from showing unnecessary emotion while putting on a strict face.

“Since you’ve come to the Jing Prince Estate, you must understand the estate’s rules. From now on, I will be responsible for instructing you in the rules and etiquette. Hopefully you will do your best.”

“Yes.”

The pale yellow sunlight reflected resplendently off the glazed roof tiles.

The same scene had played out in the same place a year ago. At that time, through twists and turns, one of the girls had become the rear court’s favored madam. It wasn’t clear what would happen this time.

Of course, that was a matter for the future.

Author’s notes:

This author is aware of the “pampering novel” tag. These people can’t even be called cannon fodder, and are merely passersby. Their use is to make Eunuch Fu realize the situation, and also to increase the feelings between the male and female leads (spoiling things again >.<).