Chapter 13: Standing Out

Chapter 13: Standing Out

Within the Sinking Fish Pavilion.

The maidservant served tea to Su Xi and Gu You.

Su Xi picked up her cup, took a sip, and feigned politeness as she said, "Sister-in-law, we don't mean to trouble you, but since you're the one who makes decisions, we can't avoid consulting you now."

Ran Qinggu's face was pale, with chapped, white lips from days of high fever.

"Mm, Second Sister-in-law, please speak."

Su Xi smiled, giving Fu Liu a meaningful look.

Fu Liu stepped forward, bowed, "Your Highness, how many tables should be arranged for the Prince's birthday banquet? In previous years, around fifty tables were set, inviting all the civil and military officials... As for the procurement..."

Ran Qinggu, lacking energy, forced herself to listen.

These people really knew how to create problems. Even when buying a few radishes at a farmer's market, they would ask for his opinion.

Fu Liu rambled on for a while, noticing Ran Qinggu's poor condition and lack of attention, so she deliberately raised her voice and shouted, "Your Highness, are you listening carefully? If there's any mistake, I can't bear the responsibility!"

Tao Zi kicked her in anger. "Are you the only one who can talk? The Heir's Consort listens if she wants to, and doesn't if she doesn't."

Tao Zi had been raised as a boy since Ran Qinggu bought her as a child.

Seeing Bai Yu practicing martial arts, she found it interesting and begged Bai Yu to teach her.

Ran Qinggu didn't stop her; instead, he hired a master to teach both her and Bai Yu martial arts.

At that time, Ran Qinggu often came up with bad ideas, sending her alone to fight bandits outside the northern city.

In the beginning, she would get beaten by the bandits, almost losing her life several times.

Later, the bandits would call her "Grandma" upon seeing her.

Thus, she developed a bandit-like demeanor, which remained even after entering the Prince's Mansion.

Fu Liu didn't expect Tao Zi to have such strength, being kicked to the ground.

She became furious and looked at Tao Zi. "How dare you hit me, you little girl..."

Su Xi stood up. "Heir's Consort, as the saying goes, 'when beating a dog, consider its owner.' I didn't know when I offended you, to treat my maid like this in front of me."

Ran Qinggu spoke in a hoarse voice. "Second Sister-in-law, what are you talking about? It's just that the maid is undisciplined."

Gu You scoffed. "Heir's Consort, your words imply that without the master's permission, the maid wouldn't dare. How impressive your maid is, daring to act so violently just a few days after entering the mansion. If given more time, she might even dare to hit us. Truly, as the one in charge, you command respect."

As she said this, she tugged at Su Xi's sleeve. "Second Sister-in-law, let's go. If we stay any longer, we might be the next ones to receive a kick."

Ran Qinggu's headache worsened, and being ridiculed by the two, he knew he had to clarify the situation or risk tarnishing his reputation throughout the capital tomorrow.

He forced a smile. "I wouldn't dare kick either of you, Second Sister-in-law and Third Sister-in-law. Otherwise, I'd become infamous in the entire capital tomorrow. Tao Zi, apologize."

Tao Zi retorted, "Miss."

Seeing Ran Qinggu's unusually firm attitude, she reluctantly approached Fu Liu. "I'm sorry."

But she would do it again next time.

Fu Liu snorted coldly, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "I dare not accept your apology. Indeed, those within the Heir's Consort's quarters are different."

Su Xi stood up. "The Prince's birthday is no small matter; the Heir's Consort should put more effort into it. Well, we won't bother you anymore."

With that, she left the pavilion with her maidservant in tow.

Upon leaving, Su Xi sneered. "Seeing her half-dead, sickly appearance brings me joy."

Gu You smiled. "Second Sister-in-law, want to feel even happier?"

Su Xi looked at Gu You in confusion.

Gu You smiled without a word.

After these two left, Ran Qinggu slumped over the table, coughing violently.

It felt as though he was coughing out his internal organs.

Chun'er supported him, rubbing his back, feeling frustrated. "I'll go find the Princess. Second Lady and Third Lady intentionally chose this time to harass the Heir's Consort. They claim to report matters regarding the Prince's birthday, but they're all trivial issues. If they need the Heir's Consort for such things, they might as well not eat."

Ran Qinggu held onto Chun'er. "There's no point in reasoning with them. No one can help with this. Help me rest for a bit."

Chun'er could only assist him to lie down on the bed.

Not long after Ran Qinggu lay down, the steward from the kitchen arrived.

Then, the accountant requested funds, hoping for a decision...

The Sinking Fish Pavilion had never been so lively. Either a manager from the inner courtyard sought the Heir's Consort's opinion, or a shop reported minor issues with the fabrics and dishes prepared for the Prince's birthday...

Ran Qinggu alternated between sleeping and being woken up, his mind muddled and his feet feeling like they were stepping on cotton.

He listened indifferently to their reports.

For urgent matters, he provided solutions.

For trivial household affairs, he treated them as jokes, giving brief instructions.

Afterward, he directly instructed the steward to record the man's name, find a replacement, and dismiss him permanently, never to be employed again. If it was someone from the Prince's household, they would be exiled to the estate to plant rice and harvest wheat.

Those dismissed by the Prince's household were certain not to be accepted by other noble families; thus, that person could no longer survive in the capital.

Those exiled from the Prince's residence to the estate would spend the rest of their lives in the company of soil.

Ran Qinggu's forehead was constantly drenched in cold sweat, and the steward beside her was also sweating profusely.

She had never expected that someone so sick could still possess such a clear mind.

She was even more surprised that the person who had been giving advice with a calm and gentle tone just moments ago could now determine someone's fate with a single word.

By evening, Ran Qinggu fell into confusion once again as the fever that had slightly subsided returned, plunging her back into unconsciousness.

Shang Rongyu saw that Ran Qinggu had fallen ill again, looking even more haggard and aged than the previous two days.

He questioned Chun'er, "Why has the Heir's Consort suddenly fallen ill again? Wasn't she fine when I left this morning?"

Chun'er lowered her head, wiping away tears at the side as she stammered and recounted the events of the day.

Shang Rongyu had known since childhood that the inner quarters were filled with trivial matters.

Compared to the life-and-death palace struggles in the emperor's harem, he believed that the Prince's household's inner quarters were relatively harmonious.

Although his father had several concubines, none of them had children, so they couldn't stir up much trouble.

Although Concubine Liu was domineering, she still had to be wary of his mother, and over the years, she had been relatively well-behaved.

And since his father had taught him from a young age that a man should have lofty aspirations and that the inner quarters belonged to women, he basically didn't involve himself in the affairs of the inner quarters.

What could possibly happen if these women bickered and quarreled?

But he hadn't expected that when these women caused trouble, even the smallest matter could lead to a huge disaster, one that even the five-colored stones couldn't mend.

"Go and say that something was lost in the Sinking Fish Pavilion, something bestowed by the Emperor. Gather all those who came to the Sinking Fish Pavilion today; this Heir will conduct a search."

Taozi was taken aback. "What was lost? My lady hasn't lost anything."

Chun'er: "If the Heir says something was lost, then something was lost. Go and summon everyone here."

Chun'er had been with the princess since childhood and was assigned to the Sinking Fish Pavilion after the Heir's Consort married into the household.

Thus, she naturally became the chief maid of the Sinking Fish Pavilion.

When the Heir's Consort was abandoned on her wedding night, many maids in the household had thrown her to the wolves, saying she had followed the wrong master and ruined her life. After Ran Qinggu took charge of the household, quite a few maidservants had privately flattered and fawned over her.

Having grown up with the princess, Chun'er was familiar with the affairs of the inner quarters and was more perceptive than Taozi.

Upon hearing Shang Rongyu's words, she immediately understood.

Was the Heir stepping in for the Heir's Consort?

By asking her to summon people, he wanted her to identify those who had deliberately troubled the Heir's Consort in the Sinking Fish Pavilion today.

She immediately sent several maids to gather those who had come to the Sinking Fish Pavilion today, causing trouble, relying on others' power, and secretly making things difficult for the Heir's Consort.

==

After gathering everyone, they lined up before Shang Rongyu.

Shang Rongyu looked at Su Xi and Gu You, ordering chairs to be brought for them.

"Sister-in-law, Sister-in-law, please sit. Why did you two come along to interrogate the servants?"

Su Xi smiled brightly, completely changing her arrogant demeanor from before. "Heir, what is the meaning of this?"

Shang Rongyu: "Sister-in-law, don't worry. Something bestowed by the Emperor was lost in the Sinking Fish Pavilion. We searched the entire courtyard but couldn't find it, so we suspect one of the servants in the household took it."

With that said, he waved his hand. "That item will glow after being soaked in water for three hours. Bring some buckets of water."

The guards carried several buckets of water forward.

He raised an eyebrow, and the guards splashed a bucket of icy lake water on each servant, manservant, and maid.

Though it was late spring, the nights were still very chilly. The cold wind blew, and those doused with cold water shivered like yellow leaves on winter trees, trembling from the cold.

The maids of the Sinking Fish Pavilion, who had been bothered by these despicable creatures all day, felt a sense of satisfaction seeing them turned into drowned rats.

Su Xi was puzzled. "Heir, the water has been poured. Why not let them go back?"

Shang Rongyu smiled. "Sister-in-law, don't worry. We need to wait three hours. Why don't you two go back and rest? It will be the third watch of the night by then, and this Heir will report the results to you both."

Thinking of something, he addressed the servants. "Stand here for three hours. If you don't have that item on you after three hours, you can leave. But if you do, we'll test the new heavy torture instruments developed by the Ministry of Justice on you."

At the mention of torture by this living hellion, no one dared to make a sound.

Forget standing for three hours, even thirty hours would have to be endured.

Su Xi and Gu You knew full well.

The Heir was retaliating against them for disturbing the Heir's Consort during the day.

What puzzled them was that Shang Rongyu had never interfered in the affairs of the inner quarters. His mother and Concubine Liu had fought for so many years, yet he had never intervened. Why, when it came to the Heir's Consort, did he act like a rabid dog?

With no choice, they got up and left first.

They were the ones responsible for the events of the day, and now that Shang Rongyu hadn't taken action against them, if they pleaded for mercy, who knew how this mad dog would bite indiscriminately.

In the late hours of the night, people in the courtyard began to develop fevers and coughs, but without Shang Rongyu's orders, no one dared to move.

Su Xi heard that Fuliu was seriously ill and finally couldn't hold back. Late at night, she put on an outer robe and rushed over.

When she arrived, she saw Fuliu and the others weakly holding brooms to sweep the courtyard.

They coughed as they swept, barely able to stand on their feet.

Chun'er shouted from the side, "Don't make any noise. The Heir's Consort is gravely ill. If you wake her up, you'll have it coming."

The coughing person hurriedly covered their mouth, trying to suppress the cough.

Seeing Fuliu, the maidservant who grew up with her, reduced to skin and bones from torment, Su Xi felt distressed as she supported her. "How could this happen? Where's the Heir? Wasn't it just a lost item?"

Shang Rongyu emerged, draped in a cloak, with guards following behind him. "Second Sister-in-Law, who hasn't fallen ill in these times? How can one not work when they're sick? This Heir has heard that for a cold, one should move around more. The more you move, the quicker the chill dissipates."

Upon hearing this, Fuliu was terrified and immediately knelt down, slapping herself. "This servant deserves death. Please spare my life, Heir..."

Shang Rongyu smiled. "Therefore, to dispel the chill, this Heir had them move around more. Chun'er, supervise them well. If anyone dares to slack off today, beat them to death with sticks and feed their bodies to the dogs."

Chun'er hastily curtsied. "Yes."

She addressed the servants, saying, "Hurry up and sweep. The Heir said that after sweeping the inner courtyard, move on to the outer courtyard. After that, sweep East Main Street in front of the Prince's Mansion, benefiting the people."

Su Xi was shocked speechless.

Shang Rongyu was essentially sentencing these people to death.