Chapter 58 Love Me, Love My Dog

Chapter 58: Loving the House and Its Crow

In the Palace of Fortune and Prosperity, Consort Rong was leisurely enjoying tea with the Fifth Prince, Xiao Huaijin.

Nearby, Princess Ronghua was practicing the zither under the guidance of a court lady. The tinkling notes of the instrument were quite pleasant to the ear.

Suddenly, a eunuch hurried in to report, "Imperial Consort, someone spotted Miss Jiang near the Palace of Serene Harmony. She seems to be heading hastily toward the palace gates."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Huaijin subconsciously tightened his grip on his teacup.

She had come to see Fourth Brother again, yet she hadn't bothered to visit him along the way...

Seeing his reaction, Consort Rong sighed helplessly. "Jin, why aren't you going to invite her in? If you dawdle any longer, she'll have already left the palace!"

Xiao Huaijin lowered his gaze. "The eunuch said she was walking quickly, likely trying to return to her residence before sunset. If I go to her now and delay her, it might not be proper."

Consort Rong sighed again. "With all this hesitation and awkwardness of yours, when will I ever get a daughter-in-law?"

With that, she stood up and said to Princess Ronghua beside her, "Rong Hua, accompany your mother to the palace gates. We'll just 'happen' to run into your Sister Jiang!"

Princess Ronghua, who had been growing somewhat impatient with her zither practice, immediately perked up upon hearing this and readily agreed. "Alright! Rong Hua hasn't seen Sister Jiang in a long time either!"

Seeing this, Xiao Huaijin stood up nervously. "Mother, what are you..."

"Don't worry, your mother knows what she's doing. I won't cause any trouble for Miss Jiang!"

Consort Rong took the fox fur cloak handed to her by her personal maid and draped it over her shoulders. Then, she bent down and took Princess Ronghua's hand.

Princess Ronghua looked up at her brother with a mischievous smile. "Fifth Brother, don't worry. Rong Hua will definitely help you keep Sister Jiang here and not let any other imperial brothers steal her away!"

Xiao Huaijin couldn't help but smile fondly at her grown-up demeanor despite her young age. "Then I'll be counting on you, Rong Hua!"

"Leave it to Rong Hua!" The little princess patted her chest, looking utterly confident.

Jiang Shuning was on her way out of the palace when, halfway there, she suddenly remembered that she had left the food box in the Palace of Serene Harmony. Feeling annoyed with herself, she had no choice but to turn back.

But after taking only a few steps, she recalled the indescribable sorrow she had seen on Xiao Lingchuan's face before she left.

Just one remark from her, and he had looked as if he had suffered a great injustice.

What did he mean by, "So in your heart, I am such a despicable person"?

He was indeed an utterly despicable person!

Just as she was hesitating whether to go back for the food box, a clear voice called out from the distance, "Sister Jiang—"

Jiang Shuning looked up sharply and saw Consort Rong and Princess Ronghua walking toward her with smiling faces.

She quickly took a few steps forward and respectfully bowed. "This humble subject greets the Imperial Consort and Your Highness!"

"There's no need for such formality, Miss Jiang," Consort Rong said with a gentle smile.

"Sister Jiang!" Princess Ronghua happily threw herself into Jiang Shuning's arms. When she looked up, her eyes were red, tinged with a hint of grievance. "Rong Hua hasn't seen Sister Jiang in so long. Sister Jiang hasn't come to the palace to play with Rong Hua. Does Sister Jiang not like Rong Hua anymore?"

Seeing the little princess's adorable, woebegone expression, Jiang Shuning's heart melted.

In both her past and present lives, the clever and lovely Princess Ronghua had always been her ideal image of a daughter.

"How could that be? Even if Sister Jiang didn't like everyone else in the world, she would definitely like Princess Ronghua!" Jiang Shuning comforted her softly.

Princess Ronghua pouted, looking indignant. "Sister Jiang is lying! If Sister Jiang really liked Rong Hua so much, why hasn't she come to teach Rong Hua archery for so long? Rong Hua has been waiting for Sister Jiang every day, but Sister Jiang just wouldn't come!"

"This..." Jiang Shuning stole a glance at Consort Rong. Seeing that her expression remained kind, she continued, "Sister Jiang's family has had some matters to deal with recently... It really wasn't convenient for me to enter the palace to see you, Your Highness. If you wish to learn archery, I can ask Sister Xia to come to the palace to teach you!"

"I don't want that! I want Sister Jiang to teach me archery!" Princess Ronghua insisted stubbornly. Then, as if remembering something, she added, "I heard from Fifth Brother that you still owe him a box of almond cookies! When are you going to make them for him?"

Reminded by her, Jiang Shuning suddenly recalled that on the night of the Moon God Festival, she had hastily taken that box of almond cheese cakes—which Jiang Yaozhen had drugged—from Xiao Huaijin. She had promised to make him another box next time, but she had kept putting it off until now.

"This humble subject... will definitely make almond cookies for Your Highness and the Fifth Prince next time..." Jiang Shuning's voice trailed off, clearly lacking confidence.

"Not next time! I want to eat them tomorrow!" Princess Ronghua shook her arm, pleading. "Alright, Sister Jiang? Please?"

That soft, coquettish voice made Jiang Shuning's heart melt completely.

Faced with such an adorable Princess Ronghua, who could possibly refuse?

By the time she regained her senses, she realized she had already agreed.

Princess Ronghua was so happy she almost jumped for joy. "Sister Jiang can't go back on your word! Rong Hua wants to eat almond cookies tomorrow!"

Consort Rong, who had been smiling all along, finally spoke up gently. "Then tomorrow, this consort and Rong Hua will await Miss Jiang in the Palace of Fortune and Prosperity!"

"...Yes, Imperial Consort!" Jiang Shuning bowed to her.

Watching Consort Rong and Princess Ronghua leave, a strange thought arose in Jiang Shuning's heart.

It seemed as if this mother and daughter had come specifically to "intercept" her here.

Did Consort Rong not care at all about the unfavorable rumors surrounding her?

Jiang Shuning recalled the sincere and shy expression on Xiao Huaijin's face when he had confessed his feelings to her that day.

Perhaps Consort Rong did care, but she simply loved her son and extended that affection to the one he loved.

Upon returning to the Prime Minister's residence, Jiang Shuning immediately busied herself preparing to make almond cheese cakes.

Seeing this, Ling Wu asked curiously, "Is the young lady making so many almond cookies because you plan to enter the palace tomorrow?"

Jiang Shuning nodded.

Ling Wu asked again, "Are they for the Fourth Prince?"

"No, they're for Princess Ronghua," Jiang Shuning explained. "I met Consort Rong and Princess Ronghua in the palace today. Princess Ronghua invited me to enter the palace tomorrow to bring her some pastries and teach her archery."

Hearing this, alarm bells rang in Ling Wu's mind.

Princess Ronghua was the Fifth Prince's biological sister. If the young lady gave food to Princess Ronghua, wouldn't that be tantamount to meeting the Fifth Prince indirectly?

If the Fourth Prince found out, wouldn't he be consumed by jealousy?

"Young lady, this servant remembers you once said that the Fourth Prince loves almond cheese cakes the most. If he finds out you made his favorite pastry for someone else, wouldn't he be angry?" Ling Wu cautiously reminded her.

"He would. He would definitely be angry."

Previously, Xiao Lingchuan had arrogantly demanded that she never make food for anyone else in the future, only for him alone, as a way to repay his life-saving favor.

If he found out she was making almond cookies for the Fifth Prince's sister, he would undoubtedly fly into a rage.

"But, young lady, you..." Ling Wu hesitated, thinking it would be best not to make them for Princess Ronghua to avoid angering the Fourth Prince.

"I plan on keeping him in the dark!" Jiang Shuning smiled slightly, her tone carrying a hint of mischief. "That way, he won't get angry!"

Ling Wu was speechless.

So, should she inform the Fourth Prince about this matter, or simply keep it a secret?

What a dilemma!

Early the next morning, Jiang Shuning was up early.

She carefully selected two of the most exquisite tiered boxes. At the bottom of each box, she meticulously laid a clean, beautiful linen cloth before neatly arranging the almond cakes inside.

Once she was satisfied, she closed the lids.

She called for the maid, Xia Chan, from Cuizhu Courtyard, and instructed her: "Take one of these boxes of almond cakes to the Third Young Master. I promised him yesterday that I would make some pastries for him."

"Yes, my lady."

Xia Chan acknowledged the order and left, carrying the food box to Jiang Tianze's room in the West Courtyard. She gently knocked on the door.

Hearing the knock, Jiang Tianze immediately got back into bed and pulled up the covers, responding in a weak voice, "Come in."

Xia Chan entered and bowed respectfully. "I am Xia Chan, a maid serving the Eldest Miss. The Eldest Miss sent me to deliver some pastries to the Third Young Master."

"Why are you the one delivering them? Where is Big Sister?"

"Replying to the Third Young Master, the Miss had business in the palace today."

"In the palace? Didn't she just go to the palace yesterday?"

"Yes, the Miss also went to the palace yesterday."

"Understood. You may leave." Jiang Tianze said indifferently.

Xia Chan placed the food box on the table, bowed, and withdrew.

Jiang Tianze opened the food box. A sweet aroma of almonds instantly filled the room, wafting up to him.

He picked up an almond cake between his fingers, paused for a moment, and then crushed it viciously to dust.

His handsome face darkened, a gloomy expression quietly surfacing, chilling to behold.

"Big Sister, who exactly is in the palace that you are so concerned about, that you must see them?" Jiang Tianze murmured in a low voice, his tone cold, tinged with resentment and bitterness.