Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Half a month flew by in the blink of an eye.

After the Princess Consort received a warning from Prince Jing, she kept a closer eye on the pregnant women, and everything stayed peaceful for a time.

Prince Jing had originally said the relief effort would last half a month.

Now that the half-month had passed, there was still no indication he would return.

Fang Yuaner was already making preparations to move to the new courtyard.

The Xiachi Courtyard didn't need much decoration; only minor renovations were needed to make it livable.

Fang Yuaner, who always insisted on the best in everything, had long been dissatisfied with the small yard in Jinxiu Courtyard.

As soon as the Xiachi Courtyard was ready for occupancy, she eagerly gathered her people and began the move.

Although she found out she was pregnant before Xie Run, it had been less than a month at that time.

In terms of gestational age, her baby was actually a month behind Xie Run's.

Moving so hurriedly meant she hadn't even reached the three-month point, and the pregnancy wasn't yet secure.

Fang Yuaner was self-assured and made a big production of the move.

But unexpectedly, that very night after moving, something went wrong, and she hastily summoned a physician.

Now that she was a Shu Fei of the prince’s mansion, she was entitled to call a physician.

After an examination, the physician said she had agitated the fetus and needed to rest in bed.

When asked for the cause, they either said it was due to excitement or overwork—none could give a definite answer.

Fang Yuaner was so angry she almost choked.

"A bunch of quacks! Do I not know myself whether I'm tired or not?!"

Fang Yuaner had always been cautious; during the move, she only gave orders, while the maids and servants did all the work. How could that have tired her?

As for the idea that she got too excited over the move and aggravated the pregnancy, that was even more ridiculous.

The news spread, and Fang Yuaner instantly became a laughingstock in the inner courtyard.

Everyone said that she, the daughter of a merchant, had flown onto a branch and become a Shu Fei, and was so overjoyed that she aggravated her pregnancy—truly ridiculous.

It spread even more enthusiastically than when Prince Jing had left the Linxuan Pavilion in a huff.

Fang Yuaner lost face completely; how could she not be furious?

"Someone must be secretly harming me!"

Fang Yuaner felt she was being victimized, but she couldn't find any evidence.

After searching around, she ended up punishing only two maids to barely manage to hush up the matter.

With her experience as a warning, Xie Run immediately sent someone to deliver a message to the Princess Consort.

"My mistress says that the Chunshan Courtyard can be renovated slowly. She intends to wait until the child is born next year before moving, to avoid any further accidents."

The Princess Consort did not agree outright. "It wouldn't be proper to never move. We should wait for the prince's return to decide."

If the Princess Consort agreed just like that, the prince might blame her.

After this incident, everyone became more cautious.

Shu Fei Yun took the opportunity to quietly move her courtyard.

Using the excuse of poor health, she didn’t even hold a banquet, keeping a very low profile, which made Fang Yuaner's ostentation stand out even more.

This infuriated Fang Yuaner once more.

Xie Run heard the news from various courtyards and was puzzled.

"Sister Fang has become more irritable since she got pregnant."

Getting angry over such trivial things was unlike her before.

Could it be that after becoming a Shu Fei, she started getting carried away?

Having nothing else to do, Xie Run stumbled upon something interesting.

It was said that Shi Qie An had been poisoned by Shu Fei Ning, damaging her health, and had to stay in bed to protect the pregnancy, unable to even get out of bed.

Since that incident, no one in the entire mansion had seen her.

Carrying Prince Jing's child, she lived in obscurity.

But today, Xie Run was taking a leisurely walk in a nearby small bamboo grove when she ran into Shi Qie An, supported by a maid.

Shi Qie An had a rosy complexion, steady breathing, and a slightly protruding belly. It was clear she was living comfortably.

The pregnancy was fully secure.

When they met, Shi Qie An had no way to avoid a confrontation and had to approach and greet Xie Run.

Shi Qie An: "This servant pays respects to Shu Fei Xie."

Xie Run looked at her slightly swollen belly and quickly raised her hand. "No need for such formalities. Please, sit down."

Shi Qie An smiled gently and sat down with the help of her maid.

Xie Run: "How have you been feeling lately, Sister An? I heard you've been resting to protect the pregnancy, so I didn't wish to intrude."

Originally, Shi Qie An had entered the household before Xie Run, so Xie Run should have addressed her as "older sister." But now that Xie Run is a Shu Fei, their ranks were reversed.

According to the rules, she had to call Shi Qie An "younger sister."

In fact, Shi Qie An was five years older than Xie Run.

Xie Run felt very awkward using that address.

Shi Qie An gave a shy smile, like a flower bud on a spring branch, radiating a fresh and gentle aura.

"I'm feeling much better. Thank you for your concern, Shu Fei Xie."

"I see you're already showing. I can't quite recall how many months pregnant you are."

Mainly because Shiqie An had become virtually invisible.

In the days prior, the rear courtyard was in a fierce struggle over the position of Shufei, yet no one even noticed her.

Shiqie An gently stroked her belly, a tender smile on her face. "Three months. I eat a lot and stay cooped up in the courtyard all day, so I've gained weight quickly. That's why I came out for a walk."

Xie Run also smiled. "Before I was diagnosed as pregnant, I also gained a few pounds. At the time, I wondered if I might be pregnant too, but it's not as if anyone gains weight just one or two months into pregnancy. I ended up looking silly."

Shiqie An laughed with her.

"But eating too much isn't good either. You still need to be moderate."

"Exactly," Shiqie An nodded. "The nanny who looks after me said that pregnant women shouldn't just keep eating nourishing foods, otherwise they might have a difficult delivery."

Nanny?

Hearing that word, Xie Run was intrigued, but she did not press further.

"It's getting late. If I stay out longer, my maids will start to worry."

Shiqie An immediately stood up. "Then I won't disturb Shufei Xie any longer."

Xie Run gave a slight nod and left, holding Dan Tao's arm.

On the way, she asked Dan Tao, "Did you notice anything?"

Dan Tao: "...The nanny Lady An mentioned?"

Xie Run walked slowly, treating it as a stroll. "The mansion has only ever brought in one nanny. That was back when the second young master was ill, and the princess personally went to the palace to ask Consort Guifei to recommend someone."

But the second young master passed too quickly, and that nanny's whereabouts became unknown.

Xie Run had originally assumed the princess sent her elsewhere.

Unexpectedly, the nanny had been placed with Shiqie An.

Xie Run understood clearly. "The princess is guarding Shiqie An's pregnancy. I suspect the ruse of feigning illness to safeguard the pregnancy was also taught to her by the princess."

Shiqie An had neither the prince's favor nor an influential family.

If no one helped cover for her, she wouldn't have been able to keep it secret for long.

Within the mansion, the only one who could silently protect her was the princess.

Their princess really was a good lady of the house.

Dan Tao, however, misunderstood and frowned. "Could it be that the princess has her eyes on the child in Shiqie An's womb? Does she plan to adopt it later?"

"But the child is only three months now—no one knows if it's a boy or a girl." Dan Tao mused quietly. "She'd be better off focusing on the eldest young master she already has."

Ever since Shufei Ning fell from power and the eldest young master was brought to the princess's side, rumors had been spreading in the rear courtyard.

Most said the princess intended to adopt the eldest young master as her own legitimate son.

But after half a month of talk, even though the eldest young master had moved to the front courtyard, the princess still made no move.

Some dismissed the gossip, but others pitied the princess.

Xie Run was startled. "That can't be right."

Given the princess's proud nature, she likely wouldn't want to adopt another woman's child.

"If not that, then why would the princess willingly secretly care for Shiqie An?" Dan Tao said, confused.

This was a thankless job.

If Shiqie An carried to term and gave birth safely, the princess would gain little advantage.

But if anything went wrong along the way, the blame would all fall on the princess.

Xie Run said, "Perhaps the princess... is actually soft-hearted."

Dan Tao couldn't refute that.

At least since entering the mansion, the princess had never deliberately targeted my mistress.

Her taking down Shufei Ning was only because of Shufei Ning's own wrongdoing, compounded by past grievances.

A few days later, news that Prince Jing had returned to the mansion was still nowhere to be found.

Instead, the newly arrived Shiqie Han and Shiqie Li had a row.

It started when Shiqie Han's maid went to the main kitchen to pick up food. On the way, she was either bumped or brushed against by Shiqie Li's maid, causing much of the food to spill.

Shiqie Han, unable to tolerate the slightest grievance, immediately led her people to Qingzhu Pavilion.

Although Shiqie Li was well-read, she was not skilled in verbal disputes. She endured Shiqie Han's scolding silently, then turned around and went to the princess's courtyard to seek justice.

Shiqie Li had the image of an aloof, cold beauty.

But even she couldn't tolerate being insulted and not fighting back.

With this complaint, the princess naturally had to step in to mediate.

She first briefly reprimanded Shiqie Han, then gave her some gifts as consolation.

Thus, the discord between Shiqie Han and Shiqie Li was brought out into the open.

—Ten days earlier, in Mizhou

Wan Linlang sat calmly in a small, simple courtyard, grinding medicine.

With a prolonged drought, the ground was cracked, and the air was thick with scorching heat.

A teenage boy suddenly rushed in from outside, carrying a basket on his back.

"Sister Linlang, it's done!"

"Drink some water first." Wan Linlang poured the ground medicine into a jar. "Did you find out any news about Prince Jing?"

The boy scooped up two ladles of water and gulped them down before speaking.

"I did. He's at the governor's residence." He looked troubled. "But Prince Jing's quarters are full of soldiers. How can we even get close?"

"Why would we need to get close?" Wan Linlang's voice was calm and confident.

"In two days, Prince Jing will send someone to find us on his own."

Her calm demeanor was different from Shiqie Li's.

The former is indifferent, the latter is aloof.

The youth didn't really believe Wan Linlang's words, instead recalling what he had done that day with a heavy heart.

"Sister Linlang... can you really cure the epidemic?"

Wan Linlang finally lifted her eyes to glance at him, and that glance held no emotion at all.

"You just do as you're told and don't ask what you shouldn't."

The youth was taken aback by her words, and his heart felt heavy, as if shrouded in a layer of gloom.

The youth was a native of Mizhou.

His family had been devastated by disaster, unable to survive, so he had run to the provincial capital to beg for food.

When Wan Linlang was making house calls, she casually showed kindness, saving the youth's life and thus earning his loyalty.

Originally, the youth was supposed to be loyal to his mistress, doing whatever she ordered.

But what happened today truly exceeded his expectations.

Wan Linlang actually had him secretly throw the clothes of the sick into the resettlement compound!

That place was full of disaster victims, at least a hundred people.

Some of them might have been holding on to their last breath, traveling a thousand miles to reach Mizhou's provincial capital, thinking they had found a chance to live.

But if an epidemic broke out, the entire resettlement compound... no, it should be said that all of Mizhou would become a living hell.

The youth was not a good person.

While fleeing, to survive, he had robbed women and children of food, attacked officials and soldiers, and even killed people.

But he had never done such a cursed act before!

After returning, he felt guilty all along, unable to help himself, and blurted out the question of whether she really could cure the epidemic.

Wan Linlang said she could cure the epidemic; her plan was simply to expand the outbreak so that the higher-ups, Prince Jing, would take it seriously and come to her for treatment.

She could then smoothly bestow her favor upon Prince Jing.

Originally, he had readily agreed, but now that the youth had done the deed, he only felt a deep sense of guilt.

To bestow a favor on Prince Jing, she would put the lives of millions of people in Mizhou at risk... Sister Linlang's heart... is so cruel.

Now, seeing Wan Linlang's indifferent demeanor again, the youth became even more terrified, already wanting to pack up and flee for his life.

Wan Linlang glanced at the guilt-ridden youth, saw through it all, but simply pretended not to know.

That very night, the youth packed his things and ran.

After running for two days, just as he was about to leave Mizhou city, he suddenly broke out in a rash.

Then came high fever, vomiting... the symptoms were exactly the same as those of the disaster victims who had caught the epidemic in the resettlement compound.

He struggled for only two days before breathing his last with his eyes open, his face filled with disbelief, terror, and anger.

As for all that had happened to the youth, Wan Linlang was not the least bit curious.

Everything was under control, so why be surprised?

Having been reborn, she was determined to walk a smoother path than in her previous life.

In her past life, Wan Linlang was greatly favored by Prince Jing, promoted to the rank of De Fei, and even bore a prince.

Unfortunately, a treacherous consort (Fang Yuaner) was in power, manipulating the government, framing and targeting her in every possible way, and later even deceived the Emperor into becoming suspicious of her, resulting in her being ordered to commit suicide.

Her son was also demoted to a commoner.

She was only one step away from the position of Empress, but she lost to that Fang bitch!

Reborn once more, she was determined to ascend to that throne and trample all women under her feet!

Wan Linlang was reborn a little too late.

Prince Jing had come to Mizhou to provide disaster relief ahead of schedule, and the disaster situation was far less severe than in her previous life.

For Wan Linlang, time was already running out.

Given how fast Prince Jing was providing relief, the epidemic that followed the drought in her previous life might not break out at all.

If the epidemic didn't occur, Wan Linlang could not perform the life-saving favor for Prince Jing, nor would she be granted the title of Shu Fei by him and enter Prince Jing's residence to be greatly favored.

Without an opportunity, she had to create one herself.

In Wan Linlang's eyes, this was not evil.

After all, in her past life, when the epidemic broke out, Mizhou would also lose hundreds of thousands of people.

What she was doing was simply bringing the epidemic forward, letting some people who were destined to die a little earlier.

No!

She would step forward immediately after the epidemic broke out, produce the life-saving prescription, and bestow a favor on Prince Jing and the people of Mizhou.

As long as she handled it properly, fewer people would die in this life than in her past one.

The people of Mizhou should even thank her for sparing Mizhou from some casualties.

It was by brainwashing herself in this way that Wan Linlang felt no guilt at all.

Originally, she had planned to take the opportunity to let Prince Jing contract the disease, then repeat the life-saving favor from her previous life.

Unfortunately, circumstances were different.

In this life, Prince Jing hadn't caught the disease, and she couldn't even learn where he was staying, let alone find a way to make him ill and then step in to save him.

But it wasn't all bad.

In this life, she didn't intend to serve Prince Jing first as a woman without status or title.

She wanted to use the merit of treating the epidemic to follow Prince Jing to the capital, receive a reward from the Emperor, and then be openly welcomed into Prince Jing's residence by him.

After all, having been reborn, she deserved no less than in her previous life.

In her past life, she was a Shu Fei; in this life, she wanted to become a Ce Fei!