Chapter 136

Chapter 136

Prince Jing, a prince on the fringes, was never truly involved in the center of power.

His departure was merely a pebble sinking into a lake, causing a few ripples before everything settled back down.

Once Prince Jing left, the Princess Consort closed the main gates.

Except for necessary banquets, all other invitations were declined.

The whole Prince Jing estate kept to itself.

Xie Run focused on raising her child, watching Taotao grow chubbier day by day, which gave her a great sense of accomplishment.

On the fifth day after Prince Jing's departure, Chun Juan came hurrying in with news.

"My lady, something terrible has happened!"

Xie Run remained very calm. "What happened?"

"The Eighth Prince has fallen from his horse."

Xie Run paused, then feigned surprise. "The Eighth Prince fell from his horse? A perfectly healthy man—how does someone like that just fall off a horse?"

"Do you know how he is now?"

Chun Juan was scared half to death by the news, sweat dripping down his forehead. "I heard the Eighth Prince felt the palace was too stifling, so he invited the Seventh Prince to go horse racing out in the suburbs."

"Who would have thought—he was galloping along, and before he even left the imperial city, his horse spooked and ran straight into a wall."

"The Eighth Prince fainted on the spot."

"When the Emperor heard this news, he was furious."

"When an emperor gets angry, bodies pile up for miles." Xie Run's brows knit together seriously. "Let's just hope the Eighth Prince pulls through."

Though she said this, Xie Run knew the Eighth Prince probably didn't have long to live.

"That's what everyone's saying."

"If anything happens to the Eighth Prince, who knows how furious His Majesty will get..."

Xie Run had someone bring Chun Juan a cup of tea, then settled back against the bed.

She thought to herself that the fight for the throne had finally kicked off.

The Eighth Prince's fall from his horse this time was almost certainly a death sentence.

When the Emperor's fury led to an investigation, neither Prince Su nor the Empress would get away.

With three factions battling, it was anyone's guess who'd come out on top.

Xie Run specifically called Dan Tao over to give her instructions. "In three days is Taotao's one-month celebration. Tell the Princess Consort we'll just put together a modest meal and celebrate quietly in the courtyard."

"With everything going on, we should avoid anything unnecessary."

Dan Tao agreed, but she felt bad for her Fifth Young Master. "The one-month celebration is one thing, but given the current situation, who knows if the hundred-day celebration can even be held?"

"The Fifth Young Master is as precious as jade, but the people outside just won't stay quiet, putting him through all sorts of hardship for nothing."

Xie Run found it amusing. "He eats when he's hungry and sleeps when he's tired—what's there for him to complain about?"

"It's you all who dote on him and overthink things. That's what's making you all upset for no reason."

Dan Tao was a bit put out. "I'm just worried about the Fifth Young Master, and you, his own mother, are making fun of me."

"Alright, alright, my bad." Xie Run smiled helplessly. "I'm just saying these little things aren't worth calling grievances. In troubled times, if any rumors spread, it's bad for you and me."

"I get it. I only mentioned it to you."

As the two were talking, Xiao Shu, who had just returned to Spring Mountain Courtyard, stormed back in.

Dan Tao was curious. "Weren't you taking the little maid to go get the food? What happened?"

"Don't even mention it—the master's meal almost got snatched away by someone else!"

Xiao Shu was furious.

Dan Tao asked curiously, "Who'd dare try to grab the master's food?"

Given Xie Run's current level of favor, the only one in the Prince Jing mansion's inner quarters who could even come close to competing with her was Fang Yuaner.

But Fang Yuaner had always been proud and would never lower herself to such petty games.

Xiao Shu gritted her teeth. "Who else could it be? Our mansion's one and only secondary consort."

"The dishes were already prepared in the kitchen, but someone from Songya Courtyard insisted that Consort Jiang liked them and made a move to grab them."

"Luckily I was quick and boxed up the master's meal first."

Dan Tao was silent for a moment. "The prince has only just left, and Consort Jiang is already getting bold?"

Consort Jiang was still confined to her quarters.

Dan Tao and Xiao Shu had seen plenty of people in the mansion who caused trouble behind the scenes, but someone as brazen as Consort Jiang was the only one who'd do it so openly.

Xiao Shu snorted lightly. "Exactly. Seems like she hasn't learned her lesson from last time."

"Now that the prince is gone, she's getting bold again."

"She probably thinks that besides the Princess Consort, she's the top dog and has nothing to fear from anyone."

Given Jiang Baobao's personality, everyone in the inner quarters figured she wouldn't stay quiet for long.

Because of past events, Jiang Baobao held a grudge against Xie Run, and everyone was waiting for her house arrest to end to see the fireworks.

But no one expected that even while still under house arrest, Jiang Baobao was already making moves.

Xiao Shu asked, "Dan Tao, should we tell the master about this?"

Dan Tao nodded. "Of course we have to."

"Since Consort Jiang has her eye on the master's meal, this is probably just the beginning."

"Once the master knows, she'll know to be on guard."

After Xie Run finished her meal, she got the whole story from Xiao Shu and Dan Tao.

She paused to think for a moment, then said, "No rush. Let's see what she does next."

It had been nearly a month since Xie Run had given birth.

With Prince Jing away, she planned to observe the full two-month postpartum rest period.

She just hoped Jiang Baobao would hold off on causing trouble, at least until her body had recovered enough to go into battle.

The people from Songya Courtyard had tried once and failed, and had made no other moves for the time being.

Xie Run simply had someone keep watch on Songya Courtyard.

To her surprise, she found that this Cefei Jiang was a real piece of work.

Her troublemaking was not directed solely at Xie Run, but aimed at every woman in the household alike.

First, she had her people try to snatch Xie Run's food, and then she called the newly arrived Shiqie Lian to her courtyard to bully her.

Shiqie Lian had only attended to Prince Jing for one night at Zui Man Tian and hadn't seen him since entering the household.

Because of her lowly origins, the concubines in the household didn't care to associate with her.

Even the maidservant assigned to her didn't pay her much mind.

Shiqie Lian was completely clueless, treading carefully in the household, and knew little about the household's only Cefei.

When Cefei Jiang's people came for her, she followed in fear and trepidation.

Once at Songya Courtyard, she was naturally at their mercy.

Xiaoshu was the best informed of all.

No sooner had Shiqie Lian left Songya Courtyard than Xiaoshu came to report to Xie Run.

"I heard Shiqie Lian left Songya Courtyard in tears, constantly rubbing her arm as if in great pain. Who knows what methods Cefei Jiang used to torment her."

Xie Run was drinking a medicinal tonic to regulate her body.

The bland flavor seemed to gain a bit of savor because of Xiaoshu's words.

She asked in confusion, "How dare she be so brazen?"

Her house arrest had not even been lifted, yet she was openly bullying the household's concubines.