Chapter 217

Chapter 217

Xie Run looked enlightened and said softly, "Then I'll just offer my greetings from the courtyard and won't disturb the Princess."

Shufei Li was caught off guard. "Cefei Xie must be joking."

"His Highness dotes on you so much—if you went to the Green Pine Courtyard yourself to visit the Princess, how could she possibly turn you away?"

"If word got out, people would say the Princess is giving you a hard time, Cefei Xie..."

Xie Run sighed helplessly. "I care deeply about the Princess. Since she's unwell, I really should go visit and show I care."

"But from what Shufei Li is saying, I can't even visit the Princess at her door, let alone stand at the courtyard entrance. I'd better keep my distance..."

"But if that's the case, who would know how worried I am about the Princess?" Xie Run said calmly. "People might think I don't respect her at all."

"The Princess is sick, and I don't even show up at her door—it would look like I'm spoiled by favor and have no manners..."

Shufei Li wasn't good at arguing.

She'd only spoken up in the first place out of sympathy for the Princess, casually throwing a snide remark at Xie Run.

Now that Xie Run had pushed back, soft but firm, she felt choked up but didn't want to keep arguing.

Shufei Li softened her tone a bit. "...What you say makes sense too."

She'd forgotten—Cefei Xie might seem gentle, but she had a backbone too.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xie Run asked the attending maid, "Why aren't the Sixth Young Master and Shiqie Wan here?"

The maid replied respectfully, "Cefei Xie, Shiqie Wan is in the eastern wing right now taking care of the Sixth Young Master."

"Then I'll go over and see them," Xie Run said. "Lead the way."

"Yes."

When she got to the eastern wing, Xie Run glanced at the Sixth Young Master wrapped in swaddling clothes. "He looks a bit like the Prince, but more like Sister Lian."

Shiqie Wan kept her head lowered, her tone tinged with sorrow. "Sister Lian left so suddenly, leaving only the Sixth Young Master behind..."

Xie Run said warmly, "Your devotion to Shiqie Lian—her spirit in heaven must surely see it."

After visiting the Sixth Young Master, Xie Run stepped out and immediately ran into Shufei Hua, who had just arrived.

Lian's courtyard was small—the main hall had the funeral altar, the west wing had been the birthing room, and the east wing now held the Sixth Young Master and Shiqie Wan.

Everyone was bound to bump into each other; there was no avoiding it.

Shufei Hua lowered her head and bowed to Xie Run. "This concubine pays her respects to Cefei Xie."

Xie Run glanced at the sky. "The snow makes the roads tough. Did Sister Hua have an easy trip here?"

Shufei Hua had only come to pay her respects this late because she felt guilty.

Not long ago, she'd quarreled with Shiqie Lian about moving courtyards, and then Lian died in childbirth.

She was afraid Lian had really been cursed by the Autumn Maple Courtyard.

That's why she'd put it off and put it off, only showing up this late to pay her respects.

Hearing Xie Run's words now, she couldn't help but think Xie Run was making fun of her.

She said sheepishly, "The road wasn't too bad."

Xie Run nodded slightly at that and didn't ask anything more.

As they left the Cloud Jade Pavilion, Dan Tao noticed Xie Run wasn't heading back the way they'd come and asked curiously, "Master, where are we going?"

Xie Run said calmly, "Didn't I just say?"

"The Princess is unwell—as a Ce Fei, it's only right that I go visit her."

Dan Tao was taken aback. "I thought you were just messing with Shufei Li."

Xie Run lowered her gaze and said nothing more.

The Green Pine Courtyard—she definitely had to go.

The Princess had been sick for way too long this time.

Was it really just from being worn out while attending to the Empress Dowager?

Plenty of concubines had attended to the Empress Dowager with her, and none of the others got sick. Besides, the Princess had even been looked after by Guifei Rou afterward.

And the Princess was strong-willed by nature—if her body really hadn't given out, she'd never have let Fang Yuaner handle Shiqie Lian's funeral.

That alone showed the Princess's health was in really bad shape.

Xie Run needed to see for herself to be sure of something.

Just as she reached the entrance to the Green Pine Courtyard, Xie Run ran into Qiu Xiang, Fang Yuaner's personal maid.

Qiu Xiang bowed to Xie Run. "Cefei Xie, greetings."

Xie Run smiled. "Did your mistress send you to visit the Princess?"

Qiu Xiang said, "Cefei Xie, my mistress heard the Princess was unwell and was very worried, so she sent me to visit. If she weren't busy presiding over Shiqie Lian's funeral, she would have come herself."

"What a coincidence—I had the same idea as your mistress."

Qiu Xiang smiled and stepped aside to let Xie Run pass.

"My mistress and Cefei Xie both respect the Princess the same way."

When they arrived at the Green Pine Courtyard, Qiu Xiang was kept in the main hall, while Xie Run was led to the bedchamber in the back.

When she went in, she saw the Princess propped up against the headboard, wearing a sable headband embroidered with blooming peonies—very dignified and elegant.

But her face was pale, almost bluish, clearly showing she was in a lot of discomfort.

Xie Run paid her respects to the Princess and noticed a maid beside her bringing a bowl of medicine forward.

Xie Run stepped forward proactively. "Allow me."

"Attending to the Princess is this concubine's duty."

The Princess was taken aback.

All the concubines in the household had the duty of serving the mistress, but the Princess had never been fond of their company and had never used this to make trouble for anyone.

This time Xie Run took the initiative to serve her, and the Princess Consort did not refuse. "Then I'll put you to work, Cefei Xie."

Xie Run gently took the medicine bowl and said with a warm smile, "How could serving the Princess Consort ever be called trouble?"

The soft clinking of the spoon against the porcelain bowl was delicate and light, like a string of wind chimes gently colliding.

Xie Run said, "When I was young, I heard my mother mention that in some wealthy households, concubines were required to pay their respects to the matriarch at dawn and dusk, and cater to her every comfort. Some matriarchs had fiery tempers and loved to deliberately make life difficult for them, even having them get up in the middle of the night..."

She paused, trailing off before saying anything too improper. "Later, when I entered the Prince's household, I didn't have to pay respects or attend to anyone's needs, and I've always been so well looked after by the Princess Consort... I often found myself marveling at my good fortune to have such a wonderful mistress of the household as the Princess Consort."

"I have never once fulfilled my duties as a concubine, nor properly served the Princess Consort. Sometimes when I think of it, I still feel ashamed."

"Now that I have this opportunity, I must make the most of it to win the Princess Consort's favor, hoping she will continue to show me kindness in the future."

The Princess Consort was amused by her words. "Hearing Cefei Xie say this, I'm feeling quite pleased with myself—I didn't realize I was so wonderful."

"I only knew Cefei Xie as someone with quiet intelligence, but now I see that intelligence not only makes you eloquent in formal settings, but also skilled at sweet-talking people in private."

Xie Run blushed with embarrassment. "I mean every word from the bottom of my heart. If they can bring joy to the Princess Consort, then nothing could be better."

The Princess Consort asked, "You've just come from Yunbi Pavilion—have you seen the Sixth Young Master?"

"Yes, I have. He's now under the care of Shiqie Wan, and he's eating and sleeping well..." Xie Run said. "For a little one, eating and sleeping well is a great sign—he's bound to grow up healthy."

"That is indeed good news." The Princess Consort smiled. "Shiqie Wan sent word to me today, asking to raise the Sixth Young Master. What do you think, Sister Xie?"

Xie Run scooped a spoonful of medicine and fed it to the Princess Consort.

After a moment, she said, "The young masters of the Prince's household are precious. I wouldn't dare voice an opinion on who should raise him."

She smiled. "I don't understand such matters, but I know that whatever the Prince and Princess Consort decide is always for the best."

The Princess Consort said with a meaningful look, "You're quite the cautious one, aren't you? Not even willing to speak your mind."

"Last night, Cefei Fang sent word ahead of time, saying that since the cause of Shiqie Lian's death hasn't been determined, the Sixth Young Master shouldn't be handed over lightly to just anyone to raise."

"Unfortunately, Shufei Jiang is too impatient, and Shufei Hua is still young... There's no one of sufficient rank who's suitable to raise the Sixth Young Master."

Xie Run simply attended to the Princess Consort's medicine, smiling faintly like a shy person without opinions of her own.

The Princess Consort continued, "Actually, since the Sixth Young Master is healthy, he doesn't necessarily need to be raised by anyone in particular."

"Let Shiqie Wan care for him for a few days, and when he's older, he can be raised in the front courtyard—he won't be any worse off than others."

Xie Run knew this was the Princess Consort expressing her own opinion.

However, the premise of raising him in the front courtyard was that the child must be healthy.

A child without illness or misfortune could certainly be raised by a wet nurse.

But if he frequently fell ill and required careful attention, then finding a "foster mother" for meticulous care would be necessary.