Chapter 259

Chapter 259

Xie Run gave a smile, "If that's really the case, I'd have to hand it to Jiang Baobao."

Xie Run had two palace nannies keeping a close eye on Jiang Baobao to see if she was really pregnant or just faking it.

If she really was pregnant, fine.

But if it was fake, then Jiang Baobao had genuinely managed to fool both nannies.

Xie Run had thought Jiang Baobao was tamed by the two nannies.

Turns out they were all just putting on a show.

Xie Run summed it up, "Maybe someone's out to get Jiang Baobao, or maybe Jiang Baobao's out to get someone... but we can't let this kind of thing slide."

On a normal day, Xie Run would have just pretended not to see it.

But not today.

The political winds at court were shifting fast, and she was in charge of the rear courtyard. If trouble broke out again, someone would surely try to fish in murky waters.

Other than the eldest young master, Taotao was Prince Jing's only healthy son left!

Xie Run said, "Tell the Princess Consort about this, and have someone quietly fix the rockery."

"Yes!"

Informing the Princess Consort was just a routine heads-up, at least so she'd be in the loop.

Xie Run added, "Also, have the two nannies use this chance to search Jiang Baobao's courtyard."

"If she's planning to use this pregnancy to hurt someone, she's probably got something stashed away."

"If she really is pregnant, have the two nannies look after her. They'll be well compensated later."

Dan Tao hesitated, "Master, Shufei Jiang is such a troublemaker. Why would you want to protect the baby in her belly?"

"If she 'miscarries' the baby, the household would have a lot fewer problems."

Xie Run said, her tone serious, "Dan Tao, the more kids in the rear courtyard, the safer Taotao is."

"So I'm not scared of them having kids. In fact, I want them to have kids, and healthy ones too!"

If the kids hadn't kept having problems, Prince Jing's rear courtyard wouldn't have been targeted over and over.

Prince An had a whole bunch of kids, all strong and healthy.

So no one had ever tried to mess with his rear courtyard.

The eldest young master and his wet nurse in the front courtyard were under guard watch, and Jiang Baobao in the rear courtyard was also being watched by the two nannies.

Finally, there was a day of peace.

Soon it was Taotao's birthday.

Xie Run now had the highest status in the household.

Even though she didn't plan to throw a big party for Taotao's birthday, all the women in the rear courtyard who could get out came in person to Chunshan Courtyard.

After a lively, bustling meal, Xie Run was in the room soothing the child.

Dan Tao and Xiaoshu were sorting through the gifts they'd received.

Suddenly, a maid called out from the hallway: "Master, Shufei Jiang suddenly said her stomach hurt on the way back. She's asking you to come check on her."

Xie Run: "...I'm not a doctor. What good would me looking do?"

That said, since Xie Run ran the household, she really did need to go check it out.

"Did they call the house doctor?"

"Yeah, they called him. He's already on his way."

Xie Run had her guard up, "Go inform Cefei Sun."

After a few steps, she suddenly asked, "Where exactly did Shufei Jiang say she was feeling sick?"

"Near the Feihe Pavilion."

Xie Run turned and glanced at Dan Tao.

Turns out they really had underestimated Jiang Baobao after all.

Dan Tao was also feeling conflicted.

The seemingly brainless, hot-tempered Shufei Jiang could actually scheme in roundabout ways too?

When they got near Feihe Pavilion, Dan Tao stepped up and whispered in Xie Run's ear, "Master, the spot where Shufei Jiang is sitting is exactly the problem spot I found earlier."

Xie Run was at a loss for words: "I just praised her for being clever, and now she says her stomach hurts and plops down on the rockery. Who wouldn't see through that?"

Dan Tao: "..."

Xie Run: "Are you sure the rockery's been fixed?"

Dan Tao nodded confidently.

Xie Run walked up a few steps on the staircase, "Have someone bring Shufei Jiang over here. I'm not going over there."

She was walking toward Feihe Pavilion.

When Jiang Baobao saw Xie Run leading people toward Feihe Pavilion instead of coming to her, she started to panic a little.

She looked at the two nannies with a pitiful expression: "Nanny Yan, Nanny An, it looks like Cefei Xie is going to the wrong place?"

"Why don't you call out to her?"

Both nannies were savvy palace veterans.

From the moment they stepped out today, something about Jiang Baobao was off.

They'd barely gotten through Fifth Young Master's first birthday banquet and left without a hitch.

Before the two nannies could even breathe a sigh of relief, Jiang Baobao refused to take the main road, insisting on walking over to Feihe Pavilion to take in the view.

The two nannies could only advise Jiang Baobao; they couldn't control where she went.

Unable to talk her out of it, they had no choice but to follow Jiang Baobao up the rockery.

The farther they walked, the more the two matrons felt something was off.

You're a pregnant woman—why would you avoid the smooth main path and insist on climbing this rugged rockery path? Are you worried your pregnancy is too stable?

Sure enough, halfway along, Jiang Baobao clutched her belly and cried out in discomfort.

She sent one person to fetch the imperial physician and another to summon Cefei Xie.

The two matrons saw right through her, watching Jiang Baobao's antics without comment.

Now, seeing that Xie Run wasn't taking the bait, Jiang Baobao ordered the matrons to go fetch her.

The two matrons exchanged a glance, then suddenly stepped forward, each grabbing one of Jiang Baobao's arms and hoisting her up between them.

Jiang Baobao was stunned.

How could these two be so strong?!

With her feet dangling off the ground, she barely had the strength to struggle.

If she were dragged away by these matrons, wouldn't all her scheming be for nothing?!

And she was faking the pregnancy.

Wouldn't she then have to come up with some way to "miscarry"?

At that thought, Jiang Baobao struggled even more fiercely.

Scanning the rockery behind her, she frantically searched for the spot where the maid had said there was the crack.

Unable to find it in time, she lashed out, kicking Nanny Yan square in the torso. "You old hag, how dare you lay your hands on me?!"

"If you harm the child in my belly, how many heads do you have to lose?!"

Even at this moment, Jiang Baobao remained utterly arrogant.

That kick was vicious—a chance to settle old scores.

Who told that old Yan woman to be so strict with her every day?

Nanny Yan, being advanced in years, collapsed from the kick, clutching her stomach and unable to get up for a long while.

As Nanny Yan looked up, she saw Jiang Baobao running toward the rockery.

She twisted her ankle and tumbled down.

The next second, several screams rang out from below the rockery.

In the Flying Crane Pavilion, Xie Run and the maids watched in shock.

Xie Run glanced at Dan Tao, swallowing hard. "Are you sure the rockery was fixed?"

Dan Tao nodded firmly. "I'm sure, mistress!"

"And the marks on that rockery—I personally painted over them!"

Xie Run stood up. "This Jiang Baobao is truly ruthless."

Xiaoshu had been craning her neck to look down. "Mistress, when Shufei Jiang fell, she seemed to have landed on someone."

Xie Run nodded, heading down toward the rockery. "I did hear several screams just now."

"Let's hurry down to check!"