The Crown Prince had been troubled by governmental affairs for so long, and today he was happy about having a son… He was planning to visit his legitimate son first, then go find Hong Mei, who had just been carried into the Crown Prince’s mansion, to relax and unwind. He didn’t want to rack his brains anymore.
“Your Highness, this matter is of great importance! Please move to the main hall so this old servant can report in detail!”
The Crown Prince rarely saw Old Fang being so solemn. He sighed: “Old Fang… today, I’m happy about my legitimate son’s birth and don’t want to be bothered by those governmental affairs. Let me enjoy this happiness today, and we’ll discuss those troublesome court matters tomorrow!”
Old Fang bowed deeply again: “This concerns Princess Zhenguo and is not about court politics. Please, Your Highness, must listen to this old servant’s detailed report!”
Quan Yu’s heart skipped a beat. This Old Fang was going to badmouth Princess Zhenguo again.
“Old Fang…” The Crown Prince showed his impatience, angrily closing his eyes: “Will you ever be done! Why do you always keep harping on Princess Zhenguo? That Princess Zhenguo is how many years younger than you! Why do you always have it out for a child?!”
“Your Highness!” Old Fang simply lifted his robe hem and knelt before the Crown Prince, kowtowing: “Your Highness, this time this old servant is not speaking recklessly. Please move inside. This matter was investigated jointly by me and Ren Shijie. We have both witnesses and evidence! Please look first before deciding!”
The Crown Prince suppressed his anger and pointed at Old Fang, signaling Quan Yu to help him up: “Fine, I’ll listen to you one more time!”
Quan Yu frowned deeply and stepped forward with small steps to help Old Fang up: “Old Fang, don’t blame His Highness for being angry. Look, Princess Zhenguo took an arrow to save His Highness, and this time she even rode swiftly to the capital, disregarding her safety for His Highness’s reputation! With Princess Zhenguo’s devotion to His Highness… even as an observer, this servant feels no one can match it. To speak bluntly… even you, Old Fang, have never risked your life to save His Highness like this!”
Quan Yu helped Old Fang up and stepped back behind the Crown Prince, continuing: “You didn’t see it – when Princess Zhenguo saved His Highness, that arrow pierced through her chest, her clothes were covered in blood. His Highness probably will never forget it for the rest of his life, isn’t that right, Your Highness?”
The Crown Prince remembered that day on the long street when Bai Qingyan risked her life to save him. His fists tightened as he nodded: “Yes… No one has ever risked their life for me like Princess Zhenguo did!”
Seeing the Crown Prince’s expression waver, Old Fang hastily said: “If this old servant had been there, I would certainly have risked my life to save Your Highness! That would have been my duty! It’s this old servant’s… fault for not being by Your Highness’s side to protect you!”
“Alright, alright!” The Crown Prince waved his hand at Old Fang: “I know you are loyal! Princess Zhenguo is too! You are both people I value highly. What I most hope to see… is for you two to get along harmoniously!”
“Then Your Highness should move to the study and listen to this old servant finish explaining this matter. If there are any misunderstandings in this affair, resolving them early… this old servant won’t misunderstand Princess Zhenguo anymore!” Old Fang’s eyes reddened: “Moreover, this old servant has no particular opinion of Princess Zhenguo. Since it concerns Your Highness, how can this old servant not be careful and cautious!”
Seeing Old Fang’s appearance, the Crown Prince sighed: “Let’s go! To the main hall!”
Quan Yu’s palms tightened as he hurriedly followed the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince had just stepped over the threshold when he saw the Crown Princess’s nanny holding a lamp, standing in the distant corridor, apparently waiting for him.
The Crown Prince instructed Quan Yu beside him: “Go ask if the Crown Princess is still waiting for me. If she’s still waiting… tell her to inform the Crown Princess to rest early, and I’ll be there shortly!”
Quan Yu responded and trotted over to the nanny, asking: “Nanny, are you waiting here because the Crown Princess is waiting for His Highness?”
“Yes, the Crown Princess is still waiting for His Highness!”
“His Highness still has governmental affairs to attend to. Please trouble yourself to tell the Crown Princess to rest early. His Highness will come to accompany the Crown Princess after handling official business!” Quan Yu said with a smile to the nanny: “The Crown Princess has just given birth… It’s when she’s at her weakest. His Highness specifically instructed that the Crown Princess shouldn’t wait for him. Please take care to serve the Crown Princess and help her rest, lest His Highness feel sorry for the Crown Princess when he returns and finds she hasn’t rested yet.”
The Crown Princess’s trusted nanny beamed with joy upon hearing this: “Good! This old servant will certainly serve the Crown Princess well! Oh, there’s one more thing – today Princess Zhenguo’s second sister, Madam Qin, personally came to the Crown Prince’s mansion, saying Princess Zhenguo was feeling somewhat unwell and requesting His Highness to grant an imperial physician to go examine Princess Zhenguo!”
Quan Yu’s expression immediately stiffened, but the nanny frowned and continued voicing her dissatisfaction: “Look at that Princess Zhenguo – simply taking advantage of His Highness’s favor! Are our Crown Princess and the imperial grandson important, or is she important? Simply not knowing priorities… she even dares to compete with the Crown Princess for imperial physicians! Our Crown Princess is just too kind-hearted, even sending an imperial physician and a nanny from our Crown Prince’s mansion to check on her! If you ask me… never mind that the Crown Princess just gave birth and is still weak, even if the Crown Princess had already finished her confinement month, for her to compete with the Crown Princess for imperial physicians would be treasonous. Yet we still gave her a physician… giving her face!”
Quan Yu raised his eyes with a look that seemed ready to devour someone. Seeing the nanny still chattering on, he suppressed his anger and bowed to her: “His Highness told this servant to return to serve him after speaking with you. Let’s talk another day!”
Having said this, Quan Yu hurried toward the main hall.
The Crown Princess’s trusted nanny had already said everything she needed to say to Quan Yu, watching his retreating figure with a satisfied smile.
Quan Yu was a personal eunuch who had served at the Crown Prince’s side since childhood. He would certainly tell the Crown Prince about this matter, which would let the Crown Prince know that Bai Qingyan was someone who took advantage of his favor.
The nanny turned to the maid behind her: “Come, let’s go back! The Crown Prince cares for the Crown Princess, so we must serve her well.”
“Yes.”
The maid, following behind the nanny, responded timidly.
The little maid was quite clever too. Today when Madam Qin Bai Jinxiu came calling, she had knelt and tearfully begged, saying Princess Zhenguo’s condition was dire and requesting an imperial physician to examine her. But from the nanny’s mouth, it became “feeling somewhat unwell.” It seemed this Princess Zhenguo had indeed won the Crown Prince’s heart, and the Crown Princess was becoming wary of this Princess Zhenguo.
·
When Bai Jinxiu was bringing the Crown Princess’s nanny, maid, and imperial physician near Princess Zhenguo’s mansion, she lifted the carriage curtain and exchanged glances with the accompanying guards. The guard understood and hurried ahead to report to Princess Zhenguo’s mansion.
Bai Qingyan was sitting upright at a small table by the window, holding a teacup and drinking tea, with several servants standing nearby, waiting for Bai Qingyan’s orders.
As soon as Bai Jinxiu’s message arrived, Bai Qingyan put down her teacup and said to the maid Zhen Guang beside her: “Zhen Guang… take several guards to the front courtyard to escort that person here. You’re most familiar with the roads in our mansion. I want you to lead that person in circles around Qinghui Courtyard without taking the same route twice. Only when you encounter patrolling guards who signal to you should you bring the person in!”