Jiang Si’s gaze shifted between the two young women. “Palace maids for instruction?”
Nanny Ji’s face remained expressionless as she spoke with a slightly raised voice: “The Princess Consort may not be aware, but the royal family has always had this custom. When a prince turns fourteen, instructional palace maids are assigned to guide him in matters of the bedchamber. When the Prince was fourteen, he was far away in the Southern Frontier and couldn’t follow this custom. Fortunately, the Emperor dotes on him and specially assigned these two instructional palace maids before the Prince’s wedding…”
Jiang Si listened calmly.
Nanny Ji paused briefly, then continued in a serious tone: “Unexpectedly, the Prince has kept his distance from these two instructional maids. Without rules, there can be no structure. Now that the Princess Consort has entered the household, and the entire vast Prince’s Manor will be under your management in the future, please instruct us on how to arrange for these two instructional maids.”
“May I ask how the two young ladies are addressed?” Jiang Si inquired.
The two instructional palace maids exchanged a glance. The one in the pink skirt curtsied and said, “This servant is called Jiangzhu.”
The other maid in green clothing followed, “This servant is called Qingyu.”
Jiang Si turned to Nanny Ji: “Before I entered the household, how were Jiangzhu and Qingyu arranged?”
Mentioning this irritated Nanny Ji.
They were bestowed by the Emperor to be the Prince’s concubines, yet the Prince had dumped them on her.
Such a hot potato – how was she supposed to know how to arrange them properly? Assigning them heavy work would be inexcusable if word got out, but doing nothing would go against the Prince’s orders. Finally, with no other choice, she had them temporarily manage the spices.
“Managing the spices?” Upon hearing Nanny Ji’s explanation, Jiang Si smiled. “These two ladies were bestowed by the Emperor, making them more precious than the other maids in the household, and spices are also valuable items. In my opinion, Nanny’s arrangement for the two ladies to manage the spices is most appropriate and complementary.”
Nanny Ji’s mouth twitched.
Complementary, my foot.
They were bestowed by the Emperor to serve the Prince, how did managing spices become complementary?
Ultimately, the Princess Consort was just not generous enough, unable to bear the thought of the Prince sleeping with other women.
Tsk tsk, she really couldn’t compare to the noble ladies from princely families, lacking the demeanor of a true mistress of the household.
No, even the mistress of any wealthy family wouldn’t prevent her husband from having concubines. Did the Princess Consort think the Prince would only have her as a woman in the future? How naive.
Nanny Ji forced a smile: “The Princess Consort jests. Having the two ladies manage spices was just a temporary measure. Now that you’re here, Princess Consort, these two ladies should naturally be arranged to serve the Prince under your direction. That would truly fulfill the Emperor’s intentions.”
Jiang Si’s face darkened slightly as she countered, “I should arrange for them to serve the Prince?”
Nanny Ji, undaunted, spoke as if entirely considerate of Jiang Si: “The Prince is a man, and he can be willful about some things, but the Princess Consort cannot ignore this, or it will damage your reputation…”
Jiang Si let out a scornful laugh.
Before marriage, all she heard about was reputation, and now after marriage, she still couldn’t escape these two words.
These two words… could devour a person.
Nanny Ji was bewildered by Jiang Si’s laughter.
What had she said wrong for the Princess Consort to scoff at her?
“Thank you, Nanny, for your consideration, but there’s something I must ask you.”
“Please speak, Princess Consort.”
“What was the Emperor’s original intention in bestowing these two instructional maids to the Prince?”
“Naturally, it was because he was concerned that the Prince might not understand marital matters. Out of love for the Prince, he sent these two instructional maids to guide him. Princess Consort should know that this is a manifestation of the Emperor’s love and care for the Prince.”
“I certainly understand Father Emperor’s good intentions; there’s no need for Nanny to remind me. However, Nanny seems to have forgotten that last night, the Prince and I successfully consummated our marriage…”
Nanny Ji’s expression contorted briefly.
Forgotten? Impossible, she could never forget it even if she died! Five times they asked for water in one night!
She had never seen such a shameless newlywed couple!
“It seems Nanny has truly forgotten.”
Nanny Ji squeezed two words through her teeth: “I haven’t.”
Jiang Si fixed her gaze on Nanny Ji, with a sardonic smile: “It’s good that you haven’t forgotten. Since the Prince and I have successfully consummated our marriage, it’s clear that the Prince no longer needs instruction from these palace maids. Assigning them other duties is entirely appropriate. Otherwise, wouldn’t the Prince’s Manor be keeping idle people? Nanny, we can’t afford to be wasteful and squander resources, can we?”
Nanny Ji opened her mouth.
Well, the Princess Consort’s words seemed to make sense.
No, how did she let the Princess Consort confuse her?
“Princess Consort, these are two separate matters.”
Jiang Si’s tone grew colder: “This is the same matter. If you don’t believe me, Nanny, why don’t you go ask the Prince if he agrees with my view?”
Nanny Ji made a last-ditch effort: “Men handle external affairs, women internal affairs. The matters of the Prince’s Manor should naturally be managed by the Princess Consort. How could we trouble the Prince with such trivial matters?”
Jiang Si laughed coldly: “If that’s the case, why does Nanny still argue with me?”
As she spoke, she reached into her sleeve and slapped a dagger onto the table.
The dagger was plain and unadorned, not at all like an ornament a noble lady would play with, but rather more like a weapon.
Nanny Ji shuddered.
She was mistaken; a dagger was indeed meant for killing. Why would a newlywed bride carry such a thing?
Nanny Ji’s gaze towards Jiang Si changed as if reassessing her understanding of well-bred young ladies.
Jiang Si’s fingertips caressed the dagger, her face serene: “I have a bad temper. When others meddle in matters under my jurisdiction, I tend to become impulsive.”
Upon entering the royal family, countless dangers awaited her outside. This Prince’s Manor was the shelter for her and Ah Jin, and she would not allow anyone to hinder her on her turf.
Nanny Ji was completely dumbfounded.
What happened to the notion that a gentleman uses words, not force?
How could a dignified Princess Consort threaten people with a dagger at every turn? If word of this got out, wouldn’t it bring shame to the entire Yan Prince’s Manor?
No, for the sake of the manor’s reputation, she had to persuade the Princess Consort to mend her ways, even at the risk of her own life!
Nanny Ji straightened her back and spoke righteously: “Princess Consort if you behave like this and word spreads, people will mock you. In the end, it’s the Prince’s Manor that will lose face!”
Jiang Si smiled gracefully: “Spread? Nanny, you jest. Right now, there are only a few of us in this room. If word were to spread, we’d simply cut out the tongues of all the gossips.”
Ah Man and Ah Qiao maintained a nonchalant expression, while everyone else in the room instantly paled.
The Princess Consort must be joking, right?
Jiang Si picked up the dagger, caressing it casually, her face expressionless: “I never joke. If you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to try and see.”
Nanny Ji fell silent.
Jiang Si played with the dagger as she looked at the two palace maids: “If you two ladies are dissatisfied with your current duties, you can tell me.”
The two palace maids shuddered in unison and said simultaneously: “We’re satisfied. We couldn’t be more satisfied with our current duties…”
Jiang Si tossed the dagger.
The servants in the room hurriedly covered their mouths to stifle their screams, only to see the dagger land steadily in Ah Man’s hand.
Ah Man twirled the dagger with one hand, the blade spinning so fast it became a blur of white light, making everyone’s hearts race.
“Ah Man, escort Nanny and the two ladies out.”
“Yes,” Ah Man responded crisply, lifting her eyelids slightly at Nanny Ji and the other two. “Please.”