Chapter 20
Chi Ying and Yin Shi had been waiting indoors for news. Unexpectedly, when Mama Zheng returned and whispered a few words in her ear, her pupils contracted sharply and all color drained from her face.
Yin Shi even disregarded propriety to grab Mama Zheng's collar, her lips trembling. "Did she come back?"
Mama Zheng said in a low voice, "She's back, in the reverse-seat room at the front. This servant was afraid of alarming Prince Zhao Manor's guards and didn't dare bring the young miss to the back courtyard. Madam should go ask the young miss personally."
Seeing the furtive expressions on this mistress and servant, looking as if facing a great enemy, Chi Ying was about to ask what exactly happened when she saw Yin Shi suddenly rise and hurry toward the courtyard exit.
After taking two steps, she remembered something, turned back to glare at her, and said in a low voice, "I'm going to handle some matters. You stay right here obediently. Don't wander around, and especially don't go to Chunliu Courtyard on your own. Outside are all manor guards. If anything goes wrong, no one can escape!"
Turning around, she nearly stumbled. Fortunately, she grabbed Mama Zheng's arm in time to barely steady herself. The two left in quick steps without a moment's delay.
Chi Ying could only ask Xiangqin, "You went with Mama Zheng. Do you know what happened to Second Sister?"
The matter was grave, Xiangqin didn't dare speak carelessly. But Third Miss would learn of it sooner or later anyway, so she could only say with difficulty, "It's better to... let Madam return and tell you herself."
On the other side, Cheng Huai saw the mistress and servant emerge with panicked faces and inevitably came forward to inquire. Mama Zheng made up an excuse, only saying a steward below had made an error and Madam needed to personally handle it.
Yin Shi 's face was deathly pale, but she also forced out a smile.
Cheng Huai respectfully let them pass but secretly gestured to a guard in the outer courtyard corridor, having him follow and watch.
That person immediately acknowledged the order and followed.
Yin Shi hurried to the reverse-seat room, almost bursting through the door.
However, Mama Zheng was still fairly cautious. This reverse-seat room had once been used as a study hall and Chi Xingwu's study. Inside was structured with a front hall and back chamber. Mindful that there were people in the manor today, Mama Zheng had directly brought Chi Yingyue into the back chamber to hide.
Yin Shi rushed inside. Seeing her veiled daughter, she immediately demanded, "What on earth happened?"
Chi Yingyue lifted the gauze from her face. Seeing Yin Shi 's shocked and angry expression, she was also badly frightened. She lowered her eyes to look at her own lower abdomen and said softly, "Mother, I..."
Yin Shi stepped forward and grabbed her arm, eyes wide. "Tell me who it is, which bastard! Your pure body, how did someone manage to..."
Mama Zheng coughed lightly from the side, signaling Yin Shi to lower her voice lest the manor guards hear and bring great disaster.
Yin Shi trembled all over with rage but could only forcibly suppress her burning fury.
"It's not what Mother thinks."
Chi Yingyue pressed her lips together and said softly, "He has noble status and we have mutual affection. It's just that given my current circumstances, he temporarily can't bring me in the door. However..."
"Mutual affection?" Yin Shi nearly laughed from extreme anger. "Do you know what you're saying? You're a legitimate daughter raised by Changyuan Earl Manor. Instead of being the proper Princess Consort of Zhao, you've been sneaking around having an affair, even becoming pregnant. Where does this put the Earl Manor's face? Where does it put you? Are you trying to kill me with anger!"
Hearing the words "Prince of Zhao," contempt flashed through Chi Yingyue's eyes. Unable to hold back, she told Yin Shi the truth: "It's Prince Xuan, Mother. The wild man you speak of is His Highness Prince Xuan."
Yin Shi was stunned, thinking she'd misheard. But the rage in her chest had quietly extinguished. "What did you say? It's... His Highness Prince Xuan?"
Chi Yingyue nodded, the corners of her tightly pressed lips lifting slightly.
Yin Shi didn't know much about these imperial relatives, but she also knew that several princes who'd originally been in the limelight had either died in battle, been imprisoned, or gone blind. Now Prince Xuan was the prince Emperor Yongcheng valued most!
She couldn't help looking at Chi Yingyue's lower abdomen. Only a month and a half pregnant, it was still flat there. But inside was actually carrying Prince Xuan's child! Emperor Yongcheng's imperial grandson!
Seeing the shock in Yin Shi 's eyes, Chi Yingyue's expression grew smug.
But Yin Shi hadn't completely lost her head. She calmed down and asked, "So you're saying Prince Xuan already knows your identity? Knows you were supposed to be the Princess Consort of Zhao? Also knows our family switched in a concubine daughter as a substitute?"
Chi Yingyue wrung the handkerchief in her hands and nodded in acknowledgment.
Yin Shi said urgently, "You told everything? This is the crime of deceiving the emperor!"
One more person knowing meant one more danger!
Moreover, this Prince Xuan clearly knew Yingyue was supposed to be his sister-in-law, yet without regard for moral ethics, not only became entangled with Yingyue but even created a child... How would this be explained in the future?
But Chi Yingyue was unconcerned. "So what if he knows? Would His Highness Prince Xuan be afraid of that Prince of Zhao?"
Yin Shi remembered something and asked again, "Weren't you staying perfectly well at the separate residence? How did you catch Prince Xuan's eye?"
Chi Yingyue mumbled, "I was bored to death staying in the room all day. There was just one time I went out to buy rouge—of course I wore a veil, but I didn't expect to run into Prince Xuan..."
Seeing her daughter looking lovesick, Yin Shi couldn't help frowning. "But Prince Xuan has already married a princess consort, the Chief Minister's granddaughter, right? If people discover he's fathered a secret child outside, creating the scandal of a brother stealing his brother's wife, how could the imperial family and Prince Xuan's consort's maternal family let you off?"
Chi Yingyue said petulantly, "Mother, that sounds so terrible! I didn't marry Prince Zhao either, how is it a scandal? Besides, he and the Princess Consort of Xuan are just a political marriage. With me, it's mutual true love."
Chapter 20 (Part 2/2)
Yin Shi gave her a look. "What promise did he make you?"
Chi Yingyue said, "He said once he secures his position as crown prince, he'll certainly arrange everything properly and give me a rank. As for that Prince Zhao, wouldn't he be dealt with by a single word from him? Right now I'm carrying his flesh and blood, while the Princess Consort of Xuan has nothing. Who knows who'll have the last laugh in the future?"
Yin Shi was actually swayed by her words, her thoughts drifting. If things truly went so smoothly, her daughter would at minimum be an imperial consort in the future. Why bother eagerly serving that blind Prince Zhao!
Coming back to herself, Yin Shi examined her daughter again. In her bright red embroidered hundred-butterfly dress, her skin was truly like congealed fat, her beauty like peach blossoms and plums. With such looks, how could she not become an empress?
What's more, there was a golden treasure in her belly!
Yin Shi truly hadn't expected her daughter could have such fortune.
Right now, what was most important was letting her peacefully nurture this pregnancy. As long as Prince Xuan could become crown prince, her daughter had a bright future. As for any crime of deceiving the emperor, in the future, it could all be written off with a single stroke!
Yin Shi pondered for a moment, then instructed Mama Zheng: "Personally escort the young miss back. She absolutely cannot be bumped or knocked. After the people from Prince Zhao Manor leave, send over two careful and attentive maids to attend her."
She turned to Chi Yingyue and said, "I'll go send that Chi Ying away. I'll come see you another day to avoid drawing attention."
She watched her daughter put on her veil properly before following Mama Zheng out through the side gate.
The guard hidden behind a corridor pillar saw them emerge and immediately flew away to withdraw.
Yin Shi walked back to the rear courtyard all the way, also thinking through what to say to Chi Ying.
Chi Ying didn't know what Chi Yingyue had said. From when Yin Shi left, shocked and furious—to now, though her expression appeared normal, those phoenix eyes lifted slightly, faintly revealing a trace of proud arrogance, as if she had received tremendous good news but had to forcibly restrain herself from spreading it.
Yin Shi said, "At Prince Zhao Manor, you continue dealing with things there. I'll have people take good care of Aunt Xue. You can rest assured about that."
Chi Ying was stunned. "What does Mother mean? Second Sister isn't switching back? Does she not want to switch now, or does she never plan to switch in the future?"
Yin Shi hesitated.
Upon first hearing this earth-shattering news, beyond the surprise, she'd also felt secretly smug. But after deep consideration, she realized that though this matter seemed only a step away from glory, every aspect needed careful weighing.
Yingyue would carry the child for ten months and give birth by year's end. After giving birth, then what? When would Prince Xuan be able to acknowledge this child? With what status would Yingyue enter Prince Xuan's manor? His Majesty was in his prime—when would a crown prince be established... All these were uncertain and would require careful future planning.
So she had no way to give Chi Ying a definite timeframe.
However, Yin Shi understood the current situation clearly. Was her daughter to be the proper consort to a gloomy, suspicious, blind prince, or the favored consort to the prince most likely to become crown prince? Naturally the latter had an infinitely better future. Moreover, she already carried Prince Xuan's child in her belly, she could no longer possibly consider Prince Zhao.
Thinking of this, Yin Shi said, "Since you say Prince Zhao and Consort Zhuang both treat you well, then peacefully continue being this Princess Consort of Zhao."
Chi Ying didn't understand. "Do Mother and Second Sister plan to deceive everyone for life? What if I refuse?"
Yin Shi smiled coldly. "As long as you don't tell, you're the glorious Princess Consort of Zhao. This matter benefits you either way, good fortune falling from the sky that others couldn't beg for."
"But if you're unwilling," Yin Shi 's gaze suddenly sharpened, "then I'll have no choice but to cut off Aunt Xue's medicine and let her fend for herself in the back courtyard. In the vast Changyuan Earl Manor, the death of a small concubine isn't a big deal."
Chi Ying's complexion grew increasingly pale, her tone heavy with anger. "I don't owe Mother anything. Why must Mother treat me this way? It was so in the past, and so again today."
Yin Shi said coldly, "You can only blame yourself for being born from a concubine's belly. I am concubine Xue's master. You are her daughter. You should properly be a house-born servant of my Chi manor. Servants doing work for masters, listening to masters' arrangements, what's wrong with that?"
Moreover, she'd been born with a beautiful face since childhood. Yin Shi remembered when her natal nephew came to visit the manor, his eyes lit up seeing her. He disliked Yingyue's eldest daughter temper and instead spent all day following this concubine daughter around in jest and play.
Her mother climbed into the master's bed, and she then came to seduce her own nephew, how could Yin Shi tolerate this? She simply schemed to drive the mother-daughter pair out of Changyuan Earl Manor—out of sight, out of mind.
Chi Ying pressed her lips tightly, her nails digging deep into the flesh of her palms. After a long silence, she finally said, "Tonight I'm staying in the manor to accompany Mother. Everything can wait until after I've seen Mother."
Yin Shi said coldly, "Have you gone mad? There are so many manor experts outside. Are you afraid they won't discover you?"
"Unless I see Mother safe and sound, I won't leave."
Chi Ying raised her eyes, both pupils tinged red. The aura around her became sorrowfully cold and sharp, as if she might explode at any moment. "If Mother obstructs me in every way, I'm not afraid either. After all, my life is worthless. At worst, we'll both be destroyed. If Mother wants me to return to Prince Zhao Manor—fine. Today I'll go back and confess everything to Prince Zhao..."
Yin Shi trembled all over with rage. "You..."
The two martial maids in the corridor had been listening intently to the sounds inside. At first, the Princess Consort and Yin Shi only conversed softly, even deliberately lowering their voices. Though their hearing was exceptional, they still had difficulty hearing everything. But somehow the two started arguing, and scattered fragments of words drifted into their ears.
What was Yin Shi afraid they'd discover?
And what... did the Princess Consort want to confess to His Highness?
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TRANSLATOR: Guys, i just realized this book is rated 18, and i cannot continue posting it on my website. i am still trying to figure out what to do when we get to those chapters.
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GLOSSARY
Characters
Chi Ying (池萤) - Female protagonist; concubine-born third daughter who substitutes for her legitimate elder sister in marriage to the Prince of Zhao
Yan Xuecui / Prince of Zhao (晏雪摧 / 昭王) - Male protagonist; blind prince with a dark reputation, suffers from touch-starvation condition
Chi Yingyue (池颖月) - Chi Ying's legitimate elder sister who was originally supposed to marry the Prince of Zhao
Countess Yin / Yin-shi (殷氏)- Chi Yingyue's mother; the legitimate wife who arranged the substitute marriage
Aunt Xue / Xue Yiniang (薛姨娘) - Chi Ying's mother; a concubine in poor health
Consort Zhuang (庄妃) - The Prince of Zhao's mother
Prince Ding (定王) - The deceased elder brother of Prince of Zhao
Emperor Yongcheng (永成帝) - The current emperor
Servants & Attendants
Xiangqin (香琴) - Chi Ying's maid, originally serving Lady Yin's interests
Baoshan (宝扇) - Chi Ying's maid
Aunt Fangchun (芳春姑姑) - Senior servant managing household affairs
Steward Yuan / Yuan-de (元德) - The Prince of Zhao's chief steward
Qingzhi (青芝) & Yintiao (银翘) - Maids at the manor
Qingze (青泽) - The Prince of Zhao's attendant
Physician Lin (林院判) - The physician treating the Prince of Zhao
Locations
Prince of Zhao's Manor (昭王府) - The prince's residence
Shuyu Pavilion (漱玉斋) - Chi Ying's residence, formerly the Prince of Zhao's chamber
Yangui Tower (雁归楼)- The Prince of Zhao's current residence with a dungeon beneath
Shouchun Hall (寿春堂)- Consort Zhuang's residence
Changyuan Earl Manor (昌远伯府)- Chi family's declining noble household
Titles & Terms
Wang/Prince (王)- Imperial prince title
Wangfei/Princess Consort (王妃) - Wife of a prince
Dianxia/Your Highness (殿下) - Formal address for a prince
Niangniang/Your Ladyship (娘娘) - Formal address for an imperial consort
Di (嫡) - Legitimate-born (from legal wife)
Shu (庶) - Concubine-born
Substitute marriage (替嫁)- Marrying in place of another
Consummation/Yuan fang (圆房) - Completing the marriage ceremony through intercourse
Returning home visit/Hui men (回门) - Traditional bride's first visit to natal home after marriage
Cultural Items
Bamboo cane/scrolls (竹杖/竹简) - The prince uses these for mobility and reading
Incense (熏香) - Various types used for ambiance
Dragon and phoenix candles (龙凤喜烛) - Wedding candles
Phoenix seal (鳳印)- Symbol of empress status
Hundred Sons and Thousand Grandsons pattern (百子千孙图) - Auspicious bedding embroidery symbolizing fertility
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