Chapter 173 - The Consequences of Putting on an Act (2/2)

“Hurry up and drink the medicine!” The nanny carefully passed the bowl over.

Su Jiu frowned at the thick soup, which had a sour and bitter smell. “Can I not drink it?”

“No!” The nanny said firmly.

Su Jiu accepted her fate and took a few sips.

The nanny put the bowl down, stretched out the quilt, and supported Su Jiu to let her lie down and sleep.

Su Jiu’s head was dizzy. She laid down for a while, before falling asleep. Between moments when she was awake and asleep, she felt that such an arrangement was good. The chill made her drowsy, and she slept immediately when she laid down. This helped her from thinking too much about troublesome matters!

Chang Huan and Ah Shu sat on the stone steps. As soon as the nanny came out, they stood up. “How is the Boss?”

“Speak softly!” The nanny hushed them. “She had just taken the medicine and went to sleep, so don’t disturb her!”

Chang Huan glanced worriedly at the room and nodded slowly.

“Will our Chief be alright?” Ah Shu asked nervously.

“She will be fine. The doctor said it’s just a cold. She just needs to drink a few days of medicine!” Nanny said.

Ah Shu felt relieved but frowned in the next instant. “What’s going on with His Highness Prince Rui and the Eldest Young Master?”

They had forced Su Jiu to escape from the ship!

Chang Huan’s face was gloomy. He straightened himself and remained silent.

The sun was setting as Chang Huan said, “Ah Shu, please go back to the Bodyguard Agency first. I can stand guard here by myself. I will send someone to let you know if something happens!”

“Well… okay. Come to me immediately if something happens!”

Ah Shu then left. As he went out, Qiao An and Hu Dapao were seen coming down, hurrying to the Western Courtyard.

They saw Ah Shu and immediately asked, “How’s our Chief?”

“Still sleeping. You all better not go over, Chang Huan is there!”

Hu Dapao’s face was ugly, and he said with contempt, “Chief has already left the Ji Manor, but why is the Eldest Young Master still entangled with her?”

Ah Shu glanced at him. “Why don’t you say then that it was Prince Rui that came between them?”

Hu Dapao’s eyes widened when he heard this.”Chief is no longer Mrs. Ji from the Ji Manor. Thus, why can’t Prince Rui like her?”

“But our Chief likes the Eldest Young Master. Otherwise, why is she so sad?” Ah Shu retorted.

“Okay, you two!” Qiao An frowned and said, “Isn’t this messy enough? Go back! I’ll find you all if I have something!”

“Yes!”

Ah Shu and Hu Dapao responded in unison.

Qiao An sighed heavily and walked towards the Western Courtyard.

In the Ji Manor…

Ji Yuxian did not leave the study room for two days. Old Housekeeper Yu became anxious, and even Jin Feng did not know what to say this time around.

Ji Yuxian did not take Jin Feng with him when he went out that day. His face was ugly when he came back, but he knew that it must be related to Su Jiu. No one except Su Jiu could make Ji Yuxian like this.

“The Su Family sent someone again! Will you see them, Eldest Young Master?” Old Housekeeper Yu asked.

Jin Feng sneered. They did not agree to the conditions that Ji Yuxian had proposed before. Alas, now that they had no choice, they were starting to worry again.

“Let them wait. When the Eldest Young Master wants to see Su Wenqian depends on his mood!” Jin Feng said.

“Okay!”

Old Housekeeper Yu nodded and went out to inform the messenger.

As he walked out the courtyard door, he saw that the Fourth Young Mistress, Chen Yuchan, was holding a food box and standing outside the door. She was probably afraid that the guard would not let her in, so she had been waiting there.

“Anything of the matter, Fourth Young Mistress?” Old Housekeeper Yu asked.

“I heard that the Eldest Young Master had a bad appetite in the past two days. The concubine made some appetizing cakes!” Chen Yuchan lowered her head and muttered.

Usually, he would always ask Ji Yuxian for his permission, but today he simply said, “Go ahead, Fourth Young Mistress!”

Chen Yuchan was a little happy, and joy spread across her face. “Thank you, Old Housekeeper Yu!”

“You’re welcome, Fourth Young Mistress!”

Chen Yuchan walked until she was outside the study. She glanced at the closed door of the study and handed the food box to Jin Feng.

Jin Feng’s face was dull. “Fourth Young Mistress, please take it back. The Eldest Young Master will not eat it!”

Chen Yuchan was anxious. “How can he not eat it? The Eldest Young Master will be hungry!”

Seeing her sincere worries, Jin Feng said softly, “Fourth Young Mistress, you can try to send it yourself!”

“Ok!” Chen Yuchan nodded gently.

She pushed open the door to enter, and a whiff of lotus fragrance floated into her nostrils. The woman suddenly felt a little nervous. She squeezed the handle in her hand and gingerly walked inside.

Ji Yuxian lay obliquely on the low couch. His red robe spread out, and large lotus flowers blooming were on it. He was beautiful, enchanting, and gorgeous. The man’s eyes were closed tightly, with a strand of hair scattered across his forehead.

The hair covered the man’s pale and beautiful face. Although his red lips were gorgeous, there was a hint of decay in its beauty. It was somewhat distressing.

Chen Yuchan frowned at the man but dared not to approach. She softly called, “My lord?”

The man’s long eyelashes trembled, and his thin lips lifted lightly.

“Get out!”

His voice was hoarse and fierce.

Chen Yuchan felt a chill down her spine, but she dared to stay in her position. “My lord, you haven’t eaten for two days. If you go on like this, your body will not hold on further!”

The man’s voice did not seem to change.

“Get out! Don’t let me say it again!”

He heard that she had nothing to eat in the mountains for a few days. As a result, he was going to stay hungry for a few days and see how it felt.

Chen Yuchan squeezed the food container tightly, turned, and walked away. Then, suddenly, she turned back and whispered, “The pastries made by your concubine were all loved by the previous Young Mistress. I made a lot of them, and I will put them here. When my Lord is hungry, just eat some!”

With that, the woman gently put the food box on the ground.

The man slowly opened his eyes and murmured, “She loves to eat those? What does she love to eat?”

Chen Yuchan immediately replied, “This hazelnut cake, as well as the lotus root powder osmanthus cake. They are all loved by the Young Mistress!”

“Bring it here!” The man said quietly.

“Yes!” Chen Yuchan nodded happily. She hurriedly opened the food box, brought out a stack of lotus root powder osmanthus cake on one knee, and knelt in front of the man.

Ji Yuxian reached for a piece.

His fingers were clear and as white as jade. He held the yellow and white translucent food that was made into a sweet-scented osmanthus cake. He inspected it carefully.

“Does she love to eat this?” Ji Yuxian asked softly.

In Chen Yuchan’s memory, Ji Yuxian had never spoken to her in such a soft tone, and her heart pounded rapidly as she hurriedly nodded. “Yes, the Young Mistress said that what I made was delicious, and she likes it very much!”

Ji Yuxian nodded lightly. “Then you shall make more of it and wait for her to come back. Then, give her food!”

“Yes! The concubine will remember this!” The woman said softly.

“Go on then!”

“Yes!” Chen Yuchan placed the lotus root powder osmanthus cake and hazelnut cake on the side table beside him.

“Did the Eldest Young Master eat?” Jin Feng was surprised when he saw that Chen Yuchan had stayed in the study for a while and quickly asked.

Chen Yuchan smiled gently. “No, but he asked me to put down all the food, and asked me to make more in the future!”

Jin Feng smiled faintly. “Okay, then in the future, we shall trouble you to come here a few more times, Fourth Young Mistress!”

“You are too polite! These are all within the concubine’s duties!”

Chen Yuchan gave a slight curtsy and turned to go.

The woman left the main courtyard and walked slowly back to hers. As she passed the garden, peach blossoms were blooming on both sides of the path. The begonias were colorful, and the scenery of flowers helped one’s mood to get better.

Chen Yuchan stopped, folded a peach blossom, and placed it in the food container. She then smiled lightly.

“Fourth Young Mistress!” Suddenly, a low voice came from nowhere.

The woman turned her head and smiled. “Oh, it turns out to be Qiao’er!”

Qiao’er looked up and replied, “Fourth Young Mistress, how are you? Your servant has a request and needs your help!”

“What request? Just say it!” Chen Yuchan helped her up.

“Fourth Young Mistress, my mother is very ill, and she needs money to buy medicine. The money that your servant received this month has been used up. Thus, I’m afraid that I have to ask if the Mistress can lend me some money in advance…” Qiao’er asked with her head bowed down.

Chen Yuchan’s eyes flickered, and her complexion grew softer and softer. “Of course! Money is easy. It is more important to treat your mother first!”

Afterward, she took out a piece of silver and put it on Qiao’er’s palm. “Here are ten silver taels. If it is not enough, ask me for more again!”

“Thank you, Fourth Young Mistress!” Qiao’er happily thanked her. “As your servant, I will most definitely be loyal to you, Fourth Young Mistress! The words that you asked me to tell Mingfu, I did it. Indeed, within a while, Young Mistress was kept restricted within Lotus Pavilion.”

“Hush!” Chen Yuchan made a quiet gesture, looked around, and grinned. “Don’t mention those things. I was also merely feeling unfair for our previous Young Mistress. If you need money, you can always come and find me!”

“Yes, your servant will remember!” Qiao’er smiled.

Chen Yuchan turned around and walked to her courtyard, holding a peach flower in her hands. The petals were gradually peeled off by the woman and they fell on the stone path and were blown away by the wind.

Qiao’er kept the silver and walked proudly out to the gardens. Just then, a figure came out from behind the begonia tree and glared at Qiao’er coldly. “Well, Qiao’er, you saw Miss Su coming over the other time and said those things deliberately!”

“Mingfu?” Qiao’er was astounded.

“You collected the money from the Fourth Young Mistress, and you intentionally angered Miss Su’s family. I worked with you for so long, but I didn’t know that you were so cunning!” Mingfu said, “I will go to the Eldest Young Master now!”

“Mingfu, you must not go and tell the Eldest Young Master about this! Otherwise, I will be kicked out. Let’s drive that Miss Su away! Isn’t that what he wanted?” Qiao’er hugged Mingfu’s arm and explained in a panic, “I did this to get our Young Mistress back quickly as well!”

Mingfu stood still, but she still felt something was wrong. “What else did you collude with the Fourth Young Mistress?”

“Nothing else, absolutely nothing else! Only this once! Mingfu, based on our relationship of so many years, please let me go! I won’t dare to do this anymore! If I am kicked out, my mother would have no money to cure her illness! She will die soon!” Qiao’er begged mournfully.

Mingfu looked at her and calmed down. “In the future, you can’t do such a thing anymore, no matter what purpose Fourth Young Mistress has in mind! If we get involved in the issues of our masters, it will only lead to death. Do you understand? Have you forgotten what had happened to Shaoyao and Zhao Liu’er?”

Qiao’er shuddered and bobbed her head in trepidation. “Yes, yes! I dare not do this again!”

Mingfu sighed and turned his head to look at the back of Fourth Young Mistress, his brow furrowing slightly.

Early the next morning, a sedan carrying the Su Family’s Eldest Mistress entered the palace.

Upon entering Fushou Palace, a familiar and delicate scene came into view. Bai Jingrou’s quiet and water-like eyes did not fluctuate. Under the guidance of the Lady-in-charge, she went to pay her respects to Empress Dowager Xiao.

The servants went in to inform them that Mrs. Su was here.

Empress Dowager Xiao was taking her medicine.

Hearing this, she decided to not take her medicine, and immediately went forward to greet her personally. Her footsteps were eager, albeit unstable.

Imperial Concubine Rong was busy supporting her from behind.

Before they left the hall, Bai Jingrou had already walked in. She looked at Empress Dowager Xiao, and she raised her eyebrows. She then knelt on her knees, collapsed, and performed a dramatic bow. “Commoner Su Baishi, paying her respects to the Empress Dowager and Imperial Concubine Rong!”

Empress Dowager Xiao gaped at the woman on the ground, and she suddenly burst into tears. She went forward and helped her up with both hands. “Jingrou, 20 years have passed. You finally came to see me!”

Bai Jingrou lowered her head and said quietly, “Please don’t be alarmed!”

“Sister Rou, I’ve finally met you again!” Imperial Concubine Rong’s eyes were tearful as she choked.

“Imperial Concubine Rong!” Bai Jingrou politely paid her respects, with a touch of alienation in her tone.

Imperial Concubine Rong’s eyes could not help but look away as her gaze dropped.

“Jingrou!” Empress Dowager Xiao looked at the woman with an earnest gaze. As she watched the girl that she dreamed of at midnight becoming a mature woman, sadness welled up through her chest. She couldn’t help but start crying.

“Empress Dowager Xiao!” Imperial Concubine Rong wiped her tears and comforted her in a warm tone, “Sister Rou entered the palace well, why are you crying? You will make us all cry with you as well in a minute!”

Empress Dowager Xiao smiled and took Bai Jingrou’s hand. “Come, come in with me and chat with me! I have so much that I want to talk with you!”

Bai Jingrou wanted to put out her hand for a moment, but just barely held back. Together with the Empress Dowager, they strolled towards the inner hall.

Upon entering the inner hall, Imperial Concubine Rong personally went to get tea and placed it in front of Bai Jingrou. She then pointed to the medicine bowl on the table. “Empress Dowager Xiao heard that her sister was coming, and she greeted her without drinking her medicine.”

Bai Jingrou looked at the medicine bowl and turned to Empress Dowager Xiao. “Empress Dowager, are you unwell?”

Empress Dowager Xiao sat on the soft lumpy chair and looked at her kindly. “People get old, and there will always be something wrong. If you still don’t come, maybe we won’t even see each other after this!”

“Empress Dowager Xiao, here you go again!” Imperial Concubine Rong smiled faintly.

“To make Empress Dowager Xiao so worried, I deeply apologize!” Bai Jingrou muttered.

Looking at the woman’s indifferent look, Empress Dowager Xiao sighed slightly and said to Imperial Concubine Rong, “Go down! Let Jingrou and I speak in private!”

“Yes!” Imperial Concubine Rong stood up with a smile. “This concubine shall go and prepare lunch. Sister Rou, you must stay with the Empress Dowager Xiao and have a meal together.”

After she helped Empress Dowager Xiao to put a blanket on her leg, Imperial Concubine Rong took the rest of the palace staff and headed out.

Empress Dowager Xiao gently stroked Bai Jingrou’s curly hair, her eyes tearful and loving. It was as if she was looking at her daughter whom she had not seen for many years. “Jingrou, you have white hair already! In my impression, you were still a young and fair maiden!”

“Empress Dowager, you still look the same!” Bai Jingrou raised her head and smiled gently.

“Don’t say these polite words to me. I am old too! How can you not be old after 20 years?” Empress Dowager Xiao laughed and asked, “Are you okay with the Su Family? Does Su Wenqian treat you badly?”

Bai Jingrou lowered her eyes gently, shaking her head slowly.

However, Empress Dowager Xiao looked at her, and she sighed. “Jingrou, I haven’t drunk the tea you make for a very long time. Make me a cup of tea, will you?”

“Yes!”

After Bai Jingrou walked over to the tea case, she kneeled on the futon, cleaned her hands, and began preparing to make tea.

Empress Dowager Xiao sat opposite her. She had a light, somewhat blurred expression on her face. She said in a deep voice, “Jingrou, I knew that you resented me in your heart. When your daughter got married and you entered the capital, you did not come and see me!”

Bai Jingrou’s hands shook a little, but she did not respond with the same fear as before. She continued to pour water.

The faint tea fragrance wafted out. The air was warm, and although the days from then had long passed, it was as if they had returned to how it was 20 years ago.

“I don’t blame you. It was all my fault. I had said that I treated you like you’re my daughter, but in the face of the big picture, I still threw you aside!”

Bai Jingrou was still indifferent.

“I know that the Emperor liked you, and it was a kind of love that was more than what he had for his concubines. He had even wanted to promote your mother’s family into the dynasty for you, paving the way for you to become the queen. I could not allow such a thing to happen and I had to give you up as a result!”

“I sent you out of the palace, and I sent someone to find your parents’ house. It happened that the Su Family committed a crime and the family needed to leave the capital. I saw that Su Wenqian was a talented man and that they were also suitable for you. Thus, I secretly guided your father for him, so you would get married into the Su Family and leave Shengjing as quickly as possible!”

“The Emperor didn’t know that all this was done by me, and he was sad and resentful for a very long time.”

Empress Dowager Xiao slowly spoke of the things that had been buried in her heart for the longest time. With that, she could finally heave a sigh of relief.

“I know that you are smart and you thoroughly understand everything, so I do not want to hide anything from you. Everything was done by me!” Empress Dowager Xiao choked slightly as she said this, “You have been cold to me and treated me differently as before, and I can truly understand. You must have felt that you’ve been wronged for the past two decades!”

Bai Jingrou lowered her head, as tears dripped down her beautiful face and fell on the tea case. The slight sound seemed to steer up the dormant past in her heart that had been buried for more than 20 years.

At that time, she was magnificent, pure, and proud. She had fallen in love with the young Emperor and immersed herself thoroughly in it. She had thought that she was different from others.

The result of being young and vigorous was for her future to be entirely buried!

She gave birth to a daughter for Su Wenqian, but she never loved him. Therefore, she could calmly watch and accept as she saw how he spoiled the Second Mistress.

This was fine too. Otherwise, in these years, she would be the same as those jealous women in other men’s harem, disheveled and jealous.

However, what she hated most was that the heavens had taken away her daughter, and she was not allowed to receive love or affection. She felt that in her life, she was destined to be lonely.

“Jingrou, throughout these years, I have always dreamed of you. I dreamed that you would play the piano, make tea, sit there and carve out a seal, and ask me if it looks good.” Empress Dowager Xiao held her hand and choked. “Jingrou, please don’t blame me!”

Bai Jingrou closed her eyes, and tears glided across her plain face and fell on the back of Empress Dowager Xiao’s hand. Those were hot tears.

She walked over and knelt in front of Empress Dowager Xiao. Her body then fell on her lap. She was as close to her as she was 20 years ago. Her eyes were closed as her tears streaked her face.

“Empress Dowager Xiao, Rou’er is back!”

Empress Dowager Xiao shuddered, hugged Bai Jingrou hard, and wept silently.

With that soft voice, she knew that she had forgiven her!