Chapter 98 Rouze's Scheme

"Consort, Princess Rouze has brought something again." Songzhi led her people in, carrying in another piece of shimmering brocade.

"Hmph, she's quite generous." Nian Shilan glanced at the brocade, smiled disdainfully, and waved for someone to take her away.

"Master, what does this Princess Rouze mean? Does she want to pledge allegiance to you?" Songzhi approached and gently massaged Nian Shilan's shoulders, asking curiously.

“I look down on her. What a piece of trash, trying to curry favor with me.” Nian Shilan rolled her eyes. Of all the women in the backyard, she looked down on Ulanara Rouze the most.

Everyone knew how she got in. Her father and brother were both high-ranking officials in the court, so Shilan had naturally heard the story of Rouze entering the mansion years ago. Now that she had entered the Prince's mansion and genuinely loved the Prince, she naturally looked down on Consort Wuya and Rouze.

"Songzhi, send a return gift to Ulanara later. She acts like she's never seen anything good before. If it weren't for bringing good fortune to the young prince, we would have thrown her things away long ago."

Nian Shilan touched her belly and said irritably, hoping that Rouze would be more perceptive. Did she seem willing to get involved with her?

...

"This is a piece of fabric that your concubine has gifted you. She said that she is currently pregnant and it is inconvenient for her to receive guests. You don't need to send her any more gifts in the future; she doesn't need anything. You should save it to make a few more nice outfits for the princess..."

After Rouze bit her lip and saw off the servant who came to return the gift, her eyes welled up with tears, and she swayed as if about to collapse.

"Gege..."

"The Nian family... the Nian family is humiliating me..."

Rou leaned against Xueqin's chest, her face pale.

"Princess..." Xueqin waved her hand, dismissing Xuewen to take the things away, and then turned to help Rouze into the bedroom.

After a long silence, Xuewen stared at their retreating figures for a while, then, without saying anything more, led her maids to tidy up the storeroom.

“As expected of the Nian family, they are so arrogant even though they are newly pregnant. So everything the princess does is right.” Xueqin looked at Rouze and earnestly comforted her.

“That’s right. The Nian family is so arrogant. The young prince shouldn’t have such a mother. I’m right.” Rouze nodded, wiped away the tears on her face, and convinced herself again.

Suppressing her anger at being humiliated by Nian Shilan, she looked troubled and looked at Xueqin with reliance, "But now... given the Nian family's attitude, there's nothing we can do..."

Rouze didn't really want to side with Nian Shilan. It was just a good idea that Xueqin had "brainstormed" before, which required her to get close to Nian Shilan.

Seeing that Rou was hesitant, Xueqin quickly encouraged her, "Princess, we're halfway there! That stuff has already been sent to Qilan Courtyard. We just need one more ingredient to work with it, and then we can get rid of Consort Nian's pregnancy without anyone knowing..."

Rou frowned slightly, "Is it really okay? What if we get found out..."

Xueqin knew that Rouze was afraid of implicating her. That's why she had previously tried to smear the medicine on the gifts under the guise of giving them. But it was clear that this approach wouldn't work, and since she had to do it herself, she wanted to back down.

But having come this far, Xueqin naturally wouldn't give her a chance to back down. She looked sincerely at Rouze and said, "Don't worry, Princess, it will never implicate you. You're just eager for a child and want to share in the good fortune of Consort Nian. It's perfectly normal for you to carry a sachet with you."

"Moreover, the sachet is just ordinary floral fragrance, which is not harmful in itself. It will only have the effect of causing miscarriage when combined with things in the Qilan Courtyard. It will not cause an immediate effect, but will only cause the fetus to die in the womb."

"Princess, as long as we met Consort Nian by chance outside Qilan Courtyard, and she miscarries in a month or two, who can blame us?"

Xueqin reasoned with her clearly and logically, and the uneasy Rouze was gradually persuaded. Yes, she was just wearing a harmless sachet as decoration; it was just a chance encounter. Consort Nian miscarried; who could blame her?

Rou bit her lip and said, "I heard that the flowers in the garden are in full bloom these days, which is a good place to pass the time."

“Gege is right.” Xueqin and Rouze exchanged a knowing smile.

...

The sun was shining brightly. Nian Shilan, with Songzhi by her side, strolled into the garden of the Prince's Mansion under the protection of a group of people.

"Master, please take it easy." Songzhi helped Nian Shilan and carefully accompanied her as she strolled around.

"I know, Songzhi, you've got some nerve, it's not like this is the first time you've come." Nian Shilan touched her belly, a smile on her face, and strolled around in a relaxed manner. The physician had said that moderate movement would be beneficial for childbirth, and she couldn't stay indoors anyway, so naturally she had to come out for a walk.

"Since Your Highness is worried about my master's health, I will naturally take good care of him."

Knowing what kind of words Nian Shilan liked to hear, Songzhi naturally said things that pleased her.

Sure enough, when Songzhi mentioned the prince, Nian Shilan's smile became even brighter. "You, Songzhi, you really listen to the prince."

"Your Highness cherishes your master, so naturally this servant must obey."

Songzhi's words made Nian Shilan even happier, and the group strolled happily in the garden, but unfortunately they soon encountered uninvited guests.

"Rouze has met with the concubine."

"Tsk." Looking at Rouze's delicate and slender figure, Nian Shilan instantly suppressed her smile, all her good mood gone. She said casually, "Get up. What a coincidence, to run into Princess Rouze here."

Rouze stood up, a faint smile on her face, and gently replied, "I just thought the flowers in the garden were blooming so beautifully these days, so I came out for a stroll. I didn't expect to run into Consort Nian so coincidentally."

"Is that so?" Nian Shilan glanced at Rouze from head to toe, unwilling to say anything more to her. "Then Princess Rouze, please enjoy your time. This lady will take her leave now."

"Wait a moment, Consort." Rouze, whether intentionally or unintentionally, repeated the word "consort," as if reminding Nian Shilan of her overstepping her bounds in self-designation.

"Is there anything else, Princess Rouze?" Nian Shilan rolled her eyes impatiently and tightened her grip on Songzhi's hand slightly.

Seemingly oblivious to Nian Shilan's aversion, Rouze showed a hint of embarrassment, took two steps closer, and whispered, "It wasn't that I intentionally bothered Consort Nian before, but I've heard that frequent contact with pregnant women is beneficial for having children. I've been in the household for several years now, and I haven't been able to... so..."

Seeing Rouze looking at her with envy and touching her belly with a look of sadness, Nian Shilan seemed to understand something. So Rouze approached her because she wanted to have a child.

"Nonsense! You actually believe this, Princess Rouze?" Nian Shilan looked disdainful. Regardless of whether the plan was true or false, if Rouze had ulterior motives, would she just agree to it?

"I was just in a hurry." As if her hopes had been dashed by Nian Shilan, Rou couldn't help but feel disappointed, her body swaying, looking pitiful.

"Whatever you think is none of my business." Nian Shilan wasn't buying it. On the contrary, she disliked Rouze's behavior intensely and turned to leave, not wanting to listen to her nonsense anymore.

"Consort Nian..." Rouze was about to say something when Xueqin, who was worried that she might fall, helped her up.

"Is there anything else?" Nian Shilan asked impatiently.

"It's nothing," Rouze smiled apologetically. "It was I who disturbed you, Consort. I won't do it again."

"Good to know. Songzhi, let's go." Nian Shilan didn't linger any longer, taking Songzhi's hand and leaving impatiently. Behind her, Rouze watched her retreating figure, a pitying smile slowly spreading across her face...

"What bad luck!" Walking back to the courtyard, Nian Shilan became angrier and angrier. She shouldn't have gone out today.

"Please calm down, my lady. Don't hurt yourself over someone unrelated to you," Songzhi said softly, afraid that Nian Shilan might do something rash.

"That's right, someone like Rouze isn't worth getting angry at," Nian Shilan said, touching her belly and thinking of the child inside her, her mood gradually calming down.

Before Songzhi could even relax, she saw Nian Shilan's face contort in pain as she clutched her stomach and nearly collapsed. Songzhi screamed in terror, "Consort!"

“My child… my child… Songzhi…” Nian Shilan clutched her aching stomach with one hand and clutched Songzhi’s sleeve tightly with the other, her eyes reddening with panic.

"Secondary Consort, Consort... Someone, summon the physician, the physician!"

"Rouze...catch that bitch...she's the one who ruined me..."