Chapter 256 Something's Wrong When It Happens
Xie Shang and Jiang Fenghua returned to the mansion very late. As soon as they entered the courtyard, Steward Cheng rushed over. "This servant greets Your Highness and Your Highness's Consort. This old servant has something to report."
"What is it?" Xie Shang asked.
"Someone from General Su's residence came this morning," said Steward Cheng.
"Your Highness, I will return to Lanyue Pavilion first."
Xie Shang put his arm around her waist, "I'll go back with you."
He then said to Butler Cheng, "Who's here? Just say it! There's nothing to hide."
"The person who came was Concubine Liu from the Su family. She said she came specifically to visit Concubine Su. At first, this old servant did not want her to enter, but she made a scene in front of the Crown Prince's residence, saying that General Su had sent her to visit Concubine Su. This old servant thought that if she was not allowed to enter, the matter would escalate and affect the relationship between the Crown Prince and General Su, so this old servant sent her to the Sandalwood Courtyard."
Xie Shang frowned. Why had the Su family suddenly sent people? "Besides Aunt Liu, who else is there?"
"They only brought one maid, and they also brought a lot of things for Consort Su. This servant has checked them all. They are just some food, clothes, daily necessities, and silver. I wonder if the news of Consort Su's affairs at the Crown Prince's residence has reached General Su's ears, which is why the Su family sent people." Steward Cheng added, "If the Su family comes again next time, this old servant will definitely find a way to stop them from entering."
In fact, Su Tingwan had always been the Crown Prince's darling. Although she was under house arrest, there was no guarantee that she would be released any day. They all knew how much the Crown Prince used to like her. After all, she was his mistress, and how could they, as servants, dare to truly offend her?
Xie Shang was always busy and had no time to care about her; he had even forgotten about her.
Su Tingwan drugged him again and again, doing such a despicable and shameless thing. What could the Su family possibly say? They only put her under house arrest, which was already a lenient treatment. They also kept the drugging incident a complete secret.
Xie Shang said calmly, "If General Su wants to visit his daughter, there's no need to stop him. Just have someone keep an eye on things."
"Yes," said Butler Cheng.
"Besides Cheng Feng, who else knows about you sending gifts to the Jiang family?" Xie Shang asked directly.
Steward Cheng said, "My wife knows that my youngest son, Cheng Xun, is also looking for a school to study at, so he thought he would ask Lord Jiang for help. I never expected this to happen. Now I am ashamed."
Xie Shang said, "Go back and ask Madam carefully who she said these things to."
"yes."
He said to Jiang Fenghua, "I'm afraid the other party has been looking to exploit this loophole for a long time, waiting for an opportunity. It's not that we can't find out now, but it wouldn't be very meaningful, and it would only cause more trouble."
"Your Majesty, I understand," Jiang Fenghua said.
Now that she is the Crown Princess, and Xie Shang is on her side, she already has a significant advantage compared to her previous life. However, a new batch of women will soon enter the Eastern Palace, and the competition for the Empress's position will likely be even fiercer in the future.
If she takes Xie Shang's current favor for granted and thinks he will never change, then she is incredibly foolish. Winning over those in power and consolidating the Jiang family's position is of paramount importance.
You can never rely on a man's words, especially a man at the pinnacle of power. He can bring you boundless glory, or he can plunge you into hell.
Jiang Fenghua glanced at Steward Cheng without showing any emotion, then smiled and returned to Lanyue Pavilion with Xie Shang.
Her mind raced. The Su family had suddenly sent someone to visit Su Tingwan, and they had even chosen to come today when neither she nor Xie Shang were at home. It all seemed strange. They should have just not come at all, but of all times.
Xie Shang offered an explanation, "Su Tingwan is still a concubine in the Crown Prince's residence. Although I have confined her to her quarters, I have no reason to stop the Su family from coming."
"Your Majesty, I understand. I didn't think much of it." Jiang Fenghua just felt it was strange that the Su family suddenly sent someone to the Crown Prince's residence. Su Tingwan had already lost Xie Shang's heart, and the Su family would no longer care about her. If they wanted to care, why didn't Aunt Liu come to check on her when she was beaten half to death?
She just couldn't understand it.
Jiang Fenghua then ordered water to be prepared. Xie Shang went into the bathroom to take a bath first. Lianye walked towards her and, seeing that the Crown Prince was not in the room, pulled Jiang Fenghua aside. "Granny Xu sent me to ask the Crown Princess what she would like to eat for a midnight snack?"
"What would Your Highness like to eat?" Jiang Fenghua called out towards the bathroom.
Xie Shang said, "Either is fine."
"I'll go to the small kitchen to see if there's anything the Crown Prince likes to eat." After saying that, she followed Lianye to the small kitchen.
Upon seeing Granny Xu, Jiang Fenghua asked, "What happened?"
Xu Mama had Lianye stand guard outside the door and whispered, "Today, Consort Su's family came to visit, and Consort Ye also went to the Sandalwood Courtyard with Aunt Liu. It took them a full hour to come out."
Later, the kitchen staff went to the Sandalwood Courtyard to deliver food to Consort Su. I also went to inquire and was told that the inner door had been closed the whole time, and Consort Su's new maid, Juxiang, had come out to serve the food. I don't know what they were up to in there.
"From now on, Your Highness should be careful when seeing Consort Ye. That girl stays in her courtyard all day and doesn't come out. Baolan said she's been studying medicine, but otherwise, there's nothing wrong with her."
Jiang Fenghua never expected that Ye Susu would get involved with Su Tingwan. If she were Ye Susu, having entered the mansion, she would wait for the right opportunity to rekindle her old friendship with Xie Shang, and would never go looking for an unfavored concubine.
Besides, Ye Susu replaced Su Tingwan back then, so Su Tingwan should hate her. How could they possibly stay locked inside for an hour without coming out?
Something unusual must be going on.
Jiang Fenghua narrowed her eyes and said in a deep voice, "I need to know everything that happened afterward, down to the smallest detail."
-
When Jiang Fenghua returned to her room, Xie Shang had already finished bathing. She brought a bowl of refreshing chicken noodle soup to Xie Shang and said, "Your Highness, please try it. It's delicious."
"Has Ruan Ruan eaten?"
"I smelled this aroma in the kitchen just now, and it made my mouth water so much that I couldn't resist eating it first." Jiang Fenghua's eyes showed a mischievous glint, and she looked innocently cute. "Ruanruan is watching Your Highness eat."
Xie Shang touched her face and gave her another kiss. "It must be because our daughter is craving something."
Jiang Fenghua smiled and asked, "How does Your Highness plan to celebrate your birthday?"
"I have already told my father and mother that we will not hold a large celebration. We have already held a victory celebration banquet and a investiture ceremony, and we will soon have to worship our ancestors. A birthday banquet is a waste of money and resources and is not really meaningful. You are in poor health, so please don't bother with that."
"I will not hold a grand banquet. Your Highness will still hold a small birthday banquet. Your Highness has just been appointed Crown Prince. If word gets out, people will think we cannot afford it. This time, we will not use public funds for Your Highness's birthday banquet, nor will we ask the Imperial Household Department to handle it. Holding banquets one after another is indeed very harmful to the country. The national treasury funds should be reserved for Your Highness to carry out important matters. We will use our own money."
Jiang Fenghua has been managing Xie Shang's businesses for so long that she knows he is wealthy. She also knows he is not a frivolous and extravagant person who only seeks pleasure. He is quite self-disciplined in his lifestyle.
"These are all minor matters, Ruan Ruan, don't worry about them."
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