The room fell into silence, and the perceptive Steward Sun, noticing the change in atmosphere, tactfully remained silent, feigning ignorance.
Qingge continued to leaf through the roster, maintaining the awkward silence. Although she was already familiar with the manor’s staff—part of her duty as a secret guard—she’d always viewed them through a secret guard’s perspective, focused on their skills, habits, and assigned roles. This roster, however, was different, detailing each individual’s salary and provisions, with notes in red indicating things like ten-tael condolence payments for family bereavements.
She found it intriguing to glimpse another side of Ning Wang Manor.
Seeing the Wangfei engrossed with the roster, Cui Gugu finally spoke up, “Your Highness, the imperial bestowals have been delivered. Would you like them brought in now for you to inspect?”
“Bring them in, then,” Qingge replied calmly. Since Ning Wang had told her to take what she liked, she might as well accept the offer graciously. Obtaining a few valuable items could serve as a small compensation for her hard work.
Considering his rough treatment, she deserved some bonus. These wedding gifts from the imperial family would at least serve as partial reparation.
The list was quickly brought over. Qingge glanced at it, noting the various precious items—gold, silver, priceless treasures—and skimmed through until her attention was caught by some medicinal supplements. She found herself mildly interested, thinking it might be worthwhile to request them. Just then, her eyes landed on one item: Duzhong royal male flower.1
Immediately, Qingge found herself unable to tear her gaze away.
Her time in the Qianying Pavilion had exposed her to countless near-death experiences, during which she had acquired some knowledge of medicinal herbs, including rare and legendary ones. When the commander-in-chief of the western frontier was poisoned in the past, the Emperor ordered the imperial physicians to exhaust every possible remedy to save him. The formula that they finally came up with wasn’t particularly extraordinary, but it contained one crucial ingredient: the Duzhong royal male flower.
The Duzhong tree was a dioecious plant, meaning it grew as separate male and female trees. The male flowers, as expected, blossomed on male Duzhong trees, and they were already valued as rare medicinal herbs. However, while ordinary Duzhong male flowers were precious, they were not completely unavailable in the market. The Duzhong royal male flower, on the other hand, grew only on a thousand-year-old Duzhong tree that grew deep in the treacherous mountains of the Bashu region. The trees, growing amid the dense, rugged landscape, were rumored to be a real legendary treasure, as they flowered only once every ten years, making the male flowers nearly impossible to obtain.
If she could acquire this Duzhong royal male flower, it could potentially cure the cold poison in her body. But how could she go about obtaining it? Should she simply ask for it? Wouldn’t that raise suspicion?
Her mind traced back the experience she’d endured just now. In broad daylight, Ning Wang pressed her onto the bed, his actions rough and demanding as he mercilessly took pleasure from her….
When she lay on the mattress, disheveled and overwhelmed, he remained impeccably dressed, his expression showed no change, as if the passionate man who had taken her so fiercely moments earlier hadn’t been him at all.
For this alone, she deserved some compensation—it’s only fair.
Once Qingge made up her mind, she never hesitated. “This one, that one, and these others,” she pointed, seemingly casually. “Bring them over to me.”
Among the items she selected was—of course—the Duzhong royal male flower.
Cui Gugu glanced over, lowered her eyes respectfully, and replied, “Understood.”
But Steward Sun seemed troubled, and after a moment of hesitation, he finally spoke up, “Your Highness, you are free to take any of the other items, but regarding this Duzhong royal male flower, it seems His Highness has other plans for it.”
‘Other plans?’ Qingge gave Steward Sun a cold look. “What do you mean? His Highness clearly told me to choose as I please. You bring me the list and now tell me I can’t have it?”
‘What a stingy man!’
The flustered steward hurriedly explained, “Apologies, Your Highness, but… but this is His Highness’ instruction.”
Qingge chuckled, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Very well, Steward Sun. I’ll trouble you to invite His Highness here at once. I’d like to ask—would a noble qinwang2, an imperial prince, truly go back on his word?”
Since things had come to this point, Qingge quickly made up her mind. Anyway, Ning Wang’s temper was like that, and simply enduring in silence would gain her nothing. Now, with forty thousand taels of silver in hand, she’d already taken the best and sweetest bite from the sugarcane.
If she continued to endure for two more months, all she’d gain was an additional thirty thousand taels and no Duzhong royal male flower. What a great loss! Having such a treasure dangled before her very eyes only to have it taken away left such an unpleasant taste. While the prospect of forfeiting thirty thousand taels also stung, now was the time to seize what she could. If there was nothing more to gain, it would be better to make her exit in advance. That’s why she decided to confront Ning Wang and demand the Duzhong royal male flower in person. If he refused, she would make her displeasure clear—why should she tolerate such disrespect?
Right now, she wasn’t the lowly secret guard Qingge, but the legitimate daughter of the Xiahou clan. To play her part, she needed to embrace that status fully and stand her ground with him.
If she got what she wanted, then it was a gain; if not, then she would openly express her anger. Since she was in a bad mood, it was normal that she became even more willful, insisting on going out of the manor to have some fun—giving her the opportunity to set some of her plans into action.
With justification in hands, Qingge made up her mind and arrogantly ordered Steward Sun to prepare a palanquin—she was going to head straight to Tianhong Pavilion to see Ning Wang.
Steward Sun was startled, looking visibly troubled.
Cui Gugu also furrowed her brows. “Your Highness, this doesn’t seem appropriate.”
Qingge cast a cold glance at the two. “Why not? Are there places in this Ning Wang Manor that I, the mistress of the house, are not allowed to set my feet into? Do I even need permission to see my own husband?” Showing an icy smile, she then turned to Luo Momo. “Tell me, Momo, haven’t you memorized all the etiquette rules of the imperial family? Do you recall any such rule?”
Luo Momo stepped forward respectfully. “No, Your Highness. This servant has never heard of such a rule. Back in the Xiahou manor, there is a clear distinction between masters and servants. Servants had no authority to restrict the masters, and anyone guilty of such disrespect would be beaten without mercy.”
The phrase ‘beaten without mercy’ struck a chord with Qingge, bringing to mind the hundred lashes she had received for no explicable reason. She rubbed her forehead, quickly brushing off the memory as she continued, “It seems our rules differ quite a bit. Luo Momo, you’d better learn the ways here from Steward Sun and Cui Gugu, lest we committed offenses unknowingly.”
Steward Sun was at a loss for words. This pair of mistress and servant are really good at sarcasm!
Cui Gugu seemed to treat their exchange as a joke and said with a smile, “Your Highness, you misunderstand. How could us servants dare to stop you? It’s just… this manor isn’t an ordinary place. This is Ning Wang Manor, situated in Yuning, a crucial frontier. It’s not somewhere anyone can roam freely.”
Qingge did not care, “As the Wangfei, I am the mistress of this manor. Are there parts of this inner yard that I am forbidden to enter?” She fixed a steady gaze on the two, exerting authority into her every word. “Or is this an order from His Highness to guard against his own Wangfei? If that’s the case, fine. Bring him here, and I’ll ask him directly what his intention is.”
Cui Gugu’s expression tightened in unwillingness, but Steward Sun tried to mediate, smilingly suggesting he would go and seek His Highness’s approval.
“There’s no need. Prepare the palanquin.” Qingge’s face turned icy, allowing no rebuttal.
At her command, Steward Sun and Cui Gugu exchanged troubled glances.
But Qingge remained silent, waiting calmly, filling the air with quiet tension.
After a long while, Cui Gugu finally spoke first. “Since Your Highness insists, we dare not refuse.” She then said to Steward Sun. “We shall prepare the palanquin for Her Highness.”
Steward Sun hesitated, casting her a puzzled look.
“Her Highness’s orders—how could we not comply?” The court lady said softly, showing a meaningful smile.
< Previous | TOC | Advanced TOC | Next>
Wants more chapters?
Click this page for the status of sponsored chapters.
Click this page for advanced chapters TOC.