# Chapter Seventy-Six
"No wall is without cracks." Within just ten or so days, news that the Second Young Master of the Lord of Lingnan suffered from a hidden ailment spread to the imperial capital. The people first sighed in sympathy, then felt relieved. Fortunately, the incident had occurred in Lingnan. The inn where Wen Yu had stopped was merely a hundred li north of the Southern Frontier. Had it not been for those hundred li, the capital would have had much to answer for.
Beyond the military generals, most people in the imperial capital had no desire for another war. The current Emperor was not like that heaven-gifted, every-inch-of-land-matters Emperor Wu. Should the Southern Frontier truly go to war someday, the people did not believe the capital could defeat Lingnan. Of course, even if Lingnan pressed southward and won, a regime change was out of the question—but should Lingnan emerge victorious, having them claim territory south of the river in the future would be nothing but trouble. Thus, after confirming that Wen Yu had fallen ill after passing through the Southern Frontier, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They then shifted to curious speculation: What exactly had happened to the Second Young Master? What had the servants seen when they burst into the room? What divine medicine had enabled the Second Young Master to satisfy five women in one night? Where could one purchase such a thing?
Having inquired their fill and amused themselves thoroughly, people's minds began to turn. The beloved Second Young Master was now "incapable." Lord Bailen's position as heir was thus set in stone. After all, no matter how much the Lord of Lingnan doted on his second son, he could not pass the title to a son who had cut off the family line.
Those who had once disregarded Bailen began to regret it. Previously, when Bailen had been sent as a hostage, everyone assumed the Lord of Lingnan had abandoned him. They had deemed him unworthy of cultivating. Now that the Second Young Master had met with misfortune, Lingnan had become Bailen's unshakeable domain. Suddenly, Bailen's status in the capital rose dramatically. Many families with suitable daughters quietly made inquiries—hadn't Lady Roujia already married? Wasn't it time for the heir to take a wife?
Jiang Deqing chuckled as he relayed the gossip from outside. Coming to a certain point, he bowed toward Bailen with a smile and said, "There is also a amusing matter. Does the Young Master recall? Previously, the Emperor had attempted to match the Young Master with the granddaughter of the Elder Prince Hui. At the time, neither side was amenable, so the Emperor dropped the subject. In truth, before the Elder Prince Hui even spoke, it was Lady Hui, the Princess Consort, who first stood up in refusal. The Princess Consort actually went to kneel before the Old Princess Consort, weeping bitterly, saying she couldn't bear to part with her youngest daughter, that she couldn't bear to let her daughter marry far away to the Southern Frontier. She begged the Old Princess Consort to intercede with the Elder Prince Hui and decline this marriage. Now that news of recent events has spread, the Princess Consort's thoughts have become... active again. While attending upon the Old Princess Consort, she secretly encouraged her, saying that political marriages have existed since ancient times, and as a member of the imperial clan, one should bear hardships for the court. The Old Princess Consort is advanced in years and couldn't withstand the persuasion. She actually raised the subject with the Elder Prince Hui."
Jiang Deqing smiled, "After hearing this, the Elder Prince Hui was so enraged he nearly choked. He immediately sent his senior nanny to dress down the Princess Consort in no uncertain terms... Ha... It's no wonder the Elder Prince Hui was furious. When the Emperor hinted several times before, the Elder Prince Hui had含糊其辞 dismissed them. To bring it up again now—whether it would succeed or not—would offend the Emperor for nothing, and earn a reputation for toadying to power. The Elder Prince Hui would never do something so self-contradictory."
Qi Xie嘲讽 sneered, "She wants to petition, does she? But that depends on whether I agree." With that, he glanced at Bailen discontentedly. Bailen wore an innocent expression, then turned to Jiang Deqing, grumbling internally. Why bring this up unnecessarily? He'd finish speaking and leave, and I'd have to endure Qi Xie's "guidance" afterward.
Jiang Deqing smiled and agreed, "Of course, of course. Without the Young Master's consent, nothing can happen. There's also... they say the Princess Consort Dun Su has an eye for betting on the right horse. Including Lady Roujia, the He family has now taken two princesses and five countesses as daughters-in-law. When the Young Master ascends to the position someday, the He family and Lingnan will grow even closer."
Qi Xie smiled faintly and said nothing. But warmth spread through Bailen's heart. He hadn't felt it before, but lately he'd heard the phrase "when the Young Master ascends" so often, it resonated deeply. When he ascended, he could freely assist He Zichen, could dutifully support his own mother without worry, could... Bailen glanced at Qi Xie—could march north with all of Lingnan's might, helping Qi Xie reclaim the throne that was rightfully his.
After hearing Jiang Deqing's words, Qi Xie smiled and said, "Is that all there is of this climbing-on-coattails business? How pitiful. The Emperor heard this news and didn't even send a few competent imperial physicians over. Truly... the ways of the world are cold."
Jiang Deqing smiled, "We know everything only through hearsay. Since the Lord of Lingnan hasn't sent word himself, even the Emperor cannot openly send people over. We must all pretend ignorance. At present, everyone is watching for a good laugh. No one wishes them well."
Qi Xie shook his head with a smile, then asked, "What about Shunzi? Wasn't it said this morning that the last group from the gambling den had returned? Did they bring any news?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Deqing immediately brightened. Smiling, he said, "Nothing too urgent. But let me share something for the Young Master and His Highness to amuse yourselves with. The matter of the Young Lady and the Xia family is settled. The Xia family has already presented the betrothal gifts. I hear the wedding will take place before year's end. Upon hearing the news in the ancestral hall, Lady Kangtai threw a tantrum. The Prince ignored her. But then... that evening, Lady Kangtai actually bribed a few serving婆子 guarding the hall and escaped."
"Perhaps the Young Lady has read too many stage stories and wanted to emulate Zhuo Wenjun's famous elopement. But a prince's mansion is deep and secluded, with layers upon layers of walls. How could it be like in the stories, where you simply climb over the wall and the outside world awaits? The Young Lady only bribed the婆子 at the ancestral hall with no one waiting outside to assist her. She hadn't even passed through the垂花门 when she alarmed the household. That night, the entire mansion was in an uproar. When the Lord of Lingnan emerged in his robe with a lantern, he caught Lady Kangtai with a bundle on her back, leaning on her maid, still making a scene. The Lord of Lingnan was so furious he slapped Lady Kangtai several times in front of everyone. I hear he even kicked her a few times. Had the Concubine Xia not intervened, he would have resorted to family punishment."
A trace of disdain flickered in Jiang Deqing's eyes as he spoke of Lady Xia. "Forgive me for speaking frankly before the Young Master, but this Concubine Xia truly has no sense of propriety. I hear that very night, to excuse the Young Lady, Concubine Xia actually shifted the blame onto the Princess Consort, claiming it was because the Princess Consort had failed to keep proper watch that the Young Lady escaped. In the middle of the night, Concubine Xia knelt on the ground, weeping profusely, kowtowing to the Princess Consort and apologizing repeatedly. She said she knew that over the years, the Prince's favor toward her had made the Princess Consort unhappy. She begged the Princess Consort not to hold a grudge against her and the Prince, and asked that for the Young Lady's sake—since she was also her daughter—the Princess Consort would look after her. If such a scandal were to blow up, wouldn't it be the Prince who would be embarrassed?"
Jiang Deqing chuckled, "Concubine Xia has such a silver tongue. In a few words, she cleared Lady Kangtai of blame, pointed the finger directly at the Princess Consort, and even implicated the Prince. As if the Princess Consort, resentful of the Concubine's favored status, had deliberately harmed the Young Lady. What a creature!"
Bailen closed his eyes briefly, then冷笑 sneered through gritted teeth, "This is her old trick. If there's any good fortune to be had, she rushes to claim credit first. She privately begs Mother not to forget Wen Yu and Kangtai just because they're illegitimate, that Mother should favor them more. But if anything goes wrong, she immediately retreats, claiming that managing such affairs is the responsibility of the primary wife, that she never dares to interfere—all blame shifts to my mother. And my mother is kind-hearted and soft-hearted. Over the years, how much grievance has she suffered because of this..."
Seeing Bailen's distress for the Princess Consort, Jiang Deqing quickly said, "Rest assured, Young Master. That is no longer the case."
Jiang Deqing smiled at Bailen, "Nanny Yan is truly capable. Before the Prince even said anything, she was the first to confront Concubine Xia directly. She asked her—was it the Princess Consort who bribed the servants? Was it the Princess Consort who made the Young Lady flee in the middle of the night? Concubine Xia had no response and could only shake her head. Nanny Yan then asked, since it had nothing to do with the Princess Consort, why did Concubine Xia come crying to her from the start? Moreover, the Princess Consort has been ill and recuperating in her own courtyard these past days. She has even handed over household authority. Even if someone must be blamed for failing to secure the premises, the Princess Consort cannot be held responsible."
Jiang Deqing grinned triumphantly, "The Lord of Lingnan had been muddled by Concubine Xia's commotion, but upon hearing these two sentences, he immediately understood. He was about to turn his anger on Lady Kangtai, but Concubine Xia was顾不得了. She knelt on the ground, clutching the Princess Consort's hem, weeping like a driving rain, begging the Princess Consort—for the sake of the Young Lady who had called her 'Mother' for over a decade—to forgive the Young Lady this once. She also wept that the Second Young Master was now beyond hope of recovery, that she had no other aspirations, and begged the Princess Consort not to be so merciless... Bah! Nanny Yan was the one willing to put her face on the line. She wept even harder than Concubine Xia. She too knelt at the Princess Consort's feet, crying loudly that it was unfair to the Princess Consort, that she had given her whole heart to the mansion yet been bullied by a concubine to this extent. Now that trouble had arisen, rather than the household seeking solutions, they tolerated this concubine making a scene, crying and pointing fingers at the heavens while calling names. She said... children of different wombs were causing scandal after scandal for the household. The Princess Consort never criticized harshly and always tried to cover things up. Yet still they were treated so unfairly. Perhaps it would be better to simply wash one's hands of it, let Concubine Xia run the household, and let the world see how the堂堂 Prince's mansion treated its legitimate Princess Consort."
Jiang Deqing could not help but laugh as he spoke, "Once across there, Nanny Yan grew even more fearless. She dared say anything. The Prince, who had never heard such words, was about to fly into a rage and punish her. But before he could unleash his fury, Nanny Yan began crying again, wailing toward heaven and earth, mourning that the Princess Consort had such bad luck, that her son and daughter were both far away, leaving her to be bullied so. Now she had been气得缠绵病榻. What if the Young Master and Young Lady in the capital were to learn of this? How heartbroken they would be."
"The Lord of Lingnan's fire immediately extinguished upon hearing this." Jiang Deqing诡谲 smiled. "The Prince understood perfectly. The Young Master and Young Lady are no longer what they used to be. If they were truly不满 their mother suffering in the mansion and carried out some 'action,' the Prince feared he could not bear the consequences. Thus, he did not pursue punishment for Nanny Yan. He only had someone escort the Princess Consort back tenderly. Then he turned around and kicked Lady Kangtai several more times, strictly ordering the Young Lady never to leave her own courtyard again. He also had all the maids and婆子 who had helped Lady Kangtai escape beaten and exiled to the estates."
Jiang Deqing knew what concerned Bailen most. Smiling, he said, "The Princess Consort only suffered a fright and has returned to her own courtyard to 'recuperate.' Rest assured, Young Master. Nanny Yan may be feisty, but her ability to care for someone is first-rate. Every day the soups and remedies are prepared punctually. Beyond that, she keeps the Princess Consort company, chatting to lift her spirits. She tells her how the Young Master is flourishing in the capital, how he is respected by all. She tells her how Lady Roujia is beloved by her husband and cherished by her mother-in-law in her new family. She picks only what the Princess Consort loves to hear, speaking day and night, occasionally persuading her to cherish her health and await the great happiness of her children and grandchildren. The result? I hear the Princess Consort now eats an extra bowl of rice at every meal."
Bailen relaxed completely. He turned to glance gratefully at Qi Xie. Jiang Deqing, having accomplished his mission, smiled and withdrew.