Chapter 005 Tanking

"Alright. I'll go."

Sang Yan readily agreed but was also curious, "However, Mother didn't want me to go to the estate a few days ago. What happened today that made you change your mind?"

Ms. Lin thought of her younger daughter Sang Ruoshui's letter—the Emperor had actually taken a liking to her elder daughter. Wasn't this husband-killing fate no joke? One careless move, and the whole family could be ruined!

"There's nothing in particular. I just thought that the estate is peaceful and it suits you."

Sang Ruoshui had written in the letter, suggesting that she send Sang Yan to the nunnery.

How could she bear to do that?

It would be better to send her to the estate.

It was remote and peaceful there; sending more people to attend to her would be better than the nunnery.

Seeing that Ms. Lin wasn't telling the truth, Sang Yan knew she wouldn't get any more out of her and decided not to ask further.

"Then I'll go back and pack my belongings."

She was not the original mistress and had little attachment to the Sang Family.

As long as she had money, food and clothing, and people to serve her, she could live anywhere.

Ms. Lin wanted to say something but ended up closing her mouth.

Sang Yan quickly returned to Piao Yan Pavilion.

She instructed her maid Qiuzhi to pack up her belongings and move to the estate.

Qiuzhi was shocked: "Is this madam's wish? She just called you over to move you to the estate? Why? What did the young miss do wrong to be sent to the estate?"

In her eyes, only those young misses or concubines who had committed errors were dispatched to the estate.

The young miss had always been proper and dutiful, never stepping out of line; why did she have such a fate?

She felt indignant for her young mistress: "What about the master? Does he know? Miss, you should plead with the master, or perhaps with the young master, they will definitely not be willing to let you go to the estate."

Sang Yan didn't think going to the estate was a matter of disgrace and said, "Don't be so agitated. I actually want to live at the estate, free from constraints—isn't that nice?"

"No, it's not. Once the young miss goes, who will remember you?"

"I'd rather hope they forget me."

Seeing that she couldn't convince her, Sang Yan didn't say more and told her to go pack.

She also sent another maid, Chunzhi, to find out why the attitude of the original mistress's mother had changed.

Half an hour later,

Chunzhi came back with a report: "I heard from the maids in madam's courtyard that after madam received a letter from the second young miss yesterday, she became despondent."

Sang Yan understood right away: it must have been something Sang Ruoshui wrote in the letter.

That neurotic Emperor simply looked at her a few more times; was it worth it?

The women who married into the Imperial Palace were truly frightening!

*

Imperial Palace

Emperor's sleeping chamber, Qingning Palace

Sang Ruoshui stood outside the chamber, speaking to Yu Huai De, "I heard that the Emperor has been busy with state affairs these past days and sleeps late. I've personally made some soup to nourish the Emperor's body. I hope that Grand Eunuch can pass on my request."

"Her Ladyship is considerate."

Yu Huai De was very pleased that a concubine took the initiative to get close to the Emperor.

Ever since Consort Xuan sought to get close to the Emperor and caused his illness, leading to her being thrown into the Cold Palace, no concubines in the harem dared to take the initiative to approach the Emperor anymore.

"I will go and inform him right away."

Yu Huai De smiled faintly and pushed the door to enter the sleeping chamber.

Inside the chamber,

He Ying was admiring the Da He Territory Map.

It was a gift just presented by the Assistant Minister of Rites, Zhou Mao, and he was very fond of it.

"Zhou Mao is indeed talented."

Seeing Yu Huai De come in, he smiled and invited him to take a look: "Come see for yourself."

Yu Huai De glanced at it and spoke auspicious words: "After the Emperor took personal control of the government, you revitalized the administration and appointed the capable. You not only subdued the Beiping Barbarians and settled West Settling Canglun but also reclaimed the Thirteen Cities of Min State—a truly great and wise ruler of an era."

At that point, he changed the subject: "But the matter concerning the heir is a great regret indeed."

It was the same old routine, incessantly urging for an heir.

He Ying had limited patience and bluntly scolded, "Yu Huai De, have you gone senile? If you keep babbling, you can roll out once more."

Yu Huai De had just been chased out by the Emperor for the same reason—pushing for an heir.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me."

He dared not urge further, took a step back, and shifted the topic: "Your Majesty, Princess Consort Sang is worried about your health. She has personally made some soup and is waiting outside the chamber—"

"Don't let her in."

He Ying's mood soured, cutting off Yu Huai De's words.

Yu Huai De didn't expect the Emperor to react this way, but after some thought, he still attempted to persuade, "Your Majesty, Princess Consort Sang personally made the soup as a gesture of her goodwill. How can we disappoint her?"

He Ying remained unmoved, scoffed, and said, "Since it's such a heartfelt gesture, you take it then."

"I deserve to die."

Yu Huai De fell to his knees, knocking his head on the floor to admit his fault.

Seeing this, He Ying's face was gloomy, and he kicked Yu Huai De in the shoulder, yelling, "You do deserve to die! I gave you some face, and you really think I'm good-natured, continually challenging my authority!"

Yu Huai De was kicked to the ground, quickly got up, and knelt properly: "I dare not."

"Get out!"

"Yes."

Yu Huai De made an embarrassed exit from the palace.

His shoulder had been kicked, but it didn't hurt much.

He knew the Emperor had held back, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to get up at all.

"Princess Consort Sang, the Emperor is still busy, please return to rest."

He conveyed the rejection with tact and in pleasant terms.

Sang Ruoshui could obviously detect that the Emperor was unwilling to see her, her beautiful, amorous eyes clouding with disappointment, "Thank you, Eunuch."

She returned to Yuesang Palace, disheartened and despondent.

She hardly slept that night.

The next day,

she had people keep an eye on the Emperor's whereabouts, looking for an opportunity to approach him.

Unexpectedly, she heard a palace maid say that the Emperor went to Lan's Youlan Pavilion and stayed for an hour.

"Why did the Emperor go there?"

Sang Ruoshui suddenly rose from her soft couch, twisting her fingers jealously.

Her fingernails painted with bright red cardamom, and inadvertently, she snapped one off.

Blood followed.

The pain was piercing, but it paled in comparison to the ache in her heart.

The palace maid stammered, "This servant, this servant does not know."

"Then what are you standing around for?"

Sang Ruoshui lost control, staggering over to the maid, hitting and kicking, "Go investigate! If you find nothing, don't bother returning! Yuesang Palace has no need for useless people!"

The maid was beaten out of the palace.

Her face was swollen, her nose bleeding, pitiful in her disarray.

Xiangxiu indifferently watched all this, feeling a deep sense of powerlessness—Princess Consort Sang was beautiful but foolish, short-sighted, and heedless of advice; it seemed she could go no further.

A good bird chooses the tree it nests in.

Perhaps it was time for her to find a new master.

*

Sang Family Mansion

On her third day at the mansion, Sang Yan went out with two maids and two elderly female servants, followed by four family guards, inspecting the fields surrounding the mansion with the air of a great landlord during the evening twilight.

These fields were planted with various green vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, and chili peppers—fresh for the picking and eating.

Especially free from pollution.

She plucked a cucumber, thick and long, washed it in the clear stream, and crunched into it, one bite after another.

Refreshingly crisp with a hint of sweetness.

"We'll eat smashed cucumber for dinner."

"I'll make cold noodles for you."

"This weather is perfect for cold noodles."

…

She was beautiful and approachable, not treating them like subordinates, and within three days she had won their hearts.

"Why should Miss bother with these tasks?"

"Just give us instructions, Miss, and we'll handle it."

"Exactly, Miss. I've even learned that Kung Pao chicken you taught."

"Mrs. Wang, that dessert, I think it's called sushi, let's make it together."

…

They bustled about, preparing dinner with great fun.

Sang Yan liked this atmosphere and nodded with a smile, "Alright. Let's do as you suggest."

After a good dinner,

the long night stretched ahead, sleep not on her mind.

She took out the deck of playing cards she had made and taught them how to play the game of Fighting the Landlord.

Fighting the Landlord was an interesting game.

Once they started playing, they were hooked.

Sang Yan played with them until midnight, roughly around twelve o'clock by modern standards, before she yawned and went back to her room to sleep.

"Miss is becoming more playful. You're acting just like one of them now. If your mother saw this, or if it got out, what then?"

Qiuzhi was cautious, even obstinate by nature, and found Sang Yan's behavior to be quite unconventional. Yet, seeing her happy, she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

Miss had such misfortune; her four fiancés had all died young. Sent to the mansion at an early age, if she didn't find joy herself, how would she endure the endless years ahead?

Although she understood, she couldn't help but complain afterwards.

Sang Yan was tolerant, laughing, "How am I not alright now? My prospective in-laws disdain me, my family doesn't care, from now on, I don't need to consider marriage, nor do I need to be dutiful to in-laws, nor raise children. One can feel full all by oneself, and have others for company. It's simply too good."

She truly enjoyed the original owner's situation.

As a laid-back person, she harbored no lofty ambitions, only wishing to continue in this lax manner.

Qiuzhi lit some mosquito-repelling incense, sighing, "Miss only thinks of the present, but what about the future? With no children, how will you manage when you're old?"

"Having children will prevent me from growing old?"

Sang Yan retorted sarcastically, her smile carrying a hint of malice: "Aren't you about to say that if I have children, when I am old and ill, they will show filial piety? Have you heard this saying? If I die quickly, no one will get the chance."