Chapter 103 : This King Wants to Make Her Regret

When it came to serious matters, the King Xuan once again became the formal, upright Prince Xuan.

He said, “Later, have the messenger come in to ask you face to face.”

Xue Qingyin put down her chopsticks. “Should I ask?”

King Xuan nodded.

Xue Qingyin sighed lightly. “I was hoping to take a break. Your Highness can just tell me the result.”

King Xuan paused for a moment before speaking indifferently. “My subordinates naturally fall under your management as well.”

“…What?” Xue Qingyin was stunned and for a moment, she doubted whether King Xuan was drunk and speaking nonsense.

“You should listen to the reports more often. If I am not in the mansion in the future, they will naturally know to come to you,” King Xuan continued in a calm tone.

It sounded like… I might actually be the second-in-command in the mansion now.

Xue Qingyin felt a bit strange.

She thought she was just here to serve as Prince Xuan’s “weak spot.” How did it suddenly seem like he was actually going to hand over some authority to her?

While Xue Qingyin was pondering, King Xuan had already called someone in.

The person replied from behind a screen, “Replying to Your Highness and the Consort, there is indeed a Lin family in the eastern part of the city. But about a month ago, they moved to the Chang’an District in the western part of the city. I’m not sure if this is the Lin family Your Highness is looking for?”

Xue Qingyin clicked her tongue. “That sounds like quite a hassle.”

She thought the matter about the Crown Princess was a bit of a hassle.

However, the person misunderstood her meaning and responded, “It is a hassle. They were living well but suddenly moved to the west.”

Xue Qingyin suddenly had an idea. “Why don’t we visit the Crown Prince tomorrow?”

King Xuan replied, “Sure.”

Xue Qingyin hesitated. “If the Crown Prince spits out more blood, will he die?”

King Xuan confidently said, “No.”

If the Crown Prince heard this conversation, he’d probably be furious.

King Xuan stayed to finish the meal with Xue Qingyin before leaving.

Several palace maids entered to serve Xue Qingyin.

One of them timidly said, “Today, King Wei and Princess Wei entered the palace together and also had a meal with His Majesty. They received rewards as well.”

Xue Qingyin wasn’t surprised by this.

The Emperor always tries to keep things balanced—after comforting Prince Xuan, he would have to comfort King Wei and Princess Wei.

Nong Xia, who was nearby, also seemed worried.

It wasn’t for any particular reason, but she said, “Young Miss, with King Xuan so busy, he may not have time to accompany you back home.”

She thought to herself that although Princess Wei had lost face before her wedding, she was accompanied by King Wei when she returned home, which greatly restored her dignity!

Xue Qingyin wasn’t too concerned about that.

“What’s the big deal? I know how to whisper in His Highness’s ear,” Xue Qingyin said without any embarrassment.

The palace maids who overheard couldn’t help but twitch their lips but couldn’t deny her words.

It was true that the Consort was skilled at whispering in His Highness’s ear, but she did it too well!

It was said that Nanny Zhen was about to be sent out of the mansion.

…

In the palace, there was a hierarchy among the maids.

Ziying , for instance, was a high-ranking maid.

Earlier, before Xue Qingyin had much to do with Prince Xuan, when she fell ill and was brought back to the mansion, it was Ziying who took care of her.

At that time, Ziying disliked Xue Qingyin immensely. She was beautiful and delicate, and if she gained Prince Xuan’s favor, it would be a problem.

But then, to Ziying ‘s dismay, Xue Qingyin actually entered the mansion.

Later, worried that she couldn’t suppress her jealousy, Ziying pretended to be ill for several days. Only after hearing that Nanny Zhen had gone to see the Consort did she feel more energetic.

Nanny Zhen was someone who loved to lecture, always putting Prince Xuan’s interests first. She surely wouldn’t tolerate a delicate person like Xue Qingyin.

After thinking it over, Ziying decided to have a word with Nanny Zhen.

In this mansion, the only palace maid she respects is Nanny Zhen.

Why?

Because Nanny Zhen is from the Eastern Palace, and she was once given to King Xuan as a maid by the Empress Dowager.

Ziying felt that she was different from Nanny Zhen.

“Nanny,” Ziying called out as she arrived at Nanny Zhen’s quarters.

But there was no response from inside.

Ziying felt suspicious, so she decided to push the door open and walk in.

Once inside, she saw Nanny Zhen and Butler Lü standing there. Butler Lü had a cold expression, while Nanny Zhen’s face had turned a shade of dark purple.

Besides them, there were two young eunuchs packing up their belongings.

Ziying asked in confusion, “Granny, where are you going?”

Butler Lü replied indifferently, “Granny is leaving the mansion.”

He had adopted a mannerism of Prince Xuan, making him seem quite imposing.

“Leaving the mansion for something?” Ziying asked. She already sensed something was wrong, but she didn’t dare to think too much about it.

Nanny Zhen squeezed out a voice, “I’m leaving the mansion, never to return.”

Ziying ’s face changed. “Why?”

Nanny Zhen said tiredly, “Because I shouldn’t have advised the concubine to take care of her health and give birth to a child as soon as possible.”

Ziying thought to herself, that was not wrong.

If it were her as Prince Xuan’s concubine, she would probably be overjoyed if someone said that to her.

But Butler Lü coldly said, “A wet nurse is not a mother. If Granny wants to assert her authority, she can go back to the Eastern Palace to do so. But if she really asserts her authority, even the Emperor might get angry.”

Nanny Zhen was shaken.

Who would dare to pose as Prince Xuan’s mother?

No one would dare, not even the late Empress.

Prince Xuan’s biological mother… she was someone of great importance in the current Emperor’s mind.

This was not just a matter of offending a concubine.

Once this label was placed on her, she would have offended the Emperor!

Nanny Zhen felt a sense of sorrow in her heart but knew that her life was more important. Without hesitation, she packed her things and left.

She actually left just like that!

Ziying couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

Nanny Zhen had always been a powerful figure in the mansion.

There was no female head of the household in the mansion, and most things were handled by Butler Lü. Everyone knew Nanny Zhen’s background, so even Butler Lü treated her with respect.

It could be said that Ziying ’s status and background couldn’t compare to hers.

But Nanny Zhen was driven out just because… just because she went to see the concubine and, for some reason, offended her, without even daring to resist?

Ziying turned around and felt her breath become difficult.

His Highness truly, truly dotes on Xue Qingyin too much!

She had to report this to the Empress Dowager! She had to tell her!

Soon, Xue Qingyin noticed that everyone in the mansion seemed to be treating her with even more respect.

She felt confused.

Why was this happening?

Was it because she had returned to the mansion with the Seven-Star Sword? Were they really afraid she would chop people?

In the palace, King Wei and Princess Wei were having a meal with the Emperor.

Emperor Liang De didn’t have much of an appetite today.

King Wei was very skilled at pleasing Emperor Liang De.

But today, during the meal, King Wei brought up a matter of state.

Instead of following He Songning’s advice to train in the Ministry of War, King Wei told Emperor Liang De that he wanted to go to the Ministry of Revenue.

King Wei felt quite displeased inside.

These past few days, he had entered the palace multiple times, but he hadn’t encountered King Xuan or Xue Qingyin.

He thought to himself that King Xuan must be indulging in the warmth of his concubine and not willing to come out…

The more King Wei thought about it, the more bitter he became.

He decided to do something that would make Xue Qingyin regret it.