Chapter 124: Discovering Consort Wu’s Malicious Intent

The newly favored Concubine Ru was chosen by the Third Prince because of her resemblance to the Empress. She was a spy he had placed by the Emperor’s side.

She had not been in the palace for long, but she had already heard of the ruthless things Consort Wu had done and was deeply wary of her.

Lately, the Emperor had not come to visit her, but she was happy to enjoy the peace and quiet.

Before leaving the capital, the Third Prince had sent her a message, instructing her to keep an eye on both the Emperor and Consort Wu. The moment she had any news, she was to send word to him immediately.

Concubine Ru never forgot his instructions.

This morning, she got up early to freshen up and prepare to visit the Emperor.

She had many cosmetics on her dressing table, but there was one rouge she used regularly. Without much thought, she picked up the familiar box to apply it.

However, just as she lifted the rouge, she suddenly noticed a large spider crawling across her hand.

“Ah!” Concubine Ru screamed, jumping up and flinging the rouge box to the floor.

The red lacquered box shattered in two, spilling the pink rouge powder all over the ground.

A nearby palace maid rushed over. “Your Highness, what’s wrong?”

Concubine Ru pointed at the floor in alarm. “A spider! There was a big spider just now!”

The maid looked down at the fallen rouge box, her face full of confusion. “Your Highness, there’s no spider.”

Concubine Ru was startled and quickly looked again. “That’s impossible! I clearly saw it just now.”

The maid picked up the broken rouge box and glanced around. “Your Highness, I don’t see any spider anywhere.”

Concubine Ru took a deep breath, calming herself, and patted her chest. “Maybe it ran away when you came in.”

The maid, noticing the broken rouge, sighed regretfully. “Your Highness, I’m afraid this rouge can’t be used anymore.”

Concubine Ru took it from her, looking distressed. “I brought this from outside the palace—it’ll be difficult to get another one.”

She stared at the spilled rouge powder, and suddenly, her brows furrowed. “Something isn’t right.”

The maid looked at her in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

Concubine Ru pointed at the pink rouge powder. “Look carefully. The texture is much coarser than the rouge I used before.”

The maid examined it closely and sniffed it. “Your Highness, something is wrong with this rouge.”

Concubine Ru frowned, grabbed a cup, and dissolved some of the rouge powder in water. Then, she took out a silver hairpin and dipped it in.

Moments later, the silver hairpin began to darken.

The maid’s face turned pale with shock. “Your Highness, this rouge is poisoned!”

Concubine Ru immediately tossed the hairpin aside. “Xia’er, has anyone entered my chamber today?”

The maid shook her head. “No, Your Highness.”

Concubine Ru slowly stood up and turned toward the nearby window.

As she walked over, she noticed a leaf from outside caught in the window frame. She picked it up and spoke coldly, “It seems someone snuck in and switched my rouge.”

The maid gasped. “Your Highness, could it be Consort Wu?”

Concubine Ru threw the leaf aside, her face icy. “If not her, then who else?”

The maid’s complexion instantly turned deathly pale. “Your Highness, what should we do?”

Consort Ru pondered for a moment before saying, “Put this box of rouge away and pretend nothing happened. Also, from now on, my food, clothing, and daily essentials must be inspected thoroughly.”

The palace maid nodded, took out a handkerchief, and carefully wrapped the rouge from the floor.

With a cold expression, Consort Ru gazed in the direction of Concubine Wu’s palace and continued, “If the Emperor comes looking for me, tell him I’m ill.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the palace maid responded quickly.

As soon as the news of Consort Ru’s illness spread, Concubine Wu assumed her little scheme had worked. Feeling triumphant, she paraded around the palace, frequently visiting the Emperor.

However, the Emperor was too consumed with his act of being a heartbroken lover and had no interest in dealing with Concubine Wu. Over time, he found her increasingly annoying.

Eventually, he went several days without seeing her.

Enraged, Concubine Wu stormed into the Emperor’s palace in the middle of the night, only to be thrown out before dawn.

Perhaps her recent luck had simply run out, for on her way back to her residence, she accidentally missed a step and tumbled down the high staircase. A sharp stone on the ground cut a gash across her face.

Though the wound wasn’t deep, it bled profusely.

A group of palace maids, seeing Concubine Wu’s bloodied face, shrieked in panic, claiming she had been disfigured.

Not long after, rumors spread throughout the palace that Concubine Wu’s beauty had been ruined.

This only made the Emperor even less inclined to see her.

Furious, Concubine Wu nearly ordered the execution of the gossiping palace maids.

Meanwhile, Consort Ru made sure to write a letter detailing these events to the Third Prince, who was still in Changliu Village.

The Third Prince had been in the village for an entire month now. These days, when he wasn’t tending to the vegetable fields, he was at home cooking.

When Madam Zhou attempted to go to the fields, he simply lifted her—along with her vegetable basket—carrying them both back home.

At the doorway, Du Wanchun was drying herbs in the sun. Seeing Madam Zhou being carried back, she couldn’t help but chuckle. “Mother, you might as well stay home and leave the fields to Father.”

Madam Zhou watched as the Third Prince, now wielding a hoe, headed straight back to the fields. She sighed, both amused and exasperated.

“He really underestimates me.”

Du Wanchun laughed. “Mother, he just doesn’t want you to overwork yourself.”

A smile appeared on Madam Zhou’s face as she lowered her gaze toward her slightly rounded belly. “Wanchun, your stomach is starting to show. Have you felt any movement yet?”