Chapter 168: The Consort's Request

Xiao Jingyuan took Shen Shuangning for a casual stroll around the prince's mansion, chatting intermittently, smiles playing at the corners of his eyes and brows.

The gloom in his heart had dissipated considerably because of the woman beside him.

He thought, if Shen Shuangning weren't here, even this vast Yan Prince's Manor would have nothing worth lingering for.

Although Shen Shuangning was already familiar with the scenery of the Yan Prince's Manor, strolling hand-in-hand with him through the mansion like this was her first time.

Xiao Jingyuan held her hand, his palms sweating, yet he refused to let go.

After walking a while, he asked, "Are you tired?"

Shen Shuangning glanced at him and said, "A little."

Xiao Jingyuan said, "I'll carry you back."

Shen Shuangning immediately refused: "Cut it out!"

Xiao Jingyuan knew she was shy, so he teased her on purpose; seeing her glare at him, he couldn't help but laugh.

The servants of the prince's mansion watched, thinking this behavior of the heir apparent was quite strange—could this still be their aloof heir apparent?

It was as if an icy deity had suddenly acquired mortal warmth, seeming more real.

Everyone could see that the heir apparent adored his consort.

Shen Shuangning, being shy, couldn't stand such intimacy in public; she half-pulled, half-dragged him toward the sleeping quarters.

If they didn't go back, he'd probably drag her out onto the street!

She didn't want to be stared at like a monkey.

Xiao Jingyuan let her pull him, but deliberately slowed his steps, smiling low as he watched her ears flush red.

In the past, he would surely have scorned such clinginess, thinking romantic affection too sentimental, but now he realized his former self had been pretending.

Nowadays, not only being led by her, even if she glared at him a few times or scolded him a few sentences, his heart felt sweet.

If the heir apparent Xiao had a tail behind him, it would be wagging wildly right now.

Upon reaching the sleeping quarters, Xiao Jingyuan still ignored Shen Shuangning's protest, scooped her up, and strode inside.

The servants in the courtyard saw the heir apparent and his consort return together, and tactfully lowered their heads.

Only after the couple had walked farther away did they dare to raise their heads and whisper.

"I never expected the heir apparent to be like this after marriage—it's truly surprising," said a maid, envy unavoidable in her eyes.

After all, a high-ranking person lowering themselves for love is something only found in stories.

"With the consort so beautiful, if I were a man I'd wake up laughing from my dreams; the heir apparent loving her so much is quite normal."

"The consort and the heir apparent are truly a perfect match."

Just then, a sharp voice from nearby said, "Men are like this when they've just married; once the novelty wears off, they'll grow tired of no matter how beautiful the wife. Especially someone of the heir apparent's stature—he'll surely end up with three wives and four concubines."

The two turned their heads, and the person who had poured cold water was none other than Cai Die.

"I don't think the heir apparent is like that," the maid rebutted.

Everyone in the mansion knows the heir apparent never even had a concubine-maid before, and has always been indifferent to women.

Cai Die snorted, rolled her eyes, and said, "Just wait and see—once the consort is pregnant, the heir apparent certainly won't be able to endure loneliness."

The maid sharing her room hastily covered her mouth, whispering, "Cai Die, you're courting death! If the consort hears this, you'll never be able to work in this mansion again."

Cai Die indifferent, she shook off the hand, smoothed her sleeves, and said, "No need for your reminder; I know my limits."

She was scheming—she was a servant sent by the princess consort years ago to the heir apparent's quarters; Shen Shuangning had just married in, her position unsteady, and besides, she always looked mild—how could she dare to move against someone from the princess consort's entourage?

Thinking this, Cai Die grew bolder, deliberately adjusting her hairpin and smiling: "Besides, the consort is kind—she even let me come in to serve tea. I won't tell you more; I'm going to get busy inside."

Having said that, she lifted her skirt, swayed her waist, and entered the heir apparent's quarters.

The two maids seeing this pursed their lips and went their separate ways.

Not long after, Jingxuan Ju served a meal; the dishes brought up from the small kitchen were all foods Shen Shuangning usually liked.

Cai Die stood aside, busily laying out the dishes, but her eyes kept flicking to Xiao Jingyuan; when serving, she deliberately picked the best bits for his bowl, even the most tender parts of the fish went into the heir apparent's bowl.

As for Shen Shuangning, she merely symbolically picked up a chopstickful of greens and fatty meat.

Xiao Jingyuan's face instantly darkened: "Do you even know how to serve dishes?"

Cai Die immediately panicked: "Your Highness, please forgive me; I only thought that since you work hard day to day, you should eat more of the good stuff to nourish your body..."

Xiao Jingyuan couldn't be bothered to listen to her explanation, and coldly said, "Get out; you need not serve in Jingxuan Ju anymore."

Xiao Jingyuan rarely reprimanded the servants, but this stern tone was already quite serious.

Cai Die widened her eyes; she never imagined that merely being partial while serving dishes would get her kicked out of the residence!

She fell to her knees with a thud, face ashen: "I know my mistake! I was foolish! Please, Your Highness, give me another chance..."

She looked pleadingly at Shen Shuangning, hoping this easy‑going consort would intercede for her.

But she was mistaken.

Shen Shuangning held her soup bowl, didn't even lift her eyelids, and merely, with a hint of disdain, picked out the fatty meat from her bowl.

Her attitude was already quite clear.

Xiao Jingyuan gave Cai Die a cold look: "Don't make me say it a second time."

Cai Die was thus expelled from Jingxuan Ju; the servants in the courtyard dared not breathe, and they all understood whose favor Jingxuan Ju depended on.

After Cai Die left, Xiao Jingyuan personally took over the task of serving the dishes.

He placed the peeled shrimp into her bowl, tone leaving no room for doubt: "Without strict punishment, rules cannot be established. From now on, in Jingxuan Ju and even the entire prince's mansion, whoever dares to neglect you or harbor ill intentions will meet the same fate."

He looked into her eyes and said seriously, "Ningning, here with me, you need not suffer anyone's anger."

Shen Shuangning answered with a smile, "Okay."

She hadn't really taken Cai Die to heart; she was merely using Xiao Jingyuan's hand to set rules for the household servants.

After all, as a newly arrived consort, even if she said a hundred things, they wouldn't outweigh a single word from the heir apparent; his stance laid out, the servants would see it, and she could relax a lot.

Furthermore, although the princess consort had said she could handle those maids as she pleased, if she herself punished the old servants, it would surely attract gossip—accusing her of mistreating longtime servants upon arrival, which would displease the princess consort.

Now, by using Xiao Jingyuan's mouth to deal with Cai Die, he established authority without directly contradicting the Princess Consort's dignity—achieving both goals.

Having been reborn, Shen Shuangning handles affairs much more smoothly. She need not clash head-on in everything; by leveraging circumstances, she can be more at ease.

After Cai Die was expelled from Tranquil Mystery Residence, she was still unwilling, thinking that the Princess Consort had previously been quite pleased with her, so she sought an opportunity to go before the Princess Consort and pour out her grievances.

She avoided the main point and touched on the minor, not mentioning her own negligence in serving the Heir Apparent's Consort when laying out the dishes, only saying that the dishes did not meet Shen Shuangning's liking, and thus she would force the Heir Apparent to drive her away.

After hearing her finish, the Princess Consort firmly set down her teacup.

Seeing this, Cai Die felt delighted and, striking while the iron was hot, cried: 'The Heir Apparent's Consort is young, yet her thoughts are so heavy; she does not even regard the people you, Princess Consort, sent, and the Heir Apparent still indulges her so…'

'Enough!' the Princess Consort shouted angrily.

Cai Die jumped in fright, thinking the Princess Consort would uphold her cause, but who knew the Princess Consort coldly regarded her and said: 'Do you take me for an old fool? Dare to invert black and white before me?'

Cai Die's lips trembled, and she instantly panicked.

Cai Die did not know that, before she arrived, the maid who shared her quarters had already gone to report to the Princess Consort.

The Princess Consort knew clearly all about Cai Die's backbiting and how she had slighted Shen Shuangning.

The Princess Consort most despised having such unclean people in the manor, and would not tolerate anyone undermining the relationship between her son and daughter-in-law behind the scenes.

She slowly rose, her face stern: 'Take her away, give her twenty heavy blows with a staff, send her to a remote manor to do hard labor, and never allow her to return to the mansion!'

Cai Die was frightened stupid, even forgetting to beg for mercy.

She never imagined that not only would she fail to borrow the Princess Consort's influence, but she would instead bring fire upon herself, ending up with such a severe punishment.

Prince Yan's Manor had always been strict, yet it had long lacked such severe punishment; Cai Die's sobs struck like a heavy hammer on the hearts of all the servants.

Now everyone knew that no one could slight Shen Shuangning without dire consequences; those who harbored ill intentions in secret also abandoned their thoughts.

When the news reached Tranquil Mystery Residence, Cai Die had already been escorted out of the manor, leaving no trace.

Shen Shuangning was somewhat surprised; she had anticipated that Cai Die would tattle, but she did not expect the Princess Consort to dispose of her so swiftly and decisively.

But upon reflection, she understood that the Princess Consort likely did this largely for Xiao Jingyuan's sake.

Ah Heng, while tidying Shen Shuangning's garments, said: 'Even the Princess Consort protects you thus; from now on, no one in Prince Yan's Manor will dare to slight you in the slightest.'

Shen Shuangning smiled and said nothing.

Just then, light footsteps sounded from outside, and Xiao Jingyuan pushed the door open and entered.

Today he had changed into a sky-blue brocade robe, its collar embroidered with dark-patterned auspicious clouds, which further accentuated his upright bearing and handsome brows and eyes.

When his gaze fell on Shen Shuangning, a gentle smile instantly rose in his eyes as he asked: 'Have you changed your clothes?'

Today is the third day after the wedding, the day of returning to her natal home.

Seeing him enter, Shen Shuangning rose from her dressing table: 'All right.'

The lotus-pink dress she wore was specially made by Xiao Jingyuan; the fabric was fine Hangzhou silk, the hem embroidered with tiny pearl-white crabapple blossoms, pure and elegant with a touch of gentleness, very becoming to her complexion.

Besides this set, Xiao Jingyuan had prepared many new garments; just those wearable this season were so numerous she could not count them.

Xiao Jingyuan stepped forward, his gaze lingering on her for a moment, then he naturally reached out, lightly encircled her waist, and drew her into his embrace.

'My Ningning is truly beautiful, but she looks best wearing nothing at all.'

Shen Shuangning quickly stopped him: 'Don't fool around; the time is about right, we should go.'

Xiao Jingyuan still kissed her forehead, gently saying: 'All right, then we can play again when we return.'

Shen Shuangning gave him a sideways glance: 'Behave normally.'

Xiao Jingyuan felt nothing improper, lightly pinching her hand: 'In front of you, why bother with pretense?'

He increasingly savored the joy of being close to her; to say he knew the taste of the marrow is not an exaggeration.

Xiao Jingyuan always handles affairs meticulously; on this important day of returning, not a single mistake could be found.

When the two left the Duke's Mansion, it was already evening, the dusk sinking westward.

When Shen Shuangning looked up, she saw that beside the Prince Yan's Manor carriage stood an unfamiliar carriage.

Its body was painted with gold and colors, its wheels engraved with dark patterns—at a glance one could tell it was of palace specification.

Shen Shuangning had also not heard of any distinguished guests visiting the Duke's Mansion today; in her puzzlement, she saw a woman in azure palace attire alight from that carriage.

She respectfully bowed to both of them: 'Greetings, Heir Apparent and Heir Apparent's Consort.'

Xiao Jingyuan's eyes narrowed slightly; at a glance he recognized the style of the palace tablet at her waist, and asked: 'From the Eastern Palace?'

The palace maid replied: 'Your Servant, Heir Apparent, I am an ink-attendant palace maid of the Eastern Palace. Today I have come specially, bearing the Crown Princess's order, to invite the Heir Apparent's Consort to proceed to Yunxiao Lou for a meeting.'