Chapter Thirteen: Attended to Comfortably
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Xia Lan instinctively clenched the hem of her garment. Yin Jiaojiao’s gaze was sharp, as if she had discovered something. But Xia Lan had done nothing yet—what could she have possibly noticed? Could it be that her recent words or actions had aroused suspicion?
Yin Jiaojiao scrutinized Xia Lan’s nervousness and wariness thoroughly, her heart sinking, yet she wore a smile on her face.
“Just joking. You are my personal maid; why would you hate me? If anything happened to me, what good would that be for you?”
Xia Lan quickly responded, “Yes, yes, my loyalty to the princess is as vast as the heavens and earth.”
Yin Jiaojiao set down her teacup and spoke gently, “Xia Lan, there’s something I need you to do, and only you can do it.”
“Please, Princess, just say the word.”
“This time I accepted the favor from Consort Shu—not only because I couldn’t refuse, but also to share some of the favor from the Western Garden. Those young ladies there are all graceful and talented in song and dance. The prince is a man; naturally, a new affection brings fresh excitement.” Yin Jiaojiao explained slowly. “While the prince is too occupied to notice, it’s the perfect opportunity to give Gu Xuezhi a lesson.”
Xia Lan was delighted. “Princess, you finally have mercy!”
“Being kind only invites cruelty; I am no longer merciful.”
“What can I do for you then?”
Yin Jiaojiao smiled faintly. “Help me poison her.”
“Poison her?”
“She loves to feign illness, does she not? Then let her suffer a real sickness—ugly, troublesome. Xia Lan, I remember your father once worked in purchasing medicinal herbs and understands medicine reasonably well. I will grant you a few days’ leave. Tomorrow, you will return home and inquire about a medicine that will make her illness appear unsightly without causing death or being easily detected. Once you have the information, come back and report to me.”
Xia Lan’s family lived in a manor beneath Mount Cuiwei, not far from the Eastern Capital. The round trip would take at least three days.
“This...” Xia Lan hesitated. “Princess, isn’t it too soon to leave tomorrow? You just had a quarrel with her, and you’re moving so quickly again. What if the prince finds out?”
“I’m sending you home to gather information and prepare; it doesn’t mean immediate action. Don’t worry, as long as you keep silent, the prince won’t know.”
After a moment’s thought, Xia Lan nodded. “Very well.”
With these instructions given, it was time to turn to the beauties in the courtyard.
Yin Jiaojiao helped Qiu Ming into the courtyard and exchanged a few casual words.
She noticed a distinct difference in the eyes of assassins and ordinary beauties; the beauties listened attentively, while the assassins appeared impassive.
Yin Jiaojiao pulled over a familiar face and warmly clapped her hands. “What is your name?”
“Your Highness, my surname is Luo, and my given name is Xiang.”
“A beautiful name, fragrant and elegant just by hearing it.” Yin Jiaojiao greeted her warmly. “What are you skilled at?”
“Singing and sword dancing.”
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Yin Jiaojiao quickly added, “Excellent. The prince is skilled in calligraphy and especially adores Yan Fuzi’s style. Are you familiar with it?”
“I have practiced Yan’s script since childhood.”
“Good. The prince prefers pine soot ink and burns incense while copying calligraphy. Remember this?”
Luo Xiang was taken aback by the so-called tigress princess’s eagerness to share her husband’s likes and dislikes at their first meeting. She was flattered and said, “Princess, I will remember.”
Yin Jiaojiao thought for a moment and added, “When he copies calligraphy, he wears loose, casual clothes, and there are no weapons in the study. So, you need not be afraid.”
Though her words seemed odd, Luo Xiang nodded. “I understand.”
These assassins excelled at disguise. From their expressions alone, Yin Jiaojiao could not tell if they truly understood or were feigning it. This time, she had no intention of waiting for Consort Shu to throw a grand banquet. During banquets, the household guards were alert, making assassination attempts unlikely to succeed. The best time would be a sudden attack late at night, when the house was quiet and the red sleeves illuminated by fragrant lamps.
Still uneasy, Yin Jiaojiao spoke earnestly, “The prince spends most of his day in the study. I will arrange for you to stay in the Bamboo Shadow Garden, closest to his study, just a wall apart. If he needs you, serve him wholeheartedly. If he gives no orders, don’t be too reserved. Be proactive when necessary. Above all, make sure the prince is comfortable and well attended.”
“Yes!”
Having given this much guidance, if Luo Xiang still failed to understand, she was better suited to be a dancer than an assassin.
To ensure everything was perfect, Yin Jiaojiao personally escorted the four beauties into the Bamboo Shadow Garden. Manager Zhang stood by, wearing a mysterious smile, silent as ever. Yin Jiaojiao felt uneasy and couldn’t help but say, “Now, Madam should rest easy.”
Zhang nodded, “Indeed, Princess.”
“Zhang, I brought them here because Madam truly wishes the household to be livelier. The prince should understand this.”
Zhang replied calmly, “The prince has always understood your thoughts and intentions, Princess.”
He was truly a shrewd old man! Yin Jiaojiao fell silent, hoping he would not intervene; the rest was up to the assassins.
“That’s good. Oh, by the way, Zhang, there’s a private matter I need to discuss with you alone.”
...
That night, Xia Lan met Han Yan behind the artificial rock in the garden.
“Sister Han Yan, since the prince has promised severe punishment once the truth is uncovered, why not pursue this matter relentlessly? If necessary, I will step forward and ensure Yin Jiaojiao never recovers.”
Han Yan sneered coldly. “Do you think the county lady hasn’t thought of this? But Yin Jiaojiao, the princess, was imposed on the prince by His Majesty. Unless she commits a grave error that shakes the court, she still has room to recover. Do you remember the incident in the flower room of Qingning Palace?”
“I remember. The prince was furious and had Yin Jiaojiao confined to a villa outside the city for over a month.”
“Exactly, mere confinement. When the time comes, she’ll be brought back as princess. That’s no real blow to her. Externally, they’ll say the princess went outside the city to grieve her grandmother’s death and to recuperate. The fuss ends with a harmless outcome, which is not worth the cost.”
Xia Lan pondered. “So this matter is over? But Yin Jiaojiao is preparing to strike again.”
“Of course not. This time she struck suddenly. Our county lady was caught unprepared. She even dared to defy us! Hmph, this is the perfect chance to play with her. If we can prove she attempted to harm the Gu family’s orphan—His Majesty’s personally appointed county lady—with solid evidence, not only the prince but even the emperor himself will make her pay!”
Xia Lan listened, half understanding.
“How do we play this?”
“Come closer.”
The two whispered behind the rock. Afterwards, Xia Lan sighed in admiration.
“The county lady is a fierce warrior—brave and clever. Xia Lan will cooperate fully!”
Han Yan glanced at her. “Sister, I’m curious. You were born into the Yin family and have served Yin Jiaojiao for years. I’ve never heard she treated you poorly. Why do you hate her so much?”
Xia Lan’s eyes darkened.
“I don’t hate her, Sister Han Yan. But anyone with eyes can see who will ultimately win in this household. People rise, water flows downward. I am just an ordinary person—you must follow the winner. Master-servant feelings are not enough to make me perish alongside her.”
Han Yan stared at her a moment, then smiled. “True enough. I was the one who was naive.”
They said no more and parted ways.
Unnoticed by them, someone quietly left nearby.
...
In the east wing, Yin Jiaojiao’s chamber, Qiu Ming dismissed the visitors and helped Yin Jiaojiao to bed.
“Did you see Han Yan?”
“I watched from afar; it should have been her,” Qiu Ming whispered. “But I was afraid they’d notice me if I got too close, so I couldn’t hear clearly what was said.”
Yin Jiaojiao lowered her eyelids. “Some things... are too predictable.”
“What things?”
“Nothing.”
Qiu Ming sighed. “When I heard you wanted Xia Lan to do that earlier today, I thought you truly intended to strike at Madame Sun. I was worried. It turns out you were just baiting the snake.”
“That’s just the beginning. The snake hasn’t come out yet.” Yin Jiaojiao paused. “Qiu Ming, when you ran this errand for me, did you come straight back or take a detour?”
“A detour?”
Yin Jiaojiao held her gaze. “Before seeing me, did you meet with Manager Zhang?”
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