Чистая вода и прекрасные горы

Глава 90

Finally, a few bold and curious students quietly craned their necks and glanced at me, intentionally or unintentionally.

"You have to kill me first!" These words were spoken with such force that everyone in the courtyard was shocked. I took a sip of the fine wine in the pot, the fragrance lingering on my palate. "Killing me isn't difficult. There are three ways. First, everyone knows I love wine. If you bring me some good wine, I'll have no principles. Just throw in some arsenic or poison, and I'll accept any good wine. But don't try to make me drink some three-year-old red sorghum wine that I'm supposed to drink ten-year-old Zhuangyuan wine. I'm not stupid. If you really want to succeed in one fell swoop, don't hide your fine wine."

Upon hearing this, the women in the first row collectively prostrated themselves, kneeling back half a meter, as if to move away from me. I wasn't in a hurry; I pulled my chair back half a meter and changed the direction of my fan to shield my eyes from the sun.

"Secondly! I am good at political maneuvering and have made many enemies. Many of your families have power and influence. If you are capable, stockpile a million rations, gather tens of thousands of soldiers, and march directly into the capital. Hold a knife to the prince's neck, and he will definitely throw me a white silk no-string and tell me to do what I want. Of course, you must guarantee that your troops can defeat General Yang's hundreds of thousands of soldiers."

Once again, everyone retreated. Several concubines were so frightened that they cried. Liu Shang also frowned at me, not understanding my way of handling things.

"This third one is the simplest, and everyone can do it!" I said, finally becoming serious. "Drown me with your rumors. From today onwards, each of you must tell at least fifty different people every day that Princess Rong of the Ning Prince's Mansion is the murderer of her concubine. Saying too much is not allowed, saying too little is not permitted either. One more word or one less word, and I will show you what a real concubine murder is!"

No one looked up anymore. The ground grew wetter and wetter, and everyone was drenched in sweat, crawling back until they could go no further.

"There's another rumor, that I like to throw children, is that true?" I glanced coldly at the crowd, and only one pair of eyes met my gaze without fear. It was Qin Lanruo's maid, Xiao Bi. I recognized those eyes; they were filled with undisguised contempt. As she looked at me now, it reminded me of the arrogance she displayed years ago when she waved Qin Lanruo's handkerchief at me in a show of defiance.

I looked away and turned to Yao Shuhuan on the other side, my brows furrowing slightly. "Shuhuan, what do you think?"

Yao Shuhuan raised her head and smiled, "Besides Your Majesty, who else would know?"

"If I said yes, would you believe me?"

"I'll believe you if you say so!" A chilling glint flashed at the corners of her lips.

I nodded, turned and called for the maids to bring out the children. I held Jingrui in my arms and ordered someone to hand Jing'ai to her. I said coldly, "Then let's have a contest. If you kill the child first, this position will be yours!"

Yao Shuhuan was stunned. Her lips trembled, and she could barely support herself when she picked up Jingrui.

I smiled first, "Go ahead and smash it."

Yao Shuhuan's hands trembled. Perhaps the temptation was too great, or perhaps she now understood that she would pay the price for deliberately persuading Xiao Bi to spread rumors.

She stared blankly at the child in her arms, gritting her teeth and daring not to move.

"You're the one who didn't want this opportunity," I said innocently. "So just give up now."

Liu Shang finally breathed a sigh of relief and was about to pick up Jing Ai when I quickly said, "Give her to Xiao Bi!"

After taking the child from Yao Shuhuan's arms, Yao Shuhuan finally came to her senses, leaning against the old locust tree behind her, cold sweat pouring down her back.

Xiao Bi took the child with an almost expressionless face, staring straight at me.

I laughed and laughed. "You are Qin Lanruo's personal maid. Everyone says I killed her son. Well then, you can kill him instead."

Xiao Bi looked at me, her teeth clenched tightly.

"Go ahead and fall, no one's going to catch you," I added at the opportune moment, my gaze fixed on her. I was certain she knew better than anyone that the child in her arms was her master's flesh and blood. Sure enough, her face gradually paled, and after a long while, she forced a smile. "You win!"

After saying that, he turned around and handed the child to Liu Shang, who was already on the verge of fainting.

"Okay, if no one falls, I'll demonstrate for everyone."

"Enough!" Xiao Bi stood up, almost gritting her teeth as she said, "It wasn't you! It was a stillborn baby, it was stillborn to begin with! Are you satisfied now?"

"Who are you calling 'enough'?" I slammed my hand on the table, a long-suppressed outburst. "Me, satisfied?! What am I satisfied about! You're the one who's satisfied! You should know better than anyone that if I really had that kind of fetish, who would be the first child to die from falling?!"

"I know." She forced a bitter smile. "But I just can't stand your magnanimity, I can't stand your feigned insincerity. You deserve to be hated more than anyone else, yet you refuse to. Who knows what you're hiding! Yes, I'm the one who spread the rumors, it has nothing to do with anyone else, just kill me!"

"Drag her away!" I waved my hand, and Xiao Bi was forcibly dragged out of the crowd. I glanced at the terrified crowd, turned to go back inside, but then I heard someone in the crowd exclaim. Under the dazzling sunlight, the bloodstains on the ground were particularly vivid, flowing down Yao Shuhuan's calves. Yao Shuhuan was stunned and hadn't reacted yet, only staring at the blood under her skirt, her mind in turmoil.

Several maids came forward and hurriedly turned around to kowtow to me from a distance, saying, "Your Majesty, Madam Yao is showing signs of miscarriage."

"I can see it." He nodded, somewhat helplessly, "I only said a few words, and she'd rather miscarry than give birth and have me throw her to her death?"

Yao Shuhuan was carried out, and it took a long time for everyone in the courtyard to come to their senses. They kept kowtowing and begging for mercy, muttering that they dared not gossip or spread rumors anymore! I waved my hand and said, "Disperse, disperse. We haven't had breakfast yet, and we're almost exhausted from talking for so long."

I turned back into the house, washed my hands, and ate my meal as if nothing had happened. I watched as the crowd gradually dispersed from the courtyard, leaving only that figure, still staring intently at me. I swallowed a mouthful of porridge and waved, "Sister Yiling didn't have time for breakfast either?!"

From a distance, Yi Ling said softly, "I just wanted to see you."

I touched my mouth. "Is there a grain of rice on my face?"

"I just wanted to take a look." She forced a smile. "Why do I feel like I don't recognize you anymore?"

After saying this, she gave a proper bow and turned to leave. I watched her figure gradually fade away, then looked at my own smiling reflection in the mirror in front of the wardrobe. "I don't even recognize myself anymore, how could you possibly recognize me?"

After breakfast, the nanny in the courtyard reported that Yao's child was gone. I thought to myself, Yao Shuhuan is probably going crazy this time. Having miscarried twice, she may never be a mother again. Thinking this, I couldn't help but feel a little pity for her.

"Has this matter been reported to the Prince?" He put down his chopsticks and wiped his lips with a handkerchief.

The old women lowered their heads and said, "You just finished scolding us for not spreading rumors."

"Is this what you call 'making trouble'?" I sighed. He really was just learning and putting it to use. "Go and tell the master that if you can't find Yunxiangju, go to Cuihonglou. If you still can't find it, go to Baifenglou and Yunnifang in the west. You'll find it eventually."

Several maids took their orders and left. Liu Shang lifted the curtain of the inner room, and I walked in. Looking at Xiao Bi sitting to the side, I smiled, "Tell me how you want to die!"

Xiao Bi gave a cold laugh, "Whatever!"

"The worst way to die is to live." A smile played on his lips. "This is how you'll die."

Xiao Bi was stunned, then gritted her teeth, "You don't need to pretend in front of me."

"I wouldn't stoop to putting on airs in front of you!" I shook my head. "You have to live and watch how I raise Qin Lanruo's precious son. Even though I hate him to death, I still want to hear him call me 'Mother' again and again, until you give up!"

"So you still won't let our master go? All those apologies she felt for you tormented her to the point of wishing she were dead. And now that she's dead, you still want to take her child?!"

"I'm robbing her?! Why should I raise someone else's son?! Or rather, why should her son take my son's place?!"

The anger in Xiao Bi's eyes gradually subsided. She turned her head away from me and said, "You can't blame our master for this. You can seize half the world, but you can't ask the King of Hell for your own child back."

I laughed and turned to Liu Shang, saying, "Take her away. From now on, this girl will work in my courtyard, specifically taking care of Jing Ai's daily life."

Even Xiao Bi was surprised this time. I didn't turn around, but just said softly, "I'll give you a chance to let me hate that child less. You know better than anyone what's best for him."

End of Chapter Nine

For two weeks after Yao's miscarriage, the Prince's residence was unusually quiet. It's said that when Lu Li learned of this, he only uttered the three words "I know," nothing more—no questioning, no blame—which left me somewhat confused. The drinking continued, the theater was still watched; life seemed too peaceful for me. I wanted to end it all quietly, to leave the Prince's residence in peace before I departed.

Before leaving, I wanted to listen to all the pieces performed at Changyin Pavilion, so I spent several days in a row getting drunk in front of the stage, often needing several people to help me get home. Lu Xiu would often come to watch a few shows with me in his spare time, but we mostly drank and didn't listen to the opera much.

It was quite late when I returned to the manor that day. I first went to check on Yin'er, and found him covered by the blanket, seemingly asleep. However, the candle was still on. I inwardly complained about how careless the nanny was, not even bothering to turn off the light for the child. I sat by the bed and gently pulled the blanket up for him. I noticed he was covering his face with the blanket, and to prevent him from suffocating, I reached out to pull it down, but he gripped it tightly. A chill ran through me, and I said in a low voice, "Yin'er, what's wrong? Pull down the blanket and let Mother see."

Still motionless, she was suddenly pulled down. Yin'er's eyes were red, and half of her face was still swollen. A surge of anger welled up inside her, and she hurriedly overturned the tea table beside the bed and shouted towards the door, "Where's the nanny? Where are the maids who serve you? Come out here, all of you!"

"Mother!" Yin'er grabbed my hand. "Mother, it's not their fault, it's my own fault."

I turned my head and looked at the servants who had rushed in tremblingly and were kneeling on the ground. I calmed my voice and asked, "Can anyone tell me what's going on here?"

I roughly understood what was going on. During dinner, Yiling didn't come out; only Yao Shuhuan and a few children were at the table. Yao Shuhuan deliberately fed Jingrui, but repeatedly burned him. Jingrui wanted to make a sound but didn't dare. Yin'er couldn't stand it and got up to say a few words, which immediately earned her a slap. Yao Shuhuan said many unpleasant things, even saying that Yin'er was a son who had entered the mansion without a proper reason.

After hearing what she said, I was both shocked and angry. My hands were clenched so tightly they were almost blue. I looked at Yin'er with heartache. Yin'er smiled gently and said, "Mother, I don't blame Aunt for hitting me, but Mother... am I really not your child? Am I a child whose birth is unclear?"

He gritted his teeth in resentment, "Yin'er, remember this, you are my innocent son."

I led Liu Shang, filled with anger, toward the courtyard, not caring what time it was or whether it was appropriate.

"Your Highness, would you like to announce my arrival? The Master is here."

"Your Majesty, you cannot simply walk in."

"Your Majesty, it's late. Please wait until dawn to discuss what you need to say."

People kept stopping me along the way. I didn't care. I stepped straight into the courtyard and pushed open the door. I saw the maid Dongqing, who wasn't surprised to see me. She just pursed her lips. "Your Highness, what are you doing? How can you disturb people so late at night? Our mistress is pregnant. No matter how much power Your Highness has, you can't ignore her—"

"Call your master out here," I interrupted her directly.

"Let's talk about it tomorrow. Our master isn't feeling well and has already gone to bed. The master is here right now too." She said the last half of the sentence with extreme provocation.

I slapped half of her face. She trembled with rage. "Who do you think you are? Get your master up!"

The curtain in the inner room rustled. Lu Li, dressed only in his undergarments, looked exhausted and frowned. When he saw me, he paused for a moment, his anger subsiding slightly, and asked calmly, "What's wrong with you now?!"

I was furious. What do you mean, "again?" I gritted my teeth and glared at him: "Bring Yao Shuhuan out to see me."

Lu Li frowned again. "It's late. She's not feeling well. Can't we talk about it tomorrow? You're all drunk, slapping yourself and yelling. Are you going to make a scene for the whole family?!"

As they were talking, Yao Shuhuan came out from the inner room. Lu Li reached out and put his arm around her. "Why did you come out?! Didn't the imperial physician say that it's not good to catch a cold at night?"

I walked up to her and stared at her. "You hit Yin'er?!"

She was somewhat flustered, but after glancing at Lu Li beside her, she tilted her head slightly and asked, "Yes, what's wrong?!"

"Tell me what I'll do!" I felt my anger about to burst out. I slammed my hand on the table and said, "People, come in here and slap Yao Shi until you're satisfied."

Sure enough, two eunuchs came in this time, and Yao immediately lost her spirit. Lu Li also stepped forward to protect her, saying, "What are you doing in the middle of the night? As a concubine, it's not like you're so upset about disciplining the child."

"It's not my son's place for anyone else to hit him, not even you are allowed to."

"What are you saying? Children shouldn't be spoiled like that."

"I spoil my son, but does that bother you?!"

Lu Li was taken aback, and tightened his grip on Yao Shuhuan's hand. "Huan'er is still one of my people. No matter how much trouble you cause, you have to consider your dignity."

"Good! Good! Very good!" I pointed at him, trying hard to control my trembling voice, "You finally told the truth. Your people? Your people can't be touched or scolded. But my son can be slapped in the face at will?! Is this the etiquette of your royal family or the custom of this mansion?"

Their cold eyes met, both their expressions growing increasingly grave. My heart was in turmoil. In the past, I would usually ignore any setbacks, but this time, it was Yin'er. My beloved child, whom I would never utter a harsh word to, was being spoken to in such a blatant way. Seeing his tearful, aggrieved eyes asking me if I was his mother, I felt a chill run down my spine. Was I going to lose this child too?! Yes… even if Yao Shuhuan went too far, what could she do? Yin'er wasn't my child; she was telling the truth. What right did I have to be hysterical? But why did my heart ache so much?

Lu Li bit her lip tightly. "Can you go back first? I've settled Huan'er in. Can you apologize to your son on her behalf?"

Having said all that, what else could I possibly do?! What am I? In his eyes, what is Yin'er? Just a son I keep as decoration in my room. I smiled coldly, glanced at the composed Yao Shuhuan, flicked my sleeve, and flung the white jade three-ram ewer from the table, hurling it at her face until it shattered on the floor. "Don't forget your lowly status as a concubine..."

Yao Shuhuan seemed to have suffered an immense humiliation. She suddenly knelt on the ground, picked up a shard of glass, and was about to slash her wrist when a quick-thinking maidservant pulled her away. I watched as the room descended into chaos. Lu Li was pale, but he ignored Yao Shuhuan, his eyes fixed on me, refusing to look away for even a moment.

"Let her go, let her make a scene!" I shouted, and the maids quickly pulled back in fright.

Yao Shuhuan's hand trembled as she held the shard. The tears she had been holding back for so long finally fell. She gritted her teeth and the shard quickly left a perfect arc on her wrist. In just an instant, the cut on her wrist split open and blood seeped out. A stream of scarlet blood flowed down her wrist, and the girls cried out in alarm.

Lu Li bit her lip tightly and only said one sentence, "Haven't you all made enough of a scene?!"

I laughed. "That's enough! That's really enough!"

I've really had enough of this life, I've had enough.

Having said that, I took a breath, turned around, and went out of the house. A cold wind hit me in the face, and I felt my legs go weak. Liu Shang immediately came over and helped me walk to the side of the corridor. I felt a dark shadow flash past me quickly. I looked down and found the small figure hiding in the darkness. He was staring at me blankly, his big, dark, ghostly eyes seemed to be saying something.

I slowly crouched down, trying to pull him closer, and involuntarily called out, "Aier..."

The figure suddenly flashed in the darkness and ran towards the end of the corridor, leaving my hand frozen in mid-air.

"Master, what's wrong?" Liu Shang came over and put down my hand. "There's nothing in this corridor. The young prince is sleeping in his room right now."

I felt a huge weight pressing on my chest, a choking pain. The illusion vanished in an instant, and I struggled to wave my hand, "I'm fine, let's go to Yin'er's."

Sitting by Yin'er's bedside, I heard Granny Jing behind me nagging, "The little prince cried himself to sleep. It's normal for children to cry and fuss."

It's not worth ruining things with the household over such a trivial matter.

"Granny—" I gently stroked Yin'er's forehead, "Dress the child up, be gentle, don't wake him, and go prepare some clean clothes."