Chapter 118: Chapter 70 Rumor_1
The rain in Shengjing came on swiftly.
Raindrops pelted the leaves of the osmanthus tree outside the window, scattering leaves all over the ground, and the eaves hung with a curtain of dense, unending rain, blurring the world into a vast expanse of white.
Inside Prince Wen’s Mansion, Princess Consort Pei Yunshu stood at the doorway, hurriedly rising to welcome the person from outside.
The young man, dressed in a vermillion brocade robe wetted by the rain, entered from the courtyard. Amidst the wild wind and torrential downpour, his attire was impeccable, and he showed not the slightest discomfiture.
Pei Yunshu pulled her younger brother into the room, while chiding, "You come suddenly without a word. Fangzi scared me when she told me. With such heavy rain outside, why didn’t you bring an umbrella..."
Pei Yunmeng stopped her mid-sentence with a smile, "I was passing by on my errands and took the opportunity to come and see you."
Took the opportunity?
Pei Yunshu looked at the large and small boxes his servants brought in, pursed her lips, and remained silent.
At the time for lighting lamps, the night was as thick as black ink, with only the rustling rain tightly enveloping everything.
The maid Fangzi handed Pei Yunmeng a clean cloth. He wiped the rain stains from his body, and noticing a maid hesitating by the door with medicine, he raised an eyebrow, "Still taking medicine?"
Pei Yunshu was startled, then shook her head, "The medicine for stabilizing the pregnancy has long been discontinued; it’s porridge that the Commandery Prince had the small kitchen make."
Pei Yunmeng nodded, his tone neither salty nor indifferent, "It’s quite late for supper, not a good habit." Having said that, he glanced, smiling, at the maid with the medicine.
The maid’s complexion paled instantly at his words.
This Princely Heir of Lord Zhao Ning would visit the Prince’s Mansion every so often under the pretense of visiting his elder sister, but in truth, it was to lend support to his neglected sister. Even the Commandery Prince had to be somewhat wary of him. Although he appeared affectionate and easy-going in front of his sister, that glance he threw just now was, despite the smile, very cold—almost as if she had been targeted by a wolf.
The maid shivered, not daring to say anything, and quickly made an obeisance with Pei Yunshu before hurrying out of the courtyard.
Only after the maid’s figure disappeared from the courtyard did Pei Yunshu let out a sigh, "You have intimidated everyone in the Prince’s Mansion. What exactly are you here for?"
The young man turned his head back, the coldness on his face gone. He sat down in front of Pei Yunshu, took the teacup from Fangzi, sipped it, and said with a smile, "I said I was passing by and stopped by to see you."
Pei Yunshu looked at him, a trace of gloom in her heart.
She was all too clear on why Pei Yunmeng came to visit.
Prince Wen favored his Consort and neglected his legal wife, and the whole Prince’s Mansion knew it. Now that she was pregnant, she was a thorn in the side for some in the mansion. Although Pei Yunmeng was powerful, he couldn’t stay by her side all the time. He would visit every few days, with or without pretext, to issue a warning.
Arrogant as it may be, it proved quite effective. She had been carrying this child safely to the seventh month, and in just over two more months, she should be able to deliver successfully.
Pei Yunshu looked down, her hand resting gently on her swollen belly, her gaze tender.
Hopefully, there would be no complications.
Pei Yunmeng seemed to sense her concern and simply said, "Fangzi and Qiong Ying are both by your side. You can order them to do anything, don’t worry."
Fangzi and Qiong Ying were implants in the Prince’s Mansion by Pei Yunmeng. It was not easy to send people into the Prince’s Mansion—not because he feared Prince Wen, but rather to avoid raising suspicions from the current Emperor.
Now, however, these two maids were the most trusted people Pei Yunshu had in the Prince’s Mansion.
Pei Yunshu smiled, "I know. It’s quiet here in my courtyard, and it’s nice having them with me. But you yourself..." She looked at Pei Yunmeng with some concern, "I heard that some days ago, Commander Yan Xu from the Privy Council gave you a hard time in court. Nothing serious, I hope?"
The current Emperor was a master of balance; the Privy Council and Palace Front Office had always been at odds. Commander Yan Xu of the Privy Council was narrow-minded and mean, and he had repeatedly set traps for Pei Yunmeng on the court floor.
Pei Yunmeng fiddled with the teacup in his hands, laughing lightly at her words, "Where did you hear such rumors? That old man, how could he give me any trouble?"
Pei Yunshu sighed, "I’m afraid he’s doing something behind the scenes. After all, he hates Father, and has taken his anger out on you..."
Commander Yan Xu of the Privy Council had a deep-seated hatred for Pei Yunmeng, and not just because of the delicate balance between their respective offices and the Palace Front Office. It was also because the mother of Pei Yunmeng, Lady Zhao Ning, had once rejected his proposal when she was young.
Yan Xu had been deeply in love with Pei Yunmeng’s mother, but to his dismay, the woman he cherished chose to marry someone else and became the Lady Zhao Ning. Humiliated, and with love turned to hatred, Yan Xu bore a grudge against the entire Zhao Ning family.
Now that Lady Zhao Ning has passed away and tensions between the Privy Council and Palace Front Office are high, Yan Xu naturally extended his grudge to Pei Yunmeng. It was said that years ago, Pei Yunmeng had originally intended to join the Privy Council, but in the end, Yan Xu, leveraging his authority, intervened, forcing Pei Yunmeng to join the Palace Front Office instead.