Chapter Forty: The Jade Pavilion—A New Concubine

Luo Xianghong spotted her at once, yet there was none of the surprise or warmth of encountering an old acquaintance on her face—only a look of finally having tracked her down. She hurried over and said, “Zhang Lingran, you’ve made it hard for me to find you! Instead of being where you’re supposed to be, you’re hiding here.”

“What’s the matter?” Lingran was puzzled, yet also delighted that Luo Xianghong was now a maid. “Sister Luo, in this outfit, have you been assigned to serve somewhere?”

A flash of pain crossed Luo Xianghong’s eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. “You haven’t heard? The Prime Minister has just made Miss Xu his new concubine and moved her into the Jade Reflection Pavilion. She specifically requested me to be her personal maid. So here I am.”

This news truly caught Lingran off-guard. From the way Chu Liuxiang had treated Xu Shanquan the other day, he clearly didn’t regard her highly—so why give her such a title now?

“Did you come looking for me to reminisce?” Seeing a faint trace of hostility between Luo Xianghong’s brows, Lingran didn’t dare to invite her inside, but asked casually.

“Concubine Xu might want to catch up with Miss Shen, but you and I have nothing to say to each other. The concubine wants to see you.” Luo Xianghong made it clear that they had never been friends, gesturing for Lingran to follow.

Lingran thought: Is she angry that I didn’t save her the other day? But how would she know what happened inside? If the servants were sent to relay the message, they surely just said that Lord Hongxiao was delivering a few maids to Prince Xiang’s estate; they shouldn’t have mentioned someone minor like me. Then why this attitude from Luo Xianghong?

She followed in silence, Luo Xianghong saying nothing along the way until Lingran couldn’t help but ask, “Do you know how Wu Yunxian is doing now?”

Luo Xianghong didn’t even turn her head. “Even a fool has a moment of clarity. That day, she pushed Mohan forward to lead the dance—how could they not appreciate it? As the twelfth lady of Prince Xiang’s household, what’s so hard about sending someone to claim a maid?”

So she found her own way out! Actually, that’s not so bad. So far, it seems only Xu Shanquan has truly fallen into Chu Liuxiang’s clutches. Given her temperament, she might not even want to be a maid; perhaps she’s content as a concubine—then everyone gets what they want, what’s so bad about that?

But why does Luo Xianghong look so aggrieved, as if she has no one to turn to?

The Jade Reflection Pavilion was built over a lotus pond, now in full bloom, the air fragrant with the scent of flowers—a truly beautiful place.

They crossed the covered bridge into the exquisitely furnished chambers. Lingran noticed the gauzy curtains, the elegant jade and antique ornaments—Xu Shanquan, as a concubine, was certainly well-treated. Lord Hongxiao seemed a magnanimous favorite, though Lingran recalled Chu Liuxiang once saying he and Hongxiao enjoyed the company of beauties together. Perhaps Xu Shanquan was now Lord Hongxiao’s woman as well...

Yet thinking of Lord Hongxiao’s air of aloof self-admiration, it was hard to associate him with anything so sordid. She could only sigh, “You really can’t judge by appearances.”

Outside the room, several unfamiliar maids sat or stood about. Luo Xianghong ignored them, leading Lingran straight inside.

In the outer chamber adjoining the bedroom, Lingran immediately saw Xu Shanquan reclining on a chaise by the window, draped in silk, her bosom half-exposed, her skin glowing beneath the pale green curtains. In just a few days, she seemed to have grown even more alluring.

Beside her sat Shen Zhu, one foot bare and covered with a silk scarf, propped on a footstool. She was fanning Xu Shanquan, the two of them whispering and laughing—until Lingran entered, and their expressions turned cold.

This certainly felt like a trap.

Lingran thought so, but was not particularly afraid. She bowed to Xu Shanquan and said, “Congratulations on your promotion, Miss Xu.”

Xu Shanquan made as if to sit up; Luo Xianghong hurried to gently help her.

“Your tongue is as clever as ever,” Shen Zhu sneered with obvious disdain.

“May I ask what instruction you have for me, Concubine?” Lingran inquired.

“Did you think we summoned you here to catch up? Haven’t you always kept apart from us?” Shen Zhu said.

Lingran didn’t know how to answer, so she just stood there with a foolish grin.

“That day you feigned ignorance and refused to serve the Prime Minister…” Xu Shanquan toyed with her fingernails, her manner regal, letting her words trail off.

Lingran’s heart skipped a beat, but she forced a smile. “But isn’t that for the best, Concubine? If I’d dared to attend him, wouldn’t you hate me even more now?”

“But I’ve always hated you,” Xu Shanquan said bluntly, no longer hiding her feelings now that her status had changed. “Not only will I not conceal your actions from the Prime Minister, I’ll report you—unless you do something worthwhile to earn my silence.”

“What do you wish me to do?” Lingran had always believed that a wise person does not fight a losing battle; she wouldn’t oppose them now, not when there was no one to save her in this vast estate.

Xu Shanquan said nothing, but exchanged a look with Shen Zhu.

“Among us ten, Mo Suxian is not worth mentioning. Who would have thought Mohan would reap the biggest benefit here? That day, she must have deliberately bumped into a maid and spilled boiling water on my foot,” Shen Zhu said, leaning forward and fixing Lingran with a sharp gaze.

Do you really mean to use me to frame Mohan? I’m not that foolish! Lingran put on a look of complete incomprehension. “Now that Miss Xu is the Prime Minister’s concubine, you outrank Mohan. If you dislike her, you can deal with her yourself.”

Xu Shanquan, annoyed, pushed away the tea Luo Xianghong offered. “Why pretend to be dense? Even a newcomer knows the affairs of the Prince’s household are none of the Prime Minister’s business. Are you trying to get me in trouble?”

Though Shen Zhu maintained an air of superiority, she was gentler than Xu Shanquan. “Zhang Lingran, as long as you’re willing to testify that it was Mohan who deliberately poured boiling water on my foot that day, we won’t report you—and you’ll have a comfortable life here.”

Lingran thought, Do they take me for an idiot? This would only put me in the line of fire. She looked troubled and turned to Xu Shanquan. “Even if she was at fault, she’s now the twelfth lady of Prince Xiang’s household. Such a minor issue won’t bring her down; it would only make you her open enemy, Concubine Xu. Surely that’s not wise?”

She thought her argument was sound, and even Xu Shanquan should see reason. Unexpectedly, Xu Shanquan snorted in disdain. “What do you know? I hear Prince Xiang hasn’t even shared her bed yet. The next day she was beaten so severely by Princess Gu’an that she still hasn’t recovered. Both the Prime Minister and the Prince despise servants who act clever behind their backs. Every concubine in the Prince’s household has powerful supporters—except for her. Sooner or later, she’ll be eaten alive. Expose her, and she’s done for.”

Shen Zhu added, “If you refuse, you’ll be the one to die. You may not have experienced the Prime Minister’s methods, but you must have heard of them.”

Now Lingran was truly in a bind. It seemed there was no good choice, and while she didn’t know exactly what the consequences would be, she was certain she’d suffer for it. She had always known Xu Shanquan and Shen Zhu were sworn enemies of Mohan, but she herself had never taken sides. At most, Mohan was simply less arrogant than the others, so she had interacted with her a little more.

Why, then, had they singled her out?