The Reborn Princess Has Turned Evil

Chapter 245 The Marquis's Mansion is Renewed with Mourning (1)

Jing Anle's eyes darkened, but a smile returned to his lips. "Since someone is willing to sacrifice a pawn, we'll make use of it."

Just then, Afang finally came over carrying a pair of cotton shoes embroidered with lotus flowers.

"Mu Ping, I searched for a while, how come your shoes are so much bigger than ours?" A Fang looked puzzled.

These words drew Jing Anle and Mu Ping over. Mu Ping's cheeks flushed slightly, and she opened her mouth but said nothing.

“Afang, why are you so gossipy? Muping is a martial artist, so she is naturally different from a young lady from a noble family.” Jing Anle gently scolded her, and then said, “In the future, there’s no need to single out such ordinary things.”

Afang finally noticed that Muping's expression was a little unnatural, so she stepped forward and took Muping's arm, saying ingratiatingly, "Muping won't be angry!" As she spoke, she pulled Muping to change her shoes, muttering to herself, "There's nothing wrong with it!"

Jing Anle shook his head helplessly; this little girl sometimes still spoke without thinking.

As they were talking, a maid's voice came from outside the door, "Princess, Consort Li, Consort Lin, and Consort Chen have arrived."

The three, master and servants, exchanged a glance. Afang and Muping quickly tidied themselves up and stood respectfully at attention.

"Please let them in."

Jing Anle didn't like using perfume, so when the three concubines entered, the fragrance they created caused Jing Anle to wrinkle her nose and sneeze several times.

Consort Li thought it was the north wind blowing through the open door, so she hurriedly told her maid to close the door.

"Is the princess feeling any better?" Consort Li asked again, her face showing a hint of anxiety.

Jing Anle instructed Afang to prepare tea and snacks, and said with a smile, "I'm much better, but perhaps because I'm sick, my nose is always more sensitive and I can't stand the smell of pollen."

Consort Li glanced at Consort Chen; this scent was unique to her.

"But Consort Li's belly looks quite big. The roads are slippery in the snow, Your Highness is very thoughtful." Jing Anle looked at Consort Li's belly. Whether it was because Consort Li was a little thin, her belly was very obvious.

Consort Li gently stroked her belly, her eyes full of love. "It's been more than five months. This child is quite well-behaved and hasn't caused me any suffering." Then she realized it was inappropriate and quickly added, "Speaking of which, the princess is the child's benefactor. Now that the princess is in need, it's only natural that I must come."

Jing Anle knew that Consort Li was referring to the matter of how she had helped Consort Li gain favor with the emperor, and the subsequent incident involving the sachet. She had come to express her loyalty, but also to express her gratitude.

"Your Majesty is too kind." Jing Anle smiled, everything understood without words.

After Afang prepared tea and snacks, everyone enjoyed the tea for a while, and the atmosphere was peaceful and harmonious.

"Is Consort Lin feeling better?" Jing Anle went to see Consort Lin and saw that she was wearing an apricot-colored cloak and looked calm and reserved.

Consort Li turned her head to look and knew that Jing Anle was asking about the time she fell ill at the temple a few days ago while worshipping Buddha.

"Thank you for your concern, Princess. I am now fine." Her expression was gentle, and her eyes were filled with gratitude.

"That's good."

The two knew they had saved Consort Lin in the temple, but they couldn't let others know, so they exchanged a few pleasantries.

Only Consort Chen remained expressionless. She disliked Consort Lin, but having learned her lesson from the previous times, she dared not argue and simply sat there like a decoration, not uttering a single word. She hadn't wanted to come today, but given Jing Anle's status, she feared that if she didn't come, she would be disliked by Emperor Jing.

After finishing their casual conversation, Consort Li added, "In three days, His Majesty will host a banquet to entertain Princess Yongping. However, Princess Anle is still recovering from her illness, otherwise she could also attend and join in the fun."

In an instant, Jing Anle saw through Consort Li's thoughts. It seemed that Princess Yongping was favored by the Empress Dowager, and Emperor Jing also doted on his younger sister. The women in the harem were narrow-minded, and the sudden appearance of a favored Princess Yongping, even though she was Emperor Jing's sister, made them feel resentful.

If Jing Anle could attend the banquet, she would surely attract Emperor Jing's attention, which would be better than seeing Princess Yongping gloating.

Jing Anle smiled slightly, "I'm much better after a few days of rest. It'll be good for me to go out and move around a bit."

"Princess, please don't overwork yourself. If you feel tired, you don't need to exert yourself," Consort Lin advised. She was genuinely worried about Jing Anle, but when she came in earlier, her complexion did look much better.

Consort Li inwardly scoffed, but outwardly agreed, "That's exactly right. Everything should be done with the princess's health in mind."

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone took their leave.

The red walls were covered in white snow, and the light snowflakes swirled in the wind, making them seem even bigger.

In Consort Chen's palace.

"Your Highness, why didn't you say a word just now?" The palace maid Cai Xing helped Consort Chen into her bedchamber.

Consort Chen stamped her foot, scattering some snowflakes on her shoes. She was then helped to change her clothes and shoes. She said slowly, "It's all just my guess. To catch a thief, you need to catch him red-handed; to catch an adulterer, you need to catch them in the act!"

Cai Xing immediately understood and cleverly replied, "This servant understands."

……

The residence of the Marquis of Pingchang.

Overnight, the joyous occasion at the Pingchang Marquis's residence turned into a tragedy. Snowflakes fluttered down, and the howling wind seemed to echo the mournful cries of lonely souls. The entire mansion was shrouded in a pale white hue.

"How is it?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, the Lady of the Marquis has been so frightened that she fainted. I have already given her acupuncture and prescribed medicine, and she should wake up soon." The speaker was the Marquis's physician. Now that the Third Miss had passed away and the Lady of the Marquis had fainted, his expression was not good either.

Murong Peifeng, also dressed in white, stared blankly at the Lady Hou's unconscious state, and said in a detached tone, "I understand. You may leave now."

The physician assumed he was overwhelmed with grief and, before leaving, urged Murong Peifeng to take it easy.

Murong Peifeng sat beside Lady Wu Zhihua's bed, his expression complex. This was his mother, yet he seemed to have never felt maternal love from her. Murong Peifeng reached out to touch Wu Zhihua's hand, but before he could, he withdrew it, a resolute glint in his eyes.

He summoned his trusted aide and whispered a few instructions to him.

His confidant frowned slightly, but only for a moment. He nodded and turned to leave.

Soon after, the confidant returned to the room with a mysterious person. The person held a slender silver needle in his hand, the tip of which gleamed with a cold light.

Murong Peifeng took the silver needles and, without hesitation, inserted them into the acupoints that had caused Wu Zhihua to fall into a deep sleep.

Wu Zhihua's body trembled slightly, and then she fell silent...

Little did they know, Jing Rong, standing at the door, had seen everything clearly.

Last night she was alone in her room, and this morning she had just gotten up when she heard that the third young lady of the Marquis's mansion had passed away. This was undoubtedly adding insult to injury for her. She was already out of favor, and now that someone had died so soon after she entered the mansion, she would surely be seen as an omen of bad luck. When the Marquis's wife fainted, she came to see her, but she never expected to see this scene.

Jing Rong felt a chill in her heart. She opened her mouth wide but dared not utter a sound. Having learned from her previous experience, she used all her strength to suppress herself, quietly squatted down, and then slowly moved her body away stealthily.