Chapter 22: I Did Not Secretly Keep Your Handkerchief

In most cases, even if something did happen during the Wang family banquet, it would not be any cause for fear, especially since the plan was foiled and nothing actually happened. But the victim in this case was someone from the house of the Princess. Jiang Jingyan appeared to be dignified and gentle, but she was actually someone with a fierce temper and there were certain aspects that were non-negotiable. If one offended her in those areas, they were definitely doomed. At the same time, she spoke of it with great severity, so it was going to be hard to smooth things over.

Tang Wanning had thought she would meet that legendary discarded Crown Prince this time. After all he was known as “the most temperamental person of the royal family”. Ruthless and unfeeling, his rules were rules and others feared even just hearing his name, but he did not make an appearance. In the end it was the Second Prince who came to smooth things over. Together with Wang Kangbo he spoke with Jiang Jingyan for a long time.

No one knew what they discussed. Jiang Jingyan soon left with Guan Jia, and before leaving she specifically asked Tang Wanning to accompany them.

Tang Wanning braved Mrs. Wang’s earnest gaze and, with all eyes on her, stepped out and followed the two women off the premises.

“Thank you for today. If not for you, I don’t know what greater trouble might have arisen.” Thinking of those vile incidents made Jiang Jingyan shudder. Gratitude shone sincerely in her eyes.

“Mm, thank you, sister!” Guan Jia handed over a sachet filled with snacks. “For you to eat, sister!”

Tang Wanning looked at the dimpled, sweet little County Lady and smiled. “Madam, you flatter me. The County Lady is so adorable, anyone who sees her would lend a hand.”

She remembered that Princess Ruihua had helped her before.

At the village manor she had schemed, deliberately using the situation to get the Princess to help her. But why would a noble princess fall into her calculations? She had long resolved that if there were a chance in future she would repay the favor properly. Now the opportunity had come… good people deserve good returns.

Jiang Jingyan ruffled the younger sister-in-law’s hair and smiled. “It’s a bit inconvenient right now, I must take the County Lady back. When I have time later I’ll invite you to our residence to play. You must come, I insist.”

“How could I refuse?” Tang Wanning knew Jiang Jingyan was busy and didn’t prolong the pleasantries, smiling as she agreed.

After seeing them off and returning to the doorway, she unexpectedly ran into a familiar person: dressed in dark robes embroidered with gold, dignified and proper, aloof and noble, seated in a wheelchair.

She asked instinctively, “You are… leaving too?” The banquet was not yet over.

Zhao Cong said nothing, only inclined his head slightly.

Tang Wanning saw the armrest of his wheelchair, which was clean and empty, without anything on it.

She hesitated. “My handkerchief…”

Zhao Cong’s fingertips tightened a little, his expression unchanged. “It’s lost.”

Eunuch Tian couldn’t believe his ears.

What the—? Your Highness, say that again? Dare you loosen your hand!

The wind passed the treetops and a leaf fell. The atmosphere grew slightly awkward.

Tang Wanning made a small “oh” sound, thinking that if it was lost then so be it. It wasn’t anything valuable anyway. She smoothed her skirt and adjusted her expression. “You helped me earlier, so I should thank you, Young Master.”

Gratitude has no scale: another’s coins in a crisis were help, and this man’s lending his wheelchair armrest for her to use was also help. Though his temper was not great, he had a warm heart. A smile bloomed at the corner of Tang Wanning’s mouth. “May I ask what Young Master likes?”

Zhao Cong’s eyes narrowed a little and a dark ripple passed through his gaze. “Hm?”

Tang Wanning felt a jolt in her heart and an ominous premonition arose. Before he could say something like, “Do you have feelings for me?” she quickly cut him off. “According to etiquette, I should present a thank-you gift.”

Zhao Cong’s expression was sullen, perhaps a little disappointed. “A thank-you gift, huh.”

Tang Wanning’s ears warmed, unusually bashful. “I don’t have much saved, so the things I can offer are limited. I wonder, Young Master…”

“No need,” Zhao Cong replied quickly. “I’m not poor.”

Tang Wanning was getting annoyed.

Are you slighting me, or bragging about yourself?

She braved it. “Just a small token of appreciation…”

Perhaps due to the embarrassment she felt a tightness in her chest and wanted to hiccup. She quickly took a deep breath and pressed down on it with her hand.

Eunuch Tian reacted swiftly. Before his master could say more annoying things, he slipped a note to the young lady. “Miss, you may send things here, but absolutely nothing valuable, just the sentiment will do.”

“Meddlesome.”

Zhao Cong turned his wheelchair forward, seemingly disdainful of being waited on. Passing by Tang Wanning without pausing, he said in a cool voice, “If it makes you feel uncomfortable, don’t eat so many steamed cakes next time.”

Tang Wanning was taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling, trying to suppress a hiccup. She responded casually, and only after he had gone did it suddenly occur to her: how did he know she had eaten steamed cake?

From a distance, Eunuch Tian was also curious. “Miss Tang ate too much steamed cake? How did this old servant not notice?”

Zhao Cong said nothing.

Eunuch Tian’s mind turned and he asked again, “Just now, Your Highness… why didn’t you return the handkerchief to Miss Tang?”

Zhao Cong pressed his lips together. “I did not intend to keep it.”

Eunuch Tian couldn’t understand. “Ah?”

Zhao Cong turned his head and looked at Eunuch Tian with a very serious gaze. “She was too quick.”

Eunuch Tian got it now.

All right, understood: you merely put it away casually and didn’t mean to keep it hidden, but the young lady spoke quickly and asked for it back. If you gave it back, she would think you had kept it. So to prove you’re a gentleman who doesn’t lay hands on a woman’s things you had to make up a lie and say you lost it and therefore could not give it back.

But Your Highness should think carefully: did you really not have a chance to return it first? Sneaking away with a young lady’s handkerchief and not returning it… Was it truly only because you didn’t want to lose face, or… you simply didn’t want to give it back at all?

Zhao Cong snapped, “Shut up.”

Eunuch Tian protested aggrievedly, “This old servant didn’t say anything…”

Zhao Cong went on, “You’re saying it in your head.”

Eunuch Tian couldn’t refute that.

At the Wang family’s banquet the Second Prince had been present the whole time. Though he couldn’t leave due to people around him, he did not miss Tang Wanning’s moment in the spotlight. She began with a ‘battle of wits’, clever and dazzling, holding everyone’s gaze. She didn’t fear trouble nor evade it, and when she saw others in danger she was willing to lend a hand… she had never changed, and deep down she was always kind.

The matter between Princess Ruihua’s household and the Wang family had been smoothed over by him earlier, not perfectly but neatly, so praise circled everywhere, yet he still felt regretful. There was a lingering melancholy in his chest, an uncomfortable constriction with no outlet. His eyes kept subconsciously scanning the crowd, but Tang Wanning never gave him a glance.

Not even one look. Could she… be so wounded?

In the end, he had missed his chance.

Being a prince, his channels of information were abundant. Soon he learned not only about the Wang family affair but also that someone from the Li family had wanted to cause a disturbance. He only knew the matter was aimed at Tang Wanning. Whether it had happened and how it unfolded he did not know.

As he was almost done with having to entertain everyone around him and was about to call Tang Wanlan home, he saw a man in black speaking with Tang Wanlan. That was clearly the Young Master Li who had wanted to make trouble!

The Second Prince hurried over. “What are you doing?”

Young Master Li had already heard the voice and hurried away. Tang Wanlan smoothed her hair and smiled lightly. “Nothing, I just met someone asking for directions. Your Highness, how has your day gone?”

The Second Prince looked at Tang Wanlan steadily for a moment. “Return with me.”

Tang Wanlan bit her lip, nervous inside.

They rode back in silence. The Second Prince’s face was not pleasant. Only after they reached the residence and returned to their room did he say in a flat tone, “There are many eyes outside. You are the Princess Consort of Ping. I grant you face, but there is one thing you must remember: you are no longer the carefree young mistress of the House of Earl Xuanning. There are things you may do and things you must not. Understand?”

Tang Wanlan reached out to hook his fingers. “What is Your Highness saying? I don’t understand…”

The Second Prince kept a stern face but did not withdraw his hand. “Even Mother praised your intelligence, I know you can understand.”

Tang Wanlan leaned in wholly and looked up at him. “I really didn’t do anything… Why are you so fierce, Your Highness? From now on, no matter what I do or say, I’ll follow you and ask for your opinion, alright?”

Her brows and eyes were delicate, shimmering with emotion. From this angle she bore a striking resemblance to the woman imprinted in his memory. The Second Prince felt pity and pinched his brow. “Forget it. It’s only been a few days since the wedding, I won’t force you. But you must know that we are one body: there are many things outside you do not understand. Anything you deem ‘simple’ could trigger unforeseen results.”

“Understood. I will never trouble Your Highness again…”

Tang Wanlan smiled sweetly and hid her gloomy look on the Second Prince’s shoulder. What she hated was not being exposed, but how lucky that bitch Tang Wanning was! She still did not regret what she had done and did not intend to back down, only to be more low-key in future…

But the next day they received news of Young Master Li’s death.

Only then did she know real fear. She realized that this wasn’t going to work, this tactic was truly impossible to pull off! Who had killed Young Master Li? When she heard the older maid sent by Consort Xin recount the same advice from the Consort as her own mother, Madam Zhou, Tang Wanlan became even more frightened. Not only must this matter stop, she must hide her tracks well and avoid being caught! Who knew whether this killer was so heartless as to trace the clues back to her?

What now… what should she do?

The plan failed, Tang Wanning had not been eliminated, and Tang Wanlan’s own position was now threatened. One day the Second Prince might change his heart. She had seen the way he looked at Tang Wanning today! And the Consort would surely not let her off!

She had gotten what she wished: entering the Prince of Ping’s residence and becoming his consort. But that was only on paper. She could not manage any of the household affairs at all. Outside, there was the chief steward assisting the Second Prince, and inside the inner household was run by the nanny dispatched by Consort Xin. Fortunately, the account-keeping skills she had learned were useful. She had charmed the Second Prince and some matters he indulged her on, but he was after all a man who did not understand the hardships of running an inner household. She had no backing either, so how would she navigate the road ahead?

No…wait, she still had an option!

Tang Wanlan suddenly remembered something and shot to her feet, her eyes alight. She called for Shuangxing to come in. “Help me change and send my card to the Yuehua Palace, I want to speak to Consort Xin!”

…

Yuehua Hall.

Sheer veils hung low, cups and bowls gilded in gold. On the windowsill a vase held double-petaled camellias, and in the corner a three-legged beast censer burned deep-scented incense.

Consort Xin leaned on the consort couch. She dabbed the bird’s nest at her lips and no longer wanted to eat. A small palace maid hung her head and dared not speak as she used her pretty hands to gently and carefully massage the consort’s calves.

After hearing Tang Wanlan’s words, Consort Xin narrowed her eyes. “You mean… give Tang Wanning to Zhao Cong?”