Title: The Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir
Chapter: 045 out of 513 – Putting up advertisement. Settling the household (2)
Everyone in the Marquis’s residence knew that Nie Sangyu had caused Noble Consort Nie to lose favor. And so, when she came back from the palace with the items bestowed to her, everyone was surprised.
Even if Nie Sangyu was her niece, Noble Consort Nie couldn’t possibly be that generous and forgiving, right?
But, the servant that had accompanied them to the palace said that the noble consort had been moved by Master Sang’s presents.
Qi Siling thought for a while before she said to the servant girl next to her, “Go and investigate. What did she give the noble consort?”
The women in the other courtyards gave their servant girls approximately the same order as Qi Siling. And so, these servant girls went to chat with Muxu.
Muxu pretended that she didn’t know their intentions and didn’t hide anything from them. She just told them that Master Sang had given skincare products purchased from Yongning Street’s Shuiji Rouge Store.
All of these servant girls immediately rushed to that rouge store. Ji Man had created these facemasks a month ago when she was bored. This world had a material woven from silkworm fibers. It was very similar to the material used in modern facemasks. Since they had the capital, this product could be mass-produced even though the woven material was expensive. And so, these facemasks were currently in stock in Shuiji Rouge Store.
—
Gossip traveled as fast as an infectious disease. Noble Consort Nie had regained the emperor’s favor. He had slept in her palace for five days in a row. When people asked what the secret to her success was, everyone replied, Shuiji Rouge Store.
As a result, Miss Shui became extremely busy. For an inexplicable reason, people from the palace suddenly came to buy the store’s skincare products. It wouldn’t be good if she couldn’t sell them anything. But, she had run out of cold cream for the month and wouldn’t have anymore for another seven days. She could only offer facemasks for sale.
Fortunately, she had enough of the facemasks and the people from the palace didn’t find the price too expensive. Thus, a large sum of money came into Shuiji Rouge Store.
Seeing that her business was proceeding smoothly, Ji Man stopped worried and turned her attention to the marquis’s residence.
—
On the same day that Ji Man retuned from the palace, she went to look for Ning Yuxuan to return the jade accessory and said, “My lord, thank you for lending this jade. Sangyu is here to report back after completing my task. Noble Consort Nie was very satisfied with Sangyu.”
At that moment, Marquis Moyu’s gaze was very harsh and stern as if he was going to see through her. But, it only lasted for a moment before Ning Yuxuan returned to his normal, cold expression. He deeply looked at her as he said, “I’m surprise that you’re willing to return this to me.”
“The marquis didn’t really want to give this item, so it’s pointless for this servant to hold on to it.” Ji Man slightly saluted, then she turned around and left.
Ji Man felt his gaze watching her for a long time as she walked away. She knew the marquis was thinking that she must have lost her mind to prefer being a concubine instead of a secondary wife.
However, Ji Man knew that the faster you climbed up, the more it would hurt when you fell. Right now, there was Mu Shuiqing to be the target and she had no intention of joining in that mess.
—
Wen Wan had a cold war with the marquis for two days before he gave in and said that Mu Shuiqing’s child would be given to her to raise. Moreover, he showed no intention of promoting Mu Shuiqing’s status.
Mu Shuiqing felt wronged and ran to old madame’s side to cry. Old madame didn’t show much reaction to her tears. Instead, she lectured her by saying that the child hadn’t been born yet. She shouldn’t be causing so much trouble.
Mu Shuiqing couldn’t endure this cold reception. Her current treatment was worse than before she had become pregnant. She immediately returned to her room, locked herself up, and went on a hunger strike.
“Take everything away!” With a wave of her sleeves, the tea went splashing in all directions. With red-rimmed eyes, Mu Shuiqing sat in her room and waved her hand in loathing towards the table full of food.
Banxia didn’t dare to try to persuade her. She could only wipe her tears and tidy up the mess. After she finished, she saw a person at the doorway.
Ji Man unselfconsciously walked into the room, sat down at the table, and started eating Mu Shuiqing’s food.
In order to nurture her pregnant body, the kitchen servants had prepared pretty good food for her. There were meat dishes, vegetable dishes, and also chicken soup.
“Why did you come here?!” Mu Shuiqing sharply shouted.
Ji Man turned her head to glance at her and quietly said, “The food was going to be wasted since Master Qing wasn’t eating it.”
Mu Shuiqing was so angry that she almost couldn’t breath. “Even if I’m not eating it, you still can’t eat it either. Why did you come to my courtyard?!”
Ji Man picked up a chicken leg and turned around to glance at Muxu. Muxu understood and pulled Banxia out of the room with her and closed the doors.
“Do you no longer want your baby?” Ji Man asked.
Mu Shuiqing furrowed her brow. At the mention of this topic, her anger leaked out and she said dejectedly, “You’re right. No one cares about my unborn baby. Everyone wants me to die. Even if I want this baby, what’s the use?”
Ji Man harrumphed, “Who told you to be born as a hostess?”
“You!” She never liked to hear people mention this and immediately picked up a pillow and threw it at Nie Sangyu.
Song Dynasty’s pillows were all very sturdy and Ji Man didn’t have eyes behind her back. She ended up getting a large bump because she wasn’t paying attention.
Mu Shuiqing was startled. She hadn’t expected that she would lose control. Her arrogance immediately dissipated and she somewhat blankly looked at Nie Sangyu.
“Do you feel better now?” Ji Man didn’t get annoyed. She only rubbed the bump on the back of her head. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she checked the bump. “If you act like this, how can you hope that the marquis will defend you? If you act as fierce as a tigress like me, he’s going to hide as soon as he sees you.”
Mu Shuiqing didn’t say anything. She was probably afraid that Nie Sangyu would go and file a complaint against her, so she became well behaved.
“If you’re calmed down, then listen to me for a bit.” Ji Man cast a sidelong glance at her and said, “Your entire lifetime’s worth of hope lies in your unborn baby. If you act rashly because you’re feeling injustice, the only person that will suffer a loss is you. So what if Madam raises the child, it’ll still be your blood and flesh and will show filial piety towards you in the future. If you have a child, it’ll be better than if you have no one to rely on for the rest of your life, right?”
Why did these words sound as if she was saying them for her benefit? Mu Shuiqing outwardly froze from surprise, but her heart had calmed down. Even thought no one cared about her future child, losing her child would only benefit her enemies. Why had she been so foolish?
“But, I’m scared that I won’t be able to keep it.” Mu Shuiqing lowered her head and placed her hands on her abdomen. “I don’t have anyone to rely on. It’s only Honored Concubine Ling that will occasionally help me. But, right now Madam hates me to death, so she definitely won’t help me again.”
At a time when Wen Wan was desperately hoping to become pregnant, she had gotten pregnant first. If Wen Wan didn’t dislike her, who else would she dislike? Ji Man sighed and said, “ You don’t know. The female lead… Madam is a tolerant and kind-hearted person. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to become the marquis’s wife. Although she’s angry, she won’t harm you. You only need to guard against other people.
Mu Shuiqing looked at her blankly for a while as she thought Nie Sangyu’s words over. Nie Sangyu’s words were right. Madam had a soft temperament. How could she harm someone? She might as well be worrying about Honored Concubine Xue.
But… She guardedly raised her eyes to look at the person in front of her. Mu Shuiqing asked, “What’s your motive in telling me this?”
Translator Ramblings: I have no idea if Ji Man is plotting. Does it benefit her in any way to say these words to Mu Shuiqing? Whether or not the child is born, it wouldn’t change the marquis’s household. Or, is she simply saying these words out of the kindness of her heart without any hidden motive? But, anyways, I really like that they can have this conversation and Mu Shuiqing doesn’t stay as a character that only exists to hate Nie Sangyu.