Dressed As a Consort in Ancient Times - Chapter 23

“However, there’s one thing you need to understand… Jia Ning, she…”

Before Yuan Guifei could finish her sentence, Jiang Libai interrupted, “Mother, I just remembered there’s something urgent at the mansion that I need to handle. Today… I can’t stay with you any longer…”

Hearing this, Yuan Guifei realized that Jiang Libai wasn’t ready to share the news of her pregnancy with Gu Yun. But it had already been almost two months; if she delayed any further, it might be impossible to hide it any longer.

Noticing the faint plea in Jiang Libai’s eyes, Yuan Guifei couldn’t bear to press further and let her be.

“If there’s something you must attend to, then you may leave,” she said, glancing at Gu Yun, who seemed oblivious, and then gave Jiang Libai a subtle reminder: “But remember to weigh the importance of things carefully.”

“Yes, Mother, I understand.” Jiang Libai closed her eyes briefly and agreed.

As Gu Yun followed Jiang Libai out of Changchun Palace, she quickened her steps to catch up with her.

Ever since she first saw the Seventh Princess earlier, she felt something strange about her attitude—almost as if she was avoiding her. Moreover… the Seventh Princess hadn’t once looked her in the eye.

It seemed this had started after they returned from the banquet. She no longer lashed out angrily at her as before, nor did she look at her with a haughty princess demeanor.

What had changed?

As Gu Yun drew closer, the faint scent of agarwood in the air made Jiang Libai uneasy. Her heart raced, and her face felt warm. Quickly, she sidestepped and distanced herself, speaking for the first time since they met that day: “Stay away from me.”

Gu Yun paused in her step. “Princess, I’m already two steps away from you.” The distance between them wasn’t exactly close.

Her youthful voice was clear and crisp, like a mountain stream trickling over stones, soothing yet striking.

Jiang Libai’s breath quickened involuntarily. She felt that if she kept talking to Gu Yun, or even continued seeing him, she would lose herself more and more.

“That’s still too close. Just stay farther away from me.” She shifted uncomfortably, and an inexplicable bitterness welled up in her heart. Not wanting to lose face in front of Gu Yun, she added, feigning nonchalance, “When you return, treat her well. Don’t let her feel wronged.”

As soon as she said this, she realized it was unnecessary. Gu Yun had already expressed her satisfaction with Concubine Yan in Changchun Palace earlier. How could he possibly mistreat her?

Gu Yun, however, looked confused. “Her?”

Jiang Libai didn’t want to discuss Concubine Yan further and brushed it off vaguely. “I must have misspoken. You’ll naturally treat her well.”

By the time her words fell, they had already reached the palace gates.

Suppressing the bitterness in her heart, Jiang Libai maintained her composure as she boarded her carriage.

Gu Yun watched as the princess’s carriage disappeared into the distance, still puzzled. She hadn’t yet figured out who the “her” Jiang Libai mentioned was.

Inside the carriage, Jiang Libai was lost in thought.

From the way the princess spoke, it seemed that the person in question was someone close to her. Could they be in the Jinping Wang residence? With that in mind, Gu Yun summoned steward Liu upon her return.

“Did the princess recently send someone here?”

Steward Liu perked up, assuming Gu Yun was inquiring about seeing Concubine Yan, and enthusiastically responded, “Yes, yes, would you like to see her now?”

Gu Yun nodded, thinking the answer to her questions might lie with this person.

However, even by evening, after finishing dinner, Gu Yun still hadn’t seen the person steward Liu promised to bring.

Walking back to the main courtyard, she asked Muzhou, “What’s keeping steward Liu?”

Muzhou, who only served Gu Yun and never meddled in household affairs, shook his head. “I wouldn’t know.”

“Then go fetch him,” Gu Yun instructed.

After dispatching Muzhou, she returned to the main courtyard before nightfall.

The unusually empty courtyard made her frown. Even at dinner time, there were usually servants cleaning or tending to the grounds. Why was it so quiet today?

Opening the door to her room, Gu Yun stepped inside, but an unfamiliar presence stopped her in her tracks.

Someone else was in her room?

On alert, she treaded lightly, advancing carefully. Extending her senses, she detected the intruder on her bed.

Moving silently to the bed, she swiftly lifted the bed curtains, ready to strike—only to halt her hand when she saw the frail woman lying there.

The woman was unfamiliar, someone she had never seen before.

“Who are you?”

Yan Qiao’er, seeing the rumored Seventh Prince Consort at last, adopted a delicate, timid demeanor. Slowly, she extended her pale arms from under the covers, attempting to reach for Gu Yun.

“My lord, why did you take so long to come~?”

Her coquettish tone made Gu Yun frown deeply. She swatted away the woman’s hand and asked coldly, “Who allowed you into my room?”

Sensing his disdain, Yan Qiao’er’s desire to conquer flared. She slowly removed the covers, revealing her barely clad figure in a sheer robe.

“My lord, didn’t you summon me? I’ve been waiting for so long~”

The moment Yan Qiao’er unveiled herself, Gu Yun averted her gaze. 

If she still didn’t understand this woman’s intentions, she might as well have lived in vain.

As Yan Qiao’er moved closer, Gu Yun sidestepped swiftly, avoiding her touch. Hearing her startled yelp as she stumbled, Gu Yun clenched her fists and left the room without looking back.

Outside, she met steward Liu. Without needing to ask, she knew this was his doing. 

Her face darkened. “Immediately throw that woman out. Send her back to wherever she came from!”

Without waiting for a response, Gu Yun headed to the side chamber and instructed Muzhou, “Prepare plenty of hot water.” Even though the woman hadn’t touched her, she still felt uncomfortable.

Steward Liu, left stunned and confused in the courtyard, muttered to himself, “Didn’t Concubine Yan please the Prince Consort? But… she seemed so repulsed. How could that be?”

At the same time, Jiang Libai was about to bathe when Chunxi reported that Gu Yun had rejected Concubine Yan and sent her back to the Yan residence.

Hearing this, Jiang Libai grew furious.

Concubine Yan had been sent to her days ago, and Gu Yun himself had praised her service. Why was he now making a scene and returning her? Was this not a direct slap to her face?

After much thought, Jiang Libai, her emotions in turmoil, ordered a carriage to Jinping Prince’s residence.

By dusk, Jiang Libai stepped into Jinping Prince’’s residence with a grim expression.  

Walking along familiar paths, she encountered few servants. Outside the main courtyard, her conflicting emotions intensified. She wasn’t sure if she came to defend Concubine Yan or for another reason entirely. 

Shaking her head to dispel her thoughts, she entered the courtyard, only to find it empty. Hearing faint noises from the side chamber, she bit her lip and headed in that direction.

—

Gu Yun had been scrubbing herself thoroughly. Only after ensuring that no trace of the woman’s scent lingered did she step out of the bath. As she reached for her undergarments, the door burst open with a loud bang.

Startled, she instinctively clutched her clothes to cover herself.

Looking up sharply, she saw none other than the Seventh Princess storming in.