The Hostage Girl - Chapter 76
Chapter 76
While feeling that she was too narrow-minded, Feng Liwu also felt a pang of heartache for her.
She was a hostage in Luo’an, disguised as a man, with a weak and powerless elder brother.
The only person she could truly rely on was herself.
Thus, although she usually flattered him excessively, Feng Liwu found it quite endearing, believing that every word she spoke came from her heart.
He was her sole support, so how could she not try her best to please him?
But now, he discovered that in private, she wasn’t as worldly and slick as she usually appeared.
She had cried so bitterly that Feng Liwu regretted not coming to accompany her tonight.
Thinking this, he reached out to wipe the tears from the corner of her eye and said, “You’re crying even while soaking in warm water. Aren’t you afraid of getting dizzy and fainting in the pool?”
Jiang Xiurun was truly surprised by his arrival and stammered, “Your… Your Highness, shouldn’t you be with Concubine Cao?”
Feng Liwu grabbed a long towel from nearby, wrapped her up, and carried her to the soft couch in the inner room.
“Still angry? I only sat there for a short while. Didn’t I rush over to you right after?”
…
Jiang Xiurun felt at a loss for words and could only widen her eyes, cautiously saying, “Since you were already there, why didn’t you stay the night? Leaving like this must have hurt Concubine Cao’s feelings.”
Feng Liwu caressed her face and said, “After just sitting there for a short while, your eyes were already red from crying. If I had stayed the night, wouldn’t you have cried your eyes out? With such a petty heart, what will you do in the future?”
Only now did Jiang Xiurun vaguely understand what was going on.
So His Highness had misunderstood her as being jealous! Where did this accusation come from?
She immediately defended herself, “Concubine Cao is the concubine you married. I’m just a stand-in for my sister… Your Highness shouldn’t worry about my feelings. Naturally, Concubine Cao and Concubine Tian should come first…”
Feng Liwu lowered his eyelids, feeling that she was being insincere, and drawled, “Just because you’re a stand-in, you push me away? Who do you think you’re doing justice to?”
She had been enjoying a nice bath and a good meal, only to be dragged out.
How could Jiang Xiurun not feel frustrated?
Irritated by Feng Liwu’s questioning, she couldn’t hold back anymore and slightly turned her face away, saying, “I’m sorry to everyone. The crime of secretly sleeping with my sister’s husband should be punishable by drowning…”
At the thought of drowning, she couldn’t help but shiver slightly…
Feng Liwu, who was holding her, felt it too and was both annoyed and amused.
“Where do you get all these twisted ideas? You scare yourself by saying such things. If you dare call me your sister’s husband again, be careful I don’t deal with you first…”
He didn’t want to waste any more words and simply silenced her infuriating mouth, savoring the taste he had been longing for over the past three days.
Jiang Xiurun, however, didn’t want to continue. Taking advantage of the moment when his lips and tongue were too occupied to be fully satisfied, she quickly said, “I really can’t today. My period isn’t over yet, and the cloth strips are still drying outside!”
Feng Liwu, impatient and feeling the heat of desire that wouldn’t easily subside, said, “I don’t care. Today, you’ll have to figure out a way to satisfy me.”
With that, he leaned down again, entangling his lips and tongue with hers…
The next day, the Crown Prince left early to return to the government office.
It was the beginning of the month, and although there was no official consort in the residence waiting for them to pay their respects, there was an unwritten rule that the concubines should gather for a meal together.
Concubine Yao usually avoided social interactions as much as possible, but this one couldn’t be skipped. So she combed her hair, put on her hairpins, changed into a moon-white long dress, and hurried to the front hall to have breakfast with the others.
Concubine Tian had arrived early and unceremoniously took the main seat at the round table.
The other ladies from Han had also arrived, but since they didn’t hold the status of concubines, they couldn’t sit at the round table and instead sat at a smaller table nearby.
Seeing Jiang Xiurun enter, Concubine Tian couldn’t help but say in a shrill voice, “Sister Yao, you’re up so early? I thought you had served His Highness all night and wouldn’t be able to make it.”
As she spoke, Concubine Cao also arrived.
She hadn’t slept all night, and her eyes were swollen from crying.
Although she had used cold compresses before coming, the traces of her tears were still visible.
Hearing Concubine Tian’s insinuations, Concubine Cao’s old and new grudges all fell on Jiang Xiurun.
She coldly said behind her, “The courtyard is full of menstrual cloth strips, yet you still forced His Highness to stay. You have no shame. Aren’t you afraid of dirtying His Highness and defiling his sacred body?”
Although the three concubines had always been at odds, their conflicts had never been as blatant and unbridled as today.
If it were the Jiang Xiurun from her past life, a quiet and shy young girl, being scolded like this in front of so many women, she would have been so humiliated that she would have burst into tears.
But the Concubine Yao standing here now was someone who had experienced the fall of her country and the fickleness of human relationships. Hearing Concubine Cao’s somewhat hysterical accusations, she actually managed to smile.
“Concubine Cao, your words are truly too filthy to listen to. Logically, your body should be clean, and His Highness did visit you. So why couldn’t you keep him there? Instead, he came to my courtyard in a huff?”
She had initially felt some sympathy for Concubine Cao.
Life was hard for women in the inner courtyards, all dependent on a man’s favor to survive.
Although Concubine Cao was usually domineering, like herself, she was also a lonely hostage sent to the capital. Yesterday, when His Highness left Concubine Cao empty-handed and came to her instead, Jiang Xiurun had initially felt guilty, as if she had been forced to steal someone else’s share.
But now, being scolded so harshly by Concubine Cao, that guilt had completely dissipated.
Concubine Cao hadn’t expected Concubine Yao to counterattack so sharply and was so angry that her eyes widened.
She pointed a trembling finger at her and said, “You… how dare you…”
Jiang Xiurun gracefully sat down, imitating her sister Princess Yao’s arrogant and domineering manner, and said, “His Highness just came to my place for a sit, had some tea, and stayed the night. Concubine Cao, please don’t worry that His Highness doesn’t know what’s dirty or clean!”
Although Concubine Cao had entered the residence as a concubine, she had always considered herself the mistress of the Crown Prince’s household, thanks to the private assurances of Empress Wei.
But now, with three concubines in the residence, she was the only one who hadn’t been favored by the Crown Prince. Concubine Tian had unceremoniously taken the main seat, and this little vixen Concubine Yao was also being so impudent. This was far from the situation she had imagined when she thought she would become the Crown Prince’s Consort.
For a moment, the sorrow from yesterday overwhelmed her, and she couldn’t help but raise her hand to slap Jiang Xiurun.
At that moment, Lady Jing, who was standing nearby, moved swiftly and stepped in front of Concubine Yao, taking the slap herself.
Lady Jing, who was as slender and sweet-looking as Concubine Tian, had tears in her large eyes as she said, “Concubine Yao is weak and has just recovered from a serious illness. Please calm your anger, Concubine Cao. If you have any grievances, take them out on me.”
The sight of such a delicate young girl prostrating herself on the ground was truly pitiful.
Although Jiang Xiurun had known that Lady Jing wanted to ally with her, she hadn’t expected her to be so devoted. In her shock, she couldn’t help but feel deep admiration.
But this farce needed to end.
Jiang Xiurun would rather engage in a battle of wits with Concubine Tian than deal with Concubine Cao’s irrational behavior.
She helped Lady Jing up and coldly said to Concubine Cao, “We are both concubines in this residence, and we are on equal footing. If you think you can take charge of the Crown Prince’s inner courtyards, then please obtain His Highness’s permission before slapping me. Otherwise, please restrain yourself, lest people mistake you for the Crown Prince’s consort!”
Concubine Cao was so angry that she couldn’t speak.
She felt that all the women in the hall were laughing at her, thinking she was bullying others.
With a stomp of her foot, she left without eating breakfast, crying as she went.
Concubine Tian had always disliked Concubine Yao.
But she had initially thought that Young Master Jiang was the arrogant one.
She hadn’t expected his sister to be just as brazen.
Fortunately, they were hostages from a weak country.
If they were from a powerful state, with this kind of attitude, wouldn’t they be flying high?
Having successfully stirred up conflict between Concubine Cao and Concubine Yao, Concubine Tian felt she could reap the benefits without lifting a finger.
She restrained her tongue and instead chatted amiably with Concubine Yao about unrelated topics like fabrics and jewelry.
After the meal, Concubine Yao’s duties were done.
Jiang Xiurun took the opportunity to change back into men’s clothing.
Just as she was about to leave, she saw Lady Jing’s maid coming out of the side courtyard with a look of grievance.
Upon asking, she learned that lady Jing’s face was badly swollen. She had used up all the medicinal oil she brought from Han and had gone to the residence’s physician to ask for more.
However, the physician had been informed by Concubine Cao’s people that this little lady had no sense of propriety.
Since Concubine Tian didn’t care, Concubine Cao couldn’t let it slide. From now on, this lady’s meals would be halved, and she wouldn’t be given any medicine on demand.
The maid had come out empty-handed, hence her grievance.
Feeling indebted to Lady Jing, Jiang Xiurun couldn’t stand by and do nothing. She gave the maid the medicinal oil and jade bracelet that Lady Jing had previously given her, telling her to take them back. She also assured the maid that if Lady Jing was short of anything in the future, she shouldn’t suffer in silence. Jiang Xiurun would find a way to have the kitchen make up for it.
However, as the two were talking, someone quietly left from outside the wall of the young master’s side courtyard…
Not long after, Concubine Cao heard from her maid about Young Master Jiang sending medicinal oil to Lady Jing.
She was overjoyed and said hatefully, “No wonder she was so eager to step forward today. That little vixen must have already had an affair with Young Master Jiang. If the Crown Prince finds out about this illicit relationship…”
Once the Crown Prince was furious, wouldn’t Concubine Yao also be implicated? Thinking this, Lady Cao’s eyes lit up with delight.
At this moment, her personal maid, Yingxue, who was combing her hair, softly reminded her, “Mistress, remember Empress’s advice. In the inner courtyards, you shouldn’t always take the lead. Now that you’ve just clashed with concubine Yao, going after Young Master Jiang’s faults would seem too targeted. Why not leak this information to concubine Tian and see how she handles it?”
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Delulu Feng Liwu!!! I can’t wait to read Feng Liwu reaction to Jiang Yuirens philandering ways. ðŸ¤ðŸ˜‚😆🤣🤣🤣🤣