Chapter 53: Entering the Estate
When the steward finished what he had to say, he saw Chen Rong’s and Nurse Ping’s expressions both changing. “What is it?” he scowled and snapped.
Neither spoke. Nurse Ping looked worriedly at Chen Rong.
The colors on Chen Rong’s face alternated between blue and white. Up until now, many things had developed no differently from the past and had all been within her grasp.
But what was happening right in front of her was clearly deviating from the previous track.
She quelled her fl.u.s.tered heartbeat to inquire softly: “May I ask what’s so important?”
“How should I know?” The steward’s tone was a little impatient. He urged, “Miss, you should hurry. Don’t let the prince’s people wait for a long time.”
“After you,” he gestured toward the parking square.
Chen Rong did not move. She curtsied to the steward and said to him, “Please wait. It’s a bit of a surprise. I’ll need to prepare a few things.”
“That’s not necessary.”
The steward glowered, his voice hardening: “People from the prince’s estate said they have prepared everything for you, miss.”
He again requested: “Let’s go!”
Chen Rong bowed her head in thought and then whispered to Nurse Ping who stood beside her: “Stay here for now, let General Sun know about this and everything leading up to it.”
“Aye, miss.”
Chen Rong nodded then walked to the square.
There, people from the prince’s estate were growing tired of waiting. When one of the maidservants saw Chen Rong, she set her face and impatiently fussed: “You really know how to make others wait, young miss.”
Chen Rong kept her head bowed without refuting her, quietly climbing into the carriage.
And then the vehicle began to pull out from the side door.
Inside, Chen Rong was flanked by a maid on each side. They were staring at her at this time, looking her up and down with eyes that were both frank and rude.
Chen Rong remained to look docile.
Under her wide sleeves, her hands wrung together as she tried to think. Eventually, she could only decide to take one step at a time.
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The prince’s estate was located on the south side of the city, encompa.s.sing an immense expanse which housed rows of houses; it was quite breathtaking.
After the carriage pa.s.sed the main entrance, it entered a side door from the roadway.
Past the doorway was a small garden where maids shuttled to and fro, all wearing brocades and silks, jades and sachets. They appeared to be even more extravagant compared to her – a n.o.ble lady.
Chen Rong noticed that there was no guard in the entire garden.
Seeing her looking around attentively ever since they entered the estate, a maid couldn’t help from laughing: “You haven’t seen such an opulent place, have you miss?”
Chen Rong didn’t answer her.
At this time, the older maidservant to her right gave a sigh: “People keep telling me you’re unmannered, now I see that’s the case…” Her sigh was drawn long and thick.
Chen Rong turned around to glance at her, slightly bowing her head to show grat.i.tude.
Even so, her acknowledgment carried a slight haughtiness so unlike other young ladies who hailed from subsidiary branches that the young maid promptly scoffed in disdain.
After the carriage crossed the small garden and into a forested path, it then turned into a lakeside corridor. Coming into Chen Rong’s sight was now a square.
The two maids kept quiet. They supported Chen Rong down from the carriage on either side and led her heading south. Within a few dozen steps, a courtyard appeared to them.
Chen Rong had yet to arrive when she heard a wave of women’s frolicking laughter.
She paused and slowly asked, “Didn’t you say His Highness needed me for something important? Why have you brought me to the women’s quarters?”
This translation belongs to hamster428.wordpress.com
The two maids laughed.
The younger one covered her mouth and replied, “His Highness said that there’s an important matter, but this important matter may come tomorrow, or it may come the day after tomorrow. In other words, you’ll have to wait for His Highness’s schedule to clear before he can call for you. You don’t suppose that an insignificant damsel like you can make His Highness drop everything to greet you?”
Chen Rong turned her head.
Her eyes were now glaring sharply at the two women. How could they’ve seen such murderous intent before? Instantly alarmed, they faltered backward.
“Is that so?”
Chen Rong smirked. She flapped her long sleeves and turned to go: “It seems your master has forgotten that sincerity is the key to getting along with other people. He says there is something important he needs me for, but he calls me here and then ignores me. Is this what you call hospitality? Disregarding me is bad enough, he even has me brought to his inner quarters. I really don’t have the audacity to accept this kind of humiliation.”
When she finished, she removed a golden hairpin from her head, flipped her right hand and pointed the sharp object at her throat.
Her action was very smooth, both swift and decisive!
The two maids were surprised at first and next wanted to laugh. But when they saw Chen Rong’s deadly eyes, they could not bring themselves to laugh. They suddenly realized that this young girl was capable of doing anything.
They froze.
Chen Rong pointed the golden hairpin to her throat, stared at them unblinkingly, and did not speak.
Silence ensued.
At this time, a slightly shrill voice came from the arched doorway behind Chen Rong: “Haha, there’s no need to be like this.”
A thin man in his fifties outfitted in a scholar’s robe appeared at Chen Rong’s side.
Chen Rong knew this man. He was Advisor Xu who worked for the Prince of Nan’yang. In her previous lifetime, this old man was regularly eyeing her like a predator and did everything he could to get his hands on her.
As soon as he appeared, a pair of foul rat eyes latched onto Chen Rong’s bosom and hips. While his eyes were almost glued to her, his mouth moved to say: “Just as Chen Shu says, you have quite a personality. Hehe, Ah Rong, why are you so angry? They’re just joking with you. Aren’t you condescending yourself by losing your temper with the servants like this?”
He then clapped his hands, yelling: “Where’s the carriage? His Highness is still waiting to see Chen Rong.”