Not Your Typical Villianess

Chapter 121: Treason 2

The Crown Prince Mansion, the west courtyard

It was around 2 pm and as usual, Zhu Fenfang reclined on a long cushioned chair at the balcony facing the Fish bond and peach garden behind the West Pavilion. Life at the Crown Prince's mansion was peaceful. She was the only concubine in the residence and served under a calm madam like Xia Ying.

Life was easy for her, every day after paying her respects to Xia Ying in the morning, she was left to do whatever she liked. The Crown Princess consort was nothing like she had expected. She was calm and didn't nitpick on anything she did. She didn't mind that the Crown Prince spent more time with her.

Most women were irritated if their husbands spend more time with the concubine than with them but not Xia Ying. She didn't make things difficult for Zhu Fenfang and treated her nicely. Two days after the Crown Princess consort was married, she went to the east courtyard to serve tea.

It was normal tradition for the concubines of a household to serve tea to the new madam on the second day of marriage. The tea serving ceremony was the most dangerous ceremony of a concubine's life after marriage. It could make or mar you since it was one of the major determining factors that decided your future in the house.

It was the official first meeting between the Principal wife and the concubine. The concubine would first salute the principal wife before serving her a cup of tea. After tasting the cup of tea, the principal wife would give her a small gift. 

Zhu Fenfang had decided to tolerate whatever Xia Ying did during their first meeting. Since Xia Ying was the principal wife and had a very strong backing. She had expected Xia Yong to behave like most madams and scold her a little, but that never happened. Instead, Xia Ying received the cup of tea and handed her an embroidered pouch.

Zhu Fenfang went there expecting Xia Yong to offer her an opportunity to earn a little pity from the Crown prince, but Xia Ying didn't go down the usual route as expected. She went back to her courtyard unease, after days of getting no reaction out of Xia Ying, she gave up.

In her time in society, Zhu Fenfang understood that there were two types of madams. The first type of madams, are the vicious over bearing madams like her stepmother, second madam Zhu. The second type is the gentle and kind type, who did not cause trouble for concubines and was nave but while the first type was difficult to handle, they were the easiest to make use of.

The second was the hardest to handle because they were so nice and always borough out a man's protective instinct. The best example of that was Zhu Fengyin's mother, Princess Bai. She was so kind and soft-spoken that the minister fell madly in love with her and didn't put anyone else in his eyes. He focused solely on her, that he ignored her concubine mother.

The most dangerous thing for concubines was being unfavoured and because of Princess Bai, they were forced to live in the shadows and tolerate the second madam's harmful actions. She wore to never let that happen to her, which was why she held on to the crown Prince's favour with a tight grip.

She laid outside patiently waiting for the crown Prince to come back from court. She had her maid bribe a guard at the gates to inform her as soon as the crown Prince was home. She had the chair placed in a way that gave her a clear view of her room in case the crown Prince arrived.

She fell asleep during the wait, only waking up when her maid Xiao Chu tapped her shoulder gently.

She groaned and opened her eyes weakly, "is his highness back?"

Xiao Chu nodded, "Yes".

Zhu Fenfang sat up gently while using her palm to shield her eyes from the bright rays of the sun, "Xiao Chu, please get me a cup of water?"

"Mmm," Xiao Chu replied. She stood and rushed inside to get a cup of warm water.

Zhu Fenfang sat up and brought her legs down to the ground. She raised her hands and stretched a little when she caught the crown Prince's eyes as he walk out of her room with a small round tray holding a small pitcher and a cup of water.

Zhu Fenfang stood quickly and bowed, "Your Highness!"

Zhongshan Ling smiled, "there is no need to act all proper with me. We are too close for that". He wrapped his hands around her and led her back to her seat "I met Xiao Chu in your room, she was carrying a cup of water. I took it from her". He picked up the cup of warm water and handed it over to her, "Drink up".

She collects the cup of eater and mumbled "Thanks".

He smiled and watched her drink slowly, He observed that her face looked a little red she looked down at her nose shyly. The servants bowed to the crown Prince and quietly retreated, how can they as servants observe their masters interact. Even the madam's first rank maid had stepped back for the couple, their continuous presence was courting trouble.

He took the cup from her when she was done drinking and returned it to the tray on the small stool beside the chair. There were a few drops of water at the side of her lips, he used his thumb to wipe it away.

"You look a little warm, let us get back inside" he stood and stretched out his hands to her.

"Okay," she placed her and in his and stood. He hugged her close and they return inside together. The maids had all retreated and stood just outside, Zhongshan Ling walked then to the top seats in the living room. The two seats were on a raised platform at the center of the room, directly opposite the door and shared a slim stool between them. 

"Your highness just got back from court, Should I send for the maids to bring in your lunch?" She asked.

"No, there is no need for that. I ate at Wuyi restaurant with A'Zhu"

"A'Zhu? General Lu is back at the capital?"

"Yes my dear, he can back two days earlier. Sadly it is not permanent, he is back for official duty. He will go back as soon as that is handled" 

She smiled, "you must be glad to see him after all these weeks, You should meet up with him more often. Ningzhuo is such a far place to go, I heard that the weather dear isn't very good".

"A'Zhu is used to dealing with harsh conditions while on military campaigns, he looked okay"

"Thank the gods"

"He sent over a wedding gift for you from Princess Qin. I had Dong Yi hand it over to Xiao Chu. For his wife to give you a gift, she is tge type that remembers old sentiments. She is a good match for A'Zhu"

Zhu Fenfang was taken aback when she heard him mention that Su Liya sent down a wedding gift for her. Her relationship with Su Liya wasn't so good that she would send her a wedding gift. Zhu Fenfang just assumed that this was Su Liya's way of trying to get favour from her now that she was married to the Crown Prince. 

She just replied "Yes" and changed the topic immediately. She wasn't comfortable with a discussion about someone like Su Liya. Zhongshan Ling stayed for some time before leaving. 

She could barely sit still, she waited a few minutes after he left before calling her maid over. "Xiao Chu!"

Xiao Chu who stood just by the door replied "Yes" and ran in. 

"Get out the Princess's gift" Zhu Fenfang pointed to the small storeroom door at the side with her head while massaging her neck gently, 

Xiao Chu nodded and rushed to the side. She brought the key out of her bucket and unlocked the door. Zhu Fenfang watch the door silently until she saw her come over with a wide wooden box.

"Is her gift that big, how wonderful. I think that by now that bitch knows her place. Open the box".

Xiao Chu placed the box on the small table net to Zhu Fenfang. She turned the box to her mistress and unlocked the box. Zhu Fenfang gasped as she looked into the box, "that bitch! She pushed the box to the ground. 

Xiao Chu fell to her knees immediately I fear, she looked to the content which had all spilt out. Inside the box were three books and a small box. She glanced at her mistress and pulsed her lips while thinking, 'what is wrong with my mistress, while is she getting angry over a couple of books and a small box. Maybe it is because it wasn't what she had expected.

She walked to where the box fell and picked it up, the box was very sturdy because it was still firm. She picked one of the books and turned it around to see what had made her mistress angry. Written in bold were the words 

"Four Virtues of gentle born women for Dummies."

Xiao Chu had never seen a book like this must have been specially prepared by the Princess. The titles of the next book weren't any better.

"A discovery of a scheming wife"

The last book took the cake, unlike the other two this one was more explicit

"Once a concubine born daughter and now a concubine."

Xiao Chu glanced at her mistress and sighed. "I will keep it away immediately".

"I don't want that in my storeroom, burn it. Burn it all!!!!"

"Yes Madam", Xiao Chu heard a click as she picked up the small box. "There is something else in here Mistress". She left the bigger box on the ground and brought the smaller box to her mistress.

Zhu Fenfang glared at the box intently, as if the glare would somehow reach the owner of the box. She took the box from her maid and unlocked it. Inside was a gold Phoenix hairpin, it was good quality gold.

Xiao Chu's face darkened when she saw the hairpin, "what game is that low born maid playing mistress. His can she sends you such things, his disrespectful. Like she doesn't know that Imperial concubines can not wear Golden Phoenix hairpins, only the Principal wife of a prince is allowed to".

Zhu Fenfang shut the box and threw it aside, " Su Liya you bitch. Just wait, I will deal with you!"