Chapter 68: Qin Keqing's Natural Allure (Seeking Initial Subscriptions, Starting to Plunder the Jia Household)

As Chu Yan rode out of the city, the entire household of the Ningguo Mansion was just preparing to settle down for the evening meal.

The maidservants Baozhu and Ruizhu entered with the dinner trays, their faces puffed up with displeasure. Seeing their mistress leaning against the daybed with a book in hand, they felt even more indignant.

Baozhu complained, "My lady, why do you not contend for your authority a little? In this entire mansion, who still regards you as the mistress in charge? Everyone treats your words as if they were wind passing by the ear!"

Their mistress went by the given name of Qin Keqing. She was the adopted daughter of Qin Ye, the official of the Department of Public Works, and had married into the Ningguo Mansion as the wife of Jia Rong, widely known as the young mistress Rong.

Originally, this young mistress served her parents-in-law, assisted her mother-in-law Lady You in managing the household affairs of the Ningguo Mansion, won the absolute obedience of all the maidservants and older matrons, and gained the deep affection of all the elder relatives. Even the matriarch of the Western Mansion had praised her as "the most remarkable and gratifying among all the great-grandsons' wives"!

Who could have foreseen that the political winds would shift so drastically? Prince Qian had entered the city, dispatching troops to blockade both the Ningguo and Rongguo mansions, while Lady You happened to be trapped in the Western Mansion and unable to return.

That in itself might have been manageable, provided the young mistress could maintain order within the household, especially with Master Zhen and young Master Rong present to prevent any chaos.

Yet, beyond all expectations, Prince Qian issued a decree commanding the young mistress to take full charge of the Ningguo Mansion, demanding that everyone within its walls obey her commands, while simultaneously slashing the provisions, clothing, and daily expenses of the masters, including Master Zhen and young Master Rong.

Herein lay the crux of the trouble!

Master Zhen and his peers were accustomed to a life of utter luxury and opulence; how could they ever consent to eat the plain fare intended for domestic servants?

Compounding the problem was Qin Keqing’s youth and her status as Master Zhen’s daughter-in-law. Master Zhen regarded her orders with even greater contempt, insisting that his meals continue as before—prepared with the finest rice, accompanied by the choicest vegetables and fruits, washed down with superior wine, and attended by concubines for his amusement.

With the superiors setting such an example, the majority of the maids and matrons continued to feast on lavish dishes of meat and fish, paying no heed whatsoever to the managing mistress Qin Keqing. Their only restraint was a lingering dread of Prince Qian, which prevented them from openly defying his decrees.

Thus, everything in the Ningguo Mansion remained unchanged.

When Qin Keqing gently and repeatedly remonstrated with them, Jia Zhen flew into a rage. Flaunting his seniority as her father-in-law, he berated her for meddling and secretly instructed everyone in the household to ignore her directives.

Jia Rong, even more terrified of crossing his father, kept silent and carried on with his eating and drinking just as before.

"My lady, won't you say something?"

Ruizhu finished arranging the dishes and turned back to look at her, only to see tears welling in Qin Keqing’s eyes. Reclining on the daybed, her slender and graceful figure possessed the ethereal beauty of Xi Shi and the mesmerizing charm of Diaochan—she was truly an peerless beauty.

Both maidservants panicked and hurried forward to plead for mercy, "My lady, it was entirely our fault for speaking out of turn; please punish us!"

"This has nothing to do with you."

Tears rolled continuously down Qin Keqing’s exquisitely alluring face. She wept, "Our household is on the verge of ruin. I simply cannot bear the thought of everyone in this mansion dying or being scattered to the four winds, never to meet again across the vast corners of the earth."

Ruizhu protested, "My lady, you are far too kindhearted!"

Qin Keqing sighed, "Master Zhen cares only for the present moment and ignores the future. He knows only how to seek pleasure and fails to perceive the deep intentions harbored by Prince Qian."

"What deep intentions?!"

Baozhu quickly inquired. They, too, were curious as to why their mistress was gripped by such terror. Logically speaking, Prince Qian might not even send anyone to investigate, and partaking in a little food on the sly should have been harmless.

"All the female members of the Jia family are to be consigned to the Inner Court!"

Qin Keqing sat up straight, gazing into the distant direction of the imperial palace. "When Leng Zixing described the beauty of the maidens of this household to him, he surely did not fail to mention the looks and figures of myself, my aunt, and my aunt Zhudafu."

"Ah!"

Both Ruizhu and Baozhu turned pale with shock!

They had always assumed that Prince Qian would only summon young maidens into the palace. To think their young mistress was saying that even married women would be taken into the palace?

How had the young mistress ever deduced such a thing?

"Since Prince Qian keeps the Jia family in mind, how could he possibly tolerate the reckless defiance of people from both mansions?"

Qin Keqing voiced the anxiety churning within her heart, then continued, "Initially, it was merely a suspicion, but ever since Prince Qian designated Miss Bao, Miss Lin, and myself to respectively manage the households, this matter has become all but certain..."

Baochai and Daiyu were the two most outstanding maidens in the Rongguo Mansion, while she was renowned as the most dazzling beauty in the Ningguo Mansion—one whom none of the maids or concubines could rival.

She looked at the two maidservants and said slowly, "I am about to be summoned into the palace by Prince Qian. Last night, I had a dream wherein someone spoke directly to me, instructing me to enter the palace."

Ruizhu and Baozhu stood utterly dumbfounded.

After a long pause, Ruizhu finally managed to speak: "Summoned into the palace... does that not mean my lady is to become an imperial concubine?!"

A blush bloomed across Qin Keqing’s alluring face as she lowered her head in silence.

Gradually, Baozhu felt a stirring of pleasant surprise and lowered her voice to ask, "Will my lady become a noble imperial consort as well?!"

"Hush, talk nonsense no more!"

Qin Keqing raised a finger to tap her forehead, half-scolding her with a playful reproach.

That simple gesture of tapping her maid’s forehead possessed a grace and tenderness so consummate that any man witnessing it would have been transfixed, marveling at how the world could contain a beauty whose allure penetrated so deeply into the bones.

Such enchanting grace was entirely natural to her.

"Heehee." Both maids giggled. They were themselves charming and vivacious, and as they laughed, they complemented their mistress Qin Keqing like twin gems reflecting each other's radiance.

Yet Qin Keqing was once again consumed by anxiety. "If I am summoned into the palace, I certainly dare not defy the imperial decree, fearing that disobedience might bring disaster upon my family... And yet, even before I can enter the palace, Master Zhen and the others have violated Prince Qian's command. When Prince Qian discovers this hereafter, how can my family ever appease the wrath of the sovereign? I fear that even if I should win favor within the palace, it will be of no avail."

Within her heart, she had already accepted her imminent entry into the palace.

Yet, before leaving, she still wished to shield the Jia family one last time by offering a few words of loyal counsel.

Alas, no one would listen to her.

Baozhu sneered, "Let them live or die as they please!"

Ruizhu echoed, "Well said! My lady should simply enter the palace, and we shall follow you there to continue serving you, paying no heed whatsoever to the fate of any master, great or small!"

Instead of fear, they felt a sense of liberation.

They were well aware of Jia Zhen’s illicit designs on Qin Keqing. Whenever her mistress rebuffed his advances, she would return to her quarters to weep upon her bed, consumed by dread and sorrow.

Now that there was a chance to sever ties with the Ningguo Mansion, they welcomed it with open arms!

"Mortals are not creatures of wood and stone; how can they be devoid of feeling?"

Qin Keqing let out a long sigh.

After pondering for a moment, Baozhu smiled and suggested, "My lady is merely worrying to excess. In my view, it would be better to invite Prince Qian’s soldiers inside to give them a thorough thrashing so they might finally understand the gravity of the situation!"

After careful reflection, Qin Keqing shook her head, unwilling to summon down celestial wrath upon them.

She had a premonition that if Prince Qian's troops entered the Ningguo Mansion, it would be with the terrifying majesty of a thunderbolt, shattering the entire estate to pieces.

If mortals were unfeeling, how would they differ from grass and trees?

After finishing the evening meal, Qin Keqing was just preparing to rest when an older matron came to summon her: "Young mistress, Master Zhen is calling for you."

"Calling me where?"

Qin Keqing sat up, an expression of unease flickering across her alluring face.

"To the Pavilion of Pleasurable Fragrance."

Those four words struck Qin Keqing like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, piercing straight to her core and chilling her to the bone.

The Pavilion of Pleasurable Fragrance was the place where Jia Zhen drank and sought amusement. Summoning her there now could portend nothing good.

Sensing something amiss, Ruizhu hurried to tell the matron, "Go back and tell Master Zhen that my lady is currently bathing and will come over shortly!"

The matron accordingly withdrew.

Baozhu anxiously urged, "My lady, we can wait no longer! Master Zhen has harbored his wicked intentions once more and wants you to keep him company...!"

Qin Keqing’s delicate frame trembled violently, her complexion ashen. After a long moment, she whispered instructions to her maid: "Go to the second gate and tell Jia Da... no, do not seek him out. Find Sister Song instead and ask her to go and inform..."

"I understand, my lady, rest assured. I have a way to get the message out!"

Before she could finish, Baozhu rushed out in a flurry of panic.

Qin Keqing waited in terror for a quarter of an hour before she heard a commotion outside. Glancing out, she saw Baozhu leading a detachment of armored soldiers belonging to Prince Qian directly to her bedchamber door.

Countless maidservants and matrons of the Ningguo Mansion hid in the shadows, watching the scene with fearful eyes.

"We request the Lady Qin to temporarily step outside the mansion!" the soldiers requested with formal courtesy.

They addressed her as Lady Qin, not as young mistress Rong.

Qin Keqing’s face turned deathly pale—not out of fear for herself, but because she had guessed what they were about to do.

They intended to take her away first to ensure her protection, and then purge the entire household of the Ningguo Mansion...

At the Pavilion of Pleasurable Fragrance.

Having received the report, Jia Zhen anxiously peered down from the upper story just in time to see Prince Qian’s soldiers entering the Ningguo Mansion.

After an agitated and restless wait, he saw them emerging once more, escorting a slender, graceful woman shielded in their midst.

It was none other than Qin Keqing!

"Why is she going out?!"

Jia Zhen barked out the question, but those around him could provide no answers. When he sent men to inquire, no one could explain why young mistress Rong was being escorted out of the mansion.

After the departure of Prince Qian’s soldiers, the cloak of night descended upon the Ningguo Mansion. As if sensing that a major catastrophe was imminent, every maidservant and matron retreated into her room, leaving the vast expanse of the Ningguo Mansion deathly and terrifyingly quiet.