"Sister, look, she really isn't any legitimate master." Talented Lady Jing whispered, while Zheng Nianru's figure was not far ahead, moving in a direction that was not towards any main palace, not even resembling a proper main palace.
Liang Qingyue also developed some speculations in her heart. It must have been some scheming minister trying to please His Majesty by sending such a person to the palace, covertly because her identity wasn't suitable to be made public. With such an appearance and status, combined with a lack of understanding of the rules, she likely wasn't the legitimate daughter of any serious minister, at most a concubine daughter, and possibly even of a background that couldn't be exposed.
"Forget it, Sister Jing, we better not follow her anymore, better to mind our own business than to add more," Liang Qingyue said uneasily, gripping the excited face of Talented Lady Jing, somewhat scared.
"What's there to be afraid of? We're not afraid of her! Let's go—" Talented Lady Jing grabbed Chong Rong's hand and walked quickly forward, with several palace maids and nannies hurrying to follow.
Zheng Nianru had been walking slowly to begin with, and due to the snow just after the clearing skies, the snow in the corners had not yet melted completely, mixing with mud dirty and muddy, making Zheng Nianru even more reluctant to walk.
"I'm throwing away these shoes when we get back," Zheng Nianru complained, her mood worsening because her shoes got stained with black mud.
"We'll throw them away, we'll throw them away," Nanny Yun agreed, nodding. Hurry up, little master.
Liang Chongrong and Talented Lady Jing had caught up by now. From such a close distance, Talented Lady Jing was even more stunned by the young girl's beauty, like a bud yet to bloom. Not just men would feel pity seeing her, but even women could feel enough envy.
"Is this sister newly arrived?" Talented Lady Jing asked with a smile, "Your face is unfamiliar, how may I address you?"
It would be best if His Majesty never sees this face, or it would be trouble if it bloomed.
Zheng Nianru looked up, finally quickening her pace a bit.
Nanny Yun let out a sigh of relief, finally quickening the pace.
Talented Lady Jing's mouth opened in shock and stayed that way, watching as Zheng Nianru directly ignored them and walked away. Talented Lady Jing's face turned red with embarrassment, turning to look at Liang Chongrong.
"Sister Qing Yue, you saw, she... she..."
"Alright, alright, let's go back too," Liang Chongrong said, pulling Talented Lady Jing's hand. She faintly felt that the fabric the other wore was of fine quality, likely tribute material, something usually only the Empress and Noble Consort Wen had, which they rarely even saw from afar, let alone up close. Yet, the texture of that fabric felt very... very fine.
"Don't be afraid, sister, let's try meeting her once more." Talented Lady Jing was not content, but she vaguely realized that the other party simply did not deign to glance at them.
"You, wait—" Talented Lady Jing, deciding to move forward, lifted her skirt and chased after her, believing that her earlier words had been quite polite and not mistaken.
Zheng Nianru stopped, growing impatient. Was it because she had ignored them that they chased after her? Then responding with a word wasn't a big deal.
"Might this sister be lost? You seem unfamiliar with this area; this isn't where the concubines reside," Talented Lady Jing said with a smile, this time noticing the bright embroidery, likely mixed with silver thread, shining brightly in the sunlight, beautiful enough to make her wonder why she hadn't noticed before.
"No mistake," Zheng Nianru replied, not angry, nor experienced in dealing with these concubines, but since the other's tone was still acceptable, whether sincere or not, she should be able to leave now, right?
Zheng Nianru stepped away to leave.
"Wait—" Talented Lady Jing said urgently, reaching out to stop her, but was unceremoniously blocked by Nanny Yun.
"Young master, don't casually call others sisters if it's not appropriate, as our masters don't have any sisters," Nanny Yun said bluntly. What's with this brother and sister calling?
"Giddy up! Giddy up! Giddy up ——" Nanny Yun had not finished speaking when a loud commotion suddenly intruded, mixing the chaotic footsteps and the whips cracking shrilly in the air; soon, several eunuchs in earthy gray with partridge embroidery appeared, rolling and scrambling toward Nanny Yun's direction in a disordered rush.
"You damn servants, hurry up, the battle has begun."
The group appeared so suddenly that they didn't even realize they were approaching a dense crowd until they saw them, at which point the leading eunuch instantly fell to the ground.
"Honorable masters, please make way."
"Giddy up — Move, move, why have we stopped! You stinking servant, watch my whip —"
"Whack —" The sound of the whip brutally lashing skin, sizzling as it struck, mixed with several screams of agony, several eunuchs, their necks tied by collars, immediately tumbled into a heap, sending people soaring and sprawling in every direction.
"What foolish animals." In the midst of the blood, a youth's laughter and groans sounded sinister and horrific.
There, a boy of about ten years old was riding atop a "mount" made of three or four eunuchs bent over under him, his robe tied around his waist, jade pendants and a jumble of ornaments clanking together, ding-ding-dong-dong, his one hand holding aloft a long black whip, emanating a smell of blood, his other hand clutching several ropes, the other ends of which were looped around the necks of four or five eunuchs crawling on the ground.
"Fourth Prince, ahead lies the court ladies —" The following eunuch, seeing the clothes of Liang Chongrong and Talented Lady Jing, dared not to barge in, "We should turn back..."
"Make way for me —" The young prince already impatient, pointed his whip toward Zheng Nianru's direction, then lashed at the eunuchs beneath him, flinging blood into the air, and the "mount" beneath him staggered but grimly endured the lash.
Liang Chongrong and Talented Lady Jing immediately looked uncomfortable, encountering this demon; they moved aside quietly.
Nanny Yun also looked displeased, but she knew that this boy was no easy deal. Fourth Prince, she was blind but she had heard of Noble Consort Wen's arrogant and tyrannical son.
"Commandery Princess, let's move this way—" Nanny Yun led Zheng Nianru to a side path to let the boy pass. Zheng Nianru did not care much; the boy would meet a tragic end. After he rebelled, neither Noble Consort Wen nor the Fourth Prince needed their people to intervene — the rebels had charged in and immediately beheaded him with a saber; in the end, his head was never found, and only a birthmark on his lower back confirmed his body.
So why should she fuss over such a pitiful person?
Zheng Nianru stepped back two steps, also indifferent to cramming with those two inconsiderate concubines.
Several eunuchs continued staggering forward, one of them suddenly stumbled toward their direction; Talented Lady Jing caught a glimpse, and with a scream, she fell toward Zheng Nianru. Nanny Yun immediately collided with her—where was she heading to blind bumping?
Thus, Zheng Nianru was pushed out, even by her own people. As everyone reacted, Fu Dong screamed and rushed forward recklessly.
"Master—"
"Master—" Nanny Yun couldn't care less about confronting Talented Lady Jing and immediately threw herself toward Zheng Nianru, resulting in another pile-up; the screams of Talented Lady Jing echoed through half the garden, reverberating endlessly in Zheng Nianru's ears.
"Kill them all, daring to block this prince's path..." The youth was furious, enjoying a new game he had just devised. But even before he finished speaking, he staggered, and the eunuchs beneath him lost control, falling to the ground again.