Chapter 170: Planning

Chapter 170: Planning

“Princess Guiren, this group of palace maids are specially assigned to serve you. His Majesty says they, along with Physician Xu, will stay here to care for you until you recover,” Sheng An said cheerily.

To Song Ran, this meant these maids and the physician were to observe her until her supposed early demise.

Playing the naive young maiden, as if unaware of Sheng An's implication, Song Ran shyly lowered her head, murmuring, “Thank you for His Majesty's consideration.”

“Princess, I shall take my leave now,” Sheng An, still smiling, flicked his whisk and left the Song residence.

“Eunuch Sheng, let me escort you out,” Lady Liu hurried after him.

Once they were out of sight, Song Ran coughed softly and said to Xiaoxing, “I feel unwell from the chill today. Help me to my room to rest.”

"Yes!" Xiaoxing replied, hurrying to assist Song Ran, her peripheral vision sweeping over the imperial physician and the new palace maids, belatedly sensing something amiss.

Back in her chamber, Song Ran's expression darkened as she whispered, "Xiaoxing, we're in imminent danger."

"What?!" Xiaoxing exclaimed, "Princess, why do you say that? Didn't the Emperor send the physician and maids to serve you? He must be planning to bring you back to the palace!"

Song Ran asked, "What illness do I supposedly have?"

Although sensing something off, Xiaoxing replied, "You are the Empress Dowager's adopted daughter. If the Emperor wants to bring you to the palace, he needs an excuse..."

Song Ran scoffed softly, "Bring me to the palace? More like leading me to my demise!"

Xiaoxing, startled by her words, panicked, "Then what should we do? Should we apologize to the Emperor? We haven't committed any grave sins like murder or arson. Why is this happening?!"

"Apologize?" Song Ran laughed, "That would be admitting guilt, hastening my end."

"Then what should we do?" Xiaoxing asked anxiously.

"Why panic?" Song Ran glanced at her, calmly saying, "You and Lady Liu will surely be watched by those outside. But we know this house best. I'll write a letter; find a chance to sneak out and deliver it to Young Master Sui."

Xiaoxing hurriedly nodded, fetching pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, while saying, "Okay, but Princess, Young Master Sui is just a magistrate's son. What can he do?"

Song Ran walked to the round table in the inner chamber, picking up the brush, "He can do much. First, His Majesty came to Xiuyong County to worship the Empress Dowager, and now that it's done, he should leave soon. If that happens, anything I do will be too late, so we need a way to delay His Majesty. Lady Liu belongs to the deposed Queen Wang's faction, and today, Princess Huaiqing was watching me. With her cooperation, it won't be difficult for Young Master Sui to achieve this."

"Secondly, if I'm trapped here and can't leave, all is in vain. I need his help. It doesn't matter if he's a fool; my letter will instruct him."

Seeing Song Ran’s confident demeanor, Xiaoxing perked up, asking, "Princess, once you're out, how will you meet the Emperor? Even if you do, what if he's still... uninterested in you?"

Song Ran paused in her writing, tilting her head at Xiaoxing, suddenly asking, "Xiaoxing, you often buy things from a peddler surnamed Li, right?"

"Ah?" Xiaoxing's eyes darted, finally admitting, "Yes... Princess, I only buy some rouge and powder..."

"What did you buy from Li the peddler when I sent you to inquire about Lady Sui's whereabouts?" Song Ran pressed, staring intently.

Xiaoxing stepped back, struggling to say after a long pause, "... It was, it was Happy Romance Wine."

After uttering those three words, she quickly explained, "Princess, I didn't mean any harm. I was just afraid you wouldn't succeed, so, so..."

Song Ran gently took Xiaoxing's hand, saying, “Xiaoxing, though we are mistress and servant, we grew up together as orphans. How could I not understand your heart?”

Her voice was soft, like a wisp of smoke, as she continued, “Actually, I wanted to keep you out of danger, to let you leave. But now, at this crucial moment, if I fall, our days of comfort will be gone forever. Even if you have some savings, how can a lone woman dare flaunt wealth outside? If you do as I say, even if we fail, only I will lose my life. You can still escape then.”

These words struck a chord in Xiaoxing, dispelling her thoughts of escaping with the money. She grasped Song Ran's hand, “Princess, I will stay with you.”

*

Xiuyong County, the county government office.

In the backyard, Miss Sui, wearing a newly made pomegranate skirt, twirled in front of her brother, proudly asking, “How do I look?”

Young Master Sui, somewhat distracted, still praised her, “Very good, sister. You are the prettiest girl in the whole Xiuyong County, no, in all of Jinzhou!”

“Tsk, you’re just flattering me!” Miss Sui pouted, “In your heart, Princess Guiren is still the most beautiful. What's with you today, so distracted? Worried about her? I heard she’s ill, and the Emperor even sent an imperial physician.”

“I am a bit worried, but don’t tell father or mother,” Young Master Sui nodded uneasily.

“Don’t worry, don’t you trust my discretion?” Miss Sui lifted her chin confidently.

It’s precisely your mouth I’m worried about…

Young Master Sui silently grumbled to himself, then brought up their mother and sister visiting the dignitaries at Xichen Villa, “I heard the Emperor will soon leave Xiuyong County. Sister, since you're going to accompany the princesses, why not show them our Xiuyong's gourd lanterns?”

“Brother, are you confused?” Miss Sui frowned, “There are no gourd lanterns at this time. They only appear during the Dragon Boat Festival!”

“Ah, my mistake!” Young Master Sui laughed, soothing his sister, “I was just thinking how beautiful the gourd lanterns are. The princesses would surely love them. And the Dragon Boat Festival is not far off. Perhaps the Emperor will stay a few more days for them?”

Miss Sui nodded, "That's true, but it's not something I can influence. Don't worry about it. It's getting late, mother will probably come to hurry me soon. I should go!"

"Alright, then!"

Young Master Sui watched his sister disappear around the corner, then sat inside for a while longer before instructing his page, "Go prepare the carriage, and then check outside Miss's room to see if Huangli is there. If she is, ask her to come see me."