Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 330 - 329: Begging

Chapter 330: Chapter 329: Begging

Mrs. Chu asked Mrs. Li if she knew who was spreading the rumors, but Mrs. Li denied knowledge. She genuinely didn’t know; she had no influence in the Outer Court, and the key positions in the Inner Courtyard were replaced by Mrs. Chu’s people.

Mrs. Chu stated, "Very well, I shall have it investigated, and once we uncover the truth, that person will be dealt with."

It soon became clear that the source of the rumors was a coarse woman from Mrs. Li’s courtyard. Many people testified that she had spread these rumors. Mrs. Chu had her beaten with ten rods and ousted from the premises.

Blaming herself for the rumors, Mrs. Li hid in her courtyard and dared not venture outside.

Days flew by, and by the 25th day, Chen Afu, who had been fake-sick for three days, finally got up. She had some unfinished business that couldn’t be postponed by acting sick any longer.

She got up early and started making jin si cakes. She prepared some for breakfast, serving two pieces each to everyone in the courtyard—except for Mrs. Li, of course.

After breakfast, she continued making the cakes, sent forty pieces to Consort in the Anrong Hall, and was about to put twenty pieces for the Royal Rui’s household into a food box when a servant from the Outer Court reported that Princess Rui and the second prince were on their way.

Chen Afu quickly changed her clothes, washed her hands, and went to greet them. Just as she stepped out of the main hall, she saw Princess Rui entering her courtyard with the nanny holding Li Xuan and a few servants.

Chen Afu greeted them with a laugh, "You came at the right time. I was just about to send some pastries to Xuan’er."

Princess Rui’s smile appeared forced, and upon closer inspection, Chen Afu noticed her eyes were red-rimmed and she seemed to have lost some weight.

A little taken aback, Chen Afu asked in a low voice, "Oh, what’s happened?"

Princess Rui just laughed again, and the two of them headed towards the east room. There, she had Princess Rui seated on the bed while a maid served tea. They let Li Xuan sit on the bed and gave him the jin si cake to hold onto. They then dismissed all other servants from the room.

Only then did Chen Afu ask, "What seems to be the trouble?"

Princess Rui nodded before pulling out a handkerchief, covering her mouth and crying softly. Seeing his mother crying, Li Xuan began to cry as well. The jin si cake he was holding fell out of his hands, scattering everywhere.

Hastily, Chen Afu picked up Li Xuan and helped wipe his face, asking, "Princess, what has happened to you?"

Drying her tears, Princess Rui grasped Chen Afu’s arm and said, "Granny Chu, now, only you can save my son."

Startled, Chen Afu asked, "What do you mean?"

Crying, Princess Rui said, "When I returned to the palace, I told the Prince about your cure. He was pleased, noting if you could offer your own precious agarwood to treat Xuan’er, then the Emperor, as Xuan’er’s grandfather, and the Dowager Empress, as his great-grandmother, would surely be willing..."

Since it was inappropriate for Prince Rui to ask for this directly, he went to Consort De, asking for her help in obtaining a piece of agarwood from the Emperor or the Dowager Empress to treat Li Xuan. However, Consort De not only refused but also berated Prince Rui, accusing him of gross filial impiety. She stated how valuable the agarwood is and its significant health benefits for the Emperor and Dowager Empress. She went on to argue that juniors, if they obtained a piece, should give it to their elders out of respect and not ask their elders for such valuable items. She not only refused to ask on their behalf but also forbade Prince Rui from doing so...

As Princess Rui continued to cry, she said mournfully, "The Emperor and Dowager Empress have more than just one piece of agarwood. If they only had one piece, I wouldn’t dream of asking for it. I know they favor Li Zhao because he was raised by my husband’s mother and will likely be the one to inherit the title. However, what about my Xuan’er? He was in no way responsible for the pain he’s in. Xuan’er was made this way by the birth mother of Li Zhao, and now her son is set to inherit the title. That evil woman chose to commit such wicked acts presumably with this outcome in mind. Granny Chu, I beg you, please take my son to the countryside. Treat him as you did the eldest daughter of the Chu family..."

Chen Afu glanced down at Li Xuan, who was being held in her lap. He clearly still remembers her and seemed very attached to her. His eyes were on Princess Rui, who was crying, but his hands were clinging tightly onto Chen Afu’s clothes, having dropped the jin si cake. This child didn’t seem completely foolish, much better than Ms. Chu was back then. All he needed was appropriate guidance and time to overcome his fears, and his illness could be cured. Chen Afu liked Li Xuan and felt sorry for him. She wanted to help him.

However, his identity was too sensitive, and she was afraid that having him in Tang Garden would attract more attention. Furthermore, she lacked the authority to decide on such a significant matter by herself.

Chen Afu, feeling a bit overwhelmed, said, "Princess, as much as I like Xuan’er, the responsibility of taking him to the Tang Garden is immense. He has a royal bloodline, and I fear I won’t be able to afford any mishaps, either in his treatment or anything else that might occur with him. My whole family would be unable to cope with that."

Drying her tears, a desperate resolve filled Princess Rui’s eyes as she said, "Granny Chu, we’ve thought about it carefully, and Prince Rui agrees. Instead of Xuan’er living his life in this state of idiocy, it is better to send him to the countryside with you, at least giving him a spark of hope. If his treatment fails, we won’t blame you. If any mishap does occur, then it’s his fate. At least we would have given him a fighting chance, without regrets. Moreover, I worry if Prince Rui and I were to die, even in his current state, Xuan’er would not live long due to the blood feud between his birth mother and Li Zhao."

With Princess Rui pleading this way, Chen Afu felt she had no other excuses to offer. She said, "This matter is too important. I cannot be the sole decision maker; I have to consult our elders. Besides, would the Emperor agree to this?"

Princess Rui assured, "Just yesterday, Prince Rui informed the Emperor about this. His Majesty said if you are willing, Xuan’er will be handed over to your care."

Over the past few days, she had been in tears daily to Prince Rui, who felt guilty toward his legitimate son and was eager to cure his disease. The couple decided on a strategy—Princess Rui was to go to Chen Afu, and Prince Rui would plead with the elderly members of the Chu family.

Though Prince Rui was dissolute, he was extraordinarily clever. His "self-indulgence" was not just because of his fondness for women, it was also a clear signal of his lack of interest in royal affairs. He had visited Fu Garden and saw Chu Hanyan there. He had found a remedy for himself in the same garden, and he had an intuition that Chen Afu was not as simple as she seemed. Thus, he firmly believed, even more so than Princess Rui, that Chen Afu could surely cure Li Xuan’s disease.

Chen Afu offered lunch to Princess Rui and her son at the Bamboo Pavilion, and then played with Li Xuan for a while. Li Xuan really enjoyed their time and often burst into giggles. It was late in the afternoon when she bid farewell to the mother and son.

Shortly after dinner, Chu Lingxuan came back. He looked tired and worn, evidence of a lack of rest. Chen Afu immediately had food and bathwater prepared for him.

After he had eaten and his hair was dried, she ushered him to bed. Chu Lingxuan wanted Chen Afu to sleep with him, but she blushed and declined, saying there was still a lot to take care of.

Chu Lingxuan quickly fell into a deep sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Chen Afu lowered the mosquito net and quietly went to the West Room to pack. Since the Marquis’ Mansion wasn’t where she regularly stayed, most of the heavy presents from her dowry would have to be taken back to the Tang Garden.

While she was directing Mrs. Li and the maids to pack, a servant girl from the Anrong Hall came to ask Chen Afu to see the old Marquis and the third master, as they wished to speak with her about an important matter.