FBC -Chapter 320 Jealous

“Dong Qing, go find Dong Mo and ask where the Prince will be tonight. Will he be entertaining guests?”

Dong Qing happily agreed and returned within a quarter of an hour.

“Dong Mo said the lord will be dining at Ruixiang Pavilion tonight with the officials from Bianjing. The kitchen has already prepared everything.”

Gu Hua thought for a moment. Since guests from the capital were visiting, as the Princess Consort she ought to show up. She couldn’t always hide behind Mu Junyan. She needed to shoulder her responsibilities as the lady of the manor.

She personally went to the kitchen to look at the dinner prepared for Mu Junyan. The ingredients were all expensive and impressive, but Mu Junyan ate light and disliked overcomplicated dishes. He definitely wouldn’t enjoy these rich meats.

Besides, after being frozen outside in the heavy snow for half the night, his stomach was probably not doing well.

Gu Hua asked Dong Qing to fetch her a sleeve-tie to bind her sleeves. Then she instructed the cooks to prepare ingredients and personally cooked a few of Mu Junyan’s favorite dishes.

After working for an hour, the dishes for the front courtyard were nearly ready.

“Pack everything up. I’ll deliver them myself.”

Carrying the food boxes, Gu Hua led the maids toward Ruixiang Pavilion. She wanted to give Mu Junyan a surprise, ease the tension between them, and show her magnanimity as the mistress of the household.

Dong Qing followed nervously behind her, wanting to speak but unsure how.

Gu Hua walked quickly and didn’t notice anything strange. Soon, the brightly lit second floor of Ruixiang Pavilion came into view.

Soft, melodious music drifted out.

Gu Hua was stunned. Mu Junyan never used music or dance to entertain guests. The Prince’s manor didn’t even keep its own musicians or entertainers like Bianjing’s noble families.

Could they have been summoned from the entertainment bureau?

That wasn’t like him at all.

Confused, Gu Hua entered Ruixiang Pavilion. The attendants standing downstairs paled at the sight of her. They hurried to salute and attempted to go upstairs to announce her arrival.

Gu Hua stopped him and whispered, “No need. I’ll go up directly. If it’s inconvenient, I’ll just have them put the dishes down and leave.”

The attendant grew more flustered and craned his neck to look outside anxiously.

Gu Hua ignored him and headed upstairs.

But the moment she entered the hall, she froze.

Mu Junyan sat in the seat of honor wearing a dark robe, sitting upright. Fruits and pastries were arranged on the table before him. He held a teacup and chatted with the officials beside him, smiling.

On each side of him sat a beautiful woman—one peeling grapes for him, the other pouring tea.

Though he didn’t touch them, he also did not refuse the things they offered to his lips.

Gu Hua stood stunned, unsure whether to enter or withdraw.

The room instantly fell silent. The musicians stopped playing and watched the Prince cautiously.

Mu Junyan put down his cup. His earlier smile faded as he looked at Gu Hua.

“So, the Princess Consort is here.”

The officials recovered from their shock, hurriedly stood, and saluted. “Greetings to the Princess Consort.”

Gu Hua suppressed her anger and grievance, forcing a small smile. She returned the gesture and said to the musicians, “Continue.”

Then she turned to Dong Qing. “Serve the dishes.”

Dong Qing didn’t dare speak and directed the maids to bring in the food. She personally placed the dishes Gu Hua had cooked before Mu Junyan.

Mu Junyan secretly glanced at Gu Hua.

Gu Hua, however, kept her eyes lowered, calm and unreadable.

The women beside Mu Junyan looked at the five simple dishes—only the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup looked respectable. Both rolled their eyes.

One of them cooed, “Oh my, how can the Prince eat food like this? It’s practically pig slop.”

The other giggled behind her hand. “Indeed. At least there should be chicken, duck, or fish. Anyone seeing these watery dishes would think Princess Consort is upset by our presence and intentionally gave the Prince these to eat.”

Dong Qing, who was about to leave, snapped around and glared. “Mind your tongue! Our Prince loves the Princess Consort’s cooking most.”

But the two women weren’t frightened. One stood up, swaying delicately, and bowed toward Gu Hua. Her low-cut collar revealed a deep cleavage, making the Prince’s maids furious enough to want to beat her up.

Gu Hua didn’t look at her at all. Expressionless, she bowed toward the upper seat. “I won’t disturb the Prince entertaining guests. I take my leave.”

She turned and walked away.

Dong Qing fumed but couldn’t lose her composure in front of the Prince. She quickly led the maids out after Gu Hua.

The woman who had stood up let her eyes redden and leaned closer to Mu Junyan.

“Prince, is the Princess Consort jealous of this concubine? Should this concubine go kneel in her courtyard and beg forgiveness?”

Mu Junyan immediately shifted away, his smile vanishing into ice. “You should refer to yourself as ‘slave.’”

The woman stiffened and looked at the leading official below.

He shook his head slightly, signaling her to be quiet.

Mu Junyan lifted his cup. “My household is mostly made of rough people, used to eating during military campaigns. We’re not good at preparing fancy dishes. Please forgive us, my lord.”

The official raised his cup quickly. “No, no, the Prince’s hospitality is an honor to us.”

They exchanged formal pleasantries, but Mu Junyan’s thoughts were in chaos.

Meanwhile, Gu Hua walked out of Ruixiang Pavilion without a word. As she stepped through the doors, Chiyu appeared from the shadows.

“Princess Consort, those two women were sent by His Majesty. The lord had no way to refuse.”

How could something so important be kept from her for days?

Gu Hua snapped, “Wasn’t His Majesty ill? He still has the energy to worry about whether the Prince has women serving him?”

Chiyu lowered his voice. “It was the Empress who arranged it, using His Majesty’s name.”

Gu Hua held back her fury. “What status do they hold? Maids or concubines?”

Chiyu hesitated. “They… they were bestowed as concubines.”

Gu Hua felt her chest tighten painfully.

No wonder the old madam had talked to her about the Emperor gifting women to the old Duke—she had known this was coming and tried to warn her.

No—everyone in the Prince’s manor knew… except her.

“And what is your lord thinking? Is he just putting on a show? Or did he accept them outright? What exactly did the edict say? Was it just sending two women?”

Gu Hua fired question after question, leaving Chiyu flustered.

She exploded, “Fine! Great! So this Princess Consort only has the title but no authority, right? No right to ask, no right to manage anything? Fine then—I won’t care about anything!”

Chiyu watched anxiously as she stormed off.

The two of them had been in a rare cold war for two or three days. She had finally softened, even cooking for him and coming to see him—only to walk into this.

But as a subordinate, without the Prince’s order, there were things he truly could not say.

It was maddening.

Gu Hua was so angry her liver hurt. When she returned to Fulutang, she felt unwell and shut herself in her room to sulk.

Dong Qing panicked and quickly sent for Shen Li to come take her pulse.