Chapter 210 - Frenemies 1

The Crown Prince's mansion, Zhu Fenfang's bedroom.

Zhu Fenfang sat on a stool in front of a long brass mirror, dressed in a fitted silk low cut gown. Three well trains palace main stood around her, silently helping her apply her make up and style her hair in a simple yet seductive hairstyle. Zhu Fenfang's lady's maid Xiao chu went about arranging the refreshments and the room ahead of the Crown Prince's visit. 

All the pampering these past few minutes had succeeded in getting rid of the frown that seemed to have permanently clung to Zhu Fenfang's face since the Crown Prince married in another concubine. The change in her mood was obvious to everyone around her, Xiao Chu included but the mood broke as one of the two second rank maids stationed inside her room rushed in to deliver bad news

The maid met Xiao Chu in the small living room before the bedroom, Xiao Chu held a fresh bouquet of flowers over a small flower bowl containing water. The flowers were inches away from the rim of the flower vase when the maid ran in, Xiao Chu looked up at the sound of hasty footsteps. Her eyes narrowed at the sweaty maid, she quickly recognised the maids at the maid sent to deliver Zhu Fenfang's invitation to the Crown Prince.

Xiao Chu's eyes fell on the maid's mellow expression, she immediately deducted that things didn't go as planned. She peeked discretely over her shoulder, relieved to find that Zhu Fenfang was busy getting prepared and wasn't alerted by the maid's arrival. She kept the bouquet into the flower vase and walked around the table.

Xiao Chu grabbed the maid by the arm and pulled her aside to the next room, ensuring that they were out of their mistresses eyesight. The maid broke down as soon as they were out of sight, tears ran down her face as her hand shook. Xiao Chu rolled her eyes at the sight, frowning. She was too short-tempered to deal with these theatrics, she muttered, "tell me what you are here to report before you cause a scene". 

Xiao Chu glanced backwards, took a few silent steps back and peeped into the room, Zhu Fenfang remained seated in front of the mirror while the maids went around her, switching places to get her ready for the Crown Prince's usual visits. She walked back to the maid, "what is it? Is the Crown Prince not yet back from court?" She asked in a low tone.

"Sister Xiao Chu, it is not that his majesty is not back. If that was the case, things won't be so bad. It is just that", the maid bit her lips gently. " his highness is not coming sister Xiao Chu".

Xiao Chu opened her mouth about to ask why, when a high pitched voice beat her to it. Xiao Chu and the maid both turned back to face Zhu Fengyin 

"Why is his highness not coming "

"Mistress"

"My Lady!"

Xiao Chu and the make said at the same time, eye locked at Zhu Fenfang's angry face. They looked down immediately, Zhu Fenfang who felt her heart harden as she overheard their conversation. she had stood to instruct Xiao Chu to get the gold necklace the Crown Prince had given to her when they had first gotten married a few months ago when she heard the maids words.

It was like the breath was sucked out of her lungs, she could barely stay still, although she had her suspicion. Zhu Fenfang wanted to hear it from a reliable source before jumping to conclusions. She prayed in her mind that the maid would prove her wrong, she didn't want her suspicion to become a reality because that would mean that her life was changing and she never wanted that to happen. 

The maid glanced at Xiao Chu before stepping forward, her legs shook violently at each step. These last few days had been hell on all the servants serving her, Madam Zhu had been short-tempered and harsh. The maid feared that Zhu Fenfang wouldn't take this news she had to deliver very well and might end up punishing the messenger in the heat of the moment.

However considering that Zhu Fenfang was now aware of everything, she was left with no other choice but to deliver the bad news. The maid bit her nails into her hands hard, head bent as she said in a shaky voice.

"Madam, when I went to deliver your invitation to his highness. I was stopped at the door by his highnesses guard Fu Hong, he..... He informed me that his highness wasn't receiving any guests." She glanced at Xiao Chu and bit her lips, "Madam Chen was inside the study, they seemed to be...."

"They seemed to be what exactly, What are you hiding? Tell me!" Zhu Fenfang picked up a flower face on a small table by the wall and threw it down. It shattered completely, with the shard flying around.

The maids hissed as a few cut her leg but she remained at that spot, she had served under this Zhu Fenfang long enough to know that stepping out of the way when being harmed by her mistress never ends well. It was in her best interest to stand there and recurve whatever injury Zhu Fenfang intended to give her. 

A single tear ran down her cheeks as she took in a deep breath and let it out before continuing, she muttered in a low voice, "his highness seemed to be getting intimate with Madam Chen". She bent her head and shut her eyes in expectation of the paint at was to come. Zhu Fenfang screamed as she rushed to the table next to Her and pushed everything on the table down.

"Ahhh! That bitch! Why why does this keep happening to me!" 

Xiao Chu noticing that her mistress was on the verge of a breakdown dismissed all the maids and shy the door. She rushed to Zhu Fenfang's side and hugged her closely, rubbing her back gently as Zhu Fenfang broke into tears. "Don't be sad mistress, His highness has not forgotten you. He is a man, it is normal for him to be fascinated by a new toy. Once you get pregnant his highness will forget about her and come to you".

"how..... would I get pregnant if he doesn't visit me so often. That slut has him wrapped around her finger, he has been spending every night in her room since they were married. How can I get his attention back, when she is monetizing his attention"

"Mistress throwing a fit won't help you, don't you see how the Crown Princess consort is behaving? Just act like her, his Highness will appreciate that, this madam Chen is not to be taken lightly, mistress. I asked around, that Madam Chen attempted to commit suicide just to get the Crown Prince's attention. Why don't we let his majesty find out about that? His Highness doesn't like being lied to plus with the current tension in the capital. Madam Chen won't get away that easily".

Zhu Fenfang pulled away from her maid's chest and wiped her tears away, "that is a good idea, why didn't I think of that. Let us do that".

**************

Chen Yao's room, the next day

The reflection of light from the open window woke Chen Yao as she lay by her side on the four-post bed. The red bridal bed curtain wasn't thick enough to keep the light away, Che Yao rolled to the other side trying to get back to dream and but the door seemed to be permanently shut to her. Finally, she gave up on falling back asleep and sat up on the bed.

The red blanket fell aside revealing her snow-white slender shoulders, Chen Yao blushed when she saw the red finger marks on her skin. The Crown Prince was insatiable last night, maybe it was because of the stress he had been placed under. After a few days at the Crown Prince's residence, she had gotten used to everything here. Life here was better than her life at Zhu mansion, just as she had expected.

Everything from her clothes to her food and her jewellery was luxurious and rich, this was the kind of life she had dreamt of since she was a child. She got down from the bed walked to the tea table, picked up the cup and poured herself a cup of warm water. Liang met her mistress drinking water, "Young miss, you are awake".

Liang laid the dress in her hands on the chair and walked up to her mistress, " you must be starving, I will send for a light breakfast, is there anything, in particular, you want to eat? His highness gave orders to the kitchen to prepare anything you ask for. His highness must have fallen in love with you my lady".

"In love? Please, at most he is fond of me or maybe this is his guilt speaking. His highness is yet to give me his heart, I should get ready to greet her highness"

"Oh, you don't need to do that. Her highness went into the palace to pay respect to her highness the Empress".

"The Empress is back?"

"Yes".