Not Your Typical Villianess

Chapter 99: Small Province big Problems 1

Juning Tea house

For what has to the fourth time in the past week, Zhongshan Ling left the private room of the tea house without seeing Zhu Fenfang after waiting for hours. He was more than a little worried, he hasn't been able to get hold of her for days which was unlike her.

Even if she wouldn't be able to meet him at the tea house she usually sent him a letter to inform him but she had been silent for days. Zhongshan Ling returned to his residence from the tea house, he went into his study to go through the reports sent over from the palace after changing into more practical clothes.

He was gradually taking over a few of the Emperor's responsibilities, reports and requests from the three judicial ministries were sent over to him every day. As the future Emperor, he needed to get acquitted with running the kingdom. However, while he was in charge of a few key ministries, he could only advise.

The final decision was left to the emperor, which meant that he submitted reasonable reports, which encompasses his take on certain issues. Zhongshan Ling then suggested the necessary solution to the problem. He was going through a report submitted by the Ministry of Justice but as expected he could barely stay focused on the report.

His mind kept wandering to Zhu Fenfang, even his Chief Eunuch, Eunuch Lun noticed that his mind just wasn't in the report. He watched as the hard-working Crown Prince flipped through the report. Zhongshan Ling sighed loudly and rubbed his forehead, gently. He tried going through the report once more before giving up, he rolled up the report and drop it on the table.

"Eunuch Lun please call Xie fang over and brew me a fresh pot of tea," he said in a tired voice. Zhongshan Ling placed both elbows on the table and held his head in his hands. Eunuch Lun nodded and ran off to carry out his command. Xie fang walked in some minutes later and placing a balled-up fist of his right hand on his heart he said "what are your orders, Your Highness".

Zhongshan Ling leaned back on the seat and said, "I haven't heard from Fenfang in a while, please look into what is going on with her".

"Yes," Xie Fang bowed and left the room quickly.

The next day, Xie Fang was waiting for him in his study when he got back from court. Xie Fang saluted him as he walked in and stood back, while Eunuch Lun helped him out of his red and gold dragon official court uniform.

Unlike the court uniform of the other civil officials, just like the Emperor's court clothes, his wasn't plain red but decorated with dragon and magpie embroidered with gold threads. His Belt was also made of gold and leather, only the Emperor or Crown Prince could wear clothes embroidered with gold threats.

The only other people apart from them were the Empress and the Crown Princess consort. The gold threads were difficult to come by and was only available for the imperial Weavers that made the clothes for the royal family. The Imperial wavers were the only ones authorised to handle these threads.

Eunuch Lu carefully folded the court uniform and placed it on a wooden tray and instructed another servant to put the court uniform to air. Zhongshan Ling walked around the desk and sat behind the desk. He took the cup of tea given to him by Eunuch Lun and took a sip. He looked at his assistant dressed in black and asked "What did you find out?"

"Answering your highness, I found out from a maid in the minister of Finance house that the third miss was grounded after she was caught trying to meet you last week. Madam Zhu and the Yu family are presently in talks to arrange a match between the third young mistress and Yu Jingting as a concu_"

Xie Fang paused when he heard the teacup in the Crown Prince's hands fall on the ground and shatter, plastering hot tea on the Crown Prince's clothes. Eunuch Lun and Xie Fang quick called out "Your highness!" as they heard their master hiss and shift back.

Eunuch Lun rushed forward with a napkin to wipe the crown princes hands, he checked Zhongshan Ling's hands for bruises and luckily there wasn't anything. Only a few splashed n his hand and apart from making his hand red there wasn't any injuries but to be safe, Eunuch Lun soaked a handkerchief in cold water and placed it on his hands.

"Thanks" Zhongshan Ling mutter glancing at Eunuch Lin then quickly turned to Xie Fang and asked, "what happened, the Zhu family weren't contemplating a match with the Yu family previously".

Xie Fang's eyebrows creased slightly as the conversation once more came back to the Zhu family's third young Mistress. He was starting to dislike that young mistress since she seemed to always cause the young master trouble. However, before he could respond, Eunuch Lun spoke

"Your highness, forgive me for speaking out of turn but the Zhu Family and the Yu family has been very close for years. Such a union is not a surprise, I overheard some talk that the Yu family were in talks to arrange an engagement between their heir and Miss Zhu Fenfang two years ago".

Zhongshan Ling looked up shocked "that long ago?"

"Yes, your highness. Which makes one question the motive for Miss Fenfang meeting you, was it really innocent or planned all along to improve jer station. They must have been forced to hasten things up after catching the third young mistress meeting you"

Zhongshan Ling slapped the desk, "innocent or not there is no excusing my involvement with her. We can not leave her reputation destroyed this way, I will speak with Minister Zhu about arranging a satisfying Union".

Zhongshan Ling made a move to stand but was held back by Eunuch Lun, "not so fast your Highness".

Zhongshan Ling glared at the elderly eunuch, he was about to go off on him but tge eunuch's next words made him pause.

"With all due respect Your Highness, I think that bringing in a concubine right now would be insulting to the Crown Princess consort and can create a huge mess. It is highly unethical to do marry a senior concubine mere weeks before the Crown Princess is married in".

Even in his anger Zhongshan Ling understood what eunuch Lun said. It all made sense to him, his Imperial mother, the Empress employed a lot of effort to get him such a beneficial union like this. He was not about to belittle her efforts like this by committing such a textbook mistake like this.

He nodded, "I can not let her suffer such injustice, what do you suggest I do?"

Eunuch Lun moved closer, "there are two ways you could handle this, one is by adding to her dowry in secret and then convincing minister Zhu to marry her off as the main wife instead of a concubine. This method is most preferred by noble families since your relationship with Miss Fenfang was innocent. This method will leave both parties satisfied since it will leave the Yu family in a good relationship with your highness"

Zhongshan Ling's brow creased, "this is unacceptable, isn't adding to her dowry going to make our relationship seem more unclean and put her at a disadvantage with her future in-laws. I think this rule is best used when marrying off your concubine! What is the next option?"

Eunuch Lun pulsed his lip and continued, "The second option which I suspect that you will find more comfortable but I don't think the third mistress would willingly agree to is to marry her in as a normal concubine.

"You can promote her once she has served you long enough and produced a son. The Grand Princess and commandery Princess Xia wouldn't find fault in that since it is common for a young master to take a concubine to teach him of bed matters before marriage"

Zhongshan Ling was silent for some minutes as he thought deeply. Both were a means to an end but while he felt that the first option was insulting to Zhu Fenfang, he found himself leaning more to the second option. The thought of another man touching and owning Zhu Fenfang drove him mad. 

"Arrange a meeting with Minister Zhu," he said to Xie Fang.

*********

Two days later Zhu Fenfang was sent in a litter to the Crown Prince's residence. She was brought in through the side door and unlike the main wife, she wasn't given a wedding ceremony. Huge wedding ceremonies and Imperial decrees were reserved for the main wife.

Although the Crown Prince's concubine was at the same level as an imperial concubine and higher than a normal concubine. She was still a concubine, she couldn't leave the residence without permission and couldn't attend parties. Although she was given the title lady and madam, she wasn't on the same level as the main wife.

She would never be buried with the Crown Princess and her children would be registered under the main wife. Her only advantage was that her conditions were better than that of a normal concubine. 

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