Chapter 542: Chapter 543: Happy Event

It was exceptionally stifling today. Gu Antong felt as though she could barely catch her breath. She forced her heavy body to move, shuffling over to the window to open a small crack. Instantly, a cool breeze slipped through the gap. Unable to resist the refreshing sensation, she leaned closer. The sun was still hanging high in the sky outside, but it was far cooler than her room.

Her courtyard had been cut off from its ice supply for a while now, and the servants had grown increasingly negligent. As a result, a strange, musty odor constantly lingered in the room.

"Cai Hua, you wretched girl! Where did you run off to?" Gu Antong bellowed. She would have liked to maintain her image, but her current circumstances simply didn’t allow it. If she didn’t scream at the top of her lungs, that blasted Cai Hua could easily ignore her for the entire day.

Hearing the shrill voice, Cai Hua wanted nothing more than to cover her ears and pretend she hadn’t heard a thing. But she couldn’t, nor did she dare to. No matter what, Gu Antong was still her master and held her contract of indenture.

Their courtyard might be entirely neglected, but if she dared to serve Gu Antong poorly, the other masters in the back courtyard would use it as an excuse to punish her. Every time that happened, she was left to starve, sometimes for a whole day at a time.

Not daring to delay, Cai Hua hurried over to the outside of the room. She took a deep breath before lifting the door curtain. "My Lady, what are your orders?"

"Why is it cooler outside than it is in here? Did you not get our ice allocation again today?"

"To answer My Lady, no. The Princess Consort sent word that the Prince Mansion has overspent recently. Everyone needs to cut back, so many supplies are being reduced."

Cai Hua felt bitter as well. It was called a Prince Mansion, but it only looked glamorous on the surface. She had heard that the entire estate was currently being kept afloat by the Princess Consort’s dowry. The Third Prince had been staying in the main courtyard lately; otherwise, the Princess Consort would have washed her hands of the mess long ago.

"Then hurry up and fetch an Imperial Physician for me..." Gu Antong demanded.

"My Lady, this servant told you before. Those two Imperial Physicians have long since returned to the palace. This servant cannot summon them."

"Don’t you know how to go find His Highness? He promised me before that he would help cure my illness."

"Yes, this servant will go right away," Cai Hua replied perfunctorily, not daring to refuse. The Third Prince paid no attention to this courtyard anymore anyway, so the result would be the same whether she went or not. She planned to rest outside for a while before coming back to report that she couldn’t find His Highness. That would be the end of it.

If she dared to refuse outright, Gu Antong would call her over and secretly abuse her. Right now, there wasn’t a single patch of unbruised skin hidden beneath her clothes. That was why she stood as close to the door as possible when reporting back. She had made up her mind: if Gu Antong continued to torment her, she would blow the matter out of proportion. The worst that could happen was being beaten with boards and sold off, which was still better than rotting away here.

After Cai Hua retreated, Gu Antong walked back to the window and stared outside. As a concubine, she had her own courtyard, but right now, it felt more like a cage. Seeing a butterfly dancing gracefully above a flower bud, a surge of envy welled up within her. Her current life couldn’t even compare to a bug’s. She didn’t even dare to reach out and touch the colorful world outside.

"Quacks! They’re all a bunch of quacks!" Gu Antong began cursing angrily again. It was true—they couldn’t even treat this little illness of hers. She waited for a long time without seeing what she was expecting; that wretched maid Cai Hua must be hiding in some corner slacking off again.

She really wanted to teach that negligent girl a harsh lesson, but Cai Hua was the most useful person she had by her side right now. If she beat her too severely and had no one to serve her, the main courtyard would definitely send someone new, which was the last thing she wanted.

She moved her obese body with great difficulty, panting heavily with every step. Her frame was simply too massive now. The other day, those lowly concubines from the neighboring courtyard had hidden outside the wall, loudly gossiping that she must weigh an absolute ton by now.

Gu Antong truly didn’t know how much she weighed anymore. She didn’t dare to check, nor did she have the opportunity to do so.

Cai Hua dawdled until it was almost mealtime before finally coming back. "My Lady, the Third Prince is not in the mansion today..."

"It’s already this late! How could he not be here?"

"I heard that His Highness is highly valued by His Majesty now and has taken charge of the Ministry of Justice..."

Gu Antong stood up abruptly. Because she moved too fast, her vision went black. She flailed her hands and happened to grab the nearby cabinet. With a sharp tug, a loud CRASH echoed through the room. The cabinet toppled to the floor, and all the bottles and jars inside—the folk remedies she had painstakingly sought out—shattered into a messy pile.

"My Lady!" Cai Hua was startled. She stepped forward, intending to help her up, only to realize she couldn’t budge her at all. She could only ask with feigned concern, "Did you hurt yourself anywhere?"

"Can you get out of the mansion right now?" Gu Antong asked suddenly.

"My Lady, how could this servant possibly get out?" Cai Hua replied. "Going in and out requires the Princess Consort’s token. This servant can’t even enter the main courtyard."

They had tried before. The mansion simply wouldn’t let them leave. Even if they desperately wanted to seek help from the Gu Family, there was absolutely no chance.

Just as Cai Hua struggled to help her onto a stool, a loud CREAK rang out. Frightened, Gu Antong hastily stood back up. She had already broken one stool and taken a nasty fall before; she didn’t want a repeat of that disaster.

"Help me to the bed," Gu Antong said, losing the energy to dwell on it. She felt that living like this was worse than an early death. But she lacked the courage to end it all, so she could only waste away, day by day.

Just then, a commotion erupted outside, followed by the sound of popping firecrackers.

"What’s going on? Is there some joyous occasion in the mansion?"

It couldn’t be a newborn baby, as Rong Ruiyuan had no hope of getting any of the women in the back courtyard pregnant in recent years.

"This servant doesn’t know," Cai Hua said. She couldn’t even be bothered to go out and inquire. After all, even if there was a monumental celebration, it would have nothing to do with them.

"Go take a look," Gu Antong insisted, still somewhat unwilling to give up. As long as there was a sliver of opportunity, she would try to claw out a path to survival for herself.

Hiding in a corner, Cai Hua watched the bustling, noisy scene ahead, a bitter taste in her mouth. She really didn’t want to bring such "good news" back, afraid she would become a punching bag again tonight.

At that moment, a young maid rushing past stopped in her tracks, recognizing her. "Oh, why did you come out? Well, since you’re already out, hurry up and come with me to the main courtyard to offer congratulations. Our Highness has been conferred the title of Prince Ning. Our mansion is moving up in the world! We have to go to the Princess Consort to ask for rewards."

Cai Hua was tempted. "Can anyone go?"

The maid looked at Cai Hua with sympathy. Currently, she was the most miserable person in the entire mansion. Pausing for a moment, the maid said, "Of course. On such a wonderful day, as long as you offer sincere congratulations, the Princess Consort will definitely give a reward. Hurry up! If you’re late, all the reward silver will be handed out."

Feeling that she had done her good deed for the day, the maid darted off.

After all, maids at the very bottom like them relied on the mansion’s occasional rewards in addition to their monthly wages.

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