CHAPTER 443: CHAPTER 443 SWALLOW’S NEST

The Hidden Guard belongs to the Old Prince.

It’s just that during the Old Prince’s time at the border fighting enemies, the one protecting Xie Jingchen was not exactly Xie Jingchen’s person.

Now, Prince Zhenbei is the Prince.

The Hidden Guard must, of course, listen to the Prince.

Yet, the matter of the Jade Pendant can’t be hidden from the Young Master and the Princess Consort.

He could only feel sorry towards the Prince.

The Hidden Guard recounted in detail how the Jade Pendant ended up in the Prince’s hands.

A quarter of an hour earlier.

The Hidden Guard, according to the original plan, took the Jade Pendant into Wutong Garden and handed it to Xie Jingchen in front of the Old Prince.

But as he entered the yard, he ran into the Prince.

The outer courtyard study and Wutong Garden are only separated by a wall.

The Prince stepped through the door and caught a glimpse of the Jade Pendant in the Hidden Guard’s hand.

His brow furrowed slightly, and he asked, "What is that Jade Pendant?"

The Hidden Guard could only say as Su Jin had instructed, "Someone just sent a Jade Pendant for the Young Master."

The Prince extended his hand.

The Hidden Guard dared not withhold the Jade Pendant from the Prince.

The Prince took the Jade Pendant and examined it for a few moments.

The more he looked, the more his brows knitted.

Then he said, "Do not tell Chenchen about the Jade Pendant."

After speaking, he took the Jade Pendant away.

Hidden Guard, "...."

He didn’t dare to ask for the Jade Pendant back.

Without the Jade Pendant, there was no need for him to go inside.

He waited outside for a while before realizing the Young Master and Princess Consort might be waiting for him.

Then he went in empty-handed.

"So, does that mean the Prince recognizes that Jade Pendant?" Su Jin raised her voice slightly.

The Hidden Guard nodded slightly, "The Prince recognizes it."

But knowing the Prince recognizes it is useless.

The Prince instructed him not to tell the Young Master.

If the Young Master asks, wouldn’t the Prince know he told the Young Master?

If he takes the Prince’s instructions as a mere breeze by his ear, he would be punished.

Moreover, since the Prince did not want the Young Master to know about this Jade Pendant, even if the Young Master asked, the Prince would not say.

Su Jin looked at Xie Jingchen.

Xie Jingchen’s brow furrowed deeply.

All these years, apart from his father hiding his true origins, nothing else had been hidden from him.

But that Jade Pendant belonged to Zhao Xu and had nothing to do with him.

Why wouldn’t his father let him know?

The more he was not allowed to know, the more curious Xie Jingchen became.

Su Jin was utterly bewildered.

A Jade Pendant that everyone recognized but no one would speak of, she just wanted to ask, would saying a few more words kill anyone?

"What should we do now?" Su Jin was entirely at a loss.

The Jade Pendant was in the Prince’s hands, she had no idea how to retrieve it.

Xie Jingchen shook his head.

"Let’s go back first," he said.

"The Jade Pendant is with Father, it won’t be lost."

Su Jin wasn’t worried about the Jade Pendant being lost.

She was worried about what to say if Lady Chi inquired about it.

...

In the study.

The Prince sat at the desk, looking at the painting on the desk and the Jade Pendant in his hand.

His brow was heavy.

The appearance of Hengyang’s portrait in the Capital was already unusual.

Now even the personal Jade Pendant of Prince Dongling’s heir had appeared.

And it was given to Chenchen.

What on earth did the person sending the Jade Pendant intend to do?

...

As the Prince was pondering this, Su Jin was walking through the second gate.

Suddenly her nose itched, and she sneezed.

Doctor Chen, who was hurrying over, was startled by Su Jin’s sneeze.

Doctor Chen’s mouth twitched.

Please don’t tell him that after the Old Prince, Princess Nanzhang, and the Old Madam, the Princess Consort Zhenbei also needs a consultation.

Ever since the Princess Consort got married, patients have been swarming the Prince Zhenbei Mansion.

It’s no exaggeration to say that in the past few months, the Prince Zhenbei Mansion has sustained half of the Imperial Hospital.

"Are you okay?" Xie Jingchen asked.

"Do you need Doctor Chen to have a look at you?"

Doctor Chen, "...."

Su Jin rubbed her nose and said, "No need, I’m fine."

Doctor Chen came over, and Su Jin curiously asked, "Who in the inner courtyard is sick?"

"The Old Madam has a headache, I prescribed a remedy," Doctor Chen replied.

Since Su Jin didn’t need a consultation, Doctor Chen took his leave.

Su Jin and Xie Jingchen returned to the Agarwood Pavilion.

Sweat beaded on her forehead and neck, and Su Jin washed her face.

With a cloth over her face, Su Jin thought of something and looked at Xingxing, saying, "Go and check if anyone has visited the Old Madam for her headache."

Xingxing nodded repeatedly.

Just as she was about to leave, Xie Jingchen said, "No need to check, there will definitely be visitors."

"Even for a slight headache, they visit?" Su Jin asked.

"They would visit even when they cough," Xie Jingchen said.

"...."

Alright then.

They’re all dutiful people.

Su Jin curled her lips, saying, "I should follow the local customs too."

"Let’s go, prepare a visiting gift," Su Jin said.

"...."

"Miss, are you really going to visit the Old Madam?" Xingxing asked, following behind.

"If you go, the Old Madam’s headache will definitely worsen."

"...."

"Ah! Miss isn’t planning to anger her to death, is she?" Xingxing’s eyes sparkled.

Su Jin’s mouth twitched.

She turned around and tapped Xingxing’s forehead, "Do you have to know me so well?"

Xingxing, "...."

Xie Jingchen, "...."

Xingxing grinned, "I grew up with Miss, of course, I’m familiar with her."

The voices of the master and servant duo gradually faded.

Xie Jingchen felt a bit uneasy and instructed the Hidden Guard to keep an eye on things.

After some time, the Hidden Guard returned and quietly reported everything Su Jin did to Xie Jingchen.

"Will the Old Madam be so angered by her that she has a stroke?" Xie Jingchen asked, massaging his forehead.

"....It’s only a matter of time," the Hidden Guard whispered.

Xie Jingchen looked helpless.

Although the Old Madam disliked him, she was still his biological grandmother.

Allowing Su Jin to anger the Old Madam to death while he sat by doing nothing felt quite unfilial.

But.... the Old Madam brought it upon herself.

Of all the people to provoke, she repeatedly fell into Su Jin’s hands.

"Young Master, you should pretend you know nothing," the Hidden Guard advised.

Stopping the Princess Consort from provoking the Old Madam would only result in the Young Master being the target of her wrath.

The Princess Consort was too formidable.

Almost every step was within her calculations.

Even if something went awry, it would just mean more people fell into her trap.

There was only one outcome for crossing the Princess Consort.

A dead end.

Xie Jingchen sipped his tea, casting a sidelong glance at the Hidden Guard, "What do I know?"

The Hidden Guard, "...."

After preparing the visiting gifts, Su Jin took Xingxing to Qihao Hall.

As soon as the Old Madam fell ill, visitors abounded.

When she arrived, the Second Madam and Third Madam were both there, along with Xie Jinhuan and Xie Jinxiu.

The Second Madam smiled and said, "The Princess Consort has come to visit the Old Madam too."

"What visit?!" Xie Jinxiu quickly interjected.

"I think she’s here to provoke Grandmother!"

Su Jin quietly reflected on herself.

Was she too lacking in depth and composure?

How could everyone easily guess her intentions?

Su Jin carried a brocade box, stepped forward, and said, "I heard from Doctor Li that the Old Madam has a headache, and I happened to have some swallow’s nest to help the Old Madam nourish herself."

After taking medicine, the Old Madam’s headache had somewhat eased.

But upon seeing Su Jin, she felt as if her head was being pricked with needles, waves of sharp pain.

The pain made her eyes flash with cold light.

Xie Jinxiu scoffed, "Does Grandmother lack your little bit of swallow’s nest?"

"Of course, I know the Old Madam lacks nothing," Su Jin said.

"This is just a token of my sentiment."