Gu Shui Rou's complexion was too pale. Prince Jin saw it and naturally understood that she didn't truly wish for him to stay.
His eyes darkened, and he suddenly stood up, his voice a bit weary, "Study still has matters to attend to. This Prince will go handle official business first. If I'm too busy late tonight, you don't need to wait for me."
Before Gu Shui Rou could react, the man had already strode away.
She was stunned, then a hint of relief flashed in her eyes.
Ru Yan, who was about to decide what clothes to prepare for her master that evening, quickly ran to the courtyard entrance.
Seeing that Prince Jin had already vanished, she bit her lip, and for some reason, a sudden panic seized her heart.
"Master, why didn't you try to make the Prince stay? The Prince hasn't rested in the Main Courtyard for half a month."
In the past, no matter what, the Prince would come two days out of five. Even if he didn't consummate the marriage with her master, he was still willing.
But now, he hadn't come for half a month straight, and when he did come, it was only for a few brief words before he left.
Ru Yan worried that if this continued for too long, the Prince would no longer be willing to come to the Main Courtyard, and then her master would become the laughingstock of Prince Jin's Manor.
Gu Shui Rou was somewhat displeased with Ru Yan's questioning tone.
She cooled her face and said impatiently, "What do you know? If I wanted the Prince to come, would he not come? Didn't you hear him say he had official business?"
Ru Yan choked, feeling a bit wronged by her master's cold tone.
She was clearly doing it for her master's good.
But her lifelong loyalty quickly made her discard that trace of grievance, and she began to subtly reason with Gu Shui Rou again.
Gu Shui Rou was most annoyed by Ru Yan telling her to be considerate of Prince Jin.
What was there to be considerate about him?
Was forcing her to get pregnant for her own good?
Since childhood, she had seen the terrifying figures and flattened stomachs of her favored aunts after childbirth in her family.
This was like a nightmare to her, and she absolutely refused to have children to accommodate him.
"Alright, stop nagging. Go prepare the meal. This Princess Consort is hungry."
Seeing Gu Shui Rou impatiently turn away, Ru Yan could only purse her lips and sigh inwardly.
Why wouldn't her master understand?
Now, with no one else in Prince Jin's Manor, it was the best time to give birth to the eldest legitimate son in one go.
She was not a young mistress; she had served her young mistress since childhood, then accompanied her to marry into Prince Jin's Manor, and also learned many palace rules.
She deeply knew that being a Princess Consort was an honor, but also a kind of shackles.
A noble person like Prince Jin would absolutely not have only her master in the future.
Now it was Virtuous Consort De urging, and in the future, it might even be the Emperor.
Without an heir, her master would never be able to truly be a Princess Consort.
Prince Jin had not taken a concubine for three years, but there was no guarantee he wouldn't in the fourth or fifth year.
She must help her master get pregnant during this period and secure a male heir in one fell swoop.
Only then would her master not be bullied by those presumptuous concubines when the back courtyard was filled with them, nor would she be blamed by Virtuous Consort De, who had always disliked her master.
Furthermore, with a child, her master would be invincible in the back courtyard.
As long as the child was by her side, why worry about the Prince's heart not being there?
Ru Yan had once broken these things down and explained them to her master, but while her master listened, she always scoffed at her ideas.
This gave Ru Yan a headache.
Now, she could only try her best to guard against the maids in the back courtyard who flaunted their looks, making them abandon their ambitions of climbing the social ladder.
Study was also a key area of concern for Ru Yan.
Previously, her master had casually sent two unremarkable maids to Front Yard, and later Virtuous Consort De ordered them directly to Study for close service.
Now, only one of the two maids remained.
Regardless of why the demoted concubine-maid was expelled from Study, these were not Ru Yan's concerns.
Her only concern was the maid who was kept by the Prince among the two.
This also proved that among the two maids, the one who was kept was more to the Prince's liking.
The Prince often rested in Front Yard, and it was hard to guarantee that he wouldn't accidentally let that lowly maid climb into his bed and enter the back courtyard, becoming an eyesore for her master.
If that maid made any unusual moves, no matter what, she would eliminate her and not let anyone obstruct her master's path!
Meanwhile, on the other side, Prince Jin returned to Study, unable to suppress the frustration in his heart.
At this moment, seeing Cui Ping dressed in a flamboyant manner, he found it even harder to hide his irritation.
He hastily told Cui Ping to leave and then locked himself alone in the room.
Cui Ping, who was driven out, looked distressed, but thinking of A'rao, who had already been driven out, she felt a bit of satisfaction.
At least the Prince valued her and didn't drive her out.
"Hey, do you know why the Prince is in a bad mood? Could it be that the Main Courtyard made him angry again?"
Chang Qing glanced at Cui Ping, his voice cold, "Don't ask what you shouldn't know."
Seeing Chang Qing being so uncooperative, Cui Ping was annoyed, "What are you so proud of? You're just a guard at the gate, what's with the arrogance!"
Once she gained favor and became a concubine, she would ask the Prince to drive this cold-faced guard away!
After Cui Ping left, Chang Qing remained guarding the door.
As time approached noon and there was still no movement inside, Chang Qing frowned, feeling a bit worried.
Suddenly, as if he thought of something, he walked out slowly.
Arriving at Chufang (Kitchen), Chang Qing scanned the area and did not see A Rao among the group of people.
He furrowed his brow.
A quick-witted kitchen assistant saw this and scurried over, wiping his hands with the towel around his neck, and said clearly, "Excuse me, are you here to get food or to find someone?"
"I'm looking for A Rao."
A Rao?
The little kitchen assistant pondered for a moment and realized that this A Rao was the sister who had been assigned to Chufang (Kitchen) a few days ago.
At that time, when A Rao was assigned, it had attracted quite a few curious glances.
Chufang (Kitchen) was the most exhausting place in the entire Prince Jin's Manor.
Other places rested on time, but Chufang (Kitchen) couldn't.
They had to be ready at all times in case the masters in the manor suddenly felt like having pastries or ordering dishes.
It was a busy state all day long.
Because it was physically demanding work, most of the people in Chufang (Kitchen) were men.
Young girls like A Rao were rarely seen.
Moreover, the superiors had instructed that although A Rao had come to Chufang (Kitchen), she didn't need to cook for the entire manor with everyone else on a daily basis; she only needed to help out occasionally.
The most crucial thing was that A Rao used to be a concubine-maid!
Although the status of a concubine-maid was not high, it was a rare master's position in Prince Jin's Manor, after all, she was one of only two women who served the Prince besides the Princess Consort.
For a time, everyone speculated whether A Rao was disliked by the Prince and sent away, or what.
Otherwise, what did it mean to be expelled from Front Yard and assigned to Chufang (Kitchen), yet not be made to do heavy work?
The little kitchen assistant's mind worked quickly, and he instantly came back to his senses.
He cupped his hands and smiled at Chang Qing, "A Rao was feeling unwell yesterday, so she didn't come to Chufang (Kitchen) today.
She's resting in her room."
Chang Qing was stunned.
Seeing that the kitchen assistant was about to lead him to A Rao, he waved his hand, "No need."
He turned and left.
But after a while, he turned back and ordered some dishes that Prince Jin usually liked.
Half of those dishes were ones the Prince had enjoyed in the past, and the other half were new dishes that A Rao had estimated the Prince's preferences for after she arrived.