Consort of a Thousand Faces

HAPTER 355 (1): THREATEN

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Chao Mu walked to Tan Ge’s side and looked at her in concern.
“What’s wrong? You have been acting strange since we came back from the Imperial Garden.
Do you miss your family? It’s normal to have trouble adapting after you enter the imperial palace, but you’ll get used to it.”

 

Tan Ge felt a sense of loss when she heard the word ‘family’. The current Tan Residence is nothing like a family; it only seeks to heartlessly use me like a tool.
I don’t feel warm at all; there’s only bone-piercing coldness.

 

Tan Ge laughed.
“Chao Mu, I’m fine.
Prince Hao is actually doing this to protect Su Xi-er.
He’s announcing to everyone that Su Xi-er is with him, and that whoever dares to lay their hands on her will be his enemy.”

 

Chao Mu’s eyes lit up.
“I held Prince Hao in contempt in the past for treating women like clothes, changing them out whenever he wished.
It appears that I’ve been too prejudiced against him; I didn’t know he would treat a woman so well.”

 

“Chao Mu, we have to give Su Xi-er our blessings.” Tan Ge faintly smiled and continued sweeping the palace path.

 

However, just as she began, she heard the sound of footsteps.
The sight of a man with silver embroidery on their clothes entered their eyes, causing Tan Ge to pause. It’s him.
He has come…

 

Chao Mu also stopped sweeping and respectfully bowed.
“This servant pays her respects to Commandery Prince Xie.”

 

Xie Yun waved his hand for her to rise before turning his gaze to Tan Ge.
“A letter from your father.”

 

Tan Ge took the letter.
“Many thanks for personally delivering it, Commandery Prince Xie.
This servant is extremely grateful.”

 

Xie Yun nodded and looked towards Chao Mu, prompting the latter to knowingly bow as she withdrew.

 

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Under Xie Yun’s gaze, Tan Ge opened the letter, and had only skimmed through the first few lines before understanding what it was about.
The hand that she used to hold the letter trembled before she finally gave into her emotions, stumbling a few steps back.

 

Mum…has passed away…

 

When I was young, mum treated me very well.
She would check on how I was doing, and treated me as her precious treasure.
But ever since the Tan Residence started to decline, mum would always look troubled, and the burden she carried only increased by the day.
From then on, mum would treat me coldly, and every time I talked to her, she would tell me, “You are the Tan Residence’s hope.
You have to work hard to prove yourself.”

 

But no matter how much she changed, she was still my mum, the person who went to great pains to give birth to me.

 

“Commandery Prince Xie, could you arrange for this servant to leave the palace?” Tan Ge couldn’t stop her eyes from reddening as she looked up at him with a longing expression.

 

“Alright,” he softly agreed.

 

Tan Ge immediately bowed.
“Many thanks, Commandery Prince.
This servant is extremely grateful.”

 

But as soon as she spoke, Xie Yun immediately came closer before lowering his voice.
“Tan Ge, you claim that you are grateful to this Prince, but this Prince doesn’t see your sincerity.”

 

Tan Ge understood what he was implying by ‘sincerity’. I know, but I can’t do it.
I really can’t.

 

Hence, she pursed her lips, and spoke as if every word sapped at her strength.
“Commandery Prince Xie, this servant can’t do it.
Can you change it to something else?”

 

“If that’s the case, there’s no need for you to return to the palace.
This Prince will have someone send you back to the Tan Residence.” Xie Yun turned on his heel, preparing to leave.

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Panicking, Tan Ge reached out her hand and boldly pulled on Xie Yun’s sleeve.
“Commandery Prince Xie, please spare this servant.” Anguish was present in both her voice and eyes.

 

Xie Yun didn’t turn back, but simply flung his sleeve.
“You are clever enough to know what this Prince wants you to do.”

 

“Must it be that way?” Tan Ge asked again. Do I only have one path?

 

“Did you throw away the packet of medicine I gave you?”

 

CHAPTER 355 (2): THREATEN

Tan Ge was stunned for a moment before nodding.
“Yes, this servant threw it away.”

 

Xie Yun let out a chuckle and turned around to softly caress her head.
“This Prince gave you a chance, but you threw it away.
Did you know that this Prince has provided quite a large sum of money to the Tan Residence for it to survive until now.
Do you want to know what else will happen if you don’t show that you can repay me?”

 

Tan Ge’s hands curled into fists, and her eyes widened.
“Commandery Prince Xie, were you the one who made a move on this servant’s mum?”

 

“It wasn’t this Prince, but your father, Patriarch Tan.” Xie Yun whispered and put down his hand.

 

“Someone will soon arrive to bring you back to the Tan Residence to see your mother off.” 

 

Watching Xie Yun’s departing figure, Tan Ge’s shoulders uncontrollably shook.
The agony in her heart piled up, tormenting her to the point that she couldn’t even bring herself to let the tears in her eyes fall.

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Chao Mu had been watching them in secret, but hadn’t been able to hear what was being said.
She only knew that Tan Ge was in visible distress after Xie Yun had left, prompting her to immediately walk over..

 

“Tan Ge, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me.” She patted Tan Ge’s shoulder and felt her trembling non-stop.

 

Tan Ge held onto the letter with a death grip, and it took her a long time to reply, “Mum passed away.”

 

Chao Mu knitted her brows.
She had never had parents, and didn’t understand why they were so important.
Despite how long she had lived, she had always wondered what it would’ve been like to have them.

 

Chao Mu could sense Tan Ge’s sorrow, but didn’t know how to comfort her. No words will be enough to ease her bereavement.

 

“Chao Mu, can you help me sweep the palace path? I want to make a trip back to the Tan Residence.”

 

“Of course.
Tan Ge, everything is unpredictable and constantly changing in this world.
Everyone will eventually grow old or die from illness.”

 

Grow old or die from illness. These words only served to intensify the suffering in Tan Ge’s heart. Mum was killed by dad.

 

Tan Ge’s lips were tightly pursed as she nodded.
“Thank you, Chao Mu.”

 

At this moment, an imperial guard from the Commandery Prince Residence entered the Imperial Library, preparing to send Tan Ge back and handle Lady Tan’s funeral on Xie Yun’s order. 

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Tan Ge followed the guard and boarded a horse carriage.

 

Su Xi-er had left the Palace Side Quarters and was heading towards the Imperial Library when she happened to catch sight of Tan Ge leaving

 

It’s an ordinary horse carriage, and not one from the imperial palace.
Is Xie Yun taking her away? Or did something happen to the Tan Residence that has forced Tan Ge to return?

 

Chao Mu also noticed Su Xi-er.
When she saw the latter watching the direction the carriage had left in, she called out, “Su Xi-er.”

 

Hearing Chao Mu’s voice, Su Xi-er asked, “Where is Tan Ge going?”

 

Chao Mu sighed.
“Lady Tan passed away, so Tan Ge is going back to take care of her funeral.
Su Xi-er, why did you suddenly come back? Shouldn’t you have left with Prince Hao?”

 

“The supervisor of the Palace Side Quarters, Old Maidservant Liu, passed away, so I went to pay my respects.”

 

“Su Xi-er, will you be going to the Prince Hao Residence in the future? I heard many people say that Prince Hao favours you a lot.” Chao Mu was smiling with a pure look in her eyes.

 

“Mmm, I will be going there after some time.” Su Xi-er didn’t hide it from Chao Mu. This lass is very innocent; I shouldn’t lie to her.

 

Chao Mu was elated.
“That’s great! After you leave the palace, based on how much Prince Hao dotes on you…” She quickly moved to Su Xi-er’s side.
“You might even be able to become a secondary consort in the future!” 

 

Having entered the imperial palace at a very young age, Chao Mu was very clear about the importance of bloodlines. After rising up from the position of a maidservant in the Palace Side Quarters, being the secondary consort is already a dream come true!