{"id":3619,"date":"2026-05-28T03:57:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T03:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/peach-blossom-overturning-the-country-the-princesss-gambit-21\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T03:57:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T03:57:07","slug":"peach-blossom-overturning-the-country-the-princesss-gambit-21","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/bn\/chapter\/peach-blossom-overturning-the-country-the-princesss-gambit-21\/","title":{"rendered":"Peach Blossom Overturning the Country (The Princess\u2018s Gambit) 21"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 21: Each Takes What They Need


After some thought, Yaotao whispered softly, \u201cIn this servant\u2019s humble opinion, if you wish for her assistance but do not want to be implicated by her, simply form a private alliance without causing her harm. As for on the surface, just maintain appearances, not letting the master think you are too close to her.\u201d

\u201cSo you mean, I just have to do nothing?\u201d Gu Huairou pondered for a moment. \u201cThat deal seems quite profitable.\u201d

Jiang Taohua likely intended to find allies in this inner courtyard. Since she was so shrewd in her calculations, she must not be allowed to take advantage of her. Otherwise, she might end up serving as a mere stepping stone for others without any way to extricate herself.

Having made up her mind, Madame Gu returned to Wen Qing Pavilion and found a red sachet, then sent Jin Yu to take it to Zhen Chun Pavilion.

Peach Blossom had just finished a bowl of donkey-hide gelatin chicken soup and was chewing on red dates as a snack when she saw Qing Tai come in holding the sachet.

\u201cHer response was quite swift indeed.\u201d Peach Blossom reached out, took the sachet, and examined it with a light laugh. \u201cQing Tai, what do you think Madame Gu means by this?\u201d

Qing Tai gave her mistress a puzzled look. \u201cWhat else could it mean? Didn\u2019t you just say that if Madame Gu agreed with you, she would send this? Now that she has sent it, it must surely mean she agrees.\u201d

Even though she was still feeling unwell, Taohua managed to roll her eyes with effort and said, \u201cIf everyone had such simple thoughts as yours, the phrase \u2018a person\u2019s heart lies hidden behind their chest\u2019 would never have existed in this world.\u201d

\u201c\u2026Could it be that she has some other hidden meaning?\u201d Qingtai didn\u2019t quite understand, glancing at the sachet twice: \u201cHow did you figure that out?\u201d

\u201cIt\u2019s quite clear that Lady Gu wants me to lend her a hand but is also afraid of getting dragged down by me. So, she plans to form an alliance by sending this sachet, hoping to enjoy my protection without actually having to do anything for me.\u201d

Reaching out to set the sachet aside, Taohua chuckled lightly: \u201cThat way, she only stands to gain without any losses, which is why she made the decision so quickly to send the sachet over. Otherwise, she would have taken longer to think it through.\u201d

Qing Tai twitched at the corner of his mouth. \u201cYou\u2026 even calculated this?\u201d

\u201cOf course.\u201d Rubbing her forehead, Tao Hua wearily lay down. \u201cI knew from the start she wouldn\u2019t help without hesitation, so I never intended to truly board the same boat with her. Judging by Shen Zaoye\u2019s initial move to target her, it\u2019s unlikely she\u2019ll have an easy time in the future. As long as she doesn\u2019t make things difficult for me and we don\u2019t drag each other down, that\u2019s fine by me.\u201d

Moss: \u201c\u2026\u201d

This master\u2019s lips are still pale now, and judging by her expression, she\u2019s not feeling too good either. Yet she still has the energy to spare to think so much\u2014it\u2019s simply terrifying.

\u201cYou should lie down for a while first,\u201d she whispered softly. \u201cWe still have to change the bandages later.\u201d

Each time the gauze was peeled off to change the medicine was pure torture. Hearing this, Peach Blossom quickly closed her eyes to rest, but even with them closed, she didn\u2019t forget to give an order: \u201cGo and find out about the daily supplies and expenses in this estate.\u201d

\u201cYes.\u201d

The long-quiet backyard of the Prime Minister\u2019s residence finally saw some commotion. Shen Zaijie stayed at the Contending Spring Pavilion for three days, summoned an imperial physician for Jiang Taohua, and severely punished Lady Gu who had come to cause trouble. These pieces of news spread like wildfire through every courtyard in no time.

\u201cThis is going to be quite a show.\u201d Madam Qin, sitting beside Mei Zhaoxue, cracked a melon seed and remarked: \u201cLady Gu is sharp-tongued and willful. Being punished like this, she\u2019ll surely feel her pride is wounded and will definitely make things difficult for Lady Jiang. Tonight was supposed to be Lady Meng\u2019s turn to attend to the master, and tomorrow night it\u2019s Lady Duan\u2019s. Both of them are of the same rank as Lady Jiang, and in terms of seniority, they\u2019re even more established than her. Yet, Lady Jiang has snatched away their favor twice in a row. The grudge is bound to run deep.\u201d

Mei Zhaoxue chuckled softly, fiddling with the tea set in front of her: \u201cAs long as it doesn\u2019t involve us, we can just enjoy the show. Neither Lady Meng nor Lady Duan is easy to deal with. We\u2019ll just keep our distance and make sure not to get any blood on our skirts.\u201d

Qin Jieyu nodded, her face beaming with a bright smile. Her lips moved slightly as she spat a melon seed shell far away.

Shen Zaixue acted as if he knew nothing at all. During the day, he attended court and handled his duties, and at night, he went to the Contending Spring Pavilion to personally feed Taohua her medicine.

Jiang Taohua looked at him with a smiling expression, refusing to open her mouth.

\u201cThis is a blood-supplementing medicine,\u201d Shen Zaiye said with a smile. \u201cI\u2019m personally feeding you, and you still won\u2019t take it?\u201d

Resolutely shaking her head, Taohua smiled and reached out to Qingtai, saying, \u201cSilver needle.\u201d

Qingtai respectfully handed it over, and Taohua took the needle, placing it into the medicine to test it.

Squinting, Shen Zaiye still wore a smile on his face: \u201cAre you worried that I might poison you?\u201d

\u201cThis concubine isn\u2019t worried about you, my lord.\u201d Seeing that the silver needle was fine, Tao Hua smiled as she took the medicine and leaned against the bedside, saying, \u201cDidn\u2019t the Southern Prince say it? This concubine\u2019s life is entrusted to you, and you cannot kill me. But with so many people in this courtyard, it\u2019s inevitable that someone might accidentally use the wrong medicine. There\u2019s no harm in trying it out.\u201d

Watching her drink the medicine spoonful by spoonful herself, Shen Zaiye chuckled, \u201cYou certainly are cautious.\u201d

\u201cTo live under your watchful eye, it\u2019s hard not to face hardship,\u201d Peach Blossom bowed her head towards him, wearing an obedient expression. \u201cBut now that I belong to you, my lord, why must you always think of giving me a hard time?\u201d

Shen Zaimei raised an eyebrow, gazing at the pale neck she exposed as she lowered her head. He reached out to pinch her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

\u201cWhere do you see that I\u2019m giving you a hard time? For your sake, I kept the imperial physician from returning to the palace all night.\u201d

Meeting his deep, penetrating eyes, Peach Blossom replied calmly, \u201cI heard you heavily punished Mistress Gu.\u201d

\u201cShe was naive and ought to be punished.\u201d

\u201cMy lord, aren\u2019t you being a bit too harsh?\u201d Peach Blossom smiled gently. \u201cFirst, Lady Gu didn\u2019t deliberately cause trouble for me, and second, she hasn\u2019t caused any serious harm. Why should she be forbidden from serving in your chambers for half a year?\u201d

\u201cAre you pleading on her behalf?\u201d Shen Zaiye was surprised. \u201cWith fewer nights for her, you\u2019ll have more nights to serve. Aren\u2019t you pleased about that?\u201d

Who on earth would want to share a bed with a venomous snake? Jiang Taohua sneered inwardly, but on the surface, she remained gentle and soft-spoken. \u201cI haven\u2019t given it much thought. I simply feel that everything should be dealt with fairly. Not only is Lady Gu being harshly punished unfairly, but others in the courtyard might also think that my lord has been bewitched by me and is therefore showing favoritism, which would make them resent me. Isn\u2019t this, my lord, making things difficult for me?\u201d

She actually saw through it? Shen Zaiye lowered his gaze, reflecting on himself. Had he still underestimated this woman? Clearly, he had been showing favor towards her. In the case of anyone else, they would have been carried away by arrogance long ago. How could she remain so clear-headed, saying such things and even analyzing the drawbacks?

With a slight flicker in his eyes, Shen Zaiye said, \u201cIt seems I didn\u2019t consider this thoroughly. But the rules have already been established. If I show leniency to Lady Gu now, it might make me appear unreliable. As for this matter\u2026\u201d

\u201cThis concubine has a solution.\u201d Interrupting him, Jiang Taohua reached for the sachet by the pillow. \u201cThis is a small gift Lady Gu sent as an apology. To know one\u2019s mistakes and correct them is the greatest good. It is said that Lady Gu has a proud nature, yet she was willing to lower her head and admit her wrongs. Why not be a little more forgiving, my lord, and gain a reputation for magnanimity?\u201d

Shen Zaiye lifted his eyes, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment. \u201cLady Gu came to apologize to you?\u201d

\u201cYes, it was nothing significant to begin with, yet she troubled herself to come and apologize. I truly feel embarrassed about it.\u201d

Is this a lie? Shen Zaiye didn\u2019t believe it. With Madam Gu\u2019s temperament, she would definitely make a huge fuss\u2014how could she possibly do nothing and even apologize to Jiang Taohua in return? She wasn\u2019t that sensible.

He turned his head and glanced at Zhanlu. Zhanlu bowed and leaned close to his ear, whispering, \u201cMadam Gu did come to the Spring Strife Pavilion this afternoon.\u201d

\u201c\u2026\u2026\u201d

Shen Zaiye remained silent, gazing at the pale-faced person before him who was forcing a smile. Only after a long while did he finally speak. \u201cHow did you do it?\u201d

\u201cWhat are you talking about, my lord?\u201d Peach Blossom looked utterly innocent. \u201cWhat have I done?\u201d

\u201cIf you truly did nothing wrong, would the Gu family come to apologize?\u201d

Blinking her eyes, with a clear and innocent gaze, Peach Blossom said, \u201cI truly haven\u2019t done anything. It\u2019s likely that Madam Gu felt guilty and came on her own.\u201d

This kind of excuse might fool outsiders, but to fool him? Shen Zaile chuckled, reaching out to take the bowl from which Taohua had just finished her medicine and placing it heavily on the nearby tray.

The clear, crisp sound made everyone in the room tense up. Jiang Taohua raised her eyelids and looked at him calmly: \u201cIt\u2019s perfectly fine, my lord, why are you so upset?\u201d

\u201cI don\u2019t like women who lie,\u201d Shen Zaile said with a dark expression. \u201cEspecially those who think themselves clever enough to try and manipulate me.\u201d

Taohua straightened up, frowning slightly before relaxing her brow, and looked at him calmly: \u201cPlease calm down, my lord. I am only trying to protect my life; it doesn\u2019t directly conflict with you. Why bother caring so much?\u201d

Was it her own presumptuous cleverness that angered him, or had she truly guessed his thoughts and provoked his shameful rage? Jiang Taohua could not be oblivious. This kind of intimidation might frighten other women, but she had grown up amidst fear\u2014she was long past being afraid.

Shen Zaive\u2019s eyes were like sharp swords, piercing her from head to toe. In the end, he seemed to notice she showed no trace of fear and finally abandoned his intimidation, directly asking:

\u201cIs your true intention merely to preserve your life, or do you desire something else?\u201d

Taohua smiled gently. \u201cRest assured, my lord, this humble servant only wishes to preserve her life\u2014after all, without life, there is nothing. All other matters, this servant can cooperate with you, but those that place her in perilous circumstances\u2014my lord must not blame her for prioritizing self-preservation.\u201d

The meaning was clear\u2014it didn\u2019t matter how he stirred his backyard; as long as it didn\u2019t threaten her life, she would comply obediently. That idea of temporarily lifting her to the heavens only to let her fall to her death\u2014best not to bring it up again.

Shen Zaijing watched her quietly, his gaze filled with pressure. Jiang Taohua looked back at him gently, even with a smile.

The atmosphere in the room was tense, like a fully drawn bow\u2014either the bow would break, or the arrow would be released. Qingtai and Zhanlu stood nearby, not daring to breathe heavily, their backs already damp with sweat.

After a long silence, Shen Zaije actually let out a light chuckle. He reached out and took her hand into his palm, saying, \u201cIf that\u2019s the case, why don\u2019t we cooperate properly, each getting what they need? What do you say?\u201d

\u201cWhat does Young Master want this humble concubine to do?\u201d Peach Blossom asked playfully, tilting her head.

\u201cJust act like an ordinary woman, do whatever you normally would in the rear courtyard.\u201d Shen Zaije lifted his hand, gently smoothing her long hair. \u201cAs for your life, as long as I am here, it will not be lost.\u201d

\u201cAnd what will serve as assurance?\u201d Peach Blossom said. \u201cYoung Master had also promised Nan Wang that this humble concubine\u2019s life would be safe, but sadly, words were not matched by deeds. Without proof, this humble concubine dares not easily trust Young Master.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"novel":[],"class_list":["post-3619","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3619","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3619"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3619\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3620,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3619\/revisions\/3620"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novel","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novel?post=3619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}