Chapter 670 Deliberately Creating Trouble

When Lady Zuo arrived in front of the Empress, she naturally dared not be as presumptuous as she had been with the Third Princess Consort, and quickly put down the flower petals in her hand.

Jiang Fenghua's eyes were clear and bright, and she smiled happily along with them, "Third sister-in-law and Madam Zuo are both very talented writers."

“Your Majesty the Empress, please also compose a poem,” said Lady Zuo with a smile.

Jiang Fenghua cleared her throat as if to say, "I'll give it a try."

The moment these words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent.

Her smile was as warm as a blooming flower as she slowly walked to a plum tree. "Don't praise me for being proud in the snow. Actually, I'm shivering from the cold. The north wind chases after me and bites me. I'm most afraid of listening to the snow falling in the dead of night. I know my loneliness and pity. The snow sculpts my body and ice carves my bones. It spreads across the desolate hills. Who plants the seeds of longing on this lonely mountain?"

As she recited her lines, she made gestures, which was humorous and witty, drawing everyone's attention and making them very happy. Even the Empress has such a cute and lively side!

Literary figures have always written poems and lyrics praising the plum blossom for its nobility and resilience, but no one has ever pitied its solitary existence, blooming alone in the wind and snow. It must be quite lonely, unlike the bustling scene of hundreds of flowers blooming in spring. A single plum blossom, proudly blooming alone in the snow, is not a plum tree planted by anyone, but a symbol of longing!

Suddenly, it dawned on me that whoever planted the plum tree was the one who planted the acacia tree—naturally, it was the Emperor who planted the acacia tree!

No one dared to make fun of the emperor.

The Fourth Princess Consort never smiled from beginning to end. She was always aloof. Thinking of the plum garden that Xie Shang planted when he was young, she wondered who he was longing for.

She remembered that Xie Shang had also visited the Duke of Zhang's mansion. From that time on, she often longed for him alone. Fate was cruel.

Jiang Fenghua observed everyone's reactions, finally fixing her gaze on the Fourth Princess Consort, Zhang Yurou. She was gazing at the plum garden in a daze, her eyes filled with tender affection. Jiang Fenghua immediately understood that Zhang Yurou also had feelings for Xie Shang, and perhaps they had even had a secret affair.

Is this plum garden related to Zhang Yurou? She needs to probe.

Xie Shang really is a man who likes to attract attention.

Jiang Fenghua added, "I've completed my mission, so Fourth Princess Consort, please join in the fun! Everyone's having a great time!"

"Your Majesty, I am not good at writing doggerel, and I am afraid I will spoil everyone's fun. The Third Princess and Lady Zuo are the best at it, so let them do it!" The Fourth Princess clenched her fists. The Empress was born into a scholarly family, but she didn't expect her to be so bad.

Just then, Zhang Yumo arrived at the plum garden, led by a palace maid. When the Fourth Princess saw her, she took the initiative to go up to her and said, "Mo'er, why are you only arriving now?"

"Cousin." Zhang Yumo greeted Jiang Ruochu, holding her small hand, and then said, "Xiao Chu greets Aunt..."

Before Zhang Yumo could finish speaking, Jiang Ruochu, seemingly ignoring her mother's words, ran directly to Jiang Fenghua and said, "Aunt."

Jiang Fenghua picked up Jiang Ruochu and affectionately kissed her forehead, "Little Chu is here."

"Xiao Chu misses her aunt."

"My aunt misses Xiao Chu too."

At this moment, Zhang Yumo walked up to Jiang Fenghua, curtsied, and said, "Yumo greets Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty be blessed with longevity and good health."

Jiang Fenghua helped Jiang Ruochu up, holding her in her arms, and said gently, "Sister-in-law, there's no need for such formalities. Are you going to the palace with only Sister-in-law and Ruochu? Where is Mother?"

"Mother seems to have something to do. She might be a little late. Jiang... Jin Yan and I went to the palace together. He escorted us to the entrance of the Imperial Garden and had a palace maid bring us here." Actually, she had already seen Jiang Fenghua and the other princesses standing here. Everyone seemed to be very happy.

Jiang Fenghua wondered to herself: Did my brother and Zhang Yumo have a fight? Did he specially send her here? Where is he?

Zhang Yurou felt embarrassed when she saw the difference between her and the Empress. "As expected of someone surnamed Jiang," she thought, "she really doesn't know any manners. Spoiled, huh? Next, your father..."

Zhang Yumo wanted to take her daughter from Jiang Fenghua, but Jiang Ruochu pouted her pink cherry lips and insisted on clinging to Jiang Fenghua: "Xiao Chu misses Sister Yan and Brother You too."

"Your aunt will have someone take you to find Yan'er and You'er, okay?"

"Great!" Jiang Ruochu had found someone she wanted to see and forgot all about her mother.

Jiang Fenghua then said to Granny Wang, "Take Xiao Chu to Kunning Palace to play with Yan'er and the others!"

Jiang Ruochu's expression suddenly turned somewhat unpleasant because she didn't greet Zhang Yurou.

After Granny Wang took Jiang Ruochu away, Jiang Fenghua said, "Sister-in-law, come and stroll in the garden with us to enjoy the flowers!" She wanted to find out why Zhang Yumo and Jiang Jinyan had quarreled. She and the Fourth Princess Consort were cousins ​​and seemed to have a pretty good relationship.

Zhang Yumo was gentle and quiet, not very talkative. She saw that the group of gossipy women who had been with the Fourth Princess that day were still pointing at her and whispering. Even though they weren't talking loudly, she could guess that they were talking about her and Jiang Jinyan.

Jiang Fenghua also overheard some gossip, but didn't understand what was going on. She remained calm and said, "Let's continue our plum blossom poetry game!"

A woman in pink said, "Speaking of talented women, the Lady of Wu'an is the real talent. When she was studying at the Imperial Academy, Zhang Yumo was often praised by the Grand Tutor, who said that she not only wrote well but also wrote good poems. Why don't you compose a poem for us all to liven things up?"

Zhang Yumo stared at the woman who was speaking. Her name was Shu Xue. She had been infatuated with Jiang Jinyan when she was studying at the Imperial Academy. It was only at the Zhang residence that she learned that Shu Xue had married Li Cheng.

In both her previous and current lives, Li Cheng was engaged to Zhang Yumo. However, in this life, she ended up marrying Jiang Jinyan. Shu Xue also liked Jiang Jinyan, which explains why her mouth was so annoying.

Shu Xue's cousin, Shu Yan, has married into the palace and become a concubine. I saw Shu Yan in the plum garden when I came over just now.

Seeing that Zhang Yumo didn't respond, Shu Xue said again, "Has Zhang Yumo's brain been damaged by the bomb and she can't write poetry anymore?"

Zhang Yumo said coldly, "If Madam Li can read my handwriting, I will recite the poem for you. But I seem to remember that Master Li can't even read many characters. Can you understand the poem?"

Shu Xue was furious. She was still bringing up things from so many years ago. The young ladies from noble families who used to play with her seemed to remember the embarrassing things she did back then and they whispered and mocked her: "The man Shu Xue married was the son of Minister Li. She was once rejected by Zhang Yumo. She can't read, but now she dares to ask him to write poetry. Who gave her the courage?"

"Actually, she was jealous that Zhang Yumo married Jiang Jinyan. She also liked Jiang Jinyan back then."

Shu Xue angrily said, "Zhang Yumo, who are you calling illiterate? Don't humiliate people. It all happened when we were kids, why are you still bringing it up? Humph! Do you think you're a genius's wife just because you married the number one scholar? Jiang Jinyan doesn't only love you, you'll be abandoned by him sooner or later..."

The Fourth Princess Consort suddenly stepped forward to stop Shu Xue and said softly, "Madam Li, don't speak so recklessly. You should say less in front of Her Majesty the Empress! Lord Jiang hasn't provoked you or offended you. Why are you saying these things? You're just tearing down someone's secret. Be careful not to get yourself into trouble. I, the Princess Consort, won't be able to save you then."

Shu Xue glared at Zhang Yumo defiantly, then shut up and said nothing more. Zhang Yumo had seen what happened that day herself, so why was she pretending?

The Fourth Princess Consort once again became a peacemaker, saying, "Mo'er, don't be angry with Madam Li. She's being immature, but aren't you being immature too? Let's be more magnanimous and each give way a little. We're in the palace today, so let's bear with it! It's not a big deal, and we still have your cousin!"

Zhang Yumo avoided the Fourth Princess's tugging, saying, "I'm not angry with anyone."

What Shu Xue said was true. Jiang Jinyan didn't just like her; he liked someone else. She was aware of this. The reason she was allowed to enter the palace with him today was because Jiang Jinyan said she was still the wife of the Marquis of Wu'an.