Chapter 181 Xi Qingtong Comes to Seek Exchange

The central hall of the palace is surrounded by vegetation on all sides, and the interior is divided into two parts, front and back, separated by a tall landscape screen.

Xi Zhong paused, then nodded obediently. He understood Qing Wu's implication and was willing to bear witness, so he could report back to his master and have something to say.

These two girls are both the master's biological daughters. He originally treated them equally from the bottom of his heart, but that was on the premise that they did not do anything to harm the Xi family or his job. After this incident, Xi Zhong's heart has actually leaned towards Qingwu.

"Then I will go to the back and wait."

*

The moment Xi Qingtong stepped into the palace, her eyes were stung by the luxurious scene before her.

On both sides of the corridor paved with square blue bricks, precious flowers and trees were neatly trimmed. The glazed palace lanterns hanging under the corridor reflected colorful light in the sun. Even the clothes worn by the maids leading the way were made of materials she could name.

The Xi family was also an aristocratic family, but how could they compare to the wealth and influence of the royal palace? Thinking of her twin sister already being the mistress of the royal palace, Xi Qingtong couldn't help but clench her hands clasped in her sleeves until her knuckles turned white.

A huge regret surged in her heart like a raging storm. These should have been hers. She should have been the mistress of this palace.

Especially when she heard the words of the maid who led the way, "Madam, the princess is waiting for you in the main hall. You still need to walk a little further," Xi Qingtong's heart ached even more.

Princess, the super princess, she couldn't help but think of the time when she was ridiculed and excluded by the four princesses. She was so embarrassed at that time, and she wanted to be on equal footing with those princesses and even thought about stepping on them under her feet in the future. Now she has succeeded, but it was others who achieved it under her name.

Her heart was in turmoil and she was filled with jealousy. Xi Qingtong didn't even know where she had been. When she came to her senses, she had followed Feihong to the main hall and saw the girl standing in the center of the hall from afar.

She was dressed in a bright and lively red brocade dress, with pearls and jade all over her head, sparkling. Her hands were folded on her belly, and her every move and gesture exuded the grace of a princess. If it weren't for the face that looked exactly like her own, Xi Qingtong would not have believed that this was her twin sister who grew up in the countryside.

How could she act so well? She looked like a noble princess who had been well-educated since childhood?

As the distance between the two people got closer, Xi Qingtong could see more clearly, the faintly visible gold thread on the red brocade dress, the oriental pearls in the earrings, and especially the gorgeous seven-tailed phoenix hairpin on her temples, which was dazzling and glaring.

She couldn't help but recall the scene when the Fourth Princess ridiculed her with this hairpin. Jealousy and resentment surged in her heart, and she didn't even notice that she had already stepped onto the steps of the central hall and was only three steps away from Qingwu.

Until Feihong frowned and reminded her - "Madam, it's time to pay respects to the princess."

Xi Qingtong finally came to his senses, but it felt like he had been slapped hard in the face. He was trembling all over, but he had to slowly bend his knees and perform a standard bow.

She had a purpose, so she couldn't get angry, Xi Qingtong warned herself.

"I… greet Her Majesty the Princess."

She gritted her teeth and squeezed out the words word by word. It felt like she had swallowed a knife in her throat, and every word she spoke was painful.

Qing Wu lowered his eyes and looked at Xi Qingtong. Although Xi Qingtong had tried her best to conceal it, that subtle expression still revealed her inner unwillingness. Without thinking, Qing Wu could guess Xi Qingtong's inner feelings.

She must have been extremely reluctant and felt it was humiliating to salute him.

Qingwu could completely guess what Xi Qingtong was thinking. It was obvious that the more humiliated Xi Qingtong felt, the happier she should have felt. But when she really saw this scene, it seemed that she was not as happy as she had imagined.

Why? Qing Wu thought about it and thought, maybe the lesson she learned was not enough?

People are so strange. Yesterday I was worried that I would look like a smug villain if I was too happy, and I was encouraged by others to act like a princess. But after seeing the real person today, I felt that all this was not enough.

Of course it’s not enough…

How could Qingwu, who had personally read his father's letter, not see his father's protection? Even if he promised her that he would come back to resolve the matter by the end of the year, even if he gave her the jade pendant to make things easier for her, even if she was moved by it, Qingwu would not ignore the implicit meaning within.

Her father hoped that she could still show some mercy, and this was the fundamental reason why Xi Qingtong dared to come and why Qingwu felt that it was not enough.

What was the point of being humiliated by myself? Wasn't this what Xi Qingtong had brought upon herself? What had Xi Qingtong lost? What had she endured? She was currently well-fed and well-off, living a good life.

In just a few breaths after seeing Xi Qingtong's true face, Qingwu's thoughts were completely turned upside down. She lowered her eyes and looked at Xi Qingtong who was squatting, and deliberately waited for a few breaths without saying a word.

Feihong was still wondering, but Yuzhu, who had been summoned into the hall to serve, had already understood her wife's intentions. She stood up and acted condescendingly, "Madam Song, you don't have an imperial decree, so this etiquette is not right."

Yuzhu has always been reserved and steady, but her expression at this moment was not entirely a disguise. They had seen everything her wife had done along the way, so how could she not hate Xi Qingtong in front of her?

Hearing this, Xi Qingtong raised his head abruptly and glared at Yuzhu. Just as he was about to scold her, he met Qingwu's calm eyes.

There was no pride or mockery in her expression, only a kind of condescending calmness, as if Xi Qingtong was just a strange woman paying her a visit.

Shocked by such a gaze, Xi Qingtong felt a little uneasy for the first time. She smiled awkwardly twice and her tone became weaker.

"You little girl, what you said... Aren't we sisters? Between sisters..."

However, before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by a cold voice, "Etiquette cannot be abolished. It seems that my sister did not learn etiquette well back then."

Xi Qingtong subconsciously wanted to refute. How dare she, Xi Qingwu, say that her etiquette was not well learned? Back then, her etiquette rules were...

However, halfway through her words, Xi Qingtong's words got stuck in her throat when she saw the half-smiling face opposite her. She was now "Xi Qingwu"... Her public manners were indeed not as good as the princess in front of her.

For a moment, Xi Qingtong felt extremely aggrieved, but after a few breaths, her mind came back to normal.

Isn't it because she took on my identity that she can say this? Isn't it because she is taking advantage of me? Doesn't she feel ashamed?

Thinking of this, Xi Qingtong actually felt that the possibility of success of his trip was greater. A sense of confidence surged in his chest and he forced himself to hold back his anger.

So Qingwu watched helplessly as the once arrogant girl Xi Qingtong actually knelt down obediently and kowtowed to her, with a smile on her face that was more genuine than when she came.

"I pay my respects to Her Majesty the Princess."

At this time, Qingwu actually admired her a little. No wonder she was able to deceive the entire capital city back then. Such endurance was truly extraordinary.