Chapter 10 A Dazzling Obstacle
After that harrowing medicinal bath that night, the winds of change quietly swept through the Regent's Palace.
The servants' gazes toward Tang Li changed from initial contempt to awe, even carrying a hint of strangeness as if they were looking at a monster.
After all, this is the first person to have been nearly killed by the mad prince by the neck, and yet still emerge unscathed, even receiving a bottle of imperial wound medicine.
However, there were always some ignorant people in this mansion who thought it was just luck.
For example, Consort Lin, who lived in the west courtyard.
Consort Lin's name is Lin Jiaojiao. She is the legitimate daughter of the Minister of Rites and was also a spy that the Empress Dowager forced into the Prince's Mansion two years ago.
Because Pei Yunjing lived in the main courtyard year-round and paid almost no attention to the backyard, Lin Jiaojiao took this as an excuse and acted as if she were half the mistress of the mansion.
At this moment, inside the west courtyard.
"Smack!"
A delicate blue-and-white porcelain cup was smashed to pieces on the ground.
"Why?!"
Lin Jiaojiao, dressed in a long brocade dress embroidered with peonies in gold thread and adorned with glittering gold hairpins, was furious, her face flushed red.
"That country bumpkin, not only is she not dead, but she can also walk freely in the main courtyard? Even that man-eating tiger didn't bite her?"
The maid Cui'er beside her quickly knelt down to help her calm down: "Your Highness, please calm down! I heard that it's because the Prince is keeping her as a medicinal ingredient. She's just a concubine's daughter, how can she compare to you, the daughter of the Minister's family? She's nothing but a plaything."
"A medicinal ingredient?" Lin Jiaojiao sneered, a hint of jealousy flashing in her eyes. "Since it's a medicinal ingredient, it should have the self-awareness of one. Having been in the Prince's residence for so many days, it hasn't even come to pay its respects to this 'old-timer'? It has absolutely no manners!"
She touched the large peony flower at her temple, a glint of malice flashing in her eyes:
"Cui'er, go and tell her that I am hosting a banquet to enjoy the flowers in the West Courtyard today, and I would like to invite my sister, the Princess Consort, to come and catch up."
...
In the afternoon, the sunlight was a bit too bright.
Tangli was sitting on the artificial rock in the garden, chatting with a few ants and asking where there was a dessert.
"Ding-dong, ding-dong."
With a series of hurried footsteps, Cui'er walked over arrogantly and gave a perfunctory curtsy:
"Your Highness, my Consort Lin requests your presence. She says the peonies in the West Courtyard are in bloom and invites you to come and enjoy tea and admire the flowers."
Tang Li raised an eyebrow.
Enjoying the flowers?
Why admire peonies in the middle of autumn?
This is clearly a weasel offering New Year's greetings to a chicken—it's all ill-intentioned.
but……
Tang Li touched the bell on her wrist. She was bored out of her mind, and someone had offered to have some fun, so why not go?
"Okay." Tang Li patted the dust off her skirt and smiled innocently. "Lead the way."
We arrived at the West Courtyard.
Before even entering the house, Tang Li was dazzled by the magnificent gold and glitter that filled the courtyard.
Consort Lin was so afraid that others wouldn't know how rich her family was that she even had the stone benches in the courtyard inlaid with gold.
In the center of the courtyard, there was a chaise lounge covered with a tiger-skin cushion.
Lin Jiaojiao was leaning on the couch like a star surrounded by a crowd, with two maids fanning her from behind and another maid peeling grapes beside her.
When Tang Li entered, she not only did not get up to greet her, but lazily changed her posture and didn't even lift her eyelids.
Logically speaking, Tang Li is the principal wife, and she is the concubine; she should be the one bowing to Tang Li.
But at this moment, Lin Jiaojiao's face was full of arrogance, and her slanted eyes were full of contempt:
"Oh, sister's here? I'm sorry, I'm too tired to get up."
Tang Li wasn't annoyed. Standing in the sun, she blinked her big eyes and said, "It's alright. My sister is weak and should rest more. I heard the imperial physician say that weakness is a precursor to paralysis."
"you!"
Lin Jiaojiao's expression changed, and she almost jumped off the couch.
Is this bitch cursing her to be paralyzed?!
She took a deep breath, suppressed her anger, and gave Cui'er a wink.
Cui'er understood immediately and brought over a steaming cup of tea, which was obviously freshly boiled, and handed it to Tang Li.
Lin Jiaojiao curled her lips and said sarcastically:
"I've heard that you come from a rural background, so you probably don't know the rules of our Prince's Mansion. Although you are the principal wife, I have always been in charge of managing the household affairs. There is an order of seniority. Since you are new here, why don't you kneel down today and learn how to serve tea to this concubine?"
After saying that, she pointed to the uneven ground in front of her, which was even covered with gravel, meaning that Tang Li should kneel there.
The maids and servants around her covered their mouths and snickered, waiting to see the unfavored princess make a fool of herself.
Tang Li looked at the steaming cup of tea, then at Lin Jiaojiao, who was waiting for her to kneel down.
Want to set rules for her?
Are you going to scald her hands?
Did they even want her to kneel down?
very good.
Since you like being "high and mighty," here's a gift that will fall from the sky for you.
Tangli did not have a reaction.
Her smile deepened, and she even showed a hint of fear and submission.
“My sister is right. I’m used to being wild in the countryside, and I really don’t know the rules.”
Tangli reached out and, under Cui'er's gloating gaze, steadily took the scalding hot teacup.
Her fingertips were burned and turned red, but she didn't even flinch.
“But…” Tang Li held the tea, but did not kneel down. Instead, she tilted her head slightly and looked at the bare old locust tree in the courtyard.
There, a large flock of dark crows were resting.
Crows were considered unlucky birds in the royal palace, and no one dared to drive them away; they were simply left to make their cawing.
Tang Li narrowed her eyes slightly, and a strange light flickered in her seemingly innocent almond-shaped eyes.
An invisible wave instantly connected with the flock of bored crows.
Brothers...
Tang Li's voice echoed in the minds of the crows, carrying an irresistible allure:
See that woman down there, dressed in glittering gold, looking like a giant fly?
The crows in the tree all lowered their heads, their beady eyes locking onto Lin Jiaojiao.
She's the biggest target here. Anyone who can accurately throw "fertilizer" into her towering hair bun, or into her incessantly chattering mouth...
Tang Li's lips curled into a faint, cold smile:
[Later, I'll treat all the brothers in town to a top-notch all-you-can-eat rotten meat buffet! All you can eat!]
The treetops erupted in chaos.
【Gah?! A rotten meat buffet?!】
[For the rotting flesh! Brothers! Kegel exercises! Ready!]
That golden head looks like a bird's nest; I've wanted to poop on it for ages!
I'm a sharpshooter! Watch me!
Seeing Tang Li standing there blankly with her teacup, neither kneeling nor speaking, Lin Jiaojiao grew impatient and shouted sharply:
"What are you standing there for? Kneel down and serve tea! If the tea gets cold, I'll have someone throw this pot of boiling water in your face—"
"Splash it on my face?"
Tang Li snapped out of her daze, looked at Lin Jiaojiao, and suddenly flashed an extremely bright smile:
"Little sister, you should take care of your face first."
"What?" Lin Jiaojiao was taken aback.
The next second, a heart-stopping, overwhelming "crackling" sound suddenly exploded above her head!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com