The atmosphere in Lin'an Palace was filled with weirdness throughout the afternoon.
Every word Concubine Xin said was full of sarcasm, and Zhang Da Ying also looked for opportunities to ridicule her back, and the atmosphere was completely different from before.
Wei Shuyi took the opportunity to teach her knife skills and soothed her gently, "Sister Xin usually speaks in this tone when she's upset, and she treats me the same way. You don't have to take it to heart."
"Noble Lady Yi, are you really not angry with me?" Zhang Da Ying said, still holding her breath. "I and she entered the palace on the same day. She was summoned by the Emperor on her first day. Naturally, she doesn't understand how hard my life is!"
"I'm naturally happy that the Emperor can visit your palace. Why should I be angry? Besides, Sister Xin isn't someone who focuses on favors. During the time you've been with her, have you ever heard her mention anything?"
She then raised her head half-believingly: "So, it's not because of me?"
"Of course not."
After some consolation, I finally got a moment of peace.
Concubine Xin watched the group leave and rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Sister Yi, I should have persuaded you from the beginning, or I should have just been the bad guy and not let her come! If I hadn't started this, she wouldn't have come to show off in front of us. A few more words and she started a fight!"
Wei Shuyi personally escorted her to the gate of Jiaofeng Palace and pointed at the grass and wood fence that had not been removed. "It has nothing to do with you. It's all my fault. Ever since I first saw Zhang Da Ying, I've thought of my sister more than once. When we first met, we didn't get along well. She just leaned there, and after a few words, she rolled her eyes at me, her face full of impatience."
When talking about the past, after laughing, all that remains is regret.
Zhang Da Ying wasn't a perfect replica of a talented person. There were no two people exactly alike in the world. She had long understood this, yet she still clung to hope.
"Sister Yi, you're placing your grief in the wrong place." Consort Xin's tone also darkened. "How could the woman you've been thinking about for so long be someone like Zhang Da Ying?"
"I hope she can understand our difficulties, stop acting recklessly, and live cautiously in the palace. That will be enough."
However, things often go against one's wishes.
In order to understand the preparation progress of the concubines, the queen called everyone to Fengluan Palace.
"What's wrong with Her Majesty? Why are there so many strips of cotton cloth from the Imperial Hospital tied around her hands?" Rong Zhaoyi was the first to notice something was wrong and feigned concern. "If there's something wrong with your health, you can't hide it. You have to let the Emperor see it."
"The Emperor isn't a royal physician, so he doesn't know how to heal injuries. I injured my hand while studying cooking, so it's nothing serious. Unlike Zhaoyi, who took leave early, my filial piety to the Empress Dowager is limited to spending money to buy medicinal herbs!"
Rong Zhaoyi did not deny it: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I did twist my waist when I was practicing sword in the palace. I couldn't stand for long, so I had no choice but to do this."
"Hmph!" The Queen was too lazy to argue with her and turned to ask the concubines, "Where are the sisters? How are your preparations going?"
Noble Lady Wen gently stroked her earrings. "Let's not talk about my laziness. Zhang, who's also in the palace, is incredibly diligent! I heard she goes to Lin'an Palace every day to learn about cooking. I imagine she's the most prepared."
Zhang Yingda, whose name was called, shuddered again subconsciously. In his hasty movements, he accidentally dropped the cup on the table.
She quickly squatted down to pick it up, but the tea scalded her fingers. Finally, the old nanny came forward to rescue her and allowed her to sit back in her original seat with a red face.
The concubines around her were all whispering and laughing, but Wei Shuyi was the only one staring at her: If a talented person was sitting here, perhaps she wouldn't be so frightened? Even if she was laughed at, she would immediately fight back instead of brooding over it in her heart.
"Zhang promised not to be nervous. Tell me what dishes you have learned."
"I, your concubine, went to Lin'an Palace to ask Noble Lady Yi for cooking lessons. So far, I only know a few simple home-cooked dishes. I'm afraid... I won't be able to please the Empress, so I'd better not tell you about it, lest you laugh."
Noblewoman Wen frowned and spoke again to explain for her, "Your Majesty, Zhang Da Ying is a quiet person who is not very good at speaking, but she has no intention of being disobedient. If you move the small kitchen here, she can cook a few dishes for you to try. Right now, it's like a good cook without rice, but she can't cook!"
The Queen's expression finally softened, and she looked towards Wei Shuyi's position. "Noble Lady Yi, what about you? Since you have the ability to teach people how to cook, you must have already secured victory, right?"
"Your Majesty, your compliments are too kind. I previously worked in Shoukang Palace, and my cooking skills are far inferior to Aunt Zijin's." She responded modestly with a faint smile, not caring even if her past as a palace maid became a topic of conversation. "I know myself well, and I'm certain that the Empress Dowager would look down upon such trivial skills. That's why I've found time to teach my other sisters."
"Well...anyway, just do your best. If you're really clumsy and can't learn, don't force yourself. Disband!"
The queen held on to the chair in pain, and her fingertips were still in pain. In order to avoid being discovered, she pretended to be calm and left the front hall.
Wei Shuyi noticed her embarrassment and smiled, "I think the Queen must be very regretful. I don't know who gave her this suggestion in the first place. I'm afraid her life is not easy now."
Wen Yu helped her out. "The Queen grew up in a honey pot. How could she have touched these kitchen utensils? She must have been seriously injured, so she was wrapped in so many layers of cotton cloth that we could see it."
As usual, Zhang Da Ying would catch up with them and walk with them for a while.
But today, she hurried to the side of Concubine Wen, and the two of them talked and laughed, and had a close relationship.
Seeing this, Concubine Xin spat fiercely: "What a thing! You've found a new supporter, and now you turn around and pretend you don't know us?"
"Just now, Lady Wen helped her out. It's perfectly normal for her to go over and show her goodwill. There's no need to take it to heart." Wei Shuyi stared at the actions of the two people in front of him. "It's hard to say. It's just her wishful thinking. She'll understand when she hits a wall one day."
Qu Yuexi really looked down on this kind of people. Even when they were walking side by side, she would withdraw her arm unnoticeably to avoid being held by Zhang Da Ying.
In her mind, there was still a strict hierarchy between people. Zhang Da Ying was the daughter of a minor official, her status was lower than hers, and she was not originally one of her peers.
Hopefully, after being abandoned one day, Zhang Da Ying will be able to understand the rules of survival in the palace and stop blindly flattering any concubine.
Instead of pinning your hopes on others, it is better to rely on yourself.
"She's really good at this." Concubine Jin was the last to leave and was now standing at the back. "Concubine Yi is such a shrewd person. She just won over someone, and then he turned to her side in the blink of an eye. It's rare!"
Qian Dai responded cautiously, "My Lady, let them fight among themselves until they are doomed!"
"Want to take advantage of the situation? That's hard to say. After all, Zhang is a fool. She was used by the fifth girl, so it's hard for her to achieve anything big."
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