Chapter 275 Suspicion
"Bring me that kingfisher feather peony hairpin, and the new clothes that were just delivered this morning. I want to change into them!"
Wen Yilin sat in front of the dressing table, directing the palace maids to do various tasks.
The bronze mirror reflected a meticulously painted face: willow-leaf eyebrows, cherry lips, perfectly applied blush, and a hint of smugness in the corners of the eyes and brows.
She looked at herself in the mirror from left to right, becoming more and more satisfied, and couldn't help but smile.
She was in a great mood ever since she learned that Liu Shuyao, that self-righteous bitch, had fallen from grace.
She dressed herself up every day, her hairpins and ornaments jingling, and she exuded a fragrant breeze as she walked, as if she wanted to wear her pride on her face.
Hmph, with this in mind, among the rising stars in the palace, who can rival her in terms of family background and appearance?
In stark contrast to her is He Ling.
He Ling has been extremely busy lately, and the success of the experimental field has given her tremendous encouragement.
She spends all day in the fields, observing and recording, watering and fertilizing, and studying agricultural data at night. She wishes she could be split in two to do it all.
She had long forgotten about dressing up and grooming, and her face was even occasionally covered in mud.
Compared to the radiant Wen Yilin, she looked like an insignificant little maid.
Unfortunately, Wen Yilin had been wandering around aimlessly these past few days, and the two of them happened to meet on a path in the Imperial Garden.
Looking at He Ling's unkempt appearance and comparing it to her own attire, Wen Yilin's sense of superiority instantly surged.
She pinched her handkerchief, covered her mouth, and let out an exaggerated sneer.
"Oh, who do we have here? It's Consort Ling! Tsk tsk tsk, did you just crawl out of some mud puddle? Or did you make some clumsy mistake and get sent to the laundry department to reflect on your actions?"
"What's wrong? Consort Zhuang is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor, so why isn't she giving you any pointers? Or do you know you can't compare to her, so you've given up on yourself?"
Her words were sharp and sarcastic, and carried a strong provocative tone.
In the past, He Ling would have been left red-faced and helpless by her teasing, wishing she could dig a hole and crawl into it.
But now He Ling has seen her share of ups and downs, and with the support of a powerful protagonist, her mindset has improved considerably.
Not to mention, she was busy memorizing the formula for a new fertilizer when Wen Yilin stopped her, and she was getting impatient.
Hearing this mockery, she raised an eyelid and retorted in a very fast-paced manner.
"That certainly can't compare to Consort Wen's colorful clothes. From a distance, it looks like scrambled eggs made by the Imperial Kitchen. Its only advantage is that it's quite appetizing."
"I can wear whatever I want. Do you live by the sea? Why are you being so nosy?"
"Besides, I'm helping Consort Zhuang develop new crops. My clothes are covered in mud, but my mind is on important matters. Unlike some people, no matter how well they dress, their minds are still..."
She deliberately didn't continue, but just smiled meaningfully.
This barrage of words bombarded Wen Yilin, leaving her completely stunned and unable to believe her ears.
He Ling, who used to be so timid and never dared to speak loudly, actually dared to talk to her like that?
She was so angry that her face turned red. She pointed at He Ling and trembled for a long time, but couldn't think of any more vicious words to refute her.
"How dare you! He Ling, how dare you humiliate me like this! You! You just wait!"
In the end, she only left behind a single, harmless threat, then stomped away angrily.
She had to get her revenge.
Isn't He Ling just relying on Consort Zhuang's support? Then let her go find Consort Li!
Consort Li is proud and arrogant, so she must dislike He Ling's attitude.
On the other side, at the Lifei Palace.
Consort Li dismissed her attendants and sat alone facing a small table with a small dish of pastries on it.
The air was filled with a burnt honey scent, which clashed with the incense burning in her palace.
Consort Li frowned, poking at the pastries on the plate with her silver chopsticks, her face extremely unpleasant.
"What exactly did that vile woman Jiang Huan do? How come hers is considered a delicacy while mine is considered dregs?"
Before she could examine it in detail, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall.
"Your Highness, Consort Li! You must do me justice!"
Startled by the sudden commotion, Consort Li's hand trembled, and the silver chopsticks fell onto the plate with a clatter.
Her expression changed drastically, and panic flashed in her eyes. She hurriedly swept the failed pastries into the box that had been prepared beforehand, and quickly wiped away the splattered honey stains and pastry crumbs with a silk handkerchief.
The movements were so fast they were almost chaotic, with no trace of composure left.
Just as she finished tidying up, Wen Yilin rushed in like a gust of wind, seemingly making the sweet smell even more pronounced.
Consort Li quickly took a deep breath, suppressing the panic in her heart.
She glanced at Wen Yilin, who had barged in, and a hint of impatience flashed in her eyes when she saw Wen Yilin's completely disheveled appearance.
"Your Highness Consort Li!" Wen Yilin was furious, not caring whether the air smelled sweet or foul, and only concerned with complaining, "That He Ling is becoming more and more arrogant. She only managed to grow a few vegetables by currying favor with Consort Zhuang, and she dares to be disrespectful and humiliate me. Given time, she will probably climb over your head!"
"Enough!" Consort Li interrupted sharply, her voice clearly displeased.
"What kind of behavior is this, making such a racket? Entering the hall without announcing your arrival and barging in like this, where have you learned your manners?"
"It's just a little verbal dispute, yet you've lost your temper like this? You dare drag me into your feud with He Ling? Do you think I'm so ignorant that I can't see through your scheming thoughts?!"
Wen Yilin was so shocked by the scolding that all the words she had prepared stuck in her throat.
She never expected that she had come to ask for help, but instead received a severe scolding.
Consort Li flicked her sleeves, as if trying to dispel the faint, sweet scent.
She said coldly, "Will you leave on your own, or will I have someone drag you out?"
This was a blunt order to leave. Wen Yilin was met with a firm refusal, her face flushing red and then turning pale. She dared not say another word, and could only awkwardly bow and leave.
Once Wen Yilin's figure disappeared outside the palace and the palace doors closed again, Consort Li's tense shoulders finally relaxed slightly.
Her gaze returned to the sandalwood box, her eyes flickering uncertainly.
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