shameless
Under the Imperial Palace, in the Kunning Palace,
Taishi Zheng, who lives with the Crown Prince and serves as the Empress Dowager, is the Little Prince.
But Qi Yijun's calling him "Your Highness" was ironic.
Zheng no longer remembered the year or month when this name first came into being, nor did she remember why they called him that. She only remembered that when the Saint was alive, everyone who met her would call her that. But later, the Saint's illness came like a mountain, and it wasn't just her who was crushed.
And there is the famous and illustrious Taishi family.
In the game of fame and fortune, people will forget you once you leave, and Tai Shi Zheng Jiang knew it, so keeping a low profile became the best way out for the Tai Shi family.
Although Taishi Zheng had fallen from her high position, she felt that this was also quite good. Being the center of attention was not as free as being yourself.
So, where is the little prince?
Zheng placed the wooden box in her hand neatly on the table.
She told Qi Yijun, "Daughter-in-law Zhilin, I'm now married to Cui Erlang of the first wife's family, and I'm your cousin's wife. Now that we're sisters-in-law, there's no longer any little prince. So, naturally, I'm not here to cause you any trouble today. On the contrary, I'm here to bring you a gift—"
"Originally, I asked my eldest sister-in-law to take me to visit every household in the west courtyard. Unexpectedly, I ran into you two sisters-in-law along the way. I'm truly lucky. This way, I don't have to make another trip."
As she spoke, Taishi Zheng turned and waved to the people outside the pavilion. "Sister-in-law, what are you still doing there? Come quickly. You are the elder of our generation, and you're standing outside like this. How can we, the younger generation, have the nerve to sit down?"
Cang Yi was timid and submissive. She didn't dare to act rashly in front of the Prince's Mansion like Tai Shi Zheng did. She just said, "It's okay, I'll just stand there..."
Zheng saw that this wasn't the first time the Second House had been showing off in front of Cang Yi, and she thought she should support Cang Yi and not let her suffer that humiliation all the time. So, without saying anything, Zheng stood up and went to the pavilion to invite someone in.
"Sister-in-law, come on. The county mistress is kind and respectful to her elders. I think she will be upset if you don't come~"
Zheng dragged Cang Yi to the pavilion with great difficulty and asked her to sit opposite Qi Yijun. But Cang Yi felt uncomfortable from the moment she sat down, so Zheng stood behind her and patted her shoulder, telling her not to be afraid.
Thus, in Cangyun Pavilion,
The two sisters-in-law sat opposite each other.
But look at the eldest sister-in-law in one room, she is arrogant and contemptuous, while the younger sister-in-law is arrogant and proud. The eldest sister-in-law in another room is terrified, while the younger sister-in-law is proud and proud.
This clear and murderous scene made passers-by unable to help but take a peek, and even sighed at how the opera in this mansion could be performed so well every day...
Over there, Taishi Zheng comforted Cang Yi, opened the wooden box on the table, and showed it to the two of them. She said, "My two cousins' wives, I'm new here, and this is my first time dealing with you. I really don't know what you like, so I prepared a small gift. I hope you don't mind."
The wooden box opened slightly, and the jewelry inside the box sparkled with dazzling golden light.
She calls this a little...?
Zou Shuangtong, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly had his eyes light up when he accidentally caught a glimpse of the contents of the box.
Just look at her face that was originally full of disdain, and then a bit of flattery slowly appeared on it. She was so bold that she spoke before Qi Yijun could respond: "Sister-in-law Taishi, could it be that the things in this box..."
"I have a share too?"
The word "sister-in-law" was called so affectionately that Zou Shuangtong's expression changed faster than turning the pages of a book.
Now Tai Shi Zheng roughly understood what kind of person Uematsu's daughter-in-law was. She was a mean person who always flattered and changed her attitude according to the situation.
Zheng took advantage of the situation and held up the jewelry and presented it to the people, "What are you saying, Mrs. Uematsu! How can I give gifts to each family without your share? I just hope you don't mind."
Tai Shi Zheng greeted him with a smile after saying this.
Zou Shuangtong was a person who was greedy for money. At this moment, she didn't care about the expressions of the people around her. She accepted the "small gift" from Taishi Zheng without thinking and weighed it carefully. "Such a good thing, how could my sister-in-law reject it? Then I will respectfully obey your order. Thank you, sister-in-law."
Tai Shi Zheng nodded.
She thought it was easy to deal with this vulgar person, but it was difficult to deal with someone as arrogant as Qi Yijun. However, she still handed over another set of jewelry.
As expected, before Zheng could speak, Qi Yijun tutted at her, "That's really funny."
Seeing her fiercely push the book forward, Tai Shi Zheng sneered, "You like these things so much?" without even looking at Zou Shuangtong.
Although Zou Shuangtong was born into an official family, her family was known to be stingy in the surrounding area. Normally, a piece of satin would be torn into eight pieces by her sisters once it entered her house.
So, where had she seen such beautiful jewelry?
Zou Shuangtong wondered what kind of craftsman was needed to create such fine jewelry. She herself was afraid that even if she followed that loser Cui Zhisong for eight hundred lifetimes, she wouldn't be able to get such a set of jewelry...
So much so that from the moment Zou Shuangtong got the jewelry, she started thinking about how to wear it back to her parents' home and show it off.
At the moment, she was obsessed with money and naturally did not realize that Qi Yijun's words were directed at her.
It wasn't until the personal maid beside her raised her hand and touched her as a reminder that Zou Shuangtong responded in a daze: "Ah? I like it, I like it——"
But Qi Yijun was not satisfied with this answer. She looked down on the poor fellow in the room even more. Of course, there were probably not many people in the world who could be favored by Qi Yijun except Cui Zhilin.
Qi Yijun stood up gloatingly, took the wooden box from Zheng's hand, and threw it rudely into Zou Shuangtong's arms, "Since you like it so much, then this set of mine is yours too."
Who is she trying to disgust?
Taishi Zheng looked at Qi Yijun's arrogance and curled her lips. But no matter what, Qi Yijun had accepted the gift. As for who she wanted to give it to in front of her, Zheng didn't bother to care anymore.
Let her be.
Qi Yijun looked at Taishi Zheng and Cang Yi with cold eyes. She seemed to want nothing to do with them, but before leaving, she still pretended to say to Zheng, "Your Highness has delivered the gifts. Can I leave now?"
It was still the same ironic phrase "Your Highness", but Tai Shi Zheng calmly made way for her to leave the pavilion.
Zheng said, "Please do as you please, County Lady."
Qi Yijun walked past Tai Shi Zheng indifferently, leaving her with a biting cold like the winter.
This guy really hasn't changed at all.
At that time, Zou Shuangtong looked at his sister-in-law who walked out of the pavilion and the retainers who followed her, and asked loudly: "Sister-in-law of the County Lord, don't you want these things anymore--" But no one answered.
Seeing this, Zou Shuangtong cursed inwardly, "He doesn't want such a good thing. Is he a fool?"
But when she turned her head to look at Taishi Zheng, she hurriedly said with a smile, "Sister-in-law Taishi, since my sister-in-law doesn't want this thing, then I will take it away. Do you mind?"
Zheng smiled when she heard this and said, "I've already given the gift away. As for who Zhilin's wife wants to give it to, it has nothing to do with me anymore. Just take it."
"Sister-in-law Taishi is so magnanimous and open-minded, she's truly a heroine! Unlike the one in my family, who looks cold and elegant, but is actually very petty-minded..." Seeing that the person had left, Zou Shuangtong started to gossip about Qi Yijun again.
Tai Shi Zheng didn't respond to her.
Who knew, if she accidentally said a few more words, this petty person would spread the news? So, Zheng should learn from Cang Yi and keep her mouth shut as much as possible, lest she say something that would cause trouble and bring bad luck upon herself.
"Sister-in-law, please stop standing there and sit down to eat the pears—"
Seeing Taishi Zheng's reluctance to pay attention, Zou Shuangtong didn't hold a grudge like she did last time. After all, she had just taken advantage of someone else. Surely, over the next few months, her partiality would have made her even more attracted to Taishi Zheng.
As she spoke, she handed the goose pear on the table, which was originally peeled for Qi Yijun, to Tai Shi Zheng.
Taishi Zheng was taken aback by her sudden enthusiasm, but after taking the goose pear, she handed it to Cang Yi, "Sister-in-law, this pear is peeled very well, you have it."
Well, the two rooms are even.
Cang Yi looked timidly at Zou Shuangtong, then at the goose pear in Taishi Zheng's hand, and hesitated to reach out to take it. She would never refuse anyone, but she didn't have the courage to reach out and take the pear.
Cang Yi was in trouble.
"Sister-in-law?" Zheng spoke softly, holding the goose pear.
Zou Shuangtong, however, was excited. "Cousin, if someone tells you to eat, you should eat. It's their good intention. Why are you looking at me? Am I telling you not to eat?"
"No, no." Cang Yi couldn't afford to offend anyone, so seeing this, she hurriedly took the pear from Zheng's hand.
Now, the three of them are sitting opposite each other in Cangyun Pavilion.
Cang Yi ate the pear silently, Zheng tilted her head and watched Cang Yi eat the pear, while Zou Shuangtong held the two wooden boxes with joy and didn't know what to do. Whenever she thought of her sisters at home seeing her coming home wearing gold and silver, she couldn't control the smile on her lips.
Zou Shuangtong looked down as she watched, and suddenly her eyelids fluttered, as if she had thought of something strange again. She raised her head and asked Cang Yi in front of Taishi Zheng, "Cousin, you have such a good relationship with Taishi's sister-in-law. I wonder what Taishi's sister-in-law gave you?"
Upon hearing this, Zheng glanced at Zou Shuangtong. This man was really shameless.
But Cang Yi was also honest. She actually told Zou Shuangtong directly that it was a box of jade ornaments, which made Zheng bite her lips and swallow the words that tried to stop her.
"Ah, it is said that gold has a price, but jade is priceless. Sister-in-law Taishi is really kind to you. But my cousin, my sister-in-law, has a request. I wonder if you can agree to it?"
Zou Shuangtong spoke to Cang Yi so kindly, and she must have some purpose. Tai Shi Zheng narrowed her eyes. She wanted to see how shameless this person could be.
"Cousin-in-law, what can you ask of me..." Cang Yi was unsure.
Seeing her spit out something, Zou Shuangtong quickly continued, "Look, my sister-in-law has two sets of gold jewelry here. Can I exchange one of them for your jade one? I guess you don't wear it often. If you do, you'll need the housekeeper to serve you, and when you get busy, you'll kick your head. This jade piece! I'm afraid it'll get bumped. If it breaks, wouldn't it be a waste of Sister-in-law Taishi's kindness?"
"But if you exchange it with me, this gold jewelry won't break or get damaged. Even if the style becomes out of fashion in the future, you can always send it back to the goldsmith to get a new set made! Don't you think this is a good deal, cousin? Just exchange it with me~"
Ouch, ugh—
Taishi Zheng sat beside her, stunned. Zou Shuangtong's abacus beads were practically crashing into her face. How could someone so shameless exist? This mansion truly was a rare place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
But Zheng couldn't make a decision for Cang Yi rashly.
She didn't care about Qi Yijun's affairs, but now she came to stop Cang Yi? From other people's perspective, it seemed like she was bullying the weak and afraid of the strong.
But this tone didn't sit well with her. She turned her head to look at Cang Yi and winked at him, implying that she wasn't afraid and if she didn't want to give it to her, then she wouldn't give it to her. At the same time, Zheng also hoped that Cang Yi could overcome her fear.
Cang Yi probably understood what Zheng meant. She treasured the first piece of jewelry she had ever received and was unwilling to exchange it. But she just couldn't open her mouth and utter the words of refusal.
"Cousin-in-law, I...I..." Cang Yi stammered.
Tai Shi Zheng clenched his fists and nodded nervously, but Zou Shuangtong seemed to have grasped Cang Yi's weakness and was determined to win.
At this time, Cui Zhijian, who had just returned from his night duty in the front yard, passed by in his military uniform. He was a heavyset man with a tired face, but when he saw Cang Yi, he stopped for her.
He asked, "Second Mother, why are you here?"
Cang Yi didn't say no after all. She turned her head and saw Cui Zhijian, and stood up in surprise and called out, "Da Lang."
Seeing Cui Zhijian, Zou Shuangtong felt that there was an opportunity, so she quickly pretended to be seductive and climbed up the railing of Cangyun Pavilion, smiling and greeting the people outside: "Big brother, you are off duty——"
"Yes, Uematsu's wife is here too." Cui Zhijian answered expressionlessly. He didn't care about the other people in the pavilion.
Taishi Zheng sat in the pavilion, thinking she could finally breathe a sigh of relief, no longer having to worry. Now that Cui Zhijian was here, Zou Shuangtong wouldn't be so arrogant. If he was, Cui Zhijian would surely protect his wife.
Unexpectedly, what happened next made Zheng's anger rush to the top of her head.
Zou Shuangtong walked right past Cang Yi and said to Cui Zhijian without restraint, "Brother, you've come at the perfect time. I was thinking of exchanging my own gold jewelry for the jade ornaments given to me by my cousin's wife, but she's hesitant to make the decision. Brother, you're the head of the family, so could you please exchange with me? I'll definitely not let either you or her suffer any loss."
Cui Zhijian, considering that they were all relatives, didn't even ask Cang Yi if he was willing or not. He just said, "It's not a big deal. Let's change it."
At that time, Tai Shi Zheng was looking outside the pavilion in anger and annoyance, his angry eyes seemed to see through people.
I am so angry,
How can this person be so generous to others! This is not okay, we are not done yet——
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