Chapter 119: Threatening
The next day after returning to the palace, Concubine Qing went to pay her respects to the Queen with other concubines. Later, the Emperor also came, spoke a few words to the Queen, asked about Concubine Qing's health, stayed for about a cup of tea, and then left.
After the Queen had all the concubines in the palace leave, she left Concubine Qing alone to discuss Prince An's marriage.
On the way back, a young eunuch suddenly jumped out from the side of the road and almost knocked down Concubine Qing, then slipped away in a flash. Cai Lian shouted twice to ask him to stop, but he acted as if he didn't hear her, which was obviously intentional.
Concubine Qing told Cailian to forget about it, thinking that less trouble is worse than more.
As a result, when the dinner was delivered that day, there was chicken blood mixed in the rice, which scared both Concubine Qing and Cai Lian. Cai Lian wanted to tell the emperor and the queen about this, but was stopped by Concubine Qing.
The next day, Cai Lian went to invite the imperial physician, and then the news that Concubine Qing was ill reached Concubine Zhen's ears.
"I thought she had some backbone, but it turns out she's just a paper tiger. She gets frightened and becomes seriously ill at the slightest bit of chicken blood." Concubine Zhen giggled with her hands covering her lips.
Hong Gu flattered, "Anyone in this palace who dares to oppose the Empress is asking for trouble. Let's see who dares to disrespect the Empress again in the future."
On the other side, after the emperor learned the news, he asked Prince An to go and see his mother.
When Prince An came to visit, Concubine Qing told him that it was nothing serious, she just changed her place and had trouble sleeping at night, but it would be fine in two days.
When Cai Lian saw him off, Prince An asked her to tell him the truth. Cai Lian could not resist his pleading and told him everything.
As he listened to Cai Lian, a dark shadow gradually covered his usually calm and peaceful face.
Prince An asked her not to tell his mother, and Cai Lian agreed.
After Cai Lian came back, Concubine Qing felt that she took a long time to send someone off, and asked her if she had told Prince An everything.
"Your Highness wants to know whether the Queen is really fine. He is afraid that the Queen is saying it to reassure him." Cai Lian's words dispelled Concubine Qing's doubts, but also made Concubine Qing feel guilty, thinking that she owed him a lot.
She asked Cai Lian to go to the Queen, as she wanted to meet her daughter-in-law Zheng Qian'er before the wedding.
So two days later, when Concubine Qing felt better, the Queen held a banquet and invited Cui Jingshu, the Princess of Fu, Princess Pingyang, the wife of Marquis Changxing, Jiang Lan, the wife of Marquis Jin'an, and Zheng Qian'er and her daughter to the palace. Then she had someone take Zheng Qian'er to meet Concubine Qing.
When Jiang Lan saw Zheng Qian'er, the future Princess An, Cui Jingshu's face turned dark, and she did not hide her unhappiness at all.
When Zheng Qian'er came back, she had a pair of jade bracelets on her hands, which was a gift from Concubine Qing.
After sitting down, she and Cui Jingshu secretly competed with each other with their eyes.
Jiang Lan saw the two men arguing with each other and was afraid that if there were no one else around, they would start fighting in the next second.
The queen called the two of them to her and said kindly, "You will be sisters-in-law in the future, just like sisters at home. You must live in harmony and respect and love each other."
Both of them agreed, but they were extremely reluctant in their hearts.
On the way out of the palace, Zheng Qian'er showed Jiang Lan the pair of bracelets awarded by Concubine Qing, saying that this was a gift from her future mother-in-law. Whether intentionally or not, she raised her voice a little, as if she was speaking specifically to Cui Jingshu who was walking in front of her.
"Some people are so ignorant that they can be bribed by a little favor. They think it's just a pair of bracelets and they make a fuss about it. They are so narrow-minded." Cui Jingshu said sarcastically as she walked in front.
Zheng Qianer retorted: "Some people are just sour grapes because they can't eat them."
Before she could finish her words, Princess Pingyang stopped and turned back to glare at Zheng Qianer coldly, "This is in the palace, Third Miss, please don't speak without restraint."
Zheng Qian'er had been somewhat afraid of Princess Pingyang's power, and she was still somewhat afraid facing her now.
Seeing Zheng Qian'er lower her eyes and remain silent, Cui Jingshu sneered smugly, "It's true that the barking dog bites."
Zheng Qian'er bit her lip in anger, and Mrs. Zheng was also furious, but both mother and daughter were a little afraid of each other's power and did not say a word.
Cui Jingshu glanced at Jiang Lan mockingly again, "Birds of a feather."
"Be merciful when you can, and don't be so harsh." The wife of the Marquis of Changxing said something fair.
Cui Jingshu remained silent. Just like Zheng Qian'er was afraid of Princess Pingyang, she always felt a little restrained when facing the elder, the wife of the Marquis of Changxing. Especially after she caught her looking at Gu Xuan'er with contempt at the banquet in Luyuan last time, she felt even more guilty.
After Cui Jingshu and Princess Pingyang left, the wife of Marquis Changxing comforted Zheng Qianer and Jiang Lan, telling them not to take those words to heart and just treat them as bullshit.
For the first time, Jiang Lan discovered that the wife of Marquis Changxing was actually a cheerful person.
…
On the day when the imperial examination ended, the gate of the Imperial Examination Hall was crowded with people, eagerly waiting for the candidates to come out.
Jiang Shen and Xie Yun came out together. Both of them had smiles on their faces and seemed to have done well in the exam. Xie Yun, in particular, looked quite energetic. Compared to the others who looked haggard as if they hadn't eaten for three days, he was quite energetic.
Jiang Cheng asked how the two had performed in the exam, and Xie Yun confidently said that he was on the list.
Seeing Xie Yun so confident, Jiang Cheng was also very pleased, because he had instructed the two before and felt that Jiang Shen's understanding was not inferior to Xie Yun, and his foundation was more solid, so it was no problem for him to be on the list.
While the two were talking, Qi Wuhan glanced towards the carriage of the Duke's Mansion and saw Pei Qian hurriedly get on the carriage. The carriage then left as if he was afraid of being greeted by someone.
He glanced at the carriage of the general's mansion again and saw Cui Yan get on the carriage, and then the carriage slowly left.
Jiang Cheng asked again how the two answered, and it would take a while to finish the conversation.
Jiang Lan was about to remind him, but Qi Wuhan spoke for her, "Father-in-law, why don't we go back first and talk slowly after we get back."
Jiang Cheng nodded and was about to get on the carriage when Ji Quan came over and said, "Looking at the two gentlemen's rosy faces, I'm sure you will be admitted to the university. I'd like to congratulate you first." He bowed and congratulated them, and Jiang Cheng responded politely.
Ji Quan waved his hand again, and a subordinate came over with a food box. He took the food box and handed it to Jiang Lan. Qi Wuhan's expression sank slightly, and he moved half a step to the side to block Jiang Lan.
"I ate two extra snacks on the day I entered the venue. Later I found out that the snacks were bought by my wife. This is my apology." Ji Quan said.
"No need. My wife doesn't like to eat things given by others." Qi Wuhan said.
"I'm just hungry." Xie Yun said with a smile, and then Qi Wuhan glanced at him. His eyes seemed a little unhappy, as if he thought he was talking too much. He just didn't want to make the situation too awkward.
"Then give it to Mr. Xie." Ji Quan handed the food box back to his subordinate and asked him to give it to Xie Yun. Then he took his subordinate away.
After Xie Yun took the food box, Qi Wuhan glanced at him again.
Afterwards, the group returned to the Shangshu Mansion for dinner. After dinner, Jiang Cheng asked Xie Yun to stay in the mansion for one night and go back tomorrow. Xie Yun stayed, and then Qi Wuhan and Jiang Lan went back first.
On the way back in the carriage, Jiang Lan asked him, "Are you still angry with Cousin Yun?"
From the time they had dinner to the time they left, the two of them didn't say a word the entire time, although it wasn't obvious. Xie Yun was talking and laughing, and Qi Wuhan behaved as usual, and didn't seem to be in a bad mood. Jiang Cheng didn't notice it, but Jiang Lan did.
"No." He denied, but his eyes glanced out the car window.
Obviously a lie.
Jiang Lan just watched him quietly, waiting to see when he would lose his temper.
After a while, Qi Wuhan turned his head to glance at her, then turned his head to look out the window. His "resentful" look seemed to be saying, "Come and coax your husband quickly."
Jiang Lan pursed her lips and chuckled softly, then leaned over to comfort him on the face, and gently pulled his sleeve, with a hint of coquettishness. The next moment, he could no longer hold back the "sad" aura emanating from his body, and reached out to hold her in his arms, coaxing her to kiss him again. She lightly hit his shoulder with her fist, and coquettishly scolded him for being too presumptuous.
"This is called mutual affection." Qi Wuhan corrected her, lowered his head and kissed her again, with a sly smile on his face, "This is called reciprocity~"
Jiang Lan punched him again and buried her head in his arms with a blushing face.
…
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