Choosing sides
The next day, Jiang Yan got up very early. While Huang Ying was combing her hair, Fu Qu rushed in.
"My lord, Madam Wang requests an audience."
"Madam Wang?" Jiang Yan had been so busy these past few days that she had completely forgotten about Wang Qianqian.
"It's Madam Wang Qianqian," Huang Ying reminded her at the opportune moment.
"Oh? Her? What does she want? Tell her I'm not here!" Jiang Yan said nonchalantly.
Fuqu looked to Huangying for help. Huangying said, "Master, since you are already up and have nothing to do, why not listen to why she came and find out?"
Jiang Yan trusted Huang Ying completely. Hearing her suggestion, he tilted his head and thought for a moment before saying, "Then let her in!" With that, he walked towards the round table inside the room.
Unlike Wu Lanyu, who was unpredictable, Wang Qianqian remained as arrogant as ever.
"Younger sister greets older sister." She gave a barely acceptable bow.
Jiang Yan replied with a forced smile, "What brings Madam Wang to see me so early in the morning?"
Wang Qianqian didn't hesitate and smiled, "Little sister wants to have breakfast with big sister, would you do me the honor?" Then she sat down on the stool to Jiang Yan's right.
Jiang Yan glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and forced a stiff smile: "Madam Wang, my meals here are always simple, I'm afraid I might not be able to serve you well."
Wang Qianqian then said, "In that case, why don't you come to the Begonia Garden with me, sister? Whatever you want to eat, I'll have the cook make it for you, okay?"
Jiang Yan's smile froze on her face without her realizing it.
Wang Qianqian then made a self-deprecating remark.
"What are you saying, little sister? The cooks at Begonia Garden are no match for those at Pear Blossom Residence! Everyone in the Prince's mansion, from masters to servants, knows that the food and drink at Pear Blossom Residence are top-notch. Even the simple meals you mentioned, sister, would be delicacies from land and sea, incredibly delicious."
Jiang Yan couldn't help but roll her eyes at her in her heart, thinking how eloquent and troublesome she was!
Wang Qianqian looked at Jiang Yan with a smile, then said with great disappointment, "Sister, don't you want your younger sister to stay for breakfast?"
Jiang Yan turned to look at her, her gaze calm as they met, but her heart was churning with turmoil. She kept saying, "Yes, that's right, I just can't stand you, I don't want you eating here!!!"
However, she had to say against her will, "No, I'm overjoyed that Madam Wang is willing to stay for breakfast!" Then she looked at Huang Ying.
She didn't want the people outside Pear Blossom Residence to know how well and how lavishly she ate every day, so when she instructed Huang Ying to prepare, her eyes were much more gloomy than usual, but she didn't know if Huang Ying could sense it.
Jiang Yan watched Huang Ying leave the house with a heavy heart before turning her gaze away.
Wang Qianqian had been watching Jiang Yan like a hunter eyeing its prey. Seeing how much Jiang Yan depended on Huang Ying, she teased him.
"My sister and Huang Ying have such a good relationship, you'd think they were sisters!"
Jiang Yan suddenly felt very uncomfortable, as if her secret, which she had kept hidden for many years, had suddenly been discovered. She looked at her unhappily and asked in return.
"You know her name is Huang Ying?"
Wang Qianqian found it amusing: "That's right, she's a maid, and Liuying, who's by my sister's side, is her sister. It's not surprising that my sister knows her name!"
Jiang Yan snorted inwardly and turned her head away.
Wang Qianqian feigned grievance and fear, saying, "Sister, did I say something wrong and make you angry?"
Jiang Yan disliked this sarcastic way of speaking and the vague, sarcastic remarks, so she said in a cold voice.
"Speak, Madam Wang, what brings you to see me? You can't really just be here for a meal!"
Wang Qianqian looked at Jiang Yan with a "you've finally gotten smarter" expression, and slightly tugged at the corner of her mouth, saying.
"Sister Wu has been confined by the Prince for quite some time now, and I'm really worried about her. I wonder if you've gone to visit her, Sister?"
Jiang Yan disliked lying, especially about something so trivial, so without hesitation, she said, "No."
Wang Qianqian was somewhat surprised. After a moment of hesitation, she said worriedly, "Sister Wu is spoiled and pampered. She must be having a hard time adjusting to being confined!"
Hmph, whether she's having a hard time or not is her business, what does it have to do with me? Don't try to play the victim with me! I'm not buying it!!
Seeing that Jiang Yan remained unmoved, his eyes suddenly turned cold, and he sighed again.
"Alas, it's just that Madam Wu and my younger sister don't have the same good fortune as you, sister. Otherwise, we wouldn't have to suffer such injustice! Sister, could you please share some of your experiences with me so that I too can gain the prince's favor?"
Jiang Yan was amused by her. He looked at her as if she were something strange, scrutinizing her from head to toe, and said.
"Madam Wang, are you joking?"
"No, my sister is telling the truth, not lying!" Wang Qianqian smiled earnestly, but when Jiang Yan looked at her, her eyes were like ice in a cold pool, devoid of any warmth.
She can lie so effortlessly; that just shows how fake she really is!
"Well, that's a pity. I don't know what to do," Jiang Yan said, a slight smirk playing on her lips.
The coldness in Wang Qianqian's eyes intensified suddenly, and her tone became harsh: "Does sister know what the Princess Consort is thinking?"
Finally, the key figure has been mentioned!
Jiang Yan finally turned to look at her, but he wasn't interested in what she was saying at all.
"What Princess Xiao is thinking is her business. What does it have to do with me?"
Wang Qianqian's face suddenly turned colder, and she finally stopped pretending, revealing her true colors.
"Consort Liu, do you know that you have to choose sides in the Prince's residence?"
How could she not know that? You have to choose sides everywhere, or you'll be surrounded and attacked!
But in this Prince Duan's mansion, as a concubine, she was at the top of the food chain. Whose side should she take? Shangguan Zeyu? Xiao Yiqing? Or Wang Qianqian?
"That's strange. Has Madam Wang taken sides? Whose side is she on?" Jiang Yan asked, feigning curiosity.
Wang Qianqian gave a strange and cold smile: "Or does Consort Liu want to fight alone?"
Haven't I always been working alone?
Aren't you treating me as a public enemy and ganging up on me?
Have you all forgotten what happened before?
"Madam Wang, I truly do not understand what you are saying! Please explain it more clearly."
Wang Qianqian snorted and looked at Jiang Yan with disdain.
"The Prince is the master of the entire Prince's Mansion. He doesn't care about anyone. Anyone living in the Prince's Mansion who wants to survive and live a good life has to choose the right master. Do you know why Madam Wu has become like this?"
Jiang Yan naturally knew something, but she still shook her head sincerely and said, "Isn't it because of hurting the prince? Is there some other hidden reason?"
Wang Qianqian, like a fox, smiled and carefully examined Jiang Yan from head to toe before speaking.
"Whether Consort Liu truly doesn't know or is pretending not to know, I've come to tell Consort Liu something: it's time for Consort Liu to choose a master!"
Jiang Yan was utterly disdainful, thinking, "What childish nonsense! Are you trying to threaten me?" But she was stubborn and fearless!
"Master? What master? Isn't the Prince my master?"
Wang Qianqian couldn't help but sneer: "Consort Liu, you should stop with your sweet talk! I've done what the Princess Consort asked me to do today. The choice you make now is up to you, Consort Liu!"
Then she stood up gracefully, gently adjusted her sleeves, and looked ahead haughtily, saying, "I suddenly remembered that I have something else to do. I'm afraid I won't have the fortune to have breakfast with Consort Liu." Without waiting for Jiang Yan to say anything, she walked out on her own.
Huang Ying came in too fast; if she hadn't reacted quickly enough, she would have bumped into her.
"Master, why did Madam Wang leave?" As she spoke, she glanced again in the direction Wang Qianqian had gone.
Jiang Yan sighed in frustration: "Wang Qianqian didn't come here just for a meal. She made it sound so real, but actually, it's just about jealousy and rivalry. Ugh, it's so annoying. I don't want to compete with them for affection, so why can't they let me go?"
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