Gatherings in the palace are always about pleasing those in power, and Duan Yang's attitude determined how the noble ladies treated Shi Lan.
Shi Lan returned the favor to the noble ladies who were smiling and whispering to her, responding with a smile and a humble attitude, as if the subtle targeting by the noble ladies had never happened.
The palace banquet ended amidst laughter and conversation. As the banquet concluded, the noble ladies left Shengxia Palace together. Shi Lan waited until everyone had left before turning back into the palace.
Princess Duanyang was exhausted after a day of entertaining the women. As soon as they left, she prepared to return to her bedchamber for a short rest.
Shi Lan took a few graceful steps forward and blocked her path. "Princess, wait a moment. A-Lan has something to say."
"What is it?" Duan Yang's delicate eyebrows immediately furrowed in impatience when she was blocked. She felt that Shi Lan was spoiled and arrogant and had no future.
Seeing such obvious annoyance, Shi Lan knew exactly what Duan Yang was thinking. However, there were some things she couldn't back down from. After all, today's events were just the beginning. If she didn't use this opportunity to deepen Duan Yang's impression of her, things would be difficult when she was married off to a distant place.
"Princess, A-Lan, you don't look well. Have you been experiencing some headaches lately, or even occasional ringing in your ears?" Shi Lan bowed and asked quickly.
Duan Yang, who was about to call someone to pull her away, paused, her charming eyes sweeping dangerously and sharply towards Shi Lan, "How did you know?"
Shi Lan lowered her head slightly, her eyes looking at the white jade belt that cinched Duan Yang's slender waist. "Although the princess's complexion is pale, it is dull, and her lips are red, but they look a little unnatural. These are all signs of a headache. Also, when everyone was talking and laughing just now, the princess frowned slightly when the voices were a little louder, which means that your head is throbbing."
Duan Yang was quite surprised by her well-reasoned analysis.
"Indeed, I have been having headaches lately, though they are not too severe. Does A-Lan have any good remedies to relieve my pain?"
Shi Lan raised her head, her clear and bright eyes carefully looking at Duan Yang's face. After a few breaths, she spoke, "Princess, you are overthinking and your heart is burning. Please, Princess, relax your mind. Only in this way can you reduce your pain."
To put it bluntly, stop thinking about useless things. You're going to get married anyway, so keep a happy mood, or you'll be in so much pain.
Duan Yang's brow furrowed at her words, and her expression turned somewhat sorrowful. Just as she was about to say something, the palace maid who had gone out to see the noble lady off came over.
Duan Yang quickly concealed the sorrow on her face, revealing an arrogant look on her flamboyant and charming face. "Alright, I've heard what you've said. You may leave."
Shi Lan, with her keen senses, had already heard the sound behind her. She didn't say anything, but simply bowed and left with the palace maid who had just approached.
Duan Yang stared intently at the fluttering sleeves of that slender yet graceful figure, her mind in turmoil.
The reason Shi Lan was called over earlier was because Qi Jia's A Rui said that she was temporarily staying at the Ji residence to seek protection so that she would not become a concubine and could marry far away to the Zhao state.
Who is Duan Yang? Ever since the date of her marriage to a distant land was set, King Jiang has been eager to treat this daughter like royalty. So when he heard Qi Rui's words, he immediately ordered someone to bring her here, intending to humiliate her and then tell her the imperial decree that she must go to the State of Zhao with him, whether she wanted to or not.
Therefore, he tacitly approved of Qi Rui's provocation when they met. However, when he heard her say that she was not afraid of marriage, but was learning health preservation techniques for her own body, Duan Yang did not take it seriously, but appreciated her intentions, so he treated her a little more gently.
Unexpectedly, Shi Lan was truly capable. She had only studied for two or three months and was able to detect her illness, which was quite surprising.
Putting aside Duan Yang's inner turmoil, after returning to the Ji residence, Shi Lan felt that she shouldn't let Zhou Shi and Shi Yao off so easily. After all, Zhou Shi had done a lot of work to push the original owner onto the path of being married off to a distant place. Otherwise, how could she, a mere daughter of a prefect, be included in the list of concubines?
So, on a particular day, Shi Lan made a special trip back to the Shi residence.
The first thing a daughter does upon returning home after a long absence is naturally to pay respects to her elders. In the Shi family, only Shi's father and Zhou Shi are in charge. Shi Lan, her long dress swaying and her sleeves fluttering, arrived at the courtyard where Zhou Shi lived. Shi's father was also there. Looking at Shi's father, who was lovingly comforting Shi Lang around his knees, and Shi Yao, who was sitting to the side, smiling and acting coquettishly, Shi Lan felt a chill in her heart.
Keep laughing, because you'll have your turn to cry later.
Zhou noticed the sound of the curtain swaying, turned her head to look, and saw that it was Shi Lan. The smile on her round face froze for a moment, but quickly returned to a gentle smile. "It's A-Lan. Come and sit down quickly."
Shi Lan smiled slightly as she watched her feigned enthusiasm as she waved. She walked over as she expected and curtsied to Shi's father and Zhou's mother.
After Zhou received Shi Lan's courtesy, she lovingly reached out and pulled her up. Shi Lan sat close to her, her slender white fingers deftly reaching behind her and quickly finding what she wanted.
“Ah Lan, you’ve been gone for three months now. The time for the princess’s wedding is fast approaching, so I’m thinking it’s best if we move back home,” Zhou Shi said, looking at Shi Lan with a loving expression. “Since you’re getting married soon, the things we’ve prepared should be to your satisfaction.”
Shi Lan sneered inwardly. The original owner's mother had died long ago, and Zhou was at most a fake mother.
However, Shi Lan wore a grateful smile on her face. "Thank you for your concern. I'll leave the dowry to you." Then Shi Lan showed a hint of difficulty. "But I need my uncle's permission to return home. He said before that he would only let me return home when I got married. You know that my uncle has a strange personality. If he is unhappy, it may alarm His Majesty."
Zhou's face stiffened, and her smile became extremely unnatural. Ji Lang's reputation was too great, and she dared not interrupt without permission.
Hearing Shi Lan mention Ji Lang, Shi's father frowned and glanced at her with obvious impatience, saying coldly, "Alright, if you don't want to come back, then stay there. I'll have someone send your dowry to you later."
Does this mean Shi Lan doesn't need to come back?
“Yes, Father,” Shi Lan’s eyes flashed with a cold light, but she quickly regained her gentle and quiet demeanor.
Shi Yao, who had been sitting and watching the show, curled the corners of her mouth and looked at Shi Lan with a mocking expression.
Seeing Shi Yao's self-assured air of superiority, Shi Lan smiled slightly, quickly twirled her long hair twice with her slender fingers, hid it, and stood up to walk towards Shi Yao.
"After not seeing you for a while, Ayao has grown even more outstanding."
Shi Yao proudly raised her chin, glanced at the phoenix eyes that were exactly the same as Zhou's, and gave a disdainful look to the gentle and quiet Shi Lan. She replied indifferently, "Sister is too kind."
Shi Lan wasn't angry. She simply raised her hand and gently stroked the strands of hair that Shi Yao had gathered behind her back. Shi Yao turned her head away in disgust, but Shi Lan's movements were swift as lightning. In the blink of an eye, Shi Lan had already combed through her hair from head to toe.
Holding the soft strands of hair in her hand, Shi Lan's lips curled into a beautiful arc. She glanced at her father sideways, feeling quite disgusted.
Now that her goal had been achieved, Shi Lan was too lazy to bother with this annoying family. She exchanged a few pleasantries and made a couple of sarcastic remarks to Shi's father before leisurely leaving under his hateful gaze.
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