Despite it being a bright and sunny summer day, Zhao Shu still felt very cold.
My heart is cold.
She desperately wanted to ask Granny Guo why she had betrayed her, given how good she had been to her wet nurse.
What can Lin Xiuxue give her? Is it more than what she, as a princess, can offer?
She lowered her head and gently tapped the teacup, making a crisp sound. "Does the wet nurse think that His Majesty's decision is wrong? That Lord Wei is unfilial and disrespectful to his elders? Who said that? As my wet nurse, isn't it inappropriate for you to talk about court officials like this? If this gets back to the Emperor, even I won't be able to protect you. Please be careful with your words, wet nurse."
“Princess, in the capital, have you ever seen anyone with Wei Tingsi? Everyone avoids him like the plague. You can’t be foolish. You don’t have many young ladies to begin with. If you let Wei Tingsi into the household, do you want all these young ladies to stay away from you?”
Granny Guo spoke with great sincerity, fully embodying the demeanor of a loyal servant.
“Yes, Ah Jun, you should go to the palace right now and tell the Emperor not to let Wei Tingsi come to the door, it will damage his reputation.” Lin Xiuxue seemed to have forgotten the unpleasantness not long ago and was still thinking of her as always.
What an understanding sister!
"Sister, do you not know that the emperor's word is law? Do you think you can question the emperor's judgment? Lord Wei is an official of the court, and it is a serious crime to criticize an official of the court. Do you think that you can question the majesty of my Great Yong Emperor as you please?" She slammed the teacup down with a 'bang,' stood up, and prepared to leave.
Before she could even stand up, Granny Guo pressed her down. "Princess, Miss Lin didn't mean that. Miss Lin meant that you're nine years old now. If your reputation is damaged, it will be difficult to find a husband in the future. The Princess Consort passed away early, and no one is planning for you. You can't be indifferent, Princess. And now the Prince is like that. My poor Princess, you can only make your own plans."
If Zhao Shu hadn't known that she had harbored ulterior motives, she would have believed her words. She spoke so sincerely, as if she truly cared for her.
Unfortunately, it's only similar.
She kept saying, "The prince is like that again," but did she even realize what she was saying in front of her daughter?
After finishing her speech, Granny Guo glanced at Lin Xiuxue almost imperceptibly, the message in her eyes speaking volumes.
Sure enough, Lin Xiuxue chimed in, "Ah Jun, as you know, aristocratic families value rules the most. Your most important task right now is to build a good reputation, otherwise it will be awkward when you're asked to marry someone in the future."
She held Zhao Shu's hand, her expression worried, as if she could control Zhao Shu's future marriage.
"Sister Lin is so shameless. She's not even of marriageable age yet, and she keeps talking about marriage. If word gets out, people will think she's frivolous, thinking about marriage at such a young age without any shame." Zhao Shu said with her big, clear eyes, seemingly not understanding what she was talking about.
Lin Xiuxue was furious. After saying so much, how could this fool not understand? Was he truly ignorant, or was he deliberately trying to provoke her?
"Ah Jun, I'm doing this for your own good." She pretended to be angry and threw away Zhao Shu's hand, holding a silk handkerchief to her lips, looking genuinely angry.
"Sister, you think you can decide my marriage just because you want what's best for me? Not to mention sister, even father can't decide. My marriage will be decided by my grandmother, so there's no need for sister to worry about it."
She stood up aloofly and said to Granny Guo in a nonchalant tone, "Although you are my wet nurse, there is no rule that you cannot bow to me. My sister just said that I have no manners. It must be you who has embarrassed me. From today onwards, you shall stay in your own courtyard and not come out. Also, since you are a servant in the Prince's mansion, you should recognize your status. Who gave you the audacity to criticize your master! Considering that you are my wet nurse, I will not punish you severely this time. Just stay in your courtyard and do not come out. This is not to be repeated."
Granny Guo was stunned. Why had the princess become like this? Wasn't this a common occurrence before?
Before she could react, Lin Xiuxue did. She quickly stood up and said, "Princess." She curtsied, but only half-curts. Before Zhao Shu could tell her to get up, she sidled up and took Zhao Shu's hand. "It was because I heard that Wei Tingsi was at the manor that my sister and Granny Guo were so anxious that they lost their manners. You must not overlook Granny Guo's loyalty."
She's so eloquent! She clearly has no manners, yet she shifts the blame onto Wei Tingsi. How come she never noticed before how good her mouth is at shirking responsibility?
"Miss Lin keeps criticizing officials appointed by the court. Does Lord Lin know about this?" She coldly withdrew her hand and said rudely.
This was the first time in her life that Lin Xiuxue had faced Zhao Shu like this; she was distant and sarcastic, as if she were watching a clown.
It made her extremely uncomfortable.
"Miss Lin never comes here without a reason. Tell me, what brings you here to see me?"
Granny Guo was about to say something, but was slapped back by a sharp look from her. She was suspicious and anxious.
“Ah Jun…”
"Miss Lin, you should still call me Princess Jun." She glanced coldly at Lin Xiuxue, no longer even willing to pretend.
In her past life, in order to be able to be sisters with the ladies of noble families, she humbled herself and lowered her status time and time again. What did she get in return?
It was the neglect, contempt, ridicule, and even deception and framing by these noble ladies.
That sincere heart is already riddled with holes.
She was the Empress Dowager's most beloved granddaughter and the only princess of the Yongwang Mansion. Why didn't she live proudly?
So what if she's from a noble family? So what if she's a lady from a prestigious clan? Doesn't she still have to kneel at the feet of royalty, waiting to be worn down day by day?
The powerful and influential families looked down on the imperial family, who were born from humble backgrounds. When the founding emperor established the country, a talented scholar jokingly said that the current emperor's carrying pole would fall down and he wouldn't even know what the character "一" (one) would be.
Zhao Shu used to feel ashamed to have such ancestors, but now she thinks it was really unfilial. It was precisely such ancestors who gave her a life of luxury and wealth.
In chaotic times, it was precisely the Taizu Emperor, who was "illiterate," who rose up in rebellion and sought refuge overseas, donned the yellow robe, and settled the world, saving the common people from their suffering. Meanwhile, those so-called talented people were still carrying their pretentious poems and pretending to be unappreciated.
False moralists and hypocritical high-mindedness.
"Ah Jun, is our relationship not even as strong as that of Wei Tingsi?" Lin Xiuxue looked at Zhao Shu with a cold face. The hurt in her eyes was like fire about to burst out, which was touching.
Haha, Zhao Shu wanted to burst out laughing. What deep sisterly affection! Was this questioning a threat? Was she implying that she had turned against her former sister for a man?
That's really clever.
Zhao Shu has a bad reputation, and so does Wei Tingsi. If the two of them were together, even a thousand mouths wouldn't be able to explain the truth clearly.
No one will believe Wei Tingsi, no one will believe Zhao Shu.
Who is Lin Xiuxue? She is a lady from a prestigious family, with a renowned reputation for virtue.
People like Zhao Shuhe and Wei Tingsi represent justice and propriety.
“Sister, you’re stabbing me in the heart with those words. How can you tell if you feel good about it?” She rushed up to Lin Xiuxue, clutching her chest as she asked.
One question is for the suffering in her past life, another is for the true friendship she gave, and the third is for Hua Yao, who didn't have a chance to enjoy life yet.
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