With such a humble attitude, they must have something in mind. Zhao Shu glanced at the mother and daughter a few times and said, "It would be a shame to throw it away. Let's give it to Ruyi. She came to deliver something the other day, and I haven't properly rewarded her yet."
Her words were not a suggestion, but an order. Before Consort Zhang and her daughter could speak, she handed the porridge to Ruyi.
Ruyi dared not accept it, and hurriedly knelt down, bowing her head, "Princess, please forgive me. I have already eaten breakfast. Please give it to the other sisters instead."
“It’s not much, you can eat another bowl without any problem. Do you look down on me as a princess?” Zhao Shu walked over, squatted down in front of her, and said in a stern tone.
"This servant dares not."
Consort Zhang and Zhao Nihong exchanged a glance. Zhao Nihong's dissatisfaction seemed to be overflowing, and Consort Zhang shook her head slightly at her.
"Ruyi, this is a gift from the princess. Why don't you thank her?"
Ruyi looked up at her mistress in surprise, but still took the bowl of porridge and ate it spoonful by spoonful under Zhao Shu's watchful gaze.
Satisfied, I sat back down in my chair. Early spring had already brought out breakfast: a basket of small steamed buns, a glass of milk, and that was it.
"Sister A-Jun, is this all you eat?" Zhao Nihong thought that Zhao Shu was a princess with a title and fiefdom, and her three meals a day must be extremely luxurious. She didn't expect to see that she ate so little, and her tone immediately became somewhat disdainful.
Zhao Shu took a sip of milk, seemingly oblivious to her disdain, and said, "I heard from the senior doctors that eating too much in the morning is hard to digest. I didn't believe it at first, but after seeing the concubine, I do. She ages faster that way."
After she finished speaking, Bi Qiao led her concubines over to pay their respects. "This humble concubine greets the princess." They were all beauties; those who were not stunningly beautiful were not allowed to come over.
Consort Zhang had just been told she was old by Zhao Shu, and she was already taking it very seriously. The next moment, she saw a group of graceful women walking towards her, and a sense of crisis arose in her heart. With so many beauties in the Prince Yong's mansion, would the prince think she was getting old and losing her looks?
"The concubines have arrived! Everyone has come, so I'll keep it short to avoid taking up too much of your time. My second uncle and cousins are new to the palace, so I haven't had a proper welcome yet. Concubines, please practice your singing and dancing these next few days. The princess plans to invite my second uncle and cousins to watch later."
While concubines could be bought, sold, or given away at will, the concubines in the Prince's Mansion were somewhat different. They were not allowed to show their faces in public easily, and performing songs and dances like this was even rarer.
But, who can blame her for being an unruly, domineering, and willful princess?
The concubines looked somewhat displeased, but dared not say no, while Consort Zhang's face was as cold as ice.
Zhao Shuke doesn't care whether she's happy or not. If you want to mess with the Prince Yong's mansion, you'd better be able to withstand her wrath.
Moreover, the household is very poor, and there are too many concubines. Recently, she has become increasingly impatient.
Xiao Zhuzi came over and whispered a few words in her ear. She nodded and gave Consort Zhang and Zhao Nihong an apologetic smile, "Cousin, Consort, there are some matters at the manor that I need to attend to, so I won't keep you company any longer."
“Princess, you can tell me what’s wrong. You’re still young, and some servants might bully you. I can help you if I’m with you.” Consort Zhang immediately stood up and stopped Zhao Shu.
Zhao Nihong chimed in, "Yes, yes, little sister Ajun, you're still young and don't know that some servants bully young masters. Let my mother help you. We'll stay in your house and do nothing; it would be too embarrassing."
"Is this an attempt to interfere in the management of the Prince's residence?" Zhao Shu turned her head and refused in a serious tone, "Although the Prince's residence has a small population, it still has rules. There is absolutely no reason for a concubine to meddle in the management of the household. My cousin and the concubine are neither legitimate nor the principal wife, so they probably don't know how to manage the household. Alright, my cousin and the concubine must come to watch the song and dance the day after tomorrow. I'll go and get busy now."
After saying that, she left without looking back, leaving the mother and daughter staring at the spot where she had gone, their faces ashen.
Back at Xiaoxiang Courtyard, the door slammed shut.
"Hmph, what's there to be smug about? One day I'll make you kneel at my feet and beg me!" Zhao Nihong clenched her fists, her long nails digging into her flesh, leaving deep marks.
“A princess whom everyone despises, what is she without the Empress Dowager? Daughter, don’t worry, Mother will make sure that whatever she has, you will have too.”
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