When Song Gege and Li Gege entered the main hall and saw Rong Xi sitting in the superior position, they merely bowed slightly and said, "May the Princess Consort be blessed!"
Both of their voices were soft and charming.
Rong Xi sat there, her gaze lingering on Song Gege and Li Gege's faces for a moment each. She did not respond to their greetings, but simply watched them quietly.
"Madam, is there anything you require?"
Song Gege spoke first, her gaze towards Rong Xi carrying a hint of arrogance.
Rong Xi smiled and said, "Are you from the Song family?"
Song Gege was taken aback, unsure how to answer Rong Xi's question. She was, of course, from the Song family, and she believed Rong Xi was aware of that.
If you already know the answer, why ask this question? You're clearly just looking for trouble.
"Why don't you answer my question?"
Rong Xi spoke again, her voice was calm, but there was something slightly different in her words.
"Your Highness is asking a question you already know the answer to. Why should I answer it?"
Song Gege held her head high, showing no stage fright whatsoever. Although she was merely a concubine of the Fourth Prince, she was a cultivator, at the half-step Golden Core realm. Given the right opportunity, she could take that step at any time and become a high-ranking Golden Core cultivator. Once she advanced to the Golden Core realm, the court would bestow upon her the title of Consort.
"How dare you! Who are you talking to as 'I'?!"
Rong Xi slammed her hand on the table. "You're just a concubine of the Fourth Prince, yet you don't even know how to bow to me, and now you dare to call yourself 'I'!"
"Who taught you these rules?"
"Do you still have this wife in your eyes?"
Rong Xi's outburst left everyone in the room stunned. Even Granny Rui and Granny Xiang were somewhat taken aback.
When Rong Xi made Song Gege and Li Gege wait outside, they knew that Rong Xi was going to set rules. However, they did not expect that Rong Xi's way of setting rules would be so unskilled, simple and crude.
Song Gege and Li Gege were indeed concubines, but both of them were cultivators, and had reached the half-step Golden Core realm. Even if they didn't follow the rules with Rong Xi, the primary consort, no one would say anything.
Cultivators have always been considered superior to ordinary people.
"Has the Princess Consort lost her mind?"
Seeing Rong Xi's outburst, Song Gege remained calm, even revealing a mocking smile on her face. "Although I am Fourth Master's concubine, I am also a cultivator. Secular rules have no place over cultivators like us!"
"Aren't the ladies in the palace also cultivators? Don't they need to follow the rules?"
Rong Xi gave a cold laugh, "Song Shi, even now you still show no remorse. Then don't blame me for punishing you! Your monthly allowance for this month is gone!"
"You dare!"
Upon hearing that Rong Xi was going to deduct her monthly allowance, Song Gege became furious.
The aura of a cultivator at the half-step Golden Core realm erupted, attempting to attack Rong Xi.
Unfortunately, both Granny Rui and Granny Xiang were veteran Golden Core cultivators. The moment Song Gege erupted, the two of them simultaneously pressed down on her with the aura of the Golden Core realm. Caught off guard, Song Gege could not withstand such pressure, and her knees buckled, causing her to kneel down in front of Rong Xi.
"It's too late to kneel now!"
Rong Xi naturally understood that Song Gege hadn't knelt down voluntarily. But that didn't stop her from using Song Gege's kneeling as an excuse, and Song Gege would never refute it.
“Li, you…”
"This humble servant greets Your Highness, may Your Highness be blessed!"
Seeing Rong Xi targeting Song Gege, Li Gege naturally wouldn't follow Song Gege's old path. A wise person knows when to yield and when to stand firm; a great man can bend and stretch, and she, a mere woman, should be even more so.
"You're quite sensible!"
Seeing how quickly Li Gege reacted and how she showed no shame in her initial arrogance followed by obsequiousness, Rong Xi valued her even more.
People like Song Gege, who don't know how to control their temper, aren't scary. What's scary is someone like Li Gege, who can be flexible and knows how to make choices.
"However, you also broke the rules. As your wife, I cannot favor one of you over the other. I will deduct half of your monthly allowance as a small punishment to serve as a warning!"
"This humble servant thanks Madam for showing mercy!"
Li Gege was furious inside, but she remained outwardly calm and even thanked Rong Xi.
"Magpie, give Princess Li her monthly allowance!"
Rong Xi turned her head to look at the magpie and spoke softly.
The magpie quickly agreed, but its hands and feet weren't quick enough. Mainly, Rong Xi's current behavior was too abnormal; it wasn't her usual humble and gentle nature at all.
After a lot of trouble, Li Gege finally received her monthly allowance, but half of it was deducted.
"Alright, all of you, step back!"
Rong Xi waved her hand, urging Song Gege and Li Gege to leave.
Song Gege felt incredibly aggrieved, but under the suppression of Rui Mama and Xiang Mama, she could only endure it no matter how unhappy she was.
"The Song family!"
Seeing that Madam Song was still unwilling to give up, Rong Xi suddenly called out to her as she reached the door, "If you are not satisfied, you can go and complain to the Fourth Prince!"
"I'll go even if you don't tell me!"
Song Gege turned to Rong Xi and said, "Don't think that just because you're pregnant with Fourth Prince's child, you can do whatever you want. The way you are now is just a petty person who has gotten what they want!"
"Madam Song, it seems that the punishment I gave you was too lenient!"
Rong Xi was even happier when she heard what Song Gege said. What a lovely person she was!
"Starting this month, you will not receive your monthly allowance for the next three months!"
"you!"
Upon hearing Rong Xi's words, Song Gege was about to argue with Rong Xi, but was pulled away by Li Gege.
"Madam, this is not right!"
After Song Gege and Li Gege returned to their courtyard, Granny Xiang spoke.
"I think it's great!"
Rong Xi smiled slightly, "Even if I don't deduct their monthly allowance, they won't be grateful to me. So why should I be a good person?"
"Madam, if you do this, it will put the Prince in a very difficult position!"
Granny Xiang sighed softly.
Rong Xi shrugged and said, "It's his problem, not mine. Besides, I, as the Fourth Prince's concubine, also need a lot of resources for my cultivation. Shouldn't they, as the Fourth Prince's concubines, offer me, their primary wife, some resources as a sign of respect?"
"..."
Granny Xiang and Granny Rui were both dumbfounded. This reason was, well, very compelling.
Well, Rong Xi's trouble with Song Gege and Li Gege wasn't out of jealousy; she simply wanted to seize their cultivation resources. Unfortunately, Li Gege was too patient, preventing Rong Xi from having a chance to retaliate.
"Master, but you're only at the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stage, while Consort Li and Consort Song are both at the half-step Golden Core stage. The spiritual herbs and pills they use are completely unusable for you!"
The magpie blinked, thinking that Rong Xi was doing something completely futile.
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