Cen Ang squinted and began to look around, trying to see if any of the ladies were particularly gossipy or had any grudges against the Crown Princess or the Empress.
With a little coercion and enticement, anything can be negotiated as long as you obey.
"Isn't the Crown Princess's behavior a bit too outrageous? I am, after all, your elder!"
"You're a fart!"
Lan Youxin slapped her again, making the faces of all the ladies present sting.
At this moment, the Empress spoke slowly.
“Youxin is young and newly married. The Crown Prince spoils her terribly, so it’s inevitable that she will make mistakes. So, Consort Song, I will punish her by making her return to the palace and confining her for half a year. Let’s just let this matter go.”
They say it's a six-month lockdown, but who among you doesn't know they'll find some excuse to get him out anytime soon?
Consort Song was relentless and even demanded that the Emperor intervene on her behalf.
Cen Ang turned around and met Hua Luan's gaze. Hua Luan nodded to her.
The girl went up and dislocated Song Ying's jaw.
"You seem tired. Guards, escort you back to the palace to rest."
"yes."
Lan Youxin returned to her quarters, sat down below the Empress, and stared at the assembled empresses, saying:
"Your Highnesses all know that I come from a family of military officers, have a bad temper, and don't know the rules. Ah Cen has been in the palace for so many years, and while she acts justly, she inevitably offends some people. Now, Cen Ang is the head aunt of my Crown Prince's Palace, and also the head aunt of this palace. If she offends any of the ladies, I ask that the elders give Youxin some face and send someone to speak to me. Under no circumstances should she be dealt with privately."
The Crown Princess's words meant that from now on, anyone who touches Cen Ang will be slapped by her.
The affairs of the harem could not be kept secret in the palace. In less than half a day, the news that Cen Ang had been scalded by Consort Song spread far and wide.
When Zhao Kai heard about this at the Hanlin Academy, he was stunned for a moment. He then put down his work and hurried to the Imperial Hospital.
On his way to the Crown Prince, carrying the ointment for burns, the third-ranked scholar listened to Cen Ang's praises all the way.
The implication was that Cen Ang was a good person; she valued the lives of her servants and didn't treat them like animals.
yes,
Zhao Kai thought to himself.
She's a good person.
A very, very good and gentle person.
Hua Luan applied medicine to Cen Ang's body inside her room, speaking with a hint of reproach:
"Why didn't you just step back? You're usually so agile, I don't believe you couldn't dodge it."
"Even if you dodge her, she'll still have a backup plan. This is the simplest way; it'll just be a minor burn."
Hua Luan exerted a little force with her hand and shouted loudly:
"That's all?! You call that all? Your legs are covered in blisters and you call that all?"
—Knock knock knock
There was a knock on Cen Ang's door.
"What is it?" Cen Ang asked.
“Aunt, there’s a compiler from the Hanlin Academy looking for you at the gate. He says his name is Zhao Kai.”
Lan Youxin watched Hua Luan reprimand Cen Ang from the side, listening with great interest. Upon hearing this, the two of them suddenly brightened up.
"Zhao Kai?"
"The newly appointed third-ranked scholar?"
"Is it the one who looks very scholarly?" Lan Youxin asked.
“Yes, it’s him,” Hua Luan replied.
The girl then looked at Cen Ang and asked:
When did you meet him?
What is he doing here?
"Is this the first time our Ah Cen has had a man approach her?"
"right!"
Cen Ang's head was buzzing. "Can't we just apply the medicine properly? It's going to end up on my feet."
Unexpectedly, Hua Luan scooped out a large dollop of ointment, applied it, then fixed Cen Ang's pantyhose and told her to go out to see Zhao Kai.
"Alright, you can go out and see the third-ranked scholar now."
The aloof and beautiful girl stood frozen in place, and said:
"I didn't say I wanted to see you..."
"What if the third-ranking scholar wants to talk to the Crown Prince about something? These kinds of things are none of your business. Go out and take a look, Ah Cen."
Cen Ang listened to the Crown Princess and went to the door to see Zhao Kai.
Lan Youxin grabbed Hua Luan and flew away to watch the excitement.
The third-ranking scholar, dressed in official robes, stood at the door. When he saw Cen Ang coming to see him, the joy in his eyes was palpable.
"Luan'er, why do I feel like he likes our A-Cen? Am I seeing things?"
Hua Luan and the Crown Princess lay prone on the roof, whispering in reply:
“Your Majesty, you are not mistaken. The way Zhao Kai looks at A-Cen is exactly the same as the way the Crown Prince looks at you.”
Cen Ang heard their words clearly. What could he do? They were his master and his sisters. So be it.
"Zhao the Third Scholar".
When Cen Ang saw him, she remembered that he was the one who had given her the poem that day.
"Aunt Cen."
Upon meeting, Zhao Kai immediately took out the medicine, handed it to Cen Ang, and then said:
"I heard that Aunt Cen was injured, so I begged for some medicine. I know that Aunt Cen has enough, but... but this is my heartfelt wish."
"I have some, I don't need it."
The third-ranked scholar's advances were rejected by Cen Ang.
The main issue is that she really does have it. Would Lan Youxin really let her keep hurting him?
Feeling somewhat disappointed after being rejected, Zhao Kai lowered his head and then asked Cen Ang:
"Auntie...have you been wronged?"
"What good will it do me to suffer? Can you help me?"
The girl's words made perfect sense; from the day she entered the palace, she could no longer rely on anyone else.
Why did the Empress make her the Crown Princess's aunt?
Because she was pitiful?
Because she has no parents?
Absolutely not for that reason; she earned her position through her own abilities.
Zhao Kai remained silent for a while. Although Aunt Cen spoke bluntly, she was telling the truth.
I can't help her at all right now; on the contrary, she has to bear all this alone, which is truly painful for her.
The third-ranking scholar could only feel heartbroken; there was nothing he could do but feel sorry for himself.
“If our Ah Cen keeps talking like this, he’ll never get married in this lifetime.”
Lan Youxin shook her head and said:
"Everyone has their own preferences. Look at that infatuated face of the third-ranked scholar, he's really in love with her. He just likes our Ah Cen's personality."
"Your Majesty, how did you figure that out?"
Hua Luan hadn't met Wang Zheng yet at this time, and she was a little confused because the only one of the three with dating experience was the Crown Princess.
Lan Youxin pointed at Zhao Kai's face and said:
“Some men would just walk away when they heard this. Look at him, oh my, his face is full of heartache. The stronger our Ah Cen is, the more heartbroken he is.”
"He feels sorry for A-Cen?" Hua Luan asked rhetorically.
"yes."
"Oh."
Hua Luan sneered, "Aren't you a little mentally ill?"
It's fair to say that people tend to put on a pair of glasses when facing someone they like.
Behind those glasses, everything she did seemed right, and even if it was wrong, she would always have a compelling reason for doing it.
For example, right now, Hua Luan is seriously thinking about what makes A Cen so pitiful.
life experience,
right,
This is heartbreaking.
And personality,
He must have been bullied a lot before.
But Zhao Kai's next words made Aunt Hua on the roof slam her hand on the table and stand up.
"That's how it is in the palace, full of deceit and treachery. Aunt is fair and simple-minded, so you must take good care of yourself."
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