Volume 1 Chapter 63
Chapter 63: To While the Time Away with Consort Li
“Hey…” Ye Junqing wanted to say more but Yao Mowan had already disappeared from sight. He stared at the empty doorway for a moment, then laughed helplessly. His worry had been unnecessary. Yao Mowan wasn’t a fool, so how was it possible for her to go confess everything to Ye Hongyi? Ye Junqing finally realized the fact that whoever dared to treat Yao Mowan as a fool was definitely the number one fool in the world! And those people would definitely die incomparably tragic deaths.
“Fluffy, how can you stand a master like that?” Ye Junqing subconsciously stroked Fluffy’s fur as he asked, feeling slightly embarrassed.
“Meow!” Fluffy gave a gentle meow in reply as if she could understand Ye Junqing’s words. Ye Junqing was stunned for a moment, then his lips curved up slightly. Perhaps he didn’t hate this cat that much.
In the Imperial Garden, Ting Yue saw that Yao Mowan’s expression was very dark so she spoke very carefully.
“Niang niang, where are we going?”
“To Pure Flowers Palace, to while away some time.” If it weren’t for Ye Junqing’s pleas for leniency, perhaps she would have allowed Yao Suluan a few days of peace and quiet.
“Consort Li… But Consort Li is currently still angry. How about niang niang waits a few days before going?” suggested Ting Yue tentatively. She was worried that her master would suffer due to Yao Suluan’s current mood.
“Does this consort have to pick a date just to mess with her? In a little while, you just need to say this…” Yao Mowan stopped walking to whisper into Ting Yue’s ear, then turned and strode towards Pure Flowers Palace.
Inside Pure Flowers Palace, Yao Suluan was clutching a teacup tightly. The sound of the teacup lid hitting the teacup was loud and sharp. All of a sudden, there was a ‘bang’… Yao Suluan had thrown the teacup on the ground.
“What kind of tea is this? Are you trying to burn this consort to death!?” Yao Suluan looked towards the new palace maid, Ming Yu, with a fierce expression, loathing flashing through her eyes. Even though Ming Yu’s appearance was agreeable, Yao Suluan felt that she was inferior to Cai Ying in every way.
“Niang niang, please forgive me. Ming Yu will go make another cup right away.” Although Cai Ying was convicted of the crime of poisoning the dragon fetus, everyone in the Imperial Palace had eyes and knew who Cai Ying was shouldering the punishment for.
Thus, Ming Yu, who was one of the only palace maids that was An Bingshan’s confidant, naturally knew about it as well. Right now, what she had to do was grin and bear these insults.
As Ming Yu spoke, she swiftly picked up the broken porcelain pieces on the ground before getting back up. Following that, she heard footsteps come from outside the palace.
“Zi Shuang, do you smell what this is in Pure Flowers Palace?” A clear voice suddenly arose. Before the palace maid outside could give the report, Huan Caier already strode in with Zi Shuang.
“Replying niang niang, it’s the smell of mold. It’s truly disgusting.” Zi Shuang waved at the air as she replied in rapport. When Ming Yu saw Huan Caier walk into the main hall, she immediately slipped the broken fragments into her sleeve and curtsied.
“This servant Ming Yu kowtows in greeting to Noble Consort Chen.”
“Consort Li, you sure have a lot of guts to not stand up and curtsy upon seeing my master! Don’t forget, right now you’re just a consort, while my master is a Noble Consort. What? Could it be that you still think of yourself as the Imperial Noble Consort?” When Zi Shuang saw that Yao Suluan remained seated with a frosty expression, she walked up and berated her in a stern voice.
Yao Suluan didn’t speak. Suppressing her fury, she slowly got up and forced herself to walk to Huan Caier. Just as she was about to curtsy, a ‘pah’ sound rang out. Huan Caier’s hand lifted and fell, leaving five shocking fingerprints on Yao Suluan’s face. Before Yao Suluan could react, Huan Caier lifted her hand again.
“Niang niang, watch out!” Ming Yu immediately walked up to shield Yao Suluan and took the slap in her stead.
“Huan Caier! This is intolerable!” Yao Suluan’s eyes narrowed as she glared furiously at Huan Caier.
“This is intolerable? It’s not comparable to even a percentage of what you did! No matter how fierce a tiger is, it doesn’t eat its own children. Yao Suluan, you can’t even compare to an animal! For the sake of framing this consort, you actually killed your own son! This consort has truly underestimated you, you sure are cold-hearted! If it wasn’t for the fact that Father had been able to see through things and act decisively to find the saffron in your resting palace, this consort would have already been thrown into the Cold Palace and perhaps even given the death penalty! The fact that I’ve only slapped you is already letting you off easy!” Vicious chilling currents swirled in Huan Caier’s eyes.
“You’re making venomous slander! Why would this consort poison her own child!? It was Cai Ying’s doing! She has already admitted to the crime and has been executed for it!” refuted Yao Suluan. As she touched her smarting cheek with her fingers, hatred flooded her heart as if a dam had burst. She had tried to explain countless times to Ye Hongyi that there had never been a hidden drawer beneath her bed and that someone had framed her, yet he didn’t bother to listen to a word of it. Without regards to the rights and wrongs of the matter, he deducted her rank by two levels. However, why would she have done this, if not for him and his country of great Chu!?
“Yao Suluan, there are no outsiders here right now, so what need is there to continue acting? This consort truly feels sorry for that girl Cai Ying. After serving you for an entire lifetime, all she got in return was a cup of poisoned wine. Yao Suluan, this matter is already over in His Majesty’s heart, but it’s not over in this consort’s heart! Zi Shuang, smash everything!”
Huan Caier’s eyes were cold as ice. At that time, when her father had explained to her the hidden connections in this matter, she couldn’t help but inhale sharply. Based on what her father had said, this matter was definitely a collaboration between His Majesty and Yao Suluan in order to root out the Huan family. It was fortunate that they had been able to resolve the crisis in the end, otherwise she probably would not be the only one to die due to this incident! It was lonely at the top, which was why her father told her to turn down the position of Empress in order to avoid gaining more enemies.
After getting this command, Zi Shuang immediately rushed to an antique bookcase and swept the jade buddha and white jade guanyin statues off.
“Stop!” Yao Suluan was furious. She moved up to stop her, but Huan Caier grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back hard. Huan Caier had more strength than her, so Yao Suluan couldn’t struggle free.
“Smash them all!” commanded Huan Caier coldly after glancing at Yao Suluan.
“Noble Consort Chen, my master is naturally a rank lower than you, but you shouldn’t forget that my master’s younger sister who is a Noble Consort is greatly favored by His Majesty. My family’s niang niang and Consort Yao have a very close relationship. This servant believes that Consort Yao will definitely get justice for my master and repay you for whatever you do.” Ming Yu walked deferentially to Huan Caier with an attitude that was neither servile nor overbearing.
Upon hearing this, Huan Caier’s heart immediately chilled. She hadn’t forgotten how she ended up falling into the Jade Pond, nor had she forgotten how much His Majesty doted on Yao Mowan.
“Ahem… Zi Shuang, this consort is tired so let’s stop here for today. We’ll come here again to vent anger the next time this consort gets in a bad mood. Come help this consort back.” Huan Caier carelessly flung Yao Suluan aside then extended her jade fingers towards Zi Shuang. She then walked out of the palace with Zi Shuang supporting her.
Yao Mowan watched as Huan Caier left Pure Flowers Palace, then leisurely walked out from behind the banyan tree.
“Niang niang, Consort Chen with her temper definitely wouldn’t have let Consort Li off easy,” said Ting Yue excitedly.
“It was too brief, this consort wouldn’t have minded waiting another two hours. But it doesn’t matter, since she has left, it’s this consort’s turn. Let’s go!”
In the main hall, Yao Suluan felt a head-splitting headache. She was just about to head back to the inner room to rest when she suddenly heard the sound of rapid footsteps. Before she even turned around, she heard that clear pleasant-sounding voice.
“Second Older Sister, Mowan has come to visit you!” When Yao Mowan saw the mess on the ground, her lips hooked in an almost imperceptible curve.
“This servant kowtows in salute to Consort Yao and wishes Consort Yao niang niang great fortune.” Ming Yu, who was in the middle of cleaning up the mess, immediately walked up and curtsied respectfully to Yao Mowan when she saw her.
“You’re a new palace maid, aren’t you? I’ve never seen you before ah!” Yao Mowan blinked as she looked at Ming Yu who was bowing to her. Ming Yu’s features were delicate and pretty, and her etiquette was neat and dignified. The fact that she had been able to avoid being defiled by An Bingshan and actually became his trusted aide meant that this palace maid was definitely very intelligent. Yao Mowan made a mental note about this person since she would probably come in useful in the future.
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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira
[Chiyomira’s Corner]Enjoy~
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