Wherever people are, there is conflict. This was true for women, and just as true for men. There were no exceptions.
The council hall was filled with talented individuals, the very cream of the Liang imperial clan. There were the sons, nephews, nephews-in-law, brothers-in-law, and other relatives of the reigning emperor. One could say it was nothing less than a family gathering. Yet despite sharing the same bloodline, the atmosphere among them was anything but harmonious.
Third Prince Li Rongling sat below, his expression dark.
Above him sat the Princess Royal’s husband, while to his right sat the Second Princess’s husband. Both were highly favored by the Empress Dowager and not people he could afford to offend.
The one person Third Prince Li Rongling could afford to offend, however, had just thoroughly humiliated him.
That person was Li Rongpei, heir to Prince Rong’s estate. At only eighteen, he had handsome features, red lips, white teeth, and a razor-sharp tongue. Recently, the Empress Dowager had grown quite fond of him.
A short while earlier, Li Rongling had merely mentioned the recent incident in which the Crown Prince angered the Empress Dowager and was punished.
In response, Li Rongpei mercilessly mocked him, bringing up that he had slept with one of the princess’s maids the previous night and lost all face.
Now, seated in the hall, Li Rongling felt everyone around him laughing at him. He was so uncomfortable that he felt as if he were sitting on needles.
Despite that, it came to nothing. When Li Rongpei was born, a Daoist priest had proclaimed him an auspicious child. The Empress Dowager had always been indulgent toward him, treating him almost like a living good-luck charm both inside and outside the palace.
Li Rongling had never found any leverage or weakness to use against him, so he could only swallow the humiliation in silence.
“Pei’er, enough. Don’t be so unruly,” said Du Chun, Princess Royal’s husband, stepping in to smooth things over.
After all, he was an elder. Once he spoke, Li Rongpei gave him face. Still grinning mischievously, he said, “I was only joking with Third Brother. Third Brother, don’t take it to heart!”
Who the hell is your third brother? Li Rongling’s face twisted with anger. Yet he was sensible enough to grit his teeth and reply, “I wasn’t bothered by it in the first place.”
Li Rongpei surveyed the gathering of distinguished figures and found it boring at once. He truly had nothing to say to these people, whose minds revolved day and night around power and wealth. After forcing himself to sit there a while longer, he suddenly sprang up as if his seat had caught fire and hurried away.
After he left, Li Rongyu, Prince Chu’s son, glanced at Gu Ce’an. Before long, the two excused themselves and departed.
Li Rongpei had visited the Princess Royal’s estate many times and knew it like the back of his hand. He wandered around casually with his attendants and soon spotted the waterside pavilion where the ladies were gathered. It was easy to identify even from a distance. The normally open pavilion was now screened with curtains and decorated with transplanted flowers and ornamental plants. Curiosity stirred in him, and he unconsciously stepped a few paces closer.
The eunuch Huang who accompanied him was nearly frightened to death. “Your Highness, that’s where the ladies are gathered. It wouldn’t be proper for you to go over there.”
Li Rongpei brushed aside the eunuch’s hand as it tried to stop him. “I’m just taking a look! The women in the palace all act like lifeless mannequins every day. They’re no fun at all. Since I’ve finally gotten out, I want to see what the young ladies of the capital are really like.”
Eunuch Huang still tried to stop him. If they were discovered, Li Rongpei would certainly be fine, but that did not mean he would be!
“Oh, enough. Stop nagging. Think about it. If I don’t see them with my own eyes, how can I let my mother choose a good wife for me? Surely you don’t want someone sweet-faced but black-hearted ordering you around in the future?”
That argument seemed to have some effect.
The eunuch hesitated.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry. I won’t get caught!” Still coaxing him, Li Rongpei crouched, slipped into the bushes, and crawled until he was hidden in the thick grass. Only when he got closer could he properly see the capital’s noble young ladies.
And honestly, they were exactly like the women in the palace.
The moment he got a clear look, all his interest vanished.
Their makeup was just as thick. They wore the same artificial smiles as they exchanged polite greetings. They were every bit as boring. Even the fabrics of their clothes looked similar to those worn by the palace consorts. If there was any difference at all, it was that these young ladies were less skilled. The women in the palace could act like affectionate sisters to one another on the surface.
Li Rongpei was growing bored enough to leave when, beside the waterside pavilion, a young woman suddenly lost her footing and fell into the water. He immediately sprang up, about to call for help. But before he could, another young woman jumped into the lake after her. At once, he straightened in alarm.
From where he stood, he saw the tall young woman who had leaped in struggle through the water for a time before finally pulling the first girl back up.
The ladies were all alarmed into action. The relatives of the young woman who had fallen into the water were crying and shouting, but the girl herself lay completely motionless.
After catching her breath, the woman who had rescued her knelt and pried open the drowning girl’s mouth. She then pressed her chest repeatedly before lowering her head.
Li Rongpei’s eyes widened in shock. Through a handkerchief, he saw the rescuer press her lips to the other young woman’s mouth. Before he could even process what he was seeing, the rescuer was suddenly shoved away and slapped across the face.
The next moment, the rescuer turned around and slapped back.
Smack! The sound was loud and crisp.
Fortunately, the young woman who had been rescued finally woke up, coughing up a large amount of water. Only then did the commotion in the waterside pavilion begin to settle down.
Li Rongpei stood there in a daze for a moment before realizing the young woman’s actions were meant to save a life.
How could someone get slapped for saving a person? What kind of logic was that?
Li Rongpei felt a surge of indignant anger on her behalf. But he couldn’t reveal himself now, so he could only watch from afar.
After what seemed to be a brief argument in the pavilion, several people stepped forward and formally apologized to the rescuer. Then another young woman wrapped her in a cloak and led her away.
Even after they were gone, the pavilion remained abuzz with discussion.
The girl who had fallen into the water was the Minister of Personnel’s daughter. She had already been helped away, while her elder sister sat nearby covering her face and weeping.
Everything had happened far too quickly and taken too many unexpected turns. Who could have realized immediately that the rescuer had only been giving her breath? Through a moment of misunderstanding, they had nearly repaid kindness with hostility.
Quite a few people began whispering, and the waterside pavilion was no longer as calm as before.
Song Zhiwei was escorted to a room to change into a fresh set of clothes. Since she had anticipated accidents, she had brought extra clothes.
Only after changing did Song Zhiwei realize that most of the powder and makeup on her face had washed away. But cosmetics in this era were rather primitive anyway. The afternoon sun had already been fierce, and the powder had begun to cake and sit strangely on her face. Losing it was actually a blessing. She looked much livelier and more refreshed than she had that morning. When she pushed open the door and stepped outside, Gu Chunran was waiting there with an unpleasant expression. The moment she saw Song Zhiwei emerge, she frowned and began complaining.
“I told you not to show off, but you wouldn’t listen. Now look what’s happened. Mother is definitely going to blame me!”
“It all happened too suddenly. I didn’t have time to think it through,” Song Zhiwei replied with a shake of her head.
“Just wait and see. You saved her, but her family won’t appreciate it. They’ll end up hating you instead.”
Gu Chunran let out a cold laugh. She understood these so-called noble young ladies all too well. To them, reputation mattered more than life. What had happened today was far too dramatic. There was no way to keep people’s mouths shut. Once they became the subject of gossip and amusement over tea and dinner tables, who would remember any life-saving favor?
At that point, it would already be a mercy if they did not want to kill Song Zhiwei just to vent their anger.