Even if the heir’s principal wife was already chosen, becoming his concubine would still mean entering the inner palace as a noble consort, honored and exalted.
Many families, eager to align themselves with power, quietly encouraged their daughters of suitable age to chat with the heir at tea gatherings, building connections.
The Cao household was quiet—her father didn’t even keep a concubine. Now, seeing her friend’s fiancé openly flirting with noble ladies at the table, Miss Cao naturally felt distressed on Sheng Xiangqiao’s behalf. So she whispered: “If you want to find out where that sachet came from, I’ll help you investigate!”
Sheng Xiangqiao shook her head: “No need. He wears it openly at his waist, not bothering to hide it. Why should I make myself miserable?”
Cao Yushan thought about it and agreed, sighing deeply as she silently served Sheng Xiangqiao more food. What is sorrow? Only eating can ease it!
Sheng Xiangqiao took a few bites, then glanced again—her fiancé sat beside Cheng Tianfu.
Though her cousin was still as handsome as ever, she now found him irritating. Just then, Cheng Tianfu suddenly looked up and shot her a glance—cold, sharp, and provoking.
Thinking of the monthly allowance he had tricked her out of, Sheng Xiangqiao puffed her cheeks slightly and, measuring her courage, cautiously glared back at him. The young man’s lips curved faintly, smiling as he turned away to continue drinking with the heir.
Sheng Xiangqiao turned back to her food. The heir’s future concubines were none of her concern. Before “marrying” into the prince’s household, she would find a way to escape.
The Sheng family, though not kind to her, were at least proper people who understood honor and restraint—they would not do anything truly vicious.
But Prince Cining’s household was different. The prince’s conduct bore no resemblance to his noble title. If she were married into that household, there would be no chance of escape.
Thinking of this, the heir’s flirtatious nature suddenly seemed reassuring. Knowing he disliked her gave her peace of mind. If one day he truly fell in love and defied imperial command to break off the marriage, that would be even better!
So what troubled her most was not the heir’s fickleness, but her cousin’s stinginess. If only Cheng Tianfu’s purse strings were as loose as Miss Cao’s mouth, how wonderful that would be!
Miss Cao did not know what was troubling Miss Sheng. She only grew anxious after seeing her poor embroidery skills and volunteered to help Sheng Xiangqiao improve her needlework. Otherwise, once she entered the heir’s household, surrounded by countless beauties, how could she stand out and suppress all those rivals?
But Sheng Xiangqiao felt that the rivals had already arrived!
Just as Cao Yushan was speaking with her, Tian Peirong’s niece, Shen Fangxie, came over accompanying her younger aunt Tian Qinshuang.
It seemed Miss Shen deliberately led Miss Tian in this direction. With so many empty seats, they chose instead to sit right beside Sheng Xiangqiao. As the two noble girls sat down, the air was filled with fragrance.
Shen Fangxie proudly showed off the new sachet of spices she had received from the Tian household, then turned to Sheng Xiangqiao with a malicious smile.
Tian Qinshuang, however, seemed distracted. As she sat, she glanced several times toward the heir’s table, though it was unclear whom she was looking at.
Sheng Xiangqiao still remembered how this Miss Shen had secretly pushed her in the great hall, causing her to lose composure before the Emperor. Now, seeing Shen Fangxie approach eagerly, she knew it was not out of kindness.
Because of the enmity between the Sheng family and Tian Peirong, Sheng Xiangqiao decided to show no courtesy. She turned her face away, reviving the haughty demeanor of the Sheng family’s eldest daughter.
But Shen Fangxie pretended not to notice, plopping herself down beside Sheng Xiangqiao and sneering: “Well, isn’t this Miss Sheng? How come you have time to eat vegetarian meals at the temple today, instead of practicing your southern opera dances at home? Oh my, is this your embroidery? Tsk tsk, if you have time for dancing, you’d be better off practicing your needlework!”
Cao Yushan had casually left the dogtail-grass sachet on the table, and Shen Fangxie immediately seized on it to mock.
Miss Cao quickly snatched up the sachet to defend her friend: “Don’t talk nonsense—this is my embroidery. I asked Miss Sheng to critique it.”
But Shen Fangxie had clearly seen Sheng Xiangqiao’s maid take it out earlier. She sneered at Cao Yushan’s cover-up, then deliberately turned her gaze to the heir’s sachet and raised her brows, speaking loudly: “My mistake! Surely the sachet the heir wears is Miss Sheng’s own work? Oh, this peony is so charming. I recall it is also called *Dianchun*—though it blooms late, it surpasses all others and claims the crown of flowers. What a fine meaning indeed!” She covered her lips with her handkerchief and laughed with satisfaction.
Shen Fangxie had always been one to flatter the strong and trample the weak. Since her aunt disliked the Sheng family, she acted as her aunt’s vanguard.
Sheng Xiangqiao looked coldly at her, realizing Shen Fangxie was deliberately drawing her attention to the heir’s sachet and provoking her with clever words.
Shen Fangxie knew perfectly well that Sheng Xiangqiao had not embroidered it, yet she kept harping on the sachet. And the peony—wasn’t she implying that the giver of the sachet, though not chosen as the heir’s principal wife, would later rise to prominence, gaining exclusive favor and overshadowing Sheng Xiangqiao herself?
Whoever had embroidered that sachet was certainly being praised to the skies by Miss Shen.
This Shen girl was truly relentless in trying to disgust her. If the real Sheng Xiangqiao had heard such words, even if she didn’t love the heir, she would have lost face in front of everyone and stormed over to demand who had given him the sachet.
Given the heir’s intolerance for Sheng Xiangqiao’s temper, the scene would have been spectacular.
Sheng Xiangqiao sighed softly. Without a monthly allowance, she lacked motivation, but for the sake of survival, she had to play her part. And since she was already angry, she decided to vent it on this Miss Shen.
At that, Sheng Xiangqiao suddenly raised her hand, summoning the momentum of her golden-hammer dance, and with a sharp “pa” slapped Shen Fangxie hard across the face.
Shen Fangxie had been inwardly delighted at provoking her, but she hadn’t expected Sheng Xiangqiao to break all decorum—striking her in public, in such a grand hall filled with nobles.
Though Sheng Xiangqiao’s arms looked slender, years of farm work had given her real strength. The slap landed solidly, making Shen Fangxie cry out, her cheek instantly flushed red.
Behind Sheng Xiangqiao, Nanny Zhao trembled with fury, nearly beside herself. If not for fear of exposing the impostor’s identity, she would have whipped this troublesome girl on the spot.
The atmosphere at Sheng Xiangqiao’s table turned awkward. The young ladies exchanged startled glances, shocked at the scene.
Even Tian Qinshuang, who had come over to chat, was taken aback. She furrowed her brows and rebuked: “Miss Sheng… why strike someone without cause? Where is the Sheng family’s upbringing?”
Shen Fangxie, eyes brimming with tears, deliberately stood up, covering her face and crying loudly: “You… you’re outrageous! I was only speaking casually with you, and you act like a madwoman, hitting me!”
Her loud complaint drew attention. Those who hadn’t noticed before now turned to look, and the hall fell silent. Even the heir’s table turned to watch.
When Jin Lianyuan understood what had happened, his face darkened with anger. His future wife was not only shameless but also a vulgar shrew! Heavenly Grandfather, how could you have chosen such trash for me?
But Sheng Xiangqiao, the troublemaker, remained calm. After Shen Fangxie finished her tearful accusations, Sheng Xiangqiao lifted her chin slightly and said: “I’ve endured you long enough. How dare you come near me? Tell me—at the Emperor’s birthday banquet, was it you who tripped me, pushing me from behind?”
Shen Fangxie froze. That had been so long ago! At the time, Sheng Xiangqiao hadn’t mentioned it at all, so Shen Fangxie thought she hadn’t noticed.
Besides, even if she had, Shen Fangxie wasn’t worried. With so many people rising to offer birthday wishes, a small bump could easily be dismissed as accidental. Sheng Xiangqiao’s poor posture and lack of grace were her own fault. Who could she blame?
That day, Shen Fangxie had dared to sit calmly, certain that Sheng Xiangqiao wouldn’t dare accuse her before the Emperor. But now, Sheng Xiangqiao revealed she had known all along, waiting until this moment to strike her with a slap.
“You… you’re spouting nonsense!” Shen Fangxie shouted angrily.
Seeing her denial, Cao Yushan couldn’t hold back. She quickly stepped forward to testify: “It was you! I saw it myself—you deliberately stretched out your leg to trip Xiangqiao!”
She wanted to say more, but Madam Cao, already alarmed, quickly ordered her maid to cover her daughter’s mouth and drag her away—lest her straightforward girl stir up more trouble!
Still, everyone had heard Cao Yushan’s words, and they now understood why Sheng Xiangqiao had struck Shen Fangxie.
If what Cao Yushan said was true, then Sheng Xiangqiao’s anger was justified. To lose composure before the Emperor was a grave offense! The fact that the girl hadn’t complained at the time showed remarkable restraint.
Several of those present had entered the hall alongside Sheng Xiangqiao to offer birthday wishes to His Majesty. Some had indeed seen Shen Fangxie stretch out her leg.
But Shen Fangxie was a relative of the Tian family, well-connected, and her father was rising in rank. Since Sheng Xiangqiao herself hadn’t accused her before, they hadn’t dared to speak up either.
Now, with Sheng Xiangqiao suddenly bringing up the old incident, and Cao Yushan boldly testifying, the others recalled it too. Familiar faces whispered among themselves, quietly discussing.
Sheng Xiangqiao, adopting the domineering air of the eldest daughter, turned on Shen Fangxie, who was still arguing: “From now on, keep your distance from me. Don’t come pestering me! What sachet my future husband wears is none of your business. Even if it wasn’t embroidered by me, do you think it was by you?”
Her words, light as they were, made it sound as though Shen Fangxie had just accused the heir of being frivolous, and Sheng Xiangqiao had struck her to defend her fiancé’s honor.
Sheng Xiangqiao was still a young girl, known for her blunt tongue. Such behavior seemed in character. Her voice rang out clearly, drawing the eyes of the ladies toward the heir’s waist.
At once, Jin Lianyuan forgot his curses against his “shabby” fiancée and hurriedly snatched the sachet from his belt, stuffing it into his sleeve.
Shen Fangxie, furious at being twisted into a liar, clutched her face and stamped her foot: “You… you’re making things up! I never said the heir’s sachet was embroidered by someone else…”
“Enough! Haven’t you caused enough disgrace?”
At that moment, Madam Liu, Tian Qinshuang’s mother, arrived. She could not tolerate such vulgar quarrels in a Buddhist temple. Shen Fangxie was a relative of the Tian family and had come with her, but to bicker endlessly in a place of purity was intolerable. If not for her stepdaughter Tian Peirong’s recent illness, she would never have agreed to bring this petty Shen girl along.
So Madam Liu’s face hardened as she scolded Shen Fangxie, then ordered her daughter to rise. The Tian women departed together.
Among the noble ladies of the capital, even if they disliked one another, they rarely showed disrespect in public—let alone resort to blows. Today, both Sheng Xiangqiao and Shen Fangxie had behaved outrageously. Regardless of who was right or wrong, once home, they would surely kneel before their ancestral shrines for punishment.
Thus, there was no need to argue further. Better to separate quickly and avoid more gossip.
Madam Liu hurriedly led her household away.
After Madam Liu hurriedly led Shen Fangxie away, Sheng Xiangqiao remained perfectly composed. She even gave the heir Jin Lianyuan a shy little smile, as if to say: “I have fulfilled my duty, protecting the heir’s reputation.”
Once Shen Fangxie was gone, Sheng Xiangqiao calmly sat back down, picked up her chopsticks, and cheerfully addressed the young ladies at her table: “Come, let’s eat quickly. The dishes won’t taste good once they’ve gone cold.”