[20] ‘With such a cold, vicious expression, where was that picture-perfect heroine now?’
‘Tsk.
How embarrassing.’
Luo Baoshu seemed to be startled as well.
She patted her chest and said, “What’s with that look on your face?
You look as if I stole your silver!”
Yu Ge quickly lowered her gaze to hide the hatred in her eyes, her voice catching as she said, “I just don’t understand why Sister Luo despises me so…”
“Who despises you?” Luo Baoshu was completely baffled.
She shot Yu Ge a surprised glance and snorted.
“You’re so good at making a scene for yourself.
Why aren’t you the star of the Peach Garden?”
Yu Ge bit her lip.
‘I’m the future Empress,’ she suddenly thought.
‘I should have more backbone.
I don’t need to be afraid of people like her.’
‘Luo Baoshu is the one who should be afraid and apologizing to me.’
After a moment, she forcibly suppressed her inner rage and pulled a faint smile onto her lips.
“Sister Luo is joking.
As the future Empress, if I became a performer in the Peach Garden, wouldn’t that be degrading my own status and inviting public condemnation?”
Quite a dignified comeback.
Shen Lang raised an eyebrow, enjoying the show.
But she never expected to be dragged into the line of fire.
Yu Ge suddenly covered her mouth and coughed twice, her voice low.
“A few days ago, Sister Luo pushed me into the water.
I came down with a cold and only just recovered today.
I must have upset Sister Luo by coming out while still feeling unwell.
You knew that, Elder Sister.
Why aren’t you saying a word in my defense…?”
Shen Lang slowly typed out a question mark in her mind.
“…?” ‘What the hell was that divine logic?’
‘It was just…
utterly ridiculous.’
Luo Baoshu looked disgusted too.
She rolled her eyes, and before Shen Lang could even speak, she sneered, “Don’t you dare try to sling that crap at me!
Everyone knows perfectly well how you ‘fell’ in the water.
You think your version of the story makes you special?
If I hadn’t caught you getting all lovey-dovey with Prince Gong, I doubt you could have even come up with such a dirty trick!”
At these words, Yu Ge shot a panicked glance at Shen Lang.
Seeing her sister’s unreadable, almost-smile, her heart plunged into chaos.
She quickly retorted, “You’re talking nonsense!
The one Prince Gong is interested in is my sister!
It’s just that she rarely received him, so I was asked to serve tea in her place…”
Luo Baoshu said scornfully, “Who doesn’t know that Prince Chen and Princess Consort Chen had long intended to marry your sister to Prince Gong?
At the time, he was practically your brother-in-law, yet you still had the gall to make a move on him.
Don’t give me that nonsense about being ‘overcome by emotion.’ The way I see it, you two are two sides of the same scheming coin.
Utterly shameless.”
The more Shen Lang listened, the more intrigued she became.
This Miss Luo, she decided, was quite a character.
‘Ever since Luo Baoshu arrived, the little damsel’s Misery Index has been shooting straight up.
It’s already reached 50%.’
‘Damn.
This girl single-handedly racked up 18% of the pitiful heroine’s misery points.’
While the little damsel looked to be on the verge of tears, she had no idea that Shen Lang was inwardly ecstatic.
‘Looks like this pitiful heroine took advantage of the original owner’s lazy spell at home to make quite a few enemies for herself.’
The corners of her eyes, as vibrant as peach blossoms, lifted slightly.
Shen Huoshui, her face veiled in red, smoothed a hand over her delicate brow and curved her lips into a lazy smile.
“You should head back now, little sister.
Do watch your step…”
The final syllable of her sentence rose, twisting like a soul-stealing hook.
Its lingering echo was both crisp and intoxicating, utterly mesmerizing.
Shen Huoshui’s sudden warning made Yu Ge freeze for a moment before she clenched her fists fiercely.
To her, Shen Lang’s words sounded no different from a curse.
But then she thought again.
‘Getting angry with a woman who married less fortunately and whose future status will be beneath mine is simply degrading to my position as the future Empress.’
And so, she gave a slight, smiling nod.
“In that case, I will take my leave now.”
Then she left with Bai Ruo.
After the two had gone, Luo Baoshu frowned, asking with a puzzled expression, “Why did you curse her?”
“I wasn’t cursing her…” Shen Huoshui touched her own exquisite cheek with a look of innocence.
She lazily raised her eyes, pinching one of her East Pearl Earrings to examine it up close.
Her eyes curved with satisfaction.
“I… was threatening her.
If she doesn’t watch herself and angers me again, I won’t be in such a good mood next time.”
Luo Baoshu thought there was probably something wrong with this woman.
‘In any case, Yu Ge is the future Empress, personally designated by the Holy Emperor.
To threaten and provoke her so openly, without giving her any face—how could Yu Ge not be furious?
If she wins the Emperor’s favor in the future and decides to make trouble for Yu Yin, the Prime Minister’s Wife, wouldn’t that… harm the peace between them?’
“You two are sisters.
It’s never good to tear away all pretenses like this.
Besides, I can tell your sister is very ambitious.
She might actually charm the Emperor one day.
Won’t you be in an awkward position then?”
“No matter,” Shen Huoshui said, flashing one of her signature heart-melting, flirtatious smiles.
She gave Luo Baoshu a suggestive look and said slowly, “Miss Luo… are you worried about me?”
Luo Baoshu jumped in fright.
“What kind of nonsense are you spouting!
I was just giving you a kind reminder, don’t flatter yourself!”
“Then I was also just giving her a kind reminder.
Who told her to flatter herself?” Shen Lang blinked innocently.
Luo Baoshu: “…”
‘So that’s what she was setting me up for.’
Indeed, if Yu Ge held a grudge against Shen Lang over such a harmless comment, then the future Empress was truly rather petty.
Completely unaware that she had just helped torment the little damsel Yu Ge to her heart’s content, Miss Luo couldn’t help but feel a sliver of sympathy for Shen Lang.
‘Compared to such a troublesome younger sister, this Yu Yin doesn’t seem so bad after all.’
*
*
「Imperial Palace.」
“If you refuse to select consorts, Emperor, I fear you will not be able to appease the court.
Yet if you take one, it will be like stirring a hornet’s nest with the rest.” The Empress Dowager carefully examined a portrait in her hand.
“I know in your heart you are unwilling, but you must also think of your Empress.”
“The civil and military officials are already pressing this hard.
After your imperial wedding, people will inevitably come to make trouble for the Empress.
Her family, while prominent, will not be able to withstand this kind of pressure.”
“I have already selected the candidates for you.
I won’t force you to take them as consorts, but you must at least give me your decision,” the Empress Dowager said coolly.
The more Jiang Yu listened, the darker his expression became.
The Little Emperor, with his youthful temper, grew furious.
“I will marry whomever I wish!
What business is it of theirs!
A bunch of old fools!
I’ll strip them of their official ranks sooner or later!”
The Empress Dowager smiled faintly.
“In this, you are just like the late Emperor.
The men of the Jiang Family have always been a line of devoted lovers.”
It was clear the Empress Dowager actually appreciated Jiang Yu’s reaction.
After all, she too was a woman who had been doted on and cherished by an emperor, so she naturally understood how precious such sincerity was.
But no matter how much she might agree with him, her son, the Emperor, had to take consorts.
He had to silence the gossiping mouths of the empire.
“Mother…!” Jiang Yu cried out in anguish.
“She is all I need!
I truly cannot accept anyone else!”
The Empress Dowager frowned slightly.
“…Taking other consorts won’t stop you from doting on the Empress.
You can still be a loving husband and wife.
Just treat the other women as decorations.
Why must you be so resistant?”
“I… I want to give her the very best.
Even as mere decorations, they would still be an eyesore to her.
I don’t want that.”