When Consort Tian heard the maid’s report, delivered as neutrally as possible, her nails dug so deeply into her flesh that they nearly pierced the skin. Yet she restrained herself from lashing out, largely because Su Yunxiu was present.
Su Yunxiu, however, made no effort to conceal the shock in her eyes.
“Mother Consort, this Su Yunzhao is truly too arrogant… Does she really think she can secure her position as Consort of the Heir Apparent?”
Consort Tian glanced sideways at Su Yunxiu’s thoughtless remark.
Over the years, though she had never attained the official status of principal consort, she had managed the household at An Wangfu without objection from the palace. Naturally, she understood when to speak and when to remain silent.
This daughter-in-law still had a long way to go.
“Yunxiu, some thoughts are better kept to oneself and not spoken aloud… Was it like this when you were in the Su family as well?”
Su Yunxiu sensed the reprimand in Consort Tian’s words and felt somewhat aggrieved. “Back in the Su family, even the servants could bully her at will. Though she was also a young lady of Weibei Houfu, she never enjoyed the dignity befitting a noble daughter—just a lowly, illegitimate child unworthy of any respect. Who would have thought that a marriage everyone avoided would give her the illusion of turning her life around? She started acting strangely even before leaving yesterday. She’s simply courting death. If this were in the Su family, I would certainly have the means to beg Father and my brothers to beat her to death…”
Consort Tian did not respond. Instead, she picked up her teacup and took a delicate sip.
Su Yunxiu truly couldn’t comprehend how, overnight, that timid and repulsive Su Yunzhao had completely shed her former nature.
“I originally planned to have them take you and Luofan into the palace tomorrow, but now it seems that won’t be possible…”
Consort Tian shifted away from the previous topic and turned to more pressing matters.
This Su Yunzhao had left them no opportunity at all.
Two of her trusted matrons had successively provoked Su Yunzhao, hoping to use Su Yunzhao and Xiao Jinyao to bring dignity to her son and daughter-in-law. This Consort Tian was indeed a master of subtle warfare.
Hearing this, Su Yunxiu felt a surge of resentment. Why should that lowly woman be allowed to enter the palace while she and her husband could not?
Although her husband was a concubine-born son, everyone knew that once Xiao Jinyao died, the position of Shizi would inevitably fall to her husband.
Unhurried, Consort Tian finally set down her teacup with calm composure and said, “Your father-in-law should also go to the palace tomorrow to pay his respects to Empress Dowager. Since the Shizi and Consort of the Heir Apparent have already received an invitation from The Emperor, you may accompany the prince to visit the elder.”
Su Yunzhao thought that after dismissing those two lowly servants, Consort Tian’s people would surely avoid appearing before her for the time being to spare themselves further humiliation. To her surprise, that fool Su Yunxiu was once again rushing to deliver herself.
When the guard reported that Lamei, the personal maid of the Second Young Madam, was at the gate requesting an audience, a cold smile curled at the corner of Su Yunzhao’s lips.
At least these guards had learned their lesson and hadn’t directly let her in.
“Tell her to get lost.”
Su Yunzhao wasted no words, not even lifting her head.
The guard was taken aback. The Consort of the Heir Apparent’s actions over the past two days had truly been unpredictable.
Ignoring Consort Tian’s face was understandable—it could be seen as a gesture of allegiance to the heir apparent. But to be so decisive even with her own natal family… Was she planning to abandon them entirely?
“Consort of the Heir Apparent, is this appropriate?” The guard couldn’t help but ask.
Su Yunzhao thought for a moment, then looked at the guard and said, "It is indeed inappropriate. Bring her in. I'll show you a more suitable way."
The guard thought to himself, the Consort of the Heir Apparent was all bark and no bite. In the Prince's residence, she was gambling on whether her status as the Consort of the Heir Apparent could suppress Consort Tian. But in her maternal home, as an unfavored concubine-born daughter, she still couldn't contend with Su Yunxiu.
When Lamei saw Su Yunzhao, her attitude was far from respectful.
"This servant Lamei pays her respects to the Sixth Miss."
Su Yunzhao observed her hypocritical smile and said directly, "Once you enter the Prince's residence, you must address me as the Consort of the Heir Apparent. Did your Second Young Mistress not teach you this rule? Even Su Yunxiu has already started calling me sister-in-law. You, a thing whose life and death aren't even in your own hands, still want to stand out?"
This Lamei had often bullied the original host by flaunting her mistress's authority. Many of the ideas Su Yunxiu used to humiliate and torment the original host were thought up by Lamei.
Lamei was taken aback. This Sixth Miss had truly changed.
Her confidence must come from her status as the Consort of the Heir Apparent, a position she wouldn't hold for long.
Thinking this, Lamei felt no panic.
"It is this servant's fault. Having interacted with the Consort of the Heir Apparent for so many years, I momentarily forgot to change my address. Please do not take offense, Consort of the Heir Apparent."
Even as she apologized, she didn't so much as bend her knees.
Su Yunzhao was in no hurry to reprimand her. Instead, she asked, "So, what did my sister-in-law send you here for?"
Hearing this, Lamei thought to herself, indeed, this Su Yunzhao had been bullied and humiliated for too many years in Weibei Houfu. Now that she had a noble status, she was trying to vent her pent-up frustrations in a retaliatory manner, but she was going about it all wrong.
Lamei turned and signaled the person who had come with her to present a set of clothes. Her tone once again carried a sense of superiority.
"I heard that the Consort of the Heir Apparent is to enter the palace tomorrow to meet His Majesty. The Second Young Mistress knows that the Consort of the Heir Apparent did not bring a dowry when she married, so she likely lacks any decent attire. Therefore, she carefully selected this dress, hoping that the Consort of the Heir Apparent will not bring shame to An Wangfu or disgrace Weibei Houfu tomorrow."
Su Yunzhao glanced at the ceremonial dress and couldn't help but sneer.
During her coming-of-age ceremony years ago, the Lady of Weibei Houfu had prepared a green ceremonial dress for her to save face, but Su Yunxiu had deliberately ruined it. Now, this dress was exactly the same shade of green.
Lamei's secretly smug expression was identical to the one she wore when she trampled on Su Yunzhao's ceremonial dress all those years ago.
"Guards."
Su Yunzhao knew these guards should have learned their lesson by now.
Sure enough, the guards responded promptly.
"Tie her up."
Su Yunzhao wasted no words and gave the order directly.
Though bewildered, the guards hesitated only briefly before complying.
"Consort of the Heir Apparent, what is the meaning of this?"
Lamei was also stunned. Did Su Yunzhao truly intend to defy heaven? Did she think that becoming the Consort of the Heir Apparent had genuinely allowed her to change her fate?
The people who had come with her were already panicking. This wasn't going as expected. On the way here, Lamei had been boasting about how submissive the Consort of the Heir Apparent had been back in Weibei Houfu…
Only when Lamei was pinned to the ground with her hands tied behind her back did she cry out, "Consort of the Heir Apparent, don't forget I came from the Houfu! You still have to return to the Houfu!"
Su Yunzhao looked at Lamei with amusement. Such a lowly servant girl was indeed short-sighted.
She swung her arm wide and slapped Lamei hard across the face.
Blood gushed from Lamei's nose and mouth as she was struck senseless.
Su Yunzhao directly pinched her chin, his expression extremely serious as he said, "A dowry maid from Weibei Houfu dares to threaten the Consort of the Heir Apparent of An Wangfu? Since when has Weibei Houfu ever held sway over the imperial family? You reckless slave, do you want the entire Houfu to be buried with you?"