Chapter 21 - ARTTEDSBGT Chapter 21
On one side of the Little Buddha Hall, there were several artificial rockeries nestled amidst the purple bamboo grove. A few young girls were strolling and admiring the scenery, including Li Suwan and Zhao Shan’er.
Zhao Shan’er held a silver-framed mirror with a rhombus-shaped crystal, absentmindedly admiring herself. In her hair bun, she had a deep blue flower, looking quite charming.
Li Suwan continued to praise, “This flower perfectly matches you, Sister Zhao.”
Xiao Man, who was standing nearby, watched with a knowing smile. Zhao Shan’er was lost in her own beauty and replied casually, “What’s the matter?”
Her personal maidservant hurriedly approached her and whispered, “Miss, something is not right.”
Zhao Shan’er, still absorbed in her own beauty, asked, “What’s wrong?”
The maidservant leaned in closer and whispered a few words into her ear. Zhao Shan’er’s expression gradually froze, and then she looked panicked. Xiao Man glanced at the maidservant with a hint of annoyance, but Li Suwan remained oblivious and asked, “What happened, Sister Zhao?”
Zhao Shan’er couldn’t be bothered to answer, quickly removing the blue flower from her hair. Her face turned unsightly as she exclaimed, “Why is this flower planted by Lady Chunfei?!”
She was almost on the verge of cursing and lamented, “Why wasn’t there anyone guarding it?”
If someone had been watching, she wouldn’t have dared to pick the flower.
Xiao Man observed Zhao Shan’er’s distress with a hint of concealed amus.e.m.e.nt, but she quickly changed her expression to one of shared concern. She furrowed her brows and said, “How could Lady Chunfei plant a flower here?”
“I don’t know,” Zhao Shan’er regretted bitterly, wringing her hands, “The Spring Garden banquet is about to start. Man, what should I do now?”
Xiao Man looked at her distraught state, finally finding some satisfaction in her heart. However, she maintained a calm demeanor and comforted, “Don’t worry, let’s think of a solution.”
Desperate, Zhao Shan’er grabbed Xiao Man’s sleeve and urged, “Hurry and think of something!”
Xiao Man gently patted her hand and calmly said, “Let me think.”
In her anxiety, Zhao Shan’er looked at the flower in her hand, and with determination, she threw it into the bushes, saying, “Let’s just throw it away. After all, there’s no one else here, and no one will know we picked it.”
Foolish girl. This was entirely her doing. Xiao Man’s eyes revealed a hint of disdain, but she voiced her concern, “But one person knows.”
“Who?” Zhao Shan’er asked.
Li Suwan also realized the situation and gently reminded, “It’s Li Zhizhi. Sister Zhao, she knows we came to the Little Buddha Hall to see the flowers. If this gets out, she will surely tell everyone.”
Zhao Shan’er’s complexion grew even worse. Anxious, she asked, “What should we do then?”
Xiao Man suddenly said with a sly tone, “There is still a way.”
“Tell me quickly!”
Xiao Man bent down and picked up the flower, blowing off the dust on it. Then, she gently placed it in Li Suwan’s hair bun and smiled, “You see, now this flower is no longer picked by you.”
Zhao Shan’er’s eyes suddenly lit up, but on the other hand, Li Suwan’s face quickly lost its color. She instinctively reached to remove the flower, but Zhao Shan’er grabbed her and said, “Suwan, you always ask us to take care of you. Now it’s your turn to take care of your sister.”
“I… I can’t,” Li Suwan stammered in fear, her eyes welling up with tears. “Sister Zhao, I really can’t…”
She was on the verge of tears. She looked pitiful, but Zhao Shan’er was not moved. She said, “Help me this once, and I’ll owe you a favor. If you don’t help, we’ll have to go our separate ways. Have you thought it through?”
This was almost a threat. Li Suwan’s movements froze, and she didn’t dare to offend Zhao Shan’er. She pitifully turned to Xiao Man and said, “Princess…”
Xiao Man smiled, her lips curving slightly. She softly directed, “Take the initiative, pa.s.s the flower, and pre-emptively spread the message. Don’t you understand?”
The Little Buddha Hall’s purple bamboo forest finally fell silent. After a moment, there was a rustling sound from behind the artificial rockery, and someone emerged. It turned out to be a guard pushing a cart. He respectfully asked the person on the cart, “Master, are we going to see the Princess Consort now?”
“Li Zhizhi…” With slender fingers lightly tapping the rosewood armrest, Xiao Yan supported his chin and squinted his phoenix eyes slightly. He mumbled to himself, “Why is it her again?”
The “Listening to the Stars Pavilion” is located next to the “Embracing the Moon Lake,” which is the venue for today’s Spring Banquet. At a glance, it seems like the crescent-shaped lake is embracing the entire pavilion. Willow trees on the sh.o.r.e sway gently in the breeze, and the clear sunlight is just right. Women in various colorful dresses arrive, exuding fragrance and charm, their conversations filled with gentleness.
It was at this moment that Li Zhizhi was stopped by her elder sister, Li Suwan. She looked back and easily sensed a hint of stiffness and discomfort in her sister’s expression, clearly indicating that the “flower appreciation” incident had already occurred.
Li Zhizhi pretended not to know and asked with a slight smile, “Did my sister need something?”
Li Suwan’s gaze flickered, and she said, “Your attire today is a bit too plain.”
She appeared to be trying to maintain a natural demeanor, but her acting skills were evidently laughable, and Li Zhizhi played along, touching the silk flower on her head and asked, “Really? I think this flower looks quite nice. Back in the countryside, I only had red hair ties. Only the daughter of a wealthy gentleman could wear such flowers.”
Li Suyu couldn’t hide a hint of sarcasm on her face. Her att.i.tude became more arrogant as she pointed to the elegantly dressed women pa.s.sing by, saying, “Look at them. Which one isn’t dressed in beautiful clothes and adorned with pearls and precious fabrics? With your attire, you look like someone’s maid. People will laugh at our Li family for being poor.”
Li Zhizhi tilted her head and said casually, “But just a while ago, Zhao Jiejie praised me for being beautiful.”
“You—” Li Suyu’s expression became unpleasant. Soon, she concealed her hidden anger and said, “She was just being polite, and you took it seriously?”
She said as she pulled a pearl hairpin from her hair, saying reluctantly, “Here, use this.”
The hairpin had a b.u.t.terfly design and swayed lightly with hanging pearls that reflected tiny fragments of sunlight. When the light fell into Li Zhizhi’s eyes, she instinctively squinted and said, “It’s really beautiful.”
Li Suyu felt a twinge of pain. This was her favorite hairpin. However, there was no other option now. She said to Li Zhizhi, “Let me put it on for you.”
Li Suyu walked behind her and inserted the hairpin into her hair, then asked, “Where did you go earlier?”
Li Zhizhi casually replied, “I was strolling in the garden.”
“Alone?” Li Suyu inquired without showing her true concern.
“Yeah,” Li Zhizhi replied nonchalantly. “This place is so vast; my feet are sore from walking. Oh, and Sis Suwan…”
Li Suwan’s heart skipped a beat. She almost dropped the flower in her hand and hastily asked, “What’s wrong?”
Li Zhizhi squinted her eyes and gave a mischievous smile, saying, “Is the hairpin secure now?”
Li Suwan relaxed, relieved that Li Zhizhi didn’t seem to suspect anything, and responded, “Yes, it’s secure.”
The young girl’s hair was adorned with a brilliant golden hairpin, and there was a flower beside it with deep blue petals, slightly curled with a graceful purple edge. It looked very beautiful.
Just when Li Suwan thought everything was fine, Li Zhizhi suddenly reached up and touched her hair, where she found the flower. She held it in her hand and asked in surprise, “Where did this come from?”
She had been found out!
Li Suwan, who had just put down her guard, felt her heart race. She tried to remain composed and said hesitantly, “I… I don’t know…”
Li Zhizhi carefully examined the flower and said, “It’s so beautiful. Did my sister give it to me?”
Li Suyu swallowed nervously, trying to distance herself from the situation, and said, “I didn’t give it to you. It was… it was Zhao Jiejie! Yes, Zhao Jiejie specially gave it to you. Please don’t throw it away.”
Li Zhizhi showed little reaction and just stared at her, her gaze unwavering. Li Suwan, on the other hand, couldn’t hide her uneasiness. It seemed that in those short moments, Li Zhizhi had seen through her like a cat playing with a mouse. She appeared to find her quite ridiculous.
What was so ridiculous?