ARTTEDSBGT Chapter 114

At dusk, noticing the late hour, Xiao Yan took Xiao Rulei to bid farewell to the Grand Princess. For the first time, she didn’t dawdle but climbed swiftly into the carriage. She rummaged through the secret compartment and, sure enough, found a new packet of snacks.

She cheered and started eating happily. With her mouth full, she mumbled complaints to Xiao Yan, “Brother, you came back so late. A’yang missed you so much.”

Hearing this, a hint of a smile appeared in Xiao Yan’s phoenix eyes, but his face remained impa.s.sive. He said, “You missed me? I think you missed the food more.”

Xiao Rulei’s eyes darted around, and her expression unexpectedly resembled Li Zhizhi’s. She chuckled, ate a piece of pastry, frowned, and muttered, “This is a bit hard… not as tasty as the ones from the restaurant.”

“Restaurant?” Xiao Yan asked casually, “Who took you to the restaurant?”

Xiao Rulei replied, “Sister Zhizhi!”

She paused and then added, “And that brother Pei.”

Xiao Yan’s actions halted, and his phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. He asked, “Just the two of them?”

Xiao Rulei pointed to herself and emphasized, “A’yang went too!”

Xiao Yan’s expression darkened. But then Xiao Rulei continued, “And that Su… Su…”

Xiao Yan’s face turned completely grim. “Su Qingshang?”

Xiao Rulei nodded enthusiastically, eating her crisp candy, her innocent and naive eyes wide open. She said, “That Brother Su also gave Sister Zhi some pastries. Brother Pei did too. They were all very delicious. Brother, next time I’ll take you there, okay?”

Xiao Yan felt a surge of anger in his heart, his brow tightly furrowed. He replied grumpily, “No.”

He tapped the wall of the carriage with his hand and called out in a deep voice, “Xu Tingfeng.”

“At your service.”

Moments later, a small booklet was handed in. Xiao Yan immediately took it and quickly began to flip through it. Xiao Rulei didn’t understand why he was angry and continued rummaging through her bag for snacks. She took a bite of each one, setting aside the tasty ones and discarding the ones she didn’t like.

As she ate, she glanced at Xiao Yan. He was seriously perusing the booklet, his expression shifting from confusion to joy, a slight smile forming at the corners of his mouth.

Seeing him so happy, Xiao Rulei scooted over. The booklet was filled with densely packed writing, which she couldn’t make out. Curiously, she asked, “Brother, what are you reading?”

Xiao Yan glanced at her, his sword-like brows raised slightly. “A’yang misses me?”

Hadn’t they discussed this already? Xiao Rulei was puzzled but still nodded. Xiao Yan seemed quite pleased and said, “Tomorrow I’ll take you to that restaurant for some pastries.”

Joy struck her like a bolt from the blue, and Xiao Rulei cheered, “Brother, you’re the best!”

Xiao Yan continued reading, but soon the smile on his lips froze, his face darkening bit by bit, as if about to form a layer of frost. Xiao Rulei couldn’t help but shrink back, even retreating a bit, feeling that her brother seemed… a little scary now.

Xiao Rulei had good sense; she quietly ate her snacks without daring to disturb anyone. However, seeing that Xiao Yan was in an extremely bad mood, she hesitated for a moment before attempting to cheer him up. She took a pickled plum from the oil paper packet and handed it to him, saying, “Brother, eat this. Don’t be angry.”

Xiao Yan looked up at her, his emotions unguarded. His phoenix eyes seemed to radiate a cold, murderous intent. Startled, Xiao Rulei quickly retracted her hand, thinking she had angered him. She hastily popped the plum into her own mouth, immediately scrunching her nose and eyes into a grimace. “Yuck, so sour!”

Xiao Yan: …

Pei Yanchuan and Su Qingshang were one thing, but what was going on with that Yang Jun? It seemed he had a reason for his initial dislike of that woman.

…

The weather in late July was still hot, but luckily it had rained last night. The next day was overcast, and a breeze brought some coolness. The flower bed outside the window, once filled with blooming roses, was now littered with fallen petals. Two palace maids were carefully cleaning, gently propping up the flower branches and wiping the dirt from the leaves.

“Princess, Zhizhi, Zhizhi?”

Li Zhizhi snapped back to reality and turned to look at Concubine Rong, who was teasingly biting the small silver spoon she was using to eat ice cream. With a meaningful smile, she teased, “Which young gentleman are you thinking about so intently?”

Hearing this, Li Zhizhi smiled and replied, “No one, I was just thinking about something.”

Concubine Rong, lounging lazily against a silk pillow, her whole body seemingly boneless, asked curiously, “What were you thinking about?”

Li Zhizhi recounted in detail the events of yesterday when Xiao Man and Queen Sheng came to the Grand Princess’s residence. After listening, Concubine Rong exclaimed, “That woman is truly shameless. Isn’t this clearly a scheme against you? Luckily, you have a good relationship with the Grand Princess. If there had been even a slight estrangement between you two, she would have succeeded. At that point, you would have suffered in silence.”

Clicking her tongue in amazement, she continued, “This person is really sinister and ruthless to herself too. Even as a n.o.ble lady, she kneeled without hesitation. Zhizhi, you must be very careful. When do you plan to deal with her?”

Li Zhizhi hesitated for a moment and said, “I was just thinking about this matter and I have an idea.”

Concubine Rong immediately sat up straight and dismissed the attendants, leaving only a few trusted confidants in the hall. Then, she eagerly asked, “What idea? Do you need my help?”

Seeing her eager expression, Li Zhizhi couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Actually, I do need your help.”

Hearing this, Concubine Rong generously replied, “Go ahead, tell me.”

Lowering her voice, Li Zhizhi asked, “Your Highness is greatly favored by the Emperor. Do you happen to have any of his calligraphy?”

“I do have some. The Emperor taught me to paint before and sent quite a few of his own paintings for me to appreciate and copy,” Concubine Rong replied, puzzled. “What do you need them for?”

Li Zhizhi leaned in and whispered her plan. After hearing it, Concubine Rong raised her delicate eyebrows in surprise and looked at her in astonishment. After a moment, she smiled and said, “I was just telling you to be careful of Xiao Man. Now, I think Xiao Man should be careful of you. When it comes to cunning, how can she compare to you?”

Li Zhizhi blushed and smiled, saying, “I still need your help, Your Highness. I couldn’t succeed on my own.”

After a brief contemplation, Concubine Rong said, “That’s simple enough. The Emperor’s birthday is coming up soon, which is the perfect time. Don’t leave the palace today and wait for my good news.”

“So that’s settled then,” Li Zhizhi agreed readily. Concubine Rong didn’t delay and immediately sent someone to summon Xiao Man to the palace. In less than half a day, Xiao Man indeed arrived.

Li Zhizhi sat behind the screen, listening to Xiao Man greet Concubine Rong and exchange a few polite words. Xiao Man then respectfully asked, “Your Highness summoned me to the palace; what instructions do you have?”

Concubine Rong, smiling, replied, “There is indeed an important matter. The Longevity Festival is coming up, as you know, and I want to prepare some birthday gifts for the Emperor. Do you have any recommendations?”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Man said, “I do have a few things, but I’m not sure if they will meet Your Highness’s and the Emperor’s approval.”

Concubine Rong waved her hand and said, “Draft a list first and let me have a look. I trust your judgment.”

Xiao Man naturally agreed. Concubine Rong then changed the subject, smiling as she asked, “By the way, what is your Sheng w.a.n.g Residence planning to present as a birthday gift this time?”

Hearing this, Xiao Man hesitated and said, “I’m still not sure. Recently, I sent someone to buy a piece of Qinglin inkstone from the South Seas, and also a landscape painting by the former dynasty’s Lotus Mountain Recluse. However, they have yet to arrive in the capital.”

Concubine Rong, slowly and deliberately spooning iced plum soup, said, “Speaking of which, the painting you presented to me last time, the Emperor liked it very much. He ordered it to be hung in the imperial study, and he looks at it every day. I think, instead of spending a lot of money seeking some famous former dynasty’s landscape painting, why don’t you paint one yourself? Wouldn’t that be better? Who knows, if the Emperor is pleased, he might even bestow upon you the t.i.tle of a Princess.”

Initially, when Xiao Man heard her mention the painting, her heart leaped into her throat, but upon hearing the latter part, it slowly settled back down. She maintained her smile but hesitated, “That might not be appropriate…”

“Why wouldn’t it be appropriate?” Concubine Rong glanced at her with a smile, chiding gently, “It’s the thought that counts. Besides, the Emperor has mentioned to me many times that he greatly admires your painting skills and even asked me to learn from you. If you could present another of your own paintings for his birthday, I a.s.sure you, knowing the Emperor as I do, there will definitely be a reward.”

Even with her usual composure, Xiao Man couldn’t help but be tempted by such earnest persuasion. However, she still remembered the lesson from last time and didn’t dare agree immediately. She cautiously said, “Thank you for the advice, Your Highness. I understand.”

Concubine Rong smiled warmly and said, “I only offered you this guidance because I find you pleasing. Take your time to think it over. After all, the Longevity Festival comes only once a year. If you miss this chance, you’ll have to wait until next year.”

Hearing this, Xiao Man’s eyes showed a flicker of wavering, but she quickly bowed her head respectfully and took her leave from Concubine Rong.

As soon as Xiao Man left, Concubine Rong stood up and walked behind the screen, eagerly asking Li Zhizhi, “How did I perform just now?”

Li Zhizhi didn’t hold back her praise, “It was masterful; there’s no one better than Your Highness.”

Concubine Rong, pleased with the compliment, then expressed some concern, “Do you think she’ll fall for it this time?”

Li Zhizhi smiled faintly and replied, “Man proposes, G.o.d disposes. If she harbors any crooked thoughts, she’ll naturally fall into the trap.”

And Xiao Man—how could she not harbor crooked thoughts? She was crooked through and through.