The Beloved Imperial Consort - Chapter 72
At the side, Mi Xi Yao was watching consort Shu playing with Cheng Qing, but then she heard a palace maid report that miss Zeng has come.
Once “miss Zeng” these two words came out, Mu Xi Yao has immediately guessed the identity of the coming person. When she calculated the time, it was almost the time. Only, she didn’t know what was currently circumstance of imperial concubine Zeng from the previous lifetime.
“Aunty, Yu’er came to pay you respect.” The coming person was a young maiden of age thirteen-fourteen. Two dimples adorned her round face. Her smile was very sweet. She was attired in a light pink dress which made her skin appear as fair as snow.
“Yu’er doesn’t need to be so formal. Quickly come and greet your little sixth sister-in-law.” Consort Shu smiled amiably when she saw her niece.
However, miss Zeng didn’t come to greet Mu Xi Yao like how consort Shu has said. Instead, the pair of her eyes intensely stared at Cheng Qing who was in consort Shu’s arms without batting her eyelids.
“Aunty, is this elder cousin’s firstborn son? He’s so interesting!” She said while leaning over. Relying on the fact that she was one year younger than Mu Xi Yao, she pushed her a little toward the outside. Afterward, she held consort Shu’s arm and went to gaily tease Cheng Qing.
“This child. You’re still so unruly. You don’t even know to greet and pay respect to you little sister-in-law.” Consort Shu was already accustomed to her free-spirited temper – engrossed in what she enjoyed and disregarding the propriety. This was due to the early demise of consort Shu’s younger sister caused by difficult childbirth. She left only this one daughter. Hence, at home, she was inevitably spoilt rotten. Even in the palace, consort Shu rarely restrained her. Whenever she thought of sisterly affections, she would show more concern toward her niece and indulge her more.
“Aunty, you’ve also said she’s my little sister-in-law. We’re family. There’s no need to be mindful of me.” After she said that, she turned to look at Mu Xi Yao. She smiled sweetly, “Little sister-in-law, am I right?” She put up an innocent facade.
A tiny smile curled up on Mu Xi Yao’s face. Playing a well-behaved child to get what she desired in front of her? She has, indeed, found the right person.
She straightened her expression, “It naturally doesn’t conform to etiquette.”
Once her words came out, the whole palace quietened.
Consort Shu looked at upright sitting Mu Xi Yao with a shocked expression. Cefei’s oppressive air was all out. She has evidently taken it to heart.
Inwardly, consort Shu was baffled as why did this child suddenly took it seriously. Moreover, the target was her niece. It shouldn’t be. Normally, she was clever and quick-witted. Even if she wasn’t fond of Yu’er, she ought to consider her feelings and fake the fondness.
Zeng Yu was, on the other hand, elated inside. It seems that this lady Mu was favored for too long and couldn’t bear a provocation. She has just sounded her out and she was already so stimulated she lost her proper behavior. Thereupon, she turned up her nose at Mu Xi Yao. How can be such a woman worthy of her brilliant and far-sighted cousin? She had merely taken the preemptive opportunity and relying on the fact that she was a year older than her, she has snatched her cousin’s attention. Once she officially enters the estate and marries cousin, these people will have no opportunity to climb out of their holes.
Watching the smug glint inside Zeng Yu’s eyes, Mu Xi Yao snickered inside. She was only a not yet fledged young bird1, yet she mimicked others to rival with others for a man’s affection, even daring to go to provocate her. They were indeed like two enemies who met on a narrow road2.
She wanted to enter the estate with the method she used in the previous life? Dream on!
Her eyes turned. She immediately shed her momentum of aloof cefei who rode a high horse. Those pair of pitch black and watery eyes blinked. Leaning aside her head, she laughed gleefully.
“Since there’s no greeting, qie will omit the meeting gift. That being the case, qie can leave that new jewelry from Fine Craft Workshop to myself to wear. Your Ladyship saw it yourself. It’s not that qie is being petty.” After her words fell, she extended her hand and raised highly her wrist to show off the amethyst bracelet on it. Clicking her tongue, she praised it incessantly.
Seeing her making eyes at Zeng Yu like teasing a child, consort Shu kept scolding her laughingly for not acting like a mother. She was already a grown-up, yet she had no steadiness of an adult.
Zeng Yu’s expression stiffened. She immediate realized that she had been made fun of.
Damned lady Mu. Originally, she wanted to lend her aunt’s influence to intimidate her. However, she didn’t expect her to be such a formidable foe. The usual methods she used to deal with the concubines at home were actually easily resolved by her. It seems that the woman who was able to be solely favored in the imperial estate for two years wasn’t a doormat.
Seeing it was already late, Mu Xi Yao took Cheng Qing, bowed to consort Shu and retired. Bringing Mo Lan and Zhao momo, she went to look for Zhong Zheng Lin to go back to the estate together.
Just as she walked to the alley in the garden, she was halted by a sweet female voice behind her.
“Little sister-in-law.” Zeng Yu leisurely approached Mu Xi Yao along with her servant girls. “If little sister-in-law won’t mind, how about going together?”
Mu Xi Yao looked at the disdain reflected in her eyes. She wasn’t polite with her, “Since miss cousin isn’t fond of qie, why forcing yourself to join qie?”
Playing a youthful and adorable girl before her? She was happy to be a vicious woman with a heart as malicious as snakes and scorpions.
“Farewell, miss cousin.” After saying that, she took her people and directly left while swaying her hips enchantingly.
Zeng Yu’s face instantly sunk. As expected, the banter in the palace was all to curry favor with aunty. She’s been out for just how long? She didn’t leave her with a tiny bit of leeway and immediately became hostile with her.
When Zhao momo and Mo Lan who were at back saw cefei’s behavior, they instantly knew that peaceful days have come to an end and someone was going to have ill luck. However, they also won’t have a good time. Once their master’s impulse flares out and she gets a good time giving people a hard time, wouldn’t it also mean that they will have to keep a watch at the side, being scared witless by her?
Just like a moment ago. Who would brazenly give consort Shu’s niece an attitude? Wasn’t this offending people? Only their master was able to do such feat so confidently. Looks like this matter wasn’t over yet. Based on the master’s usual style, since she had “suffered such a great grievance”, how can she not go to complain?
As for complaining to whom? Is there a need to ask? It was naturally the sixth Highness who indulged her more and more. That lord-master was also someone with a maverick approach. Yet, he still willingly doted on her.
Sure enough. As soon as Mu Xi Yao saw Zhong Zheng Lin, she immediately threw herself at him like a little wife3 and looked at him with moist eyes, delicately complaining her grievances.
“Your Highness, that dear cousin of yours dislikes qie. Not only she’s unwilling to curtsy qie, she’s also antagonistic toward qie. The disdain-filled eyes of hers are so hateful.”
Toward someone whom she disliked, as long as that person was within her power range, she would have the dislike of that person all written clearly onto her face.
Watching her pout her mouth, Zhong Zheng Lin knew this woman certainly didn’t suffer any loss. If she had truly suffered losses, would she be still here nagging him? She would have long ago thought of a way to go and fix that person.
“Jiao Jiao, how can you distract yourself when you’re putting on a play? It’s alright to dislike her, but why are you so vigorously pinching bendian?”
Zhong Zheng Lin looked down at the little woman’s little hand that was busy at his waist. A smile engaged on his lips. No matter what was Mu Xi Yao’s thoughts, she was always so open and straightforward. Even when she spurned someone she had to drag him in to support her.
However, when he recalled Zeng Yu’s personality, he wasn’t fond of her. If it was not for mother-consort taking pity of her for losing a mother at a young age and had him to watch over her, he wouldn’t have to patiently endure her pester. Moreover, what was that “dear cousin”? It sounded uncomfortable to Zhong Zheng Lin’s ears. When he thought of Zeng Yu’s endless pester, the sixth prince was displeased.
The quickest way to get rid of trouble was nothing else than to expatriate miss Zeng. It seems that this year’s evaluation of court officials was managed by Chen Shou Zheng.
Zhong Zheng Lin, too, didn’t have time for civilities. His dear cousin has returned to the capital for less than three days, yet not only she was disliked by him but she has also incurred a disdain in him, making him want to immediately drive her out.
“Your Highness, qie knows that most of the cousins are childhood sweethearts and playmates who have mutual affection since childhood. The feeling they have toward each other goes quite deep.”
When Zhong Zheng Lin heard it, his face instantly turned black.
Mu Xi Yao seems to have three elder cousins. Whom of them did she mean by “the feeling they have toward each other goes quite deep”?
How could Mu Xi Yao know that her teasing words made the sixth Highness think of those irrelevant people? Moreover, her real intention was to give Zhong Zheng Lin a wake-up call so that he would know about Zeng Yu this woman’s thoughts. However, she didn’t know that this man has completely disregarded her original intention. Instead, he got it all wrong.
“Cousins, mutual affection since childhood?” Zhong Zheng Lin seized Mu Xi Yao’s waist and firmly pressed her against his chest. His eyes fixed on her eyes.
Mu Xi Yao’s heart jumped. She immediately understood that things were not good. Listening to Zhong Zheng Lin’s tone, it seemed that things were anything but reassuring.
Translation notes:
[1] Not yet fledged young bird is a phrase used to describe someone immature and insensible
[2] Enemies on a narrow road is fig. an inevitable clash between opposing factions
[3] Little wife is a phrase used to describe someone who doesn’t have the capability but is still serious/weak woman/one who always gets blamed
