The Empress Dowager summoned her, seemingly just to get a glimpse of her. She didn't say much before dismissing Nan Shiying, citing her fatigue.
Nan Shiying didn't mind. After leaving Jingren Palace, she strolled leisurely through the palace grounds.
"Your Highness, shouldn't we quickly ask for directions to Lilan Palace?" Lü Wan fretted behind her, wringing her hands. It was nearly noon, and the ladies and daughters from various estates had likely arrived long ago. If her Highness was delayed, who knew what they would whisper about her.
"What's the rush?"
Nan Shiying shot her an annoyed glance.
So what if they were late? What could happen if she didn't show up? It was just dealing with a bunch of fools who could only scheme and bicker in the seclusion of the harem.
"Your Highness!"
Lü Wan sighed, thinking her mistress was wonderful in every way, except for this temperament. While she could be strong and capable, at times she was also so willful and free-spirited that it gave one a headache.
It was truly a case of the emperor not being worried while the eunuch was anxious to death.
The imperial palace of Lin Yuan Country, unlike Da Yuan, or rather, unlike the improved imperial harem she had built, indeed had little to see.
...
"Oh~ Which Highness is that?"
Not far away, several daughters of high-ranking officials emerged from a circular archway. Their eyes lit up upon seeing the woman in the light blue, wide-sleeved skirt. They felt that all the colorful flowers in the garden couldn't compare to her pure and exquisite beauty.
"I don't know, I haven't seen her before."
They searched their minds for a long time but couldn't recognize the unfamiliar woman.
It wasn't until Qin Yushan stepped through the circular archway.
She looked at the woman not far away, and her smile immediately froze on her face. A surge of hatred welled up from the depths of her throat, squeezing through her teeth: "Nan... Shiying!"
"What?"
Everyone was stunned.
Nan Shiying?
Qin Yushan was saying that this person, more beautiful than any flower, was the Nan Shiying rumored in the outside world to be ugly, crude, and destined to die before twenty due to a chronic illness?
No way?
With her appearance, she was considered ugly?
If she was considered ugly, then what were they? Demons with faces like rakshasas and figures like vengeful spirits?
Hearing the voices behind her, Nan Shiying turned her head. She smiled at Lü Wan and said, "See? We've found it."
Lü Wan gave a wry smile, too weary to comment further.
...
Qin Yushan strode up to Nan Shiying, her hand already reaching for her waist. Her soft whip, currently coiled around her waist, served as a belt.
Nan Shiying's gaze fell lightly on her waist, then slowly drifted up to Qin Yushan's face. This face bore some resemblance to her sister. Thinking of Qin Yurou, Nan Shiying couldn't help but recall her in her fit of madness.
In the end, Nan Shiying had never intended to interfere with Ji Jinmo's harem. But these two, one after another, insisted on courting trouble. Qin Yurou was like that, and so was this Qin Yushan.
Nan Shiying frowned and sneered. Her wide sleeves dangled by her sides, rustling in the wind. She looked askance, her eyes sharp and piercing like a knife, breathtaking: "How insolent! You dare not pay respects upon seeing this consort. Is this how Qin Qiancheng taught you your manners?"
"You..."
Qin Yushan was about to draw her soft whip from her waist, angered, but was interrupted by a voice full of amusement: "Oh, Princess Consort, what great authority you wield."
Nan Shiying followed the sound and saw a woman who looked like a peacock displaying its feathers, as if she wanted to wear every hairpin and ornament on her head.
Lü Wan whispered in Nan Shiying's ear, "Your Highness, this is the Noble Consort, Zou Yun'er."
Zou?
The daughter of the Minister of Justice?
Nan Shiying seemed not to hear Lü Wan's voice and asked with a smile, "And who might this be?"
"Blind your dog eyes! This is the Noble Consort! Show your respects to the Noble Consort!" A head palace maid following behind Zou Yun'er barked out the reprimand with fierce eyes. Her arrogant expression made one think she was the Noble Consort.
Nan Shiying slowly raised her eyelids and softly called out, "Lü Wan!"
Lü Wan immediately darted in front of the palace maid and raised her hand, delivering a fierce slap. The force of her blow swelled the palace maid's face.
Lü Wan shook her hand, which stung, and sneered, "What right do you have to speak so rudely to my mistress? If not for the sake of the Noble Consort, I would surely teach you what respect and rules are!"
Lü Wan's sudden attack caught the palace maid off guard and stunned everyone present.
"Insolent!"
Hitting her own maid was equivalent to hitting her. Zou Yun'er's eyebrows shot up in anger. She raised her hand to slap Lü Wan, but as her hand swept through the air, it was seized by the wrist.
"Noble Consort Zou, if you wish to hit my maid, you must first ask if I permit it."
Nan Shiying grabbed Zou Yun'er's wrist, her pretty face filled with frost. She looked down at Zou Yun'er, her hand exerting a slight force, making Zou Yun'er's wrist creak.
"Nan Shiying, you are presumptuous!"
Zou Yun'er gasped in pain and reprimanded Nan Shiying sternly, her face pale.
Nan Shiying let out a cold laugh, "Noble Consort, have you lost your mind? By seniority, you should address me as Imperial Aunt. In terms of status and position, how can you call me by my name? What, have you been a Noble Consort for so long that you've forgotten the rules?"
"You..."
Zou Yun'er tugged hard, but couldn't break free. She glared at Nan Shiying, wishing she could devour her alive.
As the two remained locked in a standoff, a startled cry rang out from behind the crowd: "Sister, how dare you be so presumptuous! Quickly let go of the Noble Consort!"
Hearing this familiar voice and tone, a flicker of annoyance crossed Nan Shiying's eyes. She turned to look at Nan Yuan'er, who was rushing over anxiously, and couldn't help but let out a cold snort: "Fourth Miss of the Nan household, I shall remind you once more. You should address me as Princess Consort, not sister."
Nan Yuan'er bit her lip, then put on a look of hurt. The onlookers glared at Nan Shiying.
What was she, really thinking she was a Princess Consort?
She was merely a thief who had stolen someone else's marriage. If it weren't for Nan Yuan'er, could she have married Ji Jinmo?
Not only was she not grateful to Nan Yuan'er, but she even dared to put on airs of a Princess Consort towards her? Truly unpresentable!
Seeing the disdain in everyone's eyes, a cold smile flashed in Nan Yuan'er's lowered gaze. Did she really think that marrying Ji Jinmo would give her the right to treat me like this? She was utterly overestimating herself.
She suppressed the malice in her heart and, with a show of wronged forbearance, performed a curtsy to Nan Shiying: "This humble subject pays respects to the Princess Consort. May the Princess Consort enjoy boundless peace and prosperity."
Nan Shiying, as if oblivious to the disdain and sarcasm in the eyes of the ladies and daughters, nodded with great satisfaction: "Good. But you have not knelt. I require you to kneel."
Nan Yuan'er hadn't expected Nan Shiying to dare treat her like this in front of everyone, showing no regard for her own reputation or what others might say. Was it all just to humiliate her?
Nan Yuan'er clenched her fists tightly under her sleeves. She gritted her teeth, and quickly, a mist of tears gathered in her eyes. She looked at Nan Shiying in disbelief, her sorrow and tragedy as if she had never imagined Nan Shiying would treat her this way.
She bit her lip, her voice choked with emotion: "If... if kneeling will make you release the Noble Consort, then this humble subject... this humble subject... will kneel!"