Chapter 274 Showing Off

Consort Li cleared her throat beside her, deliberately changing the topic.

"Xue'er, the imperial kitchen's chefs have recently made a new plum blossom yogurt pastry. Go get some for Madam Cai to try."

Luo Qianxue pinched the hem of her clothes, standing there looking extremely reluctant.

She knew full well that the daughter Madam Cai mentioned was Ji Yuntang.

But at this moment, she just wanted to deliberately annoy Madam Cai.

She had just acknowledged her as a relative yesterday, and now she was already boasting about it today—she had never seen anyone so desperate to claim kinship.

Luo Qianxue's lips moved, but Consort Li, afraid she might say something inappropriate, shot her a sharp glance.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go!"

"Fine, I'll go then." Luo Qianxue, feeling indignant, clenched her fists and reluctantly left.

Madam Cai sat across from Consort Li, who poured her a cup of hot tea herself.

"This is the newly arrived Bijian Mingyue tea from the palace. Only fifty catties are produced each year, and the Empress gave me a portion. Madam Cai, please have a taste."

Madam Cai picked up the teacup, swirled it, and took a sip.

She didn't know Consort Li's intentions, but she knew Consort Li wouldn't dare poison her.

"Not bad. Strong aroma, a bit bitter at first, then sweet afterwards. It's as good as Junshan Yinzhen."

Consort Li's lips curled slightly, her previously cold expression softening into a smile.

"Yinzhen costs a gram of gold, and its annual yield is even rarer than Bijian Mingyue tea. I'm afraid only someone as distinguished as Madam Cai and Duke Rong can afford it."

Madam Cai set down the teacup, her eyebrow raised as she looked at Consort Li.

"That's not quite right. How could the Duke's residence compare to the imperial palace? As one of the Emperor's favorite consorts, Consort Li, if you want any tea, just say the word, and I'm sure the Emperor will get it for you."

Consort Li's fingers holding the teacup paused slightly, a flicker of coldness flashing in her eyes before disappearing.

What she hated most was hearing others call her Emperor Jingyang's favorite consort.

Especially when said to her face.

Everyone in the palace knew she had long lived in Weiyang Palace, ignored and unloved by Emperor Jingyang.

This place wasn't a cold palace, but it felt like one—and her heart was even colder.

Consort Li felt she had never intended to rely on Emperor Jingyang to survive, but almost everyone in the Dongchen Kingdom had labeled her as "only alive because of Emperor Jingyang."

When Madam Cai spoke the words "favored consort," it sounded particularly sarcastic.

After all, in the palace, a consort was always a concubine, always beneath the Empress.

Only the Empress was the true mistress.

With the same status, talent, and beauty, if she had married a prince outside the palace, she would have been a rightful princess.

But from the day she entered the palace, Emperor Jingyang had ruined her life. Even seeing the person she loved was as hard as reaching the heavens.

The more Consort Li thought about it, the angrier she got. The hand holding the teacup tightened, veins bulging on the back of her hand, her knuckles turning white.

It wasn't until a burning pain from her palm spread through her body that she snapped out of her bitter thoughts.

Madam Cai noticed Consort Li's hand was red and swollen and gasped.

"Consort Li, how could you be so careless? How did you burn yourself just drinking tea?"

"The craftsman who made this teacup really should be investigated. Not only is it shoddy, but it also shattered from a single squeeze. This is absolutely outrageous!"

Madam Cai huffed and turned to Jian Lan.

"You there, yes, you. Don't you see your mistress's hand has been scalded by tea? Why aren't you getting the imperial physician to bandage it?"

Jian Lan stood still, looked at Consort Li, and only left to fetch the physician after Consort Li gave a slight nod.

"Yes, I'll call the imperial physician right away."

Meanwhile, after Luo Qianxue picked up the pastries from the imperial kitchen, she happened to spot a familiar figure by the rockery on the other side of the garden on her way back.

It was none other than Luo Qingge.

Luo Qingge sat on a stone bench in the flowerbed, holding a long, thin brush, sketching on paper.

Luo Qianxue initially wanted to pretend she hadn't seen her and walk away, but then she thought of something, took a few steps, and turned around.

She handed the plum blossom yogurt pastries to a palace maid behind her and ordered her to wait up ahead with them.

She was not to deliver the items to Weiyang Palace beforehand.

After all, these were meant to win Madam Cai's favor, and sending them via someone else would be less effective.

The maid dared not disobey and took the pastries to wait up ahead.

Luo Qianxue circled around the rockery, walked up to Luo Qingge, and looked down at her.

She snatched the item from Luo Qingge's hand, glanced at it, and threw it casually to the ground.

"At a time like this, you're still in the mood to draw flowers?"

Luo Qingge picked up the drawing, brushed off the dust, and glared at Luo Qianxue coldly.

"What I do is none of your business. Did I eat your salt or something? Why are you so nosy?"

She didn't want to deal with Luo Qianxue and planned to find another spot to continue sketching.

But Luo Qianxue deliberately stuck her foot out to trip Luo Qingge.

Luo Qingge, not watching where she was going, was caught off guard and stumbled.

Her hand scraped against the ground, skinning it, and her knee hit a rock, sending a jolt of pain through her, making her wince.

Luo Qianxue burst out laughing beside her. "Haha, serves you right for hitting me before! Now you're getting what you deserve!"

"Even on such a flat road, you still fall—looks like even Heaven is against you!"

Luo Qingge scrambled to her feet, flames of anger flickering in her eyes. Through gritted teeth, she asked.

"Are you saying you didn't stick your foot out to trip me?"

Luo Qianxue gave a cold snort, her gaze was dismissive.

"So what if I did? It's what you deserve. I, this princess, didn't do anything wrong."

Luo Qingge recalled the empress's advice from last night—to be a refined lady, read more and paint more, to curb her hot-tempered and impulsive nature, and not to lose her temper or hit people so easily.

Luo Qingge clenched the pencil in her hand. She would bear it!

Seeing Luo Qingge so angry yet too afraid to speak, Luo Qianxue grew even more smug.

Recalling why she had come, she bragged about it openly in front of Luo Qingge.

Her smug look was like a peacock in full display.

"Let me tell you some good news—I'm going to marry Brother Liuzheng soon and become the heir's wife of Duke Rong's manor!"

Luo Qingge's body stiffened as if struck by lightning; she stood there dazed.

Xie Liuzheng was going to marry Luo Qianxue?

How could that be?

Luo Qingge's face turned pale. She couldn't describe what she felt, only that her heart was heavy, as if weighed down by a large stone. She wanted to cry.

Cry?

Why would she want to cry?

She and Xie Liuzheng had no romantic relationship at all.

Luo Qingge said nothing, her overly calm reaction displeasing Luo Qianxue.

She stepped forward, stepping right up to Luo Qingge, and snapped angrily:

"Don't think I don't know you have feelings for Brother Liuzheng. But I'm telling you, we're getting married soon. From now on, he's mine and mine alone."

------------