Empress Su had a good temperament, somewhat sickly, with pale lips and gaunt cheeks, yet always wore a kind and amiable smile on her face, not bothered at all by Concubine Wan's provocations.
After paying their respects and giving gifts to the Empress and Concubine Wan, Concubine Wan publicly called out Mrs. Lin's name.
All eyes swiftly turned to look over here, some curious, some mocking, some puzzled, and some meaningful.
Gu Ying was sitting next to Mrs. Lin. She could clearly feel Mrs. Lin inexplicably tense up.
She calmly and casually took Mrs. Lin's hand in her little one, gave it a gentle squeeze, and softly encouraged, "Mother, don't worry, I'll be right here with you."
"Alright, Ying'er, you..." Mrs. Lin's throat went somewhat dry, and she didn't continue. She wore a heavy veil over her face and was wrapped up in a black brocade robe.
Not a few appraising gazes swept over her, making her even more nervous.
She got up from her chair and walked to the center of the hall, respectfully saluting Empress Su and Concubine Wan.
From not too close yet not far away, Concubine Wan lazily narrowed her eyes, smiling as she reminisced, "So many years have gone by. I really didn't expect Little Feather to still be alive."
"Yes," someone chimed in. "Back then, the rumors of what happened between the Duke's wife and the Duke were raging loud and clear all over Bianjing. Who would've thought that after the Madam gave birth to the Heir Apparent, she'd commit suicide by jumping off a cliff. How lamentable!"
"Fortunately Madam Zhao is alive and back. No one knows if Madam Zhao really couldn't bear it and committed suicide back then, or if there was something else going on?"
"Haven't you all heard that Madam Cheng has already been sold off by the Duke?"
"It seems that Madam Cheng made her move. After all, who let Miss Lin not be favored back then and gave Madam Cheng a chance?"
There was a constant buzz of discussion in the hall, forcibly tearing open Mrs. Lin's past sufferings, bloody and glaring, simply to entertain Concubine Wan, with no one caring about Mrs. Lin's pain.
Empress Su smiled faintly without a word. Concubine Wan smiled charmingly, her bewitching eyes falling meaningfully on Mrs. Lin.
Mrs. Lin awkwardly tugged at the corners of her lips without speaking.
Mocking sounds rose and fell all around as most noble ladies looked down on Mrs. Lin.
Gu Ying knitted her brows, pained at the sight of Mrs. Lin kneeling in the middle of the great hall. Is Concubine Wan deliberately shaming my mother? Why is she so arrogant and aggressive? Isn't she afraid of displeasing the Heir Apparent who will then impeach her before His Majesty?
Concubine Wan glanced around and added, "I remember back when Little Ying'er was born, it was Little Feather herself who nursed me back to health. Now after so many years I still haven't been able to have any more children for His Majesty. I wonder if Little Feather has time to take my pulse and see if I can give His Majesty a little prince or princess?"
Gu Ying could clearly see Mrs. Lin freeze up upon hearing this, panic filling her eyes. She opened and closed her mouth, about to answer.
But Gu Ying beat her to it. "Concubine Wan, your precious body already has the imperial physicians in the palace who specialize in medicine taking care of you. My mother has just returned to the Duke's estate, exhausted in body and spirit, so she really cannot take on such an important task. Please forgive us, My Lady."
Concubine Wan narrowed her eyes slightly. "And you are?"
Gu Ying gracefully stood up, a bright and charming smile on her lips. "I am Gu Ying, wife of the Heir Apparent of the Duke Who Pacifies the State's estate."
Concubine Wan let out a cold laugh. She naturally knew who she was, but wanted to remind her to know her place and not oppose her so boldly.
However, Gu Ying would not yield to Concubine Wan's domineering power.
Lifting her skirt, she walked to the center of the hall and helped Mrs. Lin, still kneeling there, up to her feet. Unhurriedly hooking the corners of her lips up, she loudly reminded everyone, "The one kneeling here is not some doctor giving out free medical consultations and pulse readings. She is the mother of the Heir Apparent of the Duke Who Pacifies the State's estate, the legitimate daughter of the renowned Lin medical family, Lin Yushan."
The Eastern Li still relied heavily on the Zhao family. Concubine Wan was merely a favored concubine. What right did she have to trample Mrs. Lin under her feet?
Gu Ying had a gently warm smile as she spoke reasonably. "Concubine Wan understands the big picture. Surely she wouldn't deliberately make things difficult for my mother, right?"
Concubine Wan let out an embarrassed laugh. Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "Miss Gu is overthinking things. I merely mentioned it in passing."
Gu Ying smiled harmlessly. "Since My Lady only mentioned it in passing, then I will take my leave with my mother."
Hearing this, Concubine Wan's face turned ashen.
Empress Su, however, helped support Gu Ying with a smile. "Miss Gu still has that straightforward temperament. Hurry and help your mother back to her seat. Lady Zhao has only just returned safely. She must rest well. Come, take out the thousand-year ginseng from my palace and bestow it to Lady Zhao to nourish her body."
With Empress Su speaking up, Gu Ying became even more fearless. At ease, she brought Mrs. Lin back to her seat.
Empress Su deliberately made things difficult for Concubine Wan. Chatting and laughing with Gu Ying, she specially asked about Mrs. Lin's health.
Gu Ying answered everything asked of her, advancing and retreating appropriately, giving Empress Su sufficient face.
With the Empress here directing the flow of conversation, Concubine Wan couldn't get a word in edgewise.
Sitting ramrod straight for a while, her face flashed between green and red. Finally unable to stand the anger from being ignored, she flounced away furiously from the imperial harem.
All the way, Weimian almost couldn't keep up with her hurried steps.
"My Lady, don't be angry... The Empress only gained a temporary advantage. At tonight's imperial banquet, with His Majesty's support, the Empress will only be able to envy and hate you... And as for that Gu Ying, she's just a young miss from a subordinate's household. She won't make any big waves!"
"Don't let a negligible young woman make you ill, My Lady!"
Concubine Wan suddenly halted her steps, the swaying beaded flower in her hair violently shaking.
Her lips tightened as she recalled how her son had urgently come to the palace in the dead of night last night to ask her to help him obtain Gu Ying.
Concubine Wan couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. "What a negligible young woman!" She actually dared to publicly humiliate her in front of the Empress and all those noble ladies!
This Gu Ying was truly an unruly vixen!
"Weimian!"
"This lowly one is here..."
"Isn't Yang fond of Gu Ying?" Her gaze was sinister as the corners of her lips hooked up into a gloomy arc. "Go and properly arrange things for me. She must become my son's woman."
"Ah?"
Concubine Wan shot her a sharp glance. "Can't understand my words?"
Weimian licked her dry lips and lowered her head, hurrying to say, "Yes, My Lady, I will go arrange it right away... But what of the Heir Apparent if he finds out?"
"Then don't let him find out!"
"Then this lowly one will..."
"Don't do this inside the palace. Take my token to find Master Xia. Have him ambush and kidnap Gu Ying on her way out of the palace. Handle this matter cleanly without implicating me or Yang."
Weimian steadied herself. "Yes, this lowly one understands what to do."
Concubine Wan finally felt somewhat relieved. Recalling Mrs. Lin's cringing appearance, she narrowed her eyes, supported by the little eunuch at her side, and headed magnificently towards Rippling Wave Palace.
...
