Chapter 433: Test (1)
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Mingzhu smiled faintly, declining to comment. These people, none of them are simple-minded. Who knows how Jiang Shanshan persuaded Princess Wusun? Everyone only sees that Princess Wusun voluntarily suggested having Jiang Shanshan serve as a translator on the side, but they don’t know that whether it’s the Great Empress Dowager or Empress Dowager Min, they both intended to give Jiang Shanshan to Yuwen You as a side consort, as a means to support Yuwen You against Yuwen Chu’s opposition.
Jiang Shanshan wanted to use this to pressure and warn Yuwen Chu, indicating that if Yuwen Chu didn’t agree to her demands, she would really give those important things to Yuwen You or someone else.
So they colluded, and it worked seamlessly.
Hua Yang Wangfei also noticed Jiang Shanshan’s inconvenience and couldn’t help but ask Mingzhu in surprise, “What’s wrong with her?”
Mingzhu said, “I don’t know.”
Hua Yang Wangfei gave her a look that said “you’re pretending,” and muttered softly, “Wasn’t it you who led people to smash her shop that day?”
“I just exposed her ugly face, but didn’t hit her. Maybe she climbed the wall herself in the middle of the night and fell.” Mingzhu changed the subject, “Are you having morning sickness?”
“No, I’m lucky.” Hua Yang Wangfei proudly said, “I haven’t vomited once. Only when those two b*tches make me unhappy, then I’ll vomit. Every time I vomit, they get scolded. Let them disgust me, see if I won’t torment them enough.”
Mingzhu couldn’t help but laugh, “You!”
Yuwen Chu turned his head from nearby to look at them, his expression very serious. Hua Yang Wangfei quickly lowered her head and whispered, “Don’t make a sound, Ying Wang is glaring at us, he looks so fierce! You’re not really angry with him, are you?”
“No.” Mingzhu provocatively glanced at Yuwen Chu, annoyed by her excessive words? If he dared, he could come and bite her.
Yuwen Chu turned his head expressionlessly, but there was a hint of a smile in his eyes.
After the newcomers paid their respects to the ancestral temple, Mingzhu took Fu Zifei onto the carriage to warm up, drink water, and eat something, waiting for the collective queue to go to Linan Wang’s mansion for the banquet. Donghui came over and whispered, “Wangye said that later we will also go to Linan Wang’s mansion. If Wangfei is tired, it’s better to go back to the mansion first.”
Mingzhu decisively refused, “No need. It’s not just me who’s pregnant. Even Hua Yang Wangfei hasn’t complained of being tired. If I say I’m tired, they’ll criticize me.” Wasn’t he supposed to take action to show her, to show her how he dealt with Jiang Shanshan? Then she would wait and see. On such a significant day, with such an exciting drama, it would be a pity to miss it.
Donghui hadn’t expected her to obediently comply. Seeing her refusal, she quietly stood by, not moving an inch.
Linan Wang’s mansion was already filled with dignitaries from various mansions in the capital. If it were just based on Yuwen You’s reputation alone, there wouldn’t be so many people coming. But with the involvement of the Wusun Princess and national affairs, as well as the sudden change in attitude from the two Empress Dowagers, the number of attendees increased. As a result, the mansion was almost full, and Fu Zifei was excited, “So many people!”
Mingzhu, feeling somewhat sorry for her, gestured for her to look at the table opposite, where Min Baoyun was seated, glaring at Fu Zifei with hatred.
Fu Zifei jumped in fright, “Why is she glaring at me like that?”
Mingzhu whispered softly, “Because she’s Min Baoyun. County Princess Anle didn’t come today.”
Fu Zifei’s spirits dampened instantly. She hung her head heavily, playing with her handkerchief. Mingzhu whispered, “Why are you afraid of her? She can’t even hold onto the position of empress. Her father was forced into retirement, her uncle is still in prison, and her mother’s reputation is bad. What are you afraid of? Besides, you’re much prettier than her.”
Fu Zifei blinked, straightened her back, and raised her head, calmly meeting Min Baoyun’s gaze. Min Baoyun was burning with anger and almost couldn’t resist rushing over to grab Fu Zifei and beat her up. However, having suffered a great loss before, she knew better than to act recklessly and could only intimidate with her gaze.
Mingzhu calmly observed the tense atmosphere between the two young girls and wondered whom Yuwen Bai would prefer.
“Ying Wangfei, someone asked this servant to give this to you.” A maid from Linan Wang’s mansion approached, respectfully handed the note to Mingzhu, and then quickly left as soon as she saw them accept the note.
The note was written with charcoal-like material, similar to the pen and ink used when Jiang Shanshan presented the portrait to the Great Empress Dowager. The content was the usual cliché, inviting her to meet at Suiyu Pavillion after two cups of tea at Linan Wang’s mansion. The tone was full of smugness, provocation, and some threats.
The person who would come up with such a boring thing must be Jiang Shanshan. Mingzhu could almost imagine that if she really went, she would witness a great show put on by Jiang Shanshan and Yuwen Chu. It might be a romantic affair, with back and forth flirting. Whether it was real or fake, it was enough to disgust people.
However, she really wanted to go. Although she had been with Yuwen Chu for a short time, their relationship had been smooth sailing, but they didn’t know each other deeply. It would be good to take this opportunity to find out what kind of person Yuwen Chu was, and trust was accumulated little by little.
Mingzhu turned to Donghui and asked softly, “I need you to accompany me for something. Are you willing?”
Dong Hui replied, “Since His Highness has given this servant to Wangfei, this servant belongs to Wangfei. Wherever Wangfei goes, this servant will follow.” However, she was also very worried, “But, should Wangfei really take this unclear thing seriously?”
Mingzhu shook her head with a smile, “Don’t worry. No one can harm me.” She had lived in Linan Wang’s mansion for eight years and was more familiar with every nook and cranny here than anyone else. She knew where the artificial rocks had seams, where people could hide under the flowers and trees, and from which room she could eavesdrop on what was happening outside, all like the back of her hand.
She intended to keep the appointment, but not according to Jiang Shanshan’s arrangement to meet at Suiyu Pavilion, but to go to the Jingting Pavilion next to it. This pavilion was separated from Suiyu Pavilion by a lotus pond. Yuwen You was accustomed to sitting alone in this pavilion. There were windows on all four sides of the pavilion, and in summer, the windows were removed to let in the breeze, while in winter, they were installed to keep it warm.
She once thought that Yuwen You was meeting some beauty there, so she went there to assassinate him, but she didn’t catch anyone. Instead, she discovered the secret of the Jingting Pavilion. Any sound from Suiyu Pavilion would be heard without omission in the pavilion. It was the perfect place to eavesdrop on the drama between Yuwen Chu and Jiang Shanshan.
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