Everyone froze for a moment, instinctively looking toward Ling Jingshu.

Ling Jingshu’s expression remained unchanged; she stepped forward with a smile and bowed: “This servant greets the Crown Princess. What instructions does the Crown Princess have?”

The Crown Princess’s lips curled in a smile that wasn’t quite a smile: “Just stand behind Rongyue and attend to her lunch.”

Anger surged in Ling Jingshu’s heart. She had indeed entered the palace to serve, and serving others was truly her duty. But the Crown Princess’s manner was clearly meant as a deliberate humiliation.

She had never harbored the slightest design on the Crown Grandson, nor any shameless intention of marrying into the Crown Prince’s household. What was the Crown Princess trying to accomplish by doing this?

Jiang Rongyue was also startled, but she steeled herself and spoke up: “Thank you for your kindness, Mother. But this daughter-in-law is young and in good health — there’s no need for anyone to attend me. I can manage my own lunch…”

The Crown Princess cut her off flatly: “Rongyue, I know the two of you were already acquainted. But now she serves in the palace, while you hold the noble position of Crown Grandson Consort. Your statuses differ, so it’s only proper that she attend you at lunch.”

No one knows a son better than his mother!

While the Crown Grandson’s earlier distraction had gone unnoticed by others, the Crown Princess had seen it perfectly clearly, and her heart was anything but pleased.

What angered the Crown Princess even more was that Ling Jingshu showed no appreciation at all for the Crown Grandson’s favor and attention.

If her son liked her, that was her good fortune. What right did she have to spurn or refuse it? To put it bluntly, even if Ling Jingshu were not married into the Crown Prince’s household, it should be the household’s decision to refuse her, not the other way around.

Holding back a stifled anger, the Crown Princess seized this chance to give Ling Jingshu a taste of her displeasure, while also taking the opportunity to scold the thoughtless Jiang Rongyue a little.

Her husband’s heart was set on another woman, and she hadn’t even noticed — and here she was pleading on behalf of her rival. What a thoughtless creature!

Jiang Rongyue, a newly married bride still thin-skinned, flushed red at her mother-in-law’s reproach and dared not say another word.

Somewhat calmer now, the Crown Princess glanced again at Ling Jingshu: “What’s wrong? Are you unwilling, perhaps?”

Ling Jingshu quietly clenched her fists, suppressing the anger within, and answered respectfully: “To be allowed to attend the Crown Grandson Consort at lunch is something this servant could only wish for. How could I be unwilling?”

The Crown Princess’s sudden outburst was hardly unrelated to the Crown Grandson’s distracted state earlier. In the end, she herself was the most unlucky and innocent party in all this. Simply because of her humble status, the Crown Princess had taken it for granted that she could vent all her anger on her.

Fortunately, she had never had feelings for the Crown Grandson.

Fortunately, she had refused the Crown Grandson’s affections.

If she had actually married him as some secondary consort, she would have lived out her whole life in misery and humiliation.

Ling Jingshu kept a faint smile on her face as she stood behind Jiang Rongyue and began serving her food.

As a young lady of a prominent family, Jiang Rongyue had been accustomed to being waited on since childhood. Yet today, with Ling Jingshu standing right behind her, she felt thoroughly awkward and uneasy.

What exactly was her mother-in-law so displeased about? Why was she making things so difficult for Ling Jingshu?

Jiang Rongyue had spent the whole morning anxiously offering tea and paying respects, and had not noticed in the slightest that her new husband’s thoughts lay elsewhere.

“Crown Grandson Consort, this is steamed sea bass — tender and delicious,” Ling Jingshu said softly as she placed a piece of fish into Jiang Rongyue’s bowl.

Under the Crown Princess’s watchful gaze, Jiang Rongyue forced herself to put the fish in her mouth, chewing it carelessly a few times before swallowing.

It tasted like chewing wax — she couldn’t taste a thing!

Yet the Crown Princess asked with a smile: “Rongyue, how does the sea bass taste?”

Jiang Rongyue cleared her throat and replied: “It truly lives up to being an imperial dish — wonderfully delicious indeed.”

“Since you find it so good, then eat more of it.” The Crown Princess glanced at Ling Jingshu again — her meaning unmistakable.

Ling Jingshu, who had been holding in her irritation, now felt strangely at ease.

It was just serving one lunch, after all — at most an hour to endure. There was no need to dwell on it or waste anger over nothing. Besides, it was the Crown Princess who was the detestable one; Jiang Rongyue’s face had shown nothing but apology the whole time.

Ling Jingshu picked up another large piece of fish and said with a smile: “Please enjoy at your leisure, Crown Grandson Consort.”

Jiang Rongyue: “…”

Suppressing the urge to frown and sigh, Jiang Rongyue stuffed the fish into her mouth.

If she could, she truly wanted to say, “I’m already full and don’t want to eat anymore.” But the moment the Crown Princess’s gaze drifted toward her, she had to sit there obediently and let Ling Jingshu keep serving her, while the Crown Princess kept directing Ling Jingshu now and then.

Not wanting to eat was simply not an option!

Eating too little was not an option either!

Only after eating until she was thoroughly stuffed did Jiang Rongyue murmur pitifully: “Mother, this daughter-in-law is full.”

Only then did the Crown Princess give a brief acknowledging hum.

Jiang Rongyue let out a breath of relief and quickly turned to Ling Jingshu: “A’Shu, thank you for your trouble.”

No sooner had she spoken than a familiar handsome face appeared before her.

It was her new husband.

Men and women sat at separate tables, divided further by a screen. How had the Crown Grandson suddenly appeared here?

Before Jiang Rongyue could even manage a smile, she heard the Crown Grandson ask coldly: “Ling Jingshu, why are you standing here?”

Ling Jingshu standing here serving Jiang Rongyue’s lunch, having been deliberately put on the spot by the Crown Princess, had already drawn enough attention. Now, with the Crown Grandson speaking up like this, everyone’s eyes turned toward them, and the room fell silent.

Words could not describe the frustration in Ling Jingshu’s heart.

Just when she had nearly made it through, the Crown Grandson had to pull a stunt like this — now even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn’t wash her clean of suspicion!

What on earth was this whole messy business?!

“This servant is attending the Crown Grandson Consort’s lunch on the Crown Princess’s orders,” Ling Jingshu said, lowering her head slightly, her voice flat and betraying no emotion. “The Crown Grandson Consort was just thanking me. If Your Highness has no other instructions, this servant will withdraw now.”

With that, she bowed and withdrew to a corner.

The Crown Grandson pressed his lips tightly together, anger flashing in his eyes.

Whether that anger was directed at Jiang Rongyue, whose face was full of innocent grievance, or at the expressionless Ling Jingshu in the corner, or at the Crown Princess who had deliberately made things difficult for Ling Jingshu, no one could say.

“A’Yao, what is the meaning of this.” The Crown Princess shot the Crown Grandson a warning glance, though her face showed a composed, fitting smile: “The banquet isn’t over yet — go back and sit down at once.”

Did he want to make a spectacle of himself in front of everyone?

The Crown Grandson took a deep breath, gave an expressionless reply, and turned to walk away.

The Crown Princess let out a breath of relief and put on a smile to smooth things over: “A’Yao was born with a cold face, always spoiling the mood like this. Please don’t mind him, everyone.”

Everyone laughed and said: “It’s nothing, nothing at all — Your Highness needn’t worry.”

“Indeed, everyone knows the Crown Grandson’s temperament — we won’t take it to heart.”

On the surface, all appeared harmonious and pleasant.

The Crown Princess smiled outwardly, but inside, her heart was clouded with displeasure.

Jiang Rongyue, still young and nowhere near as composed as the Crown Princess, lowered her head, nearly on the verge of tears from the wrong done to her.