The two walked side by side towards the exit of Cining Palace.
Jiang Si’s face was expressionless, and she did not initiate conversation with Cui Mingyue.
It wasn’t that she couldn’t engage in superficial pleasantries, but with Cui Mingyue, she was unwilling to do so.
In her previous life, this person had ruined her elder sister and was likely the true culprit behind her second brother’s death.
Being respectful to the Empress Dowager and Emperor was unavoidable, but even if she weren’t Prince Yan’s consort, she saw no need to greet such a person with a smile.
Moreover, her near-term goal remained clear: to take down Cui Mingyue.
Suddenly, Cui Mingyue called out, “Sister-in-law.”
Jiang Si’s steps faltered slightly.
Cui Mingyue moved closer and asked softly, “Sister-in-law, do you dislike me?”
Jiang Si glanced at her and nodded, “Yes.”
Cui Mingyue almost failed to maintain her smile, biting her lip as she asked, “What do you mean by this, Sister-in-law?”
Jiang Si continued walking, speaking indifferently, “Didn’t I just answer Miss Cui’s question?”
Cui Mingyue quickly caught up, her voice rising slightly, “Have I offended you in some way? Why would you say such a thing?”
Her raised voice made it seem as if she hadn’t been the one to initiate the conversation, but rather that Jiang Si had suddenly uttered these unkind words, immediately attracting the attention of the surrounding palace maids.
Jiang Si’s delicate, aloof eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if very surprised, “Miss Cui doesn’t know the reason?”
Cui Mingyue maintained a wronged expression on her face, but inwardly she was shocked.
Jiang Si had admitted it along with her words!
Did she think that just because she had cured Princess Fuqing’s eyes, she could act recklessly? Didn’t she fear displeasing the Empress Dowager if such harsh words reached her ears?
Displeasing the Empress Dowager?
The same question flashed through Jiang Si’s mind, and she carelessly curved her lips.
Whether in her previous life or this one, from the first moment she saw the Empress Dowager, she knew the Empress Dowager had no fondness for her.
Since she couldn’t please her no matter what, why should she care?
Jiang Si stared directly at Cui Mingyue, smiling lightly, “I thought the reason was quite sufficient, and Miss Cui should have been self-aware. I didn’t expect I’d need to enlighten you. I dislike Miss Cui because you’ve been involved with my elder sister’s former husband—”
“You!” Cui Mingyue instinctively reached for the whip at her waist, only to grasp at empty air, remembering she had removed it before entering the palace.
Jiang Si asked with a mocking smile, “Is Miss Cui angry with embarrassment? Perhaps you want to hit me?”
The surrounding palace maids now looked at Cui Mingyue with strange expressions.
The rumors about Cui Mingyue and Zhu Ziyu had been discussed countless times by the bored palace maids in private, both despising Cui Mingyue’s shamelessness and envying her good fortune.
People truly couldn’t be compared; despite such a tainted reputation, Cui Mingyue could still become Prince Xiang’s consort. In the end, it was because Cui Mingyue was the Empress Dowager’s granddaughter. Otherwise, would the Empress Dowager have betrothed her to Prince Xiang if it were someone else?
However, these words could never be openly discussed, lest they reach the ears of their masters and cost them their lives.
The more this was the case, the less favorable the palace maids felt towards Cui Mingyue. Now, hearing Jiang Si directly expose her shortcomings, they felt greatly satisfied.
Facing these meaningful gazes, Cui Mingyue’s face burned with embarrassment. She suppressed her anger and said, “Sister-in-law must be joking. How could I dare to hit you? Moreover, as a lady from a noble family, how could I strike someone casually?”
Jiang Si ignored Cui Mingyue’s words and merely smiled lightly.
This smile, to Cui Mingyue’s ears, was full of mockery.
The palace maids lowered their heads to hide the amusement in their eyes.
Being a lady from a noble family and not hitting people casually was one thing, but being involved with a married man was even more unreasonable.
Cui Mingyue hadn’t expected Jiang Si to be so difficult to deal with, speaking without any regard for face. For a moment, she was at a loss.
If the Prince Yan’s consort had been shy and inarticulate, her previous words would have been enough to corner her. Instead, she had lifted a stone only to drop it on her own feet.
If she said more and Prince Yan’s consort uttered more unpleasant words, how could she continue as Prince Xiang’s consort?
Their conversation would certainly reach the Empress Dowager’s ears. While the Empress Dowager would be annoyed at Jiang Si’s lack of propriety, having her old misdeeds brought up would not bode well for her either.
“Farewell, Sister-in-law. Excuse me for not seeing you off,” Cui Mingyue gave Jiang Si a half-bow and hurriedly turned back.
Returning to the inner hall, the Empress Dowager noticed Cui Mingyue’s reddened eyes and asked, “What’s the matter?”
Cui Mingyue lowered her head, “It’s nothing.”
“You were fine just now. How did your eyes turn red after seeing off Prince Yan’s consort?” the Empress Dowager pressed.
After a long silence, Cui Mingyue finally said, “Sister-in-law greatly dislikes me because of my past indiscretions…”
Since the Empress Dowager would eventually know, it was better for her to speak first to avoid being passive.
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager’s face darkened.
Since she had decided to betroth Mingyue to Prince Xiang, Prince Yan’s consort kept harping on Mingyue’s past mistakes disregarding the royal family’s reputation and ignoring her authority as the Empress Dowager.
However, having maintained a harmonious mother-son relationship with Emperor Jingming for decades, the Empress Dowager naturally wouldn’t reprimand Prince Yan’s consort at this moment.
Prince Yan’s consort had just cured Princess Fuqing’s eyes, delighting the Emperor and Empress. It would be unwise to punish her at this time.
The Empress Dowager understood this clearly and gently patted Cui Mingyue’s hand, “Don’t bother with Jiang Si. I know you’re a good child.”
Cui Mingyue nodded slowly.
Jiang Si had gained the Emperor and Empress’s favor on her first visit to the palace, and even the Empress Dowager had to suppress her anger. She absolutely couldn’t stand by and watch that wretch’s position become increasingly secure…
After Cui Mingyue left, the Empress Dowager asked the palace maid who had accompanied the two earlier, “What was the dispute between Prince Yan’s consort and Miss Cui about?”
The palace maid begged forgiveness, “At the time, this servant was following behind, and the Princess Consort and Miss Cui were speaking softly, so I couldn’t hear clearly.”
Some things were not meant to be heard.
Prince Yan’s consort had directly stated that Miss Cui was involved with a married man, but Miss Cui was Empress Dowager’s choice for Prince Xiang’s consort. Reporting such words to the Empress Dowager would only invite her wrath upon a lowly servant like herself.
The Empress Dowager didn’t pursue the matter further, momentarily displeased with Jiang Si’s impropriety, yet also annoyed by Cui Mingyue’s indiscretion.
However, she still felt indebted to Cui Mingyue for cutting her flesh to make medicine, so she could only bury this annoyance deep within.
Cui Mingyue returned to her quarters in the Princess’s mansion, gripping her whip as she walked to the back, but the enclosure was empty, with no sign of the deer.
Standing by the fence, she suddenly remembered that because she was about to be married, no new deer had been added after the previous one had been whipped to death.
Cui Mingyue suddenly turned to look at the maid who used to care for the deer.
The maid’s legs instantly went weak, and she collapsed along the fence.
Jiang Si returned to Kunning Palace, having been delayed for quite some time.
However, Princess Fuqing was in high spirits, wanting to constantly be near the benefactor who had cured her eyes.
Seeing her beloved daughter so happy, and with the Emperor not speaking up, the Empress was content to not urge Prince Yan and his consort to pay respects to Noble Consort Xian.
Usually, she could play the role of a magnanimous Empress, but that was when she had nothing to ask for. Now that A Quan was close to Prince Yan’s consort, Noble Consort Xian and Consort Zhuang could all step aside.
In Yuquan Palace, Noble Consort Xian was growing impatient.