Chapter 37 - Battle of Words (1)
"Jie jie, Ling-er, please be patient. Liu Li is an efficient maid. She will be back in no time."
"It"s okay, Concubine Wan. Ling-er doesn"t have to go to "Fu Rong" today, so I have a lot of time. That"s why I"m accompanying Mother." While saying that, Yao Ling grabbed Madam w.a.n.g"s arm lovingly. She wanted to show and let Madam w.a.n.g know that she chose to stand by her side. Yao Ling was more intimate to her than the other concubines. She didn"t want to give Concubine Wan any chance to sow a discord between them.
They just started to get along well and someone was already this anxious. Everyone always needed time to build a trust and sowing a discord on the early stage was a good plan. She had to applause the mastermind behind Concubine Wan"s plan.
"Ah… how sweet! You just arrived in "w.a.n.g Fu" for a few days and you already managed to get Jie jie"s heart. This concubine is so jealous with both of your affection. I wish to have a daughter too. Ling-er, don"t forget to be good to this concubine too, okay?"
Concubine Wan wanted to show Madam w.a.n.g that this Yao Ling wasn"t as easy and simple as she looked. In a few days, she already successfully gained a favor in this household. She wanted to emphasize that Yao Ling was a cunning girl. At the same time, she also wanted to get more intimate with Yao Ling. If this adopted girl became closer to her, her future days would be better.
"Mei mei, Yao Ling is a good and honest girl. Of course, I am fond of her." Madam w.a.n.g looked at Yao Ling lovingly. "If she"s a poisonous flower, don"t you think I will be able to differentiate it? Jie jie is always clear-headed as not to easy to be deceived by insignificant people."
"Hmph! Do you think I am that stupid? Your sweet tongue really disgusts me, Wan Lu Xi." Although Madam w.a.n.g still maintained her virtuous expression, her mind thought otherwise. Just a little plot like this was nothing that she couldn"t handle.
"Mother praised this daughter too much. It"s because of mother"s generosity, otherwise, how could someone accept my humble background? Isn"t it right, Concubine Wan?" Yao Ling wanted to emphasize the humble background part. If Madam w.a.n.g wasn"t generous, how could she accept a brothel girl as her husband"s concubine?
Then Yao Ling added, "We both are from a humble background. Concubine Wan must have known the hard life of a low background person. We both, of course, have to support each other."
Yao Ling looked at Concubine Wan in triumph. In the battle of words, she found that she was not too bad. This household would certainly train her mouth to be smarter.
Concubine Wan wasn"t stupid. She understood what Yao Ling"s mean. If Yao Ling didn"t ask her the question from the last bit of her sentences, she wouldn"t mind it at all. Concubine Wan didn"t think Yao Ling would be that courageous and arrogant, after all, she was only an adopted daughter. She didn"t decline her offer and say that they were supposed to be close to each other. But... her reason? She was quipping her background again! She felt her anger started to surge up. Luckily, Liu Li was back at that time.
Liu Li could see her mistress"s fluctuating emotions. She sighed to herself. A few years had pa.s.sed and she still couldn"t contain her temper. If she didn"t want a good life for herself, she wouldn"t bother with this stupid mistress. "Madam, Mistress, Young Mistress, I"m sorry for the long wait. Here is the tea. Mistress, I already prepared everything. Would you like to brew the tea now?" Liu Li politely asked. She also gave a little signal from her eyes to Concubine Wan.
Concubine Wan seemed to understand what she meant. She calmed herself down and smiled once again. "Of course, I want jie jie and Ling-er to taste my precious rare tea."
She got up slowly and then started to brew the tea skillfully. "Jie jie, this is Huangshan Maofeng. Legend said a young girl was working in a plantation. She was inconsolable after the loss of her beloved lover and shed enough tears to cover the entire region. Bathed in the perpetual mists of her grief and the body of her lover that ripped from her by fate, the pain transformed her into a tree. Ah… what a wonderful heartbreaking love story. Does it mean husband acknowledging that my love for him is as everlasting as that girl? That"s why he gave me this tea?"
Madam w.a.n.g looked at her forlornly. Really? Was that w.a.n.g Luo Hai really means? If she didn"t know w.a.n.g Luo Hai"s feeling to his first love, then she might be confident enough with her own position in his heart. However, she did know about it, so she was easily heartbroken with slight provocation.
Concubine Wan didn"t know about w.a.n.g Luo Hai"s first love, so her provocation actually didn"t have anything to do with it. However, the timing of this attack was perfect. Madam w.a.n.g just thought about her past and this provocation added insult to her injury.
Yao Ling saw Concubine Wan flaunting her so-called and felt this woman was very annoying. She added a few words of her own, "Aiyo~ it will be a touching everlasting story for you too, Concubine Wan. But hopefully, you will not be bathed in grief, ripped away from Father"s side, and become a tree. That will be a very sad ending."
Yao Ling stared at Concubine Wan with a sincere expression. She looked as if she didn"t just curse Concubine Wan by throwing back the legend into her face. Her gaze was so innocent and Concubine Wan couldn"t even find fault in her. Concubine Wan found this girl more annoying and the hatred inside her heart was increasing. "You…"
Yao Ling snickered. How stupid was this Concubine Wan? Comparing her own love story to such a sad-ending love story. Yes, it represented true love. But in the end, they were separated. She didn"t know whether she should laugh or cry at her stupidity.
Listening to what Yao Ling said, Madam w.a.n.g"s mouth curled up for a bit before vanis.h.i.+ng in a flash. It comforted her that someone was protecting her. Before Concubine Wan exploded with anger, she decided to change the topic. "Mei mei, Yao Ling is still a little girl and she was lacking in etiquette. However, she just thinks the best for you. She"s worried that you will end up lonely, but I know that isn"t the case. Of course, you will have an everlasting love, right?"
Madam w.a.n.g cleverly said that Yao Ling was still a little girl so Concubine Wan shouldn"t blame her for what she said. She highlighted the fact that it was just the little girl feeling worried for Concubine Wan. Instead of cursing, it became Yao Ling care about her.
"…"
This made Concubine Wan speechless. Madam w.a.n.g and Yao Ling were shameless!