13 Yue Bing Yu’s Ruse
“Young miss, Princess Bing Yu invites young miss to the Empress’s palace to admire some flowers!” Lan Qu reported the message the eunuch had pa.s.sed along to Lan You Nian. As for what they will do, that was for young miss to decide.
Lan You Nian remembered Yue Bing Yu didn’t say anything about the peace marriage after Feng Yi Xuan’s attack, but it seems she didn’t intend to give up. Lan You Nian felt she must keep a close eye on Feng Yi Xuan to make sure he doesn’t provoke anymore rotten peach blossoms.
“Lan Qu, pull up my hair,” Lan You Nian looked at her let down hair. She couldn’t go into the palace like this, so she had Lan Qu style it. It was supposed to be Feng Yi Xuan who styled her hair but Lan You Nian was simply too lazy to wake up from bed. It didn’t matter if she had her hair down since she was in You Nian Pavilion. In Lan manor, there was no one supervising her and everyone spoiled her.
“Young miss wants to go?” Lan Wu entered the pavilion asking. She learned afterwards that someone coveted Prince Ming. She got so angry over this and even ignored An Yi for several days. As per Lan Wu’s words, Prince Ming made young miss unhappy, therefore, An Yi as Prince Ming’s shadow guard doesn’t need to be happy either.
“Go. Why wouldn’t I go?” Lan You Nian smiled joyfully at herself in the mirror. “She dares to covet my man, I naturally have to go see if her guts is really that big!” Lan You Nian said and headed out of You Nian Pavilion to give a blow to her love rival, though Yue Bing Yu couldn’t be considered a love rival.
At this moment in the imperial palace, Yue Bai Lian was luxuriously attired in a palace gown as she sat on the master’s seat. Yue Bing Yu was sitting below, looking at Yue Bai Lian. The eunuchs and palace maids were already dismissed by Yue Bai Lian, leaving only the two of them.
After the palace maids and eunuch withdrew from the room, Yue Bing Yu didn’t pretend anymore as she stood up to look over the resplendent Empress palace and the exquisitely fine Yue Bai Lian. Yue Bing Yu’s lips curled into a malicious smile, “Yo, such a short time has pa.s.sed yet Imperial sister has already forgotten your ident.i.ty, forgotten imperial father and Yue empire?” Coming to Feng empire, besides for the peace marriage, she came at imperial father’s orders to teach this imperial sister a lesson. When imperial sister came to Feng empire, Imperial father only considered imperial sister a chess piece, and didn’t expect to lose control of the chess piece.
“Imperial father? Yue empire?” Yue Bai Lian looked at the polished nails on her fingers, without a hint of being moved, “Has Pricness Bing Yu forgotten this one’s ident.i.ty. My imperial father is the Supreme Emperor of Feng Empire. How can you forget? Yue empire? Ha, a married daughter is like thrown out water. This empress only knows I am Feng empire’s mother of the country. What does it have to do with Yue empire?” For her, Yue empire only left to her painful memories and an unbearable past. She didn’t want to have any connection with that place.
“Yue Bai Lian, you really think your wings are hard enough? You are able to sit on the throne of empress, isn’t it because of your ident.i.ty as princess of Yue empire? If you didn’t have Yue empire’s support, do you think you can still have Feng empire’s emperor’s love and the supreme position of Empress? This princess will tell you, if you are sensible, then be obedient. Imperial father has me tell you, if you do not pa.s.s along information about Feng empire to Yue empire, Yue empire will no longer be your backing. You will struggle in Feng empire!” Yue Bing Yu hissed. In the past, Yue Bai Lian living circ.u.mstances couldn’t compare to hers. She must have Yue Bai Lian listen to her.
Yue Bai Lian didn’t show a hint of fear or anger as she listened to Yue Bing Yu’s words as she very naturally took a sip of the flower tea Lan You Nian sent over and lazily opened her mouth, “This empress’s love and position of empress was given by His Majesty. What does it have to do with Yue empire? Princess Bing Yu is a princess who came for a peace marriage, yet you dare to order this empress around, who gave you the guts? Or hasn’t Princess Bing Yu not seen Princess Qian Ling’s ending? Oh, I forgot to tell you, Princess Qian Ling’s ending was this empress’s doing!”
Hearing Yue Bai Lian’s plainspoken admittance, Yue Bing Yu felt a hint of fear. She didn’t expect Yue Bai Lian to be so completely out of their Yue empire’s control. It looks like she must tell imperial father as soon as possible and have imperial father get rid of this ungrateful Yue Bai Lian. But at this moment, she had something more important to do.
“If this princess tells this to imperial father, Yue Bai Lian, do you think you will be living well in the future? But if you do something for this princess, this princess will offer some kind words for you in front of imperial father!” Yue Bing Yu stood in front of Yue Bai Lian, looking at Yue Bai Lian arrogantly as she felt she was much more n.o.bler than Yue Bai Lian.
Yue Bai Lian now understood Yue Bing Yu needed her help on something. Yue Bai Lian thought Yue empire wanted to do something harmful to Feng empire so she pretended to be confused as she asked, “What do you want this one to do?” Yue Bai Lian felt if Yue empire really wanted to do something to Feng empire, she must tell Xia Qi because Feng empire was now her home.
Yue Bing Yu’s eyes flashed with excitement. She knew it. How can Yue Bai Lian not be afraid? If a woman didn’t have any backing, she would be nothing.
“This princess wants your help to obtain Prince Ming! This princess wants to marry Prince Ming!” Yue Bai Lian declared without shame without a sense of self-awareness that she said something hilarious. Perhaps because Yue Bing Yu has always gotten her way, she had great confidence that she can marry Prince Ming.
Yue Bai Lian really didn’t expect Yue Bing Yu to be so shameless to want her to help her. She and Xia Qi sat upon this seat only to protect their loved ones. Didn’t she become the Empress to protect Nian’er? But now Yue Bing Yu wanted to ruin Nian’er’s happiness. Yue Bai Lian felt this Yue Bing Yu must be dealt with. A woman’s jealousy was a frightening thing.
“Princess Bing Yu is simply too funny. Prince Ming is Lan junzhu’s fiance. Prince Ming himself said he will only have Lan junzhu. If Bing Yu knows yet still covets Prince Ming, this empress will plainly tell you, if you dare to have any ideas about Feng empire, don’t blame this empress for disregarding familial love!” Yue Bai Lian finished and had the palace maids and eunuchs return and had her personal handmaiden to receive Nian’er.
“You, really don’t recognize what’s good for you!” Yue Bing Yu knew it was unlikely she was able to persuade Yue Bai Lian but she won’t give up. There was an opportunity today. She must let Prince Ming loathe Lan You Nian and let Prince Ming see the real Lan You Nian’s face.
Lan You Nian brought Lan Qu into the imperial palace. Lan You Nian purposefully dressed herself today. She wore a pure white dress. Bright red silk thread was embroidered with complicated techniques into scattered spider lilies, seeming spa.r.s.e and dense as it scattered high and low on the bottom of the skirt, following her footsteps as if a riotous profusion, as if it became alive. Around her waist girdled a ta.s.sel with a green jade pendant of crystal jade as if waves of light flowed through it. The outer cover was of a light purple with golden threads. Her simple dress was elegant and luxurious. The jewelry on her head was a strange flower pattern that Yue Bing Yu has never seen. From the glimmering pearls and gems, one can judge that a sinle one of the hairpins were extremely valuable.
Seeing Lan You Nian’s attire was even more luxurious and exquisite than hers, an empire’s princess, Yue Bing Yu wanted to go over to scratch at Lan You Nian’s face. But remembering her plan for today, she forced it back. She refused to believe Prince Ming will like Lan You Nian then.
“Nian’er, you’re here!” Yue Bai Lian announced joyously and pulled Lan You Nian’s hand to sat together. The two were like the best of friends as they giggled and chatted. Yue Bai Lian didn’t put up the air of an Empress.
Yue Bing Yu waited for a long time and didn’t see either of them paying any attention to her, without saying a single word to her. Yue Bing Yu suppressed the rage inside to say, “Her Majesty the Empress, can this princess speak alone with Lan junzhu?”
Yue Bai Lian was about to refuse her without even considering it but Lan You Nian first interjected, “Alright, since Princess Bing Yu wants to talk, this junzhu will accompany you!” Lan You Nian wanted to see what this woman wanted to do.
Yue Bai Lian looked at Lan You Nian and knew Lan You Nian wouldn’t change her mind once her decision was made. So Yue Bai Lian looked at Lan You Nian worriedly as she took the palace maids and eunuchs to walk around the imperial gardens. She was aware Lan You Nian’s martial arts were very good. Yue Bai Lian didn’t see Yue Bing Yu’s maidservant heading out of the palace to deliver a message.
Lan You Nian sat in the seat of the Empress looking at Yue Bing Yu below. “Princess Bing Yu should speak quickly. This junzhu is tired and wishes to rest!” Saying this, she gave a yawn as if she was truly exhausted.
“This princess wants you to leave Prince Ming and give out the position of Princess Consort Ming. If you are sensible, this princess won’t mistreat you. If you are not, you will have nothing!” Yue Bing Yu threatened.
“You came looking for this junzhu to talk about this?” Lan You Nian stood up, finding this topic dull and prepared to leave, “You are so boring!”
“Halt!” Yue Bing Yu shouted and picked up the porcelain on the table to smash it onto the ground. She picked up the broken piece and sliced her own arm without blinking an eye. In an instant, Yue Bing Yu’s arm opened up with a large gash that bled out onto the ground.
Lan You Nian finally realized what this Yue Bing Yu wanted to do. She wanted to use the ruse of injury. It had to be said this Yue Bing Yu had some schemes. Ordinary women wouldn’t bear to harm themselves to scheme against another. This Yue Bing Yu could be counted as a ruthless person.
At this time, Feng Yi Xuan, Feng Xia Qi and Yue Bai Lian barged into the palace hall. Once Feng Yi Xuan received the news, he raced towards the Empress’s palace, afraid Nian Nian will suffer any grievances, though he knew it was usually Nian Nian who made people suffer grievances.
As soon as Feng Yi Xuan entered the palace hall, he picked up Lan You Nian as he gingerly inspected Lan You Nian, “Nian Nian, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?” This caring look made Feng Xia Qi and Yue Bai Lian speechless. Sure enough, Feng Yi Xuan’s eyes couldn’t see anything besides Lan You Nian.
“Lan junzhu, what do you want? I only admire Prince Ming. How can you hurt me?” Yue Bing Yu saw Feng Yi Xuan’s disregard of her and felt hurt. She couldn’t help from speaking out to start laying blame at Lan You Nian’s feet.
Feng Yi Xuan didn’t bother with Yue Bing Yu while Lan You Nian was being held in Feng Yi Xuan’s arms happily eating some pastries as she watched that woman continue acting, which was practically better than professional actors.
“Feng empire’s emperor, Prince Ming, shouldn’t you give this princess an explanation? This princess is hurt by this vicious Lan junzhu. Is this your att.i.tude towards a princess who’s come for a peace alliance? Aren’t you afraid…” Yue Bing Yu ranted as she complained as she shot flirtatious looks at Feng Yi Xuan. It’s a pity it was all a waste.
“You scared Nian Nian!” Feng Yi Xuan saw Lan You Nian drop her pastry from Yue Bing Yu’s sharp voice and heartlessly said to Yue Bing Yu.
“Prince Ming, didn’t you see what she did? She is a duplicitous woman. Don’t be deceived by her!” Yue Bing Yu shouted, feeling even more hurt. Why would Prince Ming believe that woman?
“Do you believe I did it?” Lan You Nian asked Feng Yi Xuan.
“No!”
“How do you know?”
“If Nian Nian did it, it wouldn’t be as simple as hurting her arm but dismemberment of that arm!”
“If I did it?”
“So what? You can do whatever you wish, as long as Nian Nian is happy!”