Di Lanmo looked calm, but a glint of killing intent flashed in her eyes.
Li Qingran felt cold sweat trickling down her back. One reason was that she was scared by Di Lanmo's words about "royal affairs", and the other...
Di Lanmo's gaze was extremely terrifying, like that of an evil spirit climbing out of hell, exuding a murderous aura. But that aura flashed by so quickly that Li Qingran even suspected it was just her imagination.
Even so, cold sweat kept breaking out on Li Qingran's forehead. She sat down in a daze.
There was a woman beside her - presumably her mother.
The woman picked up a handkerchief and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, whispering, "Ranran, what's wrong with you? Why are you suddenly sweating so much?"
Li Qingran forced a stiff smile, pulling at the corners of her mouth. "Mom, I'm fine. I'm just a bit hot."
The wife of the minister of rites didn't think much of it and just said, "I've told you not to talk nonsense. His Highness the Prince of Qin is not someone you can have feelings for. You..."
Di Lanmo didn't pay attention to the rest. She was just about to tell the Empress Dowager that she wanted to change clothes and get some fresh air when the eunuch who had announced guests at the door sang out, "The Honorable Concubine Rong is here!"
Di Lanmo looked up and saw a woman who looked one or two years younger than the Empress Dowager enter, supported by an old maid.
The Honorable Concubine Rong slightly crouched in a salute. Her posture didn't show much respect for the Empress Dowager. "Greetings to the Empress Dowager!"
"I've heard that the Princess of Qin has entered the palace. After all, His Highness the Prince of Qin grew up under my watch. He's like half my son. So I came here specially to see this 'daughter-in-law'!"
As she spoke, the Honorable Concubine Rong scanned the room and then clearly fixed her eyes on Di Lanmo. Judging from this, it seemed as if she had known what Di Lanmo looked like for a long time.
Di Lanmo looked at the Empress Dowager and saw that her expression was unhappy. She immediately knew that the relationship between the two women was not good.
She composed herself, stood up, and curtsied. "Greetings to Your Highness, the Honorable Concubine!"
The Honorable Concubine Rong pretended as if she had just learned that it was Di Lanmo. She quickly stepped forward, took Di Lanmo's hand, and said with a smile, "So this is the Princess of Qin. She has a good appearance, but she's too thin. I'm afraid it might be difficult for her to bear children!"
She sized Di Lanmo up and down. As if thinking of something, the Honorable Concubine Rong picked up a handkerchief and wiped away non - existent tears.
"Alas, when I think of this, I remember that back then, Her Highness the Empress Dowager was too weak. As a result, she lost her first royal fetus not long after conceiving. It's really a pity!"
The Empress Dowager's face turned pale. This was a sad matter for her. Back then, not long after she had conceived, the Honorable Concubine Rong had found a way to make her lose the child.
But at that time, the Honorable Concubine Rong was in favor, and the Empress Dowager couldn't find any evidence. So the matter was left unresolved.
Even after so many years, whenever she thought of this, she still wished she could tear the Honorable Concubine Rong to pieces!
Seeing that the Empress Dowager was angry again, the Honorable Concubine Rong looked smug. After all these years, this weakness of hers was still so easy to exploit!
She was about to pull her hand out of Di Lanmo's, but Di Lanmo tightly grasped it.
Di Lanmo flipped her wrist and placed her fingers on the Honorable Concubine Rong's wrist to feel her pulse.
"Your Highness, the Honorable Concubine, I can see from your complexion that you seem to have had a long - standing illness. Fortunately, I know a bit of medicine. May I take a look at you?"
Although her words were in a consultative tone, the strength in her hand didn't allow the Honorable Concubine Rong to break free. The Honorable Concubine Rong felt pain and was about to scold her, but Di Lanmo suddenly loosened her grip. With the sudden release of force, the Honorable Concubine Rong took two steps back. Fortunately, her attendant maid stepped forward to steady her.
The Honorable Concubine Rong frowned angrily. "Bold! You..."
"Your Highness, the Honorable Concubine!" Di Lanmo interrupted loudly. "Do you often feel heart pains? Do you have constant aches in your lower back and abdomen? Have you never given birth? And the imperial doctors' treatments haven't been effective?"
"What do you want to say?"
Di Lanmo smiled sweetly, but her words were like thorns piercing the Honorable Concubine Rong's heart. "You've been over - stressed for years, which has led to endocrine disorders. You've schemed too much and damaged your moral integrity, which has resulted in being childless in this life!"
The first part was true, and the second part was just Di Lanmo's made - up speculation based on the Honorable Concubine Rong's walking posture and bone structure.
She didn't have any other reason. It was just that the Empress Dowager was Chu Zhiyan's mother and had a good attitude towards her. She was just being protective!
It had to be said that Di Lanmo's two short sentences almost pierced the Honorable Concubine Rong's heart.
The Honorable Concubine Rong's face visibly changed from green to black, and then from black to white. Emotions such as extreme anger, sudden realization, and regret flashed across her face in quick succession.
Di Lanmo felt as if she was watching a simple Sichuan opera face - changing performance. She almost burst out laughing. She took two deep breaths and managed to hold it back.
Di Lanmo had great self - control, but the other innocent young girls present were not like her.
Successive snickers rang out. As soon as one girl started, she was pinched by the adult beside her and stopped. The laughter came and went in waves, like a large - scale and indecent gas - expelling performance.
The Honorable Concubine Rong probably suffered such a great humiliation for the first time in her life. In her anger, she even forgot to hold anyone accountable. She flicked her sleeve and left.
With things turning out like this, the banquet couldn't continue.
The Empress Dowager put away her smile, said a few perfunctory words, and then dismissed everyone.
"M'er, come with me!" Di Lanmo had just stood up when the Empress Dowager called her.
Di Lanmo pouted. She didn't know if it was a good or a bad thing that the Empress Dowager had called her.
No, she should think positively. Maybe the Empress Dowager was going to give her a meeting gift?
The money - loving girl's eyes lit up, and she quickly followed the Empress Dowager.
In the Empress Dowager's bedroom.
"Take a seat!" the Empress Dowager said calmly.
Di Lanmo sat down obediently, looking at the Empress Dowager with bright eyes, waiting for the generous meeting gift.
The Empress Dowager's stern expression paused. "..."
Di Lanmo's expression was so deceptive that there was no trace of the arrogance she had shown when confronting the Honorable Concubine Rong.
Her eyes were clear and bright. Her delicate nose flared with each breath, and her face showed an eager and obedient look.
She was like a little rabbit or a kitten with its claws retracted. She was so cute, the Empress Dowager thought.
"I almost forgot the main thing!" The Empress Dowager regained her composure and looked straight ahead, not looking at the kitten.
The Empress Dowager cleared her throat and seriously said, "M'er, your words and actions at today's banquet were a bit inappropriate. That day, I sent Nanny Chen to the Prince of Qin's mansion..."
So she wasn't going to get a meeting gift...
Di Lanmo looked a bit disappointed. On the surface, she pretended to listen to the Empress Dowager's scolding, but her mind had already drifted far away.
"As the princess..." the Empress Dowager said sternly.
"Why hasn't Chu Zhiyan come back yet..." Di Lanmo thought worriedly.
"When you meet the ladies of various families alone in the future, you should..." the Empress Dowager said earnestly.
"I'm a bit hungry. I didn't eat much just now..." Di Lanmo rubbed her stomach.
"As the princess, you need to handle the affairs in the mansion..." the Empress Dowager took a sip of tea and continued.
"What should I eat when I get back tonight? I'll have some hibiscus cakes first to fill my stomach, and then..." Di Lanmo's mouth watered.
Di Lanmo suddenly understood how Monkey King felt when Tang Seng chanted the tightening - headband spell in his ear. It was really a headache!
Just as she couldn't bear it anymore and was about to scratch her itchy ear, she heard heavy and hasty footsteps approaching.
Was Chu Zhiyan finally here to save the day? Di Lanmo's eyes filled with tears, and she looked over eagerly.