Unlike the grandeur outside the palace, as soon as Yun Xi stepped inside, she felt an elegant aura. The gentle sound of the zither wafted through the air, accompanied by a faint fragrance. Hanging on the surrounding walls were many precious calligraphy works by renowned masters.
It gave one the immediate impression that Concubine Shu, Lady Yu, was a woman of great talent.
"Your Ladyship, the Princess of Yongning has arrived," the guiding maid reported with her head bowed.
Through the beaded curtain made of colored glass, Yun Xi saw a graceful back.
The way the woman was concentrating on playing the zither seemed somewhat familiar to her.
"Long time no see, Yun Xi!"
The woman slowly turned around and stepped out from behind the curtain.
The sarcastic smile and arrogant look instantly confirmed Yun Xi's previous suspicion.
It was really her, Yu Xueming. No, she should be called Concubine Shu, Lady Yu!
"Why aren't you bowing when you see this concubine?" Yu Xueming walked up to Yun Xi with delicate steps and immediately started to pick on her, looking haughty.
"Your Ladyship, maybe she thinks that since she's become a concubine of the King of Xian and entered the royal family, she doesn't need to bow anymore," a snide voice came from behind the curtain. A woman followed Yu Xueming out from behind the curtain.
It was none other than Song Yulin, who had been used by Yu Xueming before to instigate Yun Ni to poison the Crown Prince. After being exposed by Yun Xi, she was abandoned by the Song family and hastily married her good - for - nothing cousin!
Why are these two annoying people together again?
Yun Xi muttered in her heart, while Yuzhu's face darkened.
How could Concubine Shu be Yu Xueming?
She hadn't forgotten that just a month ago, this crazy woman had rushed into the southern courtyard of their King of Xian's mansion, intending to harm her young mistress. Later, she was taught a lesson by her young mistress, and the king had issued a permanent ban on her entry!
Now that Yu Xueming had become Concubine Shu and summoned her young mistress into the palace, it was obvious that she had bad intentions!!
Yuzhu was nervous and even more regretful that she hadn't informed the King of Xian before leaving the mansion. What if Yu Xueming deliberately made things difficult for her young mistress?
Under Yu Xueming's arrogant gaze, Yun Xi slowly bowed and said calmly in a tone that left no room for criticism.
"Greetings to Your Ladyship, Concubine Shu."
"This hasty bow won't do. It's too perfunctory. You must kneel and kowtow!" Song Yulin fanned the flames from the side, deliberately looking for faults with Yun Xi. Hearing this, Yu Xueming curled her cold lips and also challenged Yun Xi.
"Yun Xi, although this concubine and you were classmates, our statuses are different now. Do you look down on this concubine? Or, do you look down on the emperor?!"
Yu Xueming deliberately emphasized the last sentence, trying to pin the crime of contempt for imperial authority on Yun Xi!
She wanted to make Yun Xi submit in this way.
Actually, Yun Xi didn't think it was embarrassing to kneel for Yu Xueming. After all, even though she was a princess conferred by the emperor, she was only of the second - rank from the lower level, one level lower than Yu Xueming, who was of the second - rank. But when she saw Song Yulin, who was standing beside Yu Xueming and acting like a bully, a sneer involuntarily curled up on her lips.
"Your Ladyship, Concubine Shu, it's okay for Yun Xi to kneel and bow, but with Lady Liu - Song here, it's not convenient for Yun Xi to do so."
Yu Xueming instantly understood what Yun Xi meant. She frowned and glanced at Song Yulin beside her, who seemed even more complacent than her. Then she said in a deep voice.
"You also kneel for this concubine!"
Since Yun Xi didn't want to kneel because Song Yulin's rank was lower than hers, then she would make sure there was no excuse!
"Huh? But I've already bowed," Song Yulin looked surprised when she suddenly heard Yu Xueming's words, just as she was about to watch Yun Xi's joke with Yu Xueming's help.
"This concubine said kneel, so kneel. Where did you get so many words?!" Yu Xueming's tone turned cold. Even though Song Yulin was extremely unwilling in her heart, she had no choice but to kneel down.
After all, Yu Xueming was someone she couldn't afford to offend now!
As Song Yulin knelt down, Yun Xi also knelt down, but her back was straight, showing no sign of cowardice.
Seeing Yun Xi, the person she had always hated, kneeling in front of her now, there was a crazy sense of satisfaction on Yu Xueming's face. She couldn't help but throw her head back and laugh. Then, she looked down at Yun Xi, her eyes full of burning hatred.
"Yun Xi, you've got your comeuppance!"
She had sacrificed herself to gain her current status just so that one day she could trample Yun Xi under her feet!
"Your Ladyship, Concubine Shu, you didn't summon Yun Xi into the palace just to make people kowtow to you for self - satisfaction, did you?" Yun Xi's words instantly dampened Yu Xueming's good mood.
Her eyes turned fierce, and her lips curled up sarcastically.
"What, you're not happy that this concubine makes you kowtow? What if this concubine makes you kneel here forever?!"
Yu Xueming's words were full of provocation. Yuzhu couldn't help but snort in her heart.
"What a person who becomes arrogant after getting a little power!"
Hearing Yu Xueming's words, Yun Xi didn't show any anger. She said slowly.
"Yun Xi naturally doesn't dare to have any objections, but I'm afraid Lady Liu - Song won't be able to hold on."
Yun Xi glanced at Song Yulin. She knew that this woman was in the same league as Yu Xueming and they had deliberately come to cause trouble for her today.
But she wasn't worried. She knew that no matter how long she knelt, Song Yulin would always be with her.
Even if she could endure it, how long could Song Yulin, who was always arrogant, last?
Song Yulin and Yu Xueming had intended to make things difficult for Yun Xi, and she was happy to watch the joke.
However, when she became the innocent victim, she couldn't stay out of it anymore.
"Your Ladyship, Concubine Shu, have you forgotten? We still have something important to do," Song Yulin reminded Yu Xueming with a dry smile, afraid that Yu Xueming would be angry and make her kneel with Yun Xi for a long time.
If that happened, her legs might be useless. The price for watching the joke would be too high!
Yu Xueming got angry when she saw Yun Xi's calm and composed appearance.
She originally wanted to further deflate the other's pride. Hearing Song Yulin's words, she couldn't help but glare at her, scaring Song Yulin into quickly lowering her head!
"Get up." Yu Xueming waved her hand gently and walked straight into the room beside her. With her back turned, she ordered in a tone.
"Follow this concubine."
"Yes, Your Ladyship!" Song Yulin glared at Yun Xi with a malicious smile on her face and followed closely.
Just as Yun Xi was about to step forward, Yuzhu grabbed her sleeve worriedly.
"Miss, we'd better not follow."
Even a fool could see that these two obviously had bad intentions.
Yun Xi smiled at Yuzhu and pulled down her hand, looking helpless.
"Do you think we'll be okay if we don't go?"
She didn't know how long these two had been preparing this show and setting up a trap for her.
If she didn't play along a little, wouldn't they be furious and want to eat her alive?
Moreover, with Yu Xueming's current status, she could only outwit her and couldn't confront her head - on.
Even if she could avoid it for a while, she couldn't avoid it forever. So, she might as well see what Yu Xueming was going to do and then deal with it accordingly!
This way, she could also make the other party calm down for a while. Otherwise, it would be endless and she would be annoyed.
Yun Xi walked into the room beside. There were many display shelves around, on which were all kinds of rare antiques, dazzling to the eye. At a glance, they were obviously very valuable.