Nonsense! She’s Not a Bad Woman! - Chapter 100

The fingertips hidden beneath Consort Shu’s sleeve trembled with rage. The girl’s words were a blatant threat.

If that brazen commoner were to “accidentally” suffer some mishap in the palace, suspicion would inevitably fall on her.

And the girl had said it in front of so many people, leaving her no room to maneuver. Even if she wanted to deal with her in secret, she couldn’t. Too arrogant, too despicable!

So young, yet already so vicious, every word dripping with calculation!

“Greetings to Your Highness, the Princess.”

He Baozhu arrived leisurely. Hearing the crowd greet her as “Princess,” she suddenly felt as if she’d returned to childhood, back when she’d played at being a princess in make-believe games.

Her heart leapt with joy. After more than twenty years of living like an ox or a horse, she was suddenly a princess—who wouldn’t be excited?

But she couldn’t let it show. She had to play her role well—timid, meek, careful.

Not stage fright, no. Just perfectly in character!

The sudden arrival of He Baozhu broke the heavy, tense atmosphere. Though flames of anger smoldered in Consort Shu’s eyes, she was unwilling to just let matters drop.

Yet now she knew Jo Wanyan wasn’t some easy pushover. To press the matter further would only backfire. Instead, she smoothly shifted the conversation onto He Baozhu.

He Baozhu was a princess, so in theory, marrying her to her younger brother wasn’t inappropriate. But unfortunately, He Baozhu had never been favored. Worse still, she was a woman who had already been married once. With such a past, she was hardly worthy of her precious son, Yue’er.

“It has been many years since you last returned to the capital. You probably don’t even recognize me anymore, do you?”

Though Consort Shu smiled, her tone and eyes carried a faint, unmistakable disdain.

He Baozhu kept her head slightly bowed but lifted her lashes timidly. Her lips moved faintly as she whispered, “I know… You are Consort Shu, the legitimate eldest daughter of the Earl of Pingyang’s household.”

The displeasure in Consort Shu’s heart eased a little at that. “You’ve suffered much in Yunxi City. Now that you’re back in the capital, just live quietly and securely. If you come across anything you don’t know how to handle, you may come to me.”

“Thank you, Your Ladyship.”

He Baozhu’s voice was still barely above a murmur. Not only did she lack the majesty of a princess, she couldn’t even match the poised young noble ladies present. She was the very image of the timid Tenth Princess of years past, who had been too afraid to speak to anyone.

On the other side, a maid came to announce that they could now enter the Hall of Supreme Peace. The crowd began to file out of the Imperial Garden.

As Consort Shu walked at the head, she leaned slightly toward her close maid, whispering something. The maid inclined her head subtly, then slipped away from the group without drawing notice.

Jo Wanyan was at the back of the procession. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a palace maid approaching from a side moon gate. She glanced at the front, where Consort Shu was surrounded and honored by the others, and the corners of her lips curved into a mocking smile.

The palace maid kept her head down as she walked closer. When she was barely a step away from Jo Wanyan, she suddenly stumbled and pitched forward.

In that instant, Ziyuan lashed out with a sharp kick, sending the woman sprawling to the other side.

Demonic tricks or mortal schemes—none would be allowed near her lady!

The bowl of sweet soup in the maid’s hands didn’t spill a single drop onto Jo Wanyan’s robes.

With a loud crash, the tray hit the ground, drawing the attention of those ahead, who all turned to look back.

Ziyuan raised her voice and scolded harshly, “How careless can you be? If not for my quick reaction, you would’ve slammed into my lady! A bump is one thing—my lady is kind and magnanimous, she wouldn’t trouble you for it. But if that sweet soup had spilled onto her clothes, would you not have ruined something far more important?”

It was a close call—fortunately, her reflexes were quick.

The crowd cast subtle, disappointed looks at the palace maid. To be so careless while serving in the palace—did she think she had more than one life to gamble with? Luckily, no real mishap occurred.

No one lingered on the matter; they all continued toward the Tai’an Hall.

Consort Shu’s cold, venomous gaze lingered on the maid kneeling on the ground—useless trash.

The maid, as if sensing that shadowed gaze, trembled uncontrollably. Her forehead thudded against the floor again and again, her voice quivering as she begged, “This servant knows her mistake, this servant knows her mistake…”

Zi Yuan stepped forward and said coldly, “Be more careful next time. Not everyone has my lady’s good temper.”

Qiao Wanyan lifted her gaze toward Consort Shu in the distance, her lips curving into a faint smile.

Such petty tricks… how many times had she herself played them on others? And now, used against her? If she actually fell for it, that would be the real joke.

The maid on the ground felt her heart pounding wildly, unease surging in her chest. She thought of the punishment awaiting her if she failed her task. Gritting her teeth, she shut her eyes tight, then slowly stood up—and “accidentally” spilled the remaining sweet soup right onto Qiao Wanyan’s skirt.

The mocking smile on Qiao Wanyan’s lips froze instantly.

Consort Shu, satisfied, turned and left without a backward glance.

Lowering her gaze, Qiao Wanyan looked at the maid kneeling once again, too afraid to raise her head. Zi Yuan, furious, was about to kick her when Qiao Wanyan raised a hand to stop her.

“This is the palace. Think before you act—don’t be reckless.”

Zi Yuan seethed inwardly. That wretched maid! The outfit she had painstakingly dressed her lady in this morning was now ruined!

Unforgivable!

Qiao Yihuan had also witnessed the scene. She looked at Consort Shu’s retreating figure, then at the maid, her eyes narrowing slightly as if a thought had taken root in her heart.

With such arrogance, being schemed against… it’s only natural.

“Princess, where are you going?”

Just as Qiao Yihuan was about to follow the group out, she noticed He Baozhu lagging behind, clearly intending to turn back.

He Baozhu smiled brightly. “I saw your sister’s clothes got dirtied. I’m more familiar with the palace, so I’ll take her to change. Otherwise, she can’t possibly attend the banquet at Tai’an Hall dressed like that.”

Inside, He Baozhu rubbed her palms together in glee. Accompanying Meibao to change clothes, personally helping her undress and dress again—wasn’t that a chance to feast her eyes on that fiery, stunning figure?

Just the thought made her blood race with excitement!

It was like being hit by a wave of hormones, like a model suddenly appearing before her during ovulation—just imagining it nearly gave her a nosebleed!

Qiao Yihuan frowned, stepping forward quickly to block her path. “Princess, the palace banquet is about to begin. You’ve only just returned to the capital—if you’re absent and His Majesty doesn’t see you, he’ll surely be worried.”

He Baozhu paused. That… did make some sense.

But still…

“There are plenty of palace maids here. Someone will surely bring Wanyan to change her clothes. Let’s go to Tai’an Hall first. That way, we can greet my father and mother together.”

But He Baozhu only glanced again at Qiao Wanyan in the distance. She grabbed Qiao Yihuan’s hand and whispered, “Yihuan, you go on ahead. I’m just an unfavored princess—Father won’t notice me anyway. I’ll catch up later. Go on!”

Before Qiao Yihuan could stop her, He Baozhu let go of her hand and darted off toward Qiao Wanyan.

Her eyes gleamed with mischief.

Beauty… heh heh~