Tang Zhuyun didn't actually notice the difference in the small bowl; what she noticed was the palace maid's attitude.
She definitely wouldn't believe me if I said there was no problem.
So she calmly returned Yanran's hand, not wanting her to worry.
She picked up the bowl of peanut pudding, pretended to take a sip, but actually put it down without even touching her lips.
Then she casually picked up a Buddha's Hand pastry from the box and slowly took a bite.
Yanran seemed to really like the peanut milk, and quickly finished her small bowl.
The nobles in the palace probably had small appetites, so this small bowl was indeed not much.
Yanran is a tough woman who practices martial arts with her, so drinking this little bit of stuff is no problem for her.
Tang Zhuyun gave her another pastry.
I must say, the pastries made by the imperial kitchen are truly remarkable.
Yanran took a bite, thought it tasted good, and naturally offered it to Tang Zhuyun so she could try it, then took a bite of hers herself.
The mother and daughter were initially close and in a pleasant atmosphere, but then the Crown Princess spoke up.
Tang Zhuyun felt uneasy the moment that idiot opened his mouth.
--How can such an idiot have survived until now in the palace intrigue?
The Crown Princess sneered, "Sixth Sister-in-law, why didn't you drink the peanut pudding? Do you not like peanut pudding, or do you not like Mother's gift?"
Tang Zhuyun said with a half-smile, "I've tasted it."
"Really? But if I were you, I would definitely drink more, after all, this is a gift from the Empress Dowager, carrying her loving heart."
Tang Zhuyun: "I am a novice in the palace and do not know the rules. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
The Empress smiled and said, "It's alright, it must be that the imperial chef's cooking doesn't suit your taste. I even specifically told you before that we should take your dietary preferences into consideration as your new bride..."
So, if Tang Zhuyun doesn't drink this peanut milk, she's making things difficult for the imperial chef?
Fine, since you want her to drink so badly, she'll reluctantly agree.
Before she could speak, Yanran suddenly reached for Tang Zhuyun's bowl, bringing it to her lips while grinning, "It's not that Mother doesn't like it, it's that she knows I like it, so she specially saved it for me."
As she spoke, she reached for her peanut milk.
Tang Zhuyun snatched the bowl away and said with a smile, "I originally wanted to leave it for you, but since the Crown Princess said that not finishing it would be disrespectful to the Empress, then Mother should drink it herself."
"Mother!" Yanran out anxiously, her eyes slightly red.
Tang Zhuyun shook her head calmly, then picked up the bowl with both hands, raised it towards the Empress and the Crown Princess, smiled slightly, and then drank the peanut milk in one gulp under everyone's gaze.
His movements were bold and unrestrained.
Tang Zhuyun showed the Crown Princess the empty bowl, then said, "Now, I'm respectful to Her Majesty the Empress, aren't I?"
I'm afraid the Empress might not want this level of respect.
The Empress smiled and said, "Why are you so serious, child? The Crown Princess is just straightforward; no one is forcing you to drink."
Tang Zhuyun smiled but didn't say anything, while giving Meng Yulan a reassuring look.
The queen then turned to talk to other people.
Suddenly, the beaded curtain was lifted, and a palace maid helped an unexpected person in.
--Zong Xueci.
Zong Xueci had skin as white as snow, but there was a hint of illness between her brows and eyes. She walked with the frailty of a willow swaying in the wind, and I felt pity for her.
Wow, look how quickly they've transformed themselves.
In order to cater to the Crown Prince's market, Zong Xueci was clearly smarter and more willing to lower herself.
"What are you doing here!" The Crown Princess stood up abruptly and shouted, "Didn't I tell you to stay home and reflect on your mistakes?"
In this kind of situation, if she didn't bring her along, how could Zong Xueci have the right to appear!
Zong Xueci's face showed fear. She hastily bowed and stammered, "Yes, yes, it was His Highness the Crown Prince who insisted that I come..."
Tang Zhuyun couldn't help but laugh when she saw the Crown Princess's disheveled appearance, with throbbing veins on her forehead and her face turning purple.
This retribution came far too quickly.
She's still a pure and innocent woman, skilled at dealing with shrewish women.
The Empress's expression changed slightly, but only for a moment. She quickly smiled and said, "The Crown Prince must be thinking of you. You haven't been to the palace for a long time, and I've missed you too. Someone, bring a seat."
It's impossible to write down two clans in one stroke, and besides, they were all the wives and concubines of her own sons. When they started making trouble, the Empress lost face.
The Crown Princess was clearly unable to bear this loss; she bit her lip tightly and glared at Zong Xueci with eyes blazing with fury.
If looks could kill, Zong Xueci would have been torn to pieces long ago.
Zong Xueci, on the other hand, was clearly much more sophisticated. She looked at the Crown Princess with fear and trepidation, like a pitiful little girl who had been abused all along, completely at a loss.
Tsk tsk, if she hadn't fought with her before, Tang Zhuyun felt she would have been easily fooled as well.
Given the Crown Princess's ruthlessness, who wouldn't feel that Zong Xueci's fate is precarious?
The Empress, perhaps fearing that the Crown Princess might cause trouble that would be difficult to manage, smiled and said, "You young people, go out and enjoy the flowers and scenery, relax a bit, so you won't feel uncomfortable here with me."
The Crown Princess immediately transformed into a fighting cock, seemingly ready to go out and turn against Zong Xueci.
The Empress then said calmly, "Crown Princess, you will stay and help me entertain the guests."
The Crown Princess almost gritted her teeth before agreeing.
Tang Zhuyun secretly rejoiced.
The Empress wanted to maintain her dignity, but the Crown Princess deliberately prevented her from doing so.
Crown Princess, are you an undercover agent on our side?
Before leaving, Zong Xueci suddenly spoke up, "This humble servant has prepared a small gift for Your Majesty, wishing you boundless happiness and longevity."
After she finished speaking, she presented a copy of the Heart Sutra, saying that it was written with her own blood dipped in gold powder.
Tang Zhuyun:???
Doesn't it attract flies? Doesn't it smell bloody?
This thing is disgusting.
But seeing the Empress's happy expression and the Crown Princess's furious expression, Tang Zhuyun realized she didn't understand this world.
But she remained low-key.
It's none of her business if dogs fight.
Despite her low profile, she still got targeted.
A woman she didn't recognize spoke up with Yingying, "I wonder what gift Consort of the Prince of Jin has prepared for Her Majesty the Empress? Shouldn't we take a look?"
The woman was dressed in a bright red palace gown sprinkled with gold, which was very flamboyant.
Tang Zhuyun searched her memory thoroughly but could not find such a person.
Has this pretentious bitch caught a rabid dog?
Does it bite everyone it encounters, or does it specifically bite itself?
"Speaking of which," the woman continued, "I heard that the Prince of Jin gave his princess a dowry of 100,000 taels of silver. I suppose the princess is quite generous."
Tang Zhuyun: "Who are you?"
She found she couldn't speak properly because these bastards wouldn't give her a chance to be a good person.
The woman smiled and said, "My grandfather was the Left Censor-in-Chief, and he was the fourth child in his family."
It turned out to be an imperial censor.
Why learn from your grandfather's gossiping ways?
The censors are really annoying.
"Miss Shi..."
The woman's expression changed slightly. "My surname isn't Shi, I mean..."
"Oh, I see," Tang Zhuyun said. "You said your grandfather was an imperial censor, so he is the one in charge of the 'Shi' (his name), not you. What is your surname, Miss Shi?"