Five Years To Ascend The Throne, Three Years Of Mock Simulations - Chapter 17

Noble Concubine Song was still stunned. The palace maid behind her also went stiff. She lifted her eyes slightly, but immediately buried her head even lower and quietly hid a little farther behind her mistress.

Ming Tan glanced at that palace maid and frowned slightly, but she did not say anything more. Instead, she turned her gaze back onto Noble Concubine Song.

“Oh? Your Highness actually recognizes me?” The smile on her face deepened, but the emotion in her eyes seemed cold as frost. Her words carried a pointed meaning. “I thought that in your eyes… there was only room for Consort Ning.”

The Ninth Princess was the empress’s legitimate daughter. Naturally, she had taken those deeply disrespectful words just now to heart. Cold sweat instantly soaked Noble Concubine Song’s clothes. Her eyes grew panicked, and she hurriedly stepped forward half a pace to explain. How could she still remember anything about the peony?

Who knew whether it was intentional or not, but as soon as she moved, she immediately blocked the palace maid behind her completely.

“Your Highness, please forgive me. This consort merely spoke without thinking just now. I absolutely would not dare disrespect Her Majesty the Empress…”

Ming Tan neither agreed nor disagreed. She still maintained that fake smile on her face, and her tone was bland. “Whether that is true or not, this princess will report everything truthfully to Mother Empress. May Your Highness return to your palace and rest early, then respectfully await the Shanggong Bureau’s summons.”

Noble Concubine Song instantly felt dizzy. Her slender figure swayed, and her face turned pale. She knew Ming Tan was unwilling to let this go easily.

However, things had already reached this point. Saying more would be useless. Besides, she already belonged to Consort Ning’s faction and had never been on good terms with the empress. If she offended her, then so be it. In any case, she had not committed any great crime. She had only caused trouble for an unfavored Noble Lady.

The people in the Shanggong Bureau were all clever and worldly. For Consort Ning’s sake, they would not hand down too heavy a punishment no matter what…

After comforting herself like this, Noble Concubine Song finally held in a breath, quickly curtsied to the Ninth Princess, then turned and left swiftly with her palace maid.

Ming Tan stood in place, her gaze dark as she stared at that palace maid’s back. For a long while, she said nothing.

Jinkui did not know what the princess had thought of and did not dare casually disturb her. Instead, Noble Lady Jing looked at the two of them, gathered her courage, and walked forward first. She deeply saluted Ming Tan and said gratefully, “Many thanks to the Ninth Princess for helping me.”

Ming Tan returned to herself and turned to wave her hand at her. “Noble Lady Jing, there is no need for this. This princess only stepped forward to protect Kunning Palace’s authority. I truly do not deserve Your Highness’s thanks.”

“No matter why the princess helped, in the end, you helped this concubine out of an urgent crisis.” Noble Lady Jing shook her head and insisted, “This concubine naturally ought to repay Your Highness for today’s kindness. But this concubine is untalented and has no other abilities. Only my cooking can barely be brought out… If Your Highness does not mind, would you be willing to sit for a while at Ruilan Pavilion and leave after dinner?”

Ming Tan had not expected the other woman to be so enthusiastic and unconsciously blinked. “This…”

“Please do not refuse, Your Highness.” Noble Lady Jing’s expression was serious, and her tone was extremely sincere. She curtsied to her again.

The other party was still a consort, after all, and since she had already spoken to this extent, refusing again would seem somewhat rude.

Ming Tan turned her head and glanced at Jinkui. She saw that although the other girl’s expression was solemn, she still gave Ming Tan an almost imperceptible nod, confirming Noble Lady Jing’s claim that her “cooking could be brought out.”

“…All right.” After thinking briefly, Ming Tan finally nodded and said gently, “Since Your Highness is so gracious, Ming Tan will respectfully accept.”

Ruilan Pavilion.

In the palace, any palace chamber named “so-and-so Pavilion” was not only located somewhere remote, even its area was pitifully small.

Yaohua Pavilion, where Noble Lady Ying lived, and Ruilan Pavilion, where Noble Lady Jing lived, were both in the most remote corner of the imperial palace. Walking over from the imperial garden had actually taken one incense stick of time, which truly shocked Ming Tan.

As soon as Jinkui stepped through the palace doors, after obtaining Noble Lady Jing’s permission, she swiftly sent a palace maid back to Kunning Palace to report that the Ninth Princess would be staying here for dinner.

Ming Tan was not as energetic as she was. Her legs had gone sore from walking, and as soon as she sat down, she gulped down several cups of tea. Too tired to speak, she slumped in the chair and answered people indifferently, which seemed to frighten Noble Lady Jing a little.

Afraid that Ming Tan would become annoyed from waiting, Noble Lady Jing chatted only a few sentences before saying she did not dare delay the Ninth Princess and would go prepare dinner right away.

Ming Tan turned her head and glanced at the sky outside. Estimating that it had only just passed the shen hour, she was about to tell Noble Lady Jing there was no need to hurry when a head suddenly poked out from the inner hall and asked timidly, “Mother Consort, do we have a guest?”

“Yes, Xuan’er. Hurry and come out to greet the Ninth Princess,” Noble Lady Jing quickly stood and said urgently.

Ming Tan was very interested in this seventh imperial sister she had never met before. She looked up and was just about to greet her first, but was immediately stunned on the spot by the other girl’s face.

There was no other reason. It was just that this girl, Ming Xuan… was truly far too beautiful.

Her brows were like painted emerald, her skin like white snow, and she held a bright red peony in her hand. She was like an immortal maiden who had just walked out of a painting, currently tilting her head with some curiosity as she looked at Ming Tan.

If Ming Tan had to describe just how beautiful the other girl was, she could only say—she could almost stand equal with Lin Shurong.

Why almost?

Because Lin Shurong had the bonus of bearing and temperament, so she was still just a bit prettier than Ming Xuan.

“Greetings, Ninth Imperial Sister.”

The fairy smiled shyly and dipped into a small curtsy, frightening Ming Tan into quickly jumping up to return the courtesy. “Seventh Imperial Sister is too polite.”

Seeing that Ming Tan was not angry and even seemed to find Ming Xuan pleasing to the eye, Noble Lady Jing finally relaxed. While instructing her daughter to chat properly with the Ninth Princess, she casually picked up a cloak, took a palace maid with her, and quickly left Ruilan Pavilion.

“I heard that Ninth Imperial Sister was specially permitted by Father Emperor to enter the Upper Study?”

Although Ming Xuan was a little shy, she was clearly a girl with very strong curiosity. Even though she was still afraid of strangers, she still insisted on chatting with Ming Tan. “What kind of place is it? Is the teacher strict? What do you all have to study?”

Ming Tan answered honestly one by one. “It’s a big hall. The teacher is quite strict. We study the Four Books and Five Classics.”

Perhaps because her answer was far too boring, Ming Xuan’s eyes instantly filled with disappointment, and she drooped in dejection. “Oh… Then it seems very different from what I saw in books.”

Hearing the other girl mention “books,” Ming Tan instantly remembered what Noble Lady Jing had said to Noble Concubine Song not long ago: that “the Seventh Princess had not thought of tea or rice and only wanted to see whether the flower was the same as in the book.” She could not help laughing inwardly.

She was so beautiful and also a bookworm. She really was quite like Lin Shurong.

Thinking of her own study companion, Ming Tan’s gaze could not help softening by two degrees. She smiled faintly and took the initiative to chat with Ming Xuan. “Is Noble Lady Jing’s cooking very good?”

“The dishes Mother Consort makes are much tastier than the imperial kitchen’s.” Ming Xuan nodded seriously. “Since she left so early, Ninth Imperial Sister is definitely very lucky tonight!”

Sigh, what a good child. So innocent and cute, completely different from that great demon king Lin Shurong, who hid knives, spears, and gunpowder behind her smile.

While sighing in her heart, Ming Tan took the initiative to bring up topics, and she and Ming Xuan chatted happily, making the atmosphere flourish with warmth.

It lasted until Noble Lady Jing and her palace maid returned carrying several food boxes. Seeing the two of them getting along so harmoniously, Noble Lady Jing finally relaxed completely.

“Thank you for waiting so long, Ninth Princess.” She removed her cloak and smiled. “A-Yan, set the meal. Do not let the dishes grow cold.”

The palace maid answered, then swiftly opened the food boxes together with Jinkui and placed the dishes inside onto the table.

There was one dish of hibiscus chicken slices, one dish of Wensi tofu, one dish of steamed perch, and two bowls of steamed sweet milk custard. For one adult and two children, these dishes were already enough.

“Noble Lady Jing’s cooking is truly excellent!” Ming Tan sighed as she sat down. “Just smelling it is already this fragrant. When I eat it later, it must surely be a delicacy of the mortal world!”

“What virtue or ability does this concubine possess to receive such praise from the princess?”

Noble Lady Jing smiled shyly and personally pushed the steamed sweet milk custard in front of the two girls. She said gently, “Ninth Princess, Xuan’er, hurry and eat.”

Ming Xuan bit her chopsticks and wrinkled her face. “Mother Consort didn’t make dessert for herself again…”

“Your Lady Ying’s palace just opened a small kitchen. Mother Consort was already embarrassed to borrow it. How could I use more of their ingredients?” Noble Lady Jing sighed and coaxed her, “All right, Xuan’er, don’t let your thoughts run wild. Hurry and eat.”

Only then did Ming Xuan flatten her mouth and scoop a spoonful of smooth steamed sweet milk custard into her mouth.

“…”

Ming Tan picked up a chopstickful of hibiscus chicken slices and thoughtfully looked outside the window.

So Noble Lady Jing had gone to borrow Yaohua Pavilion’s small kitchen?

Unexpectedly, these two Noble Ladies, quietly living in a corner of the imperial palace, actually had such a good private relationship.

…

After dinner, the sun had not yet completely set.

Noble Lady Jing kept her posture very humble and personally escorted Ming Tan to the door. Ming Xuan stood beside her mother consort and smiled at Ming Tan, sweet and soft, her voice gentle as she invited her ninth imperial sister to come play with her again next time.

Ming Tan also gave the two of them full face. She was polite and courteous as she led Jinkui in saluting and taking her leave.

Ruilan Pavilion was far, but fortunately, the sky was still bright at this time, and the road was easy to walk, so there was no need to hurry back too urgently.

Perhaps because the food had truly been delicious, Ming Tan had eaten this meal in unusually high spirits. Lazily, she tilted her head up. Her gaze moved all the way down from the golden-red evening clouds on the horizon and landed on the deep red palace walls blocking the distant skyline. But her steps suddenly stopped.

She widened her eyes and stared at the figure standing gracefully not far away, draped in sunset light. Her mouth fell open in disbelief.

“Lin—Lin Shurong?!” Ming Tan cried out in shock. “Why are you here?”

The young girl whose name had been called lifted her eyes and coolly swept her gaze over the astonished Ming Tan. Right in front of her, she bent her arms, overlapped her fingertips, and hid both hands inside her sleeves.

Lin Shurong gave a light humph and dragged out her voice. “This subject’s daughter specially rushed into the palace to bring Your Highness the changchu ice shavings I mentioned before… However, looking at things now, it seems I have come at the worst possible time. May Your Highness please not blame me.”

Ming Tan: “…”

Cold eyes, hands tucked into sleeves, speaking with strange sarcasm—

Well then. Based on her understanding of her study companion, Lin Shurong was definitely angry.