At this moment, she was already a princess, the kind of woman Wei Youtong envied the most.
But the woman opposite him seemed to ignore him completely, and even gave him a subtle warning during the greeting.
During their half-day chat, the other person's gaze hardly lingered on her for even a moment.
On the contrary, Consort Ling frequently gave him meaningful glances during the breaks, even conveying a sense of urging.
As a princess, Xu Shu could have questioned her for her disrespect, but at this moment she could only endure it. Even... she clenched her sleeves, hesitated several times before finally seizing an opportunity to give a wink to the accompanying servant, instructing her to bring the tray over, and said gently, "I have also prepared a gift. Although it is not as precious as the Empress Dowager's and the two imperial concubines', it was still carefully selected, as a congratulatory gift for your wedding."
Upon hearing this, You Tong's smile faded slightly.
She lightly raised her eyes and saw Xu Shu sitting demurely, her smile polite, but her eyes betrayed a hint of embarrassment.
It was an extremely complex expression, one that shouldn't have been on the face of a victorious and noble princess.
However, at this moment, Xu Shu's expression was indeed very subtle, as if she was trying her best to suppress her anger, yet she dared to show it.
You Tong did not reach out to take it, but simply raised her eyes slightly and looked indifferently at the person opposite her.
...
The so-called friendship of the past has long been shattered in the storm of the city, and You Tong has no good feelings towards Xu Shu.
The previous scores have not yet been settled, and now we meet on a narrow road, each with our own agenda. Let's see who can remain calm and collected.
In the end, it was Xu Shu who spoke first.
The Empress and the Imperial Concubine's previous gifts were Emperor Xiping's way of showing respect and courtesy to the Fu family. You Tong, mindful of Xue's situation in the capital, dared not refuse and respectfully bowed to express her gratitude.
Now that Xu Shu has interfered and is demanding a reward right away, does that mean she should kneel down to thank her for the favor?
Just because she obtained her status as a princess through scheming?
You Tong sneered inwardly.
Let alone the fact that Emperor Xiping needed something from the Fu family, and dared not speak out against the powerful and unruly Fu Yu and his son, he even tried to win them over with such enthusiasm. Even without that reason, given the grudges between her and Xu Shu, it was already rare for them to sit together calmly. Who would want such a condescending reward?
Xu Shuneng tried to suppress her by relying on her status as the Princess Consort of Rui, so why couldn't she take advantage of the Fu family's military power to bully others just once?
You Tong's eyes flashed with a hidden sharpness as he stared at Xu Shu without saying a word.
Xu Shu, dressed in the crown and palace attire of a princess, sat upright opposite You Tong, a somewhat stiff smile on her face, and looked at You Tong.
After a moment of silence, You Tong spoke with a half-smile.
“Princess Consort Rui, it’s been a long time. However—” Her tone was indifferent, and there was no smile in her eyes. She didn’t even look at the palace servant who brought the lacquer tray to her, and said, “There is no need for gifts between us.”
Xu Shu was taken aback. She never expected that You Tong, who had been so respectful and amiable just moments before, would single her out and embarrass her in public.
They wouldn't even offer a polite or humble response, directly forcing her to confront them head-on!
In an instant, it felt like a slap to the face, causing Xu Shu's expression to change slightly.
The two women were worlds apart in status. If it weren't for Xu Chaozong, why would she lower herself to actively recruit him? This Wei Youtong, in the palace, in front of the Empress and the Imperial Concubine, is she really planning to take advantage of their kindness and openly defy them? She's just the wife of a rough and uncouth military general, yet she doesn't care about the dignity of the royal family at all!
Xu Shu suppressed her anger, but dared not show it because of Consort Ling's presence. She simply clenched her fists tightly.
"Yes, the last time we met was in February, when we went to offer incense." She avoided the main point.
You Tong didn't respond, but instead looked at her with amusement.
Empress Sun, standing nearby, gave Consort Ling a reproachful look, her eyes darkening slightly.
Consort Ling's brow twitched slightly—before coming to Fengyang Palace, she had repeatedly instructed Xu Shu to be patient and handle the matter with a friendly attitude. Who would have thought that Xu Shu, who was so adept at social maneuvering and charming others, would cause the situation to stall at this moment?
Without any preamble or probing, she abruptly offered this reward—was she insane?
Consort Ling was secretly annoyed and was about to speak to defuse the situation when Consort Zhao spoke up in a cool tone.
"I heard that Princess Rui and the young mistress were very close friends before. They must be very happy to be reunited now."
These words are tantamount to piercing through the false facade of harmony.
Empress Sun's face darkened slightly, while Consort Zhao glanced at her indifferently and lazily took a sip of tea.
—It's better if things go wrong! Xu Shu stole her lover and stirred up trouble behind the scenes. Xu Chaozong and Consort Ling are no good either. Emperor Xiping summoned her to show his favor towards the Fu family. She couldn't disobey the emperor's will, but she also didn't want to benefit Prince Rui. Since this matter couldn't be resolved, Emperor Xiping could only rely on Prince Xiping. Then it would be Prince Ying's battlefield.
Consort Zhao could not obtain it.
Chapter 35 Clash
The atmosphere in Fengyang Palace suddenly became somewhat awkward after Consort Zhao's seemingly joking remark.
You Tong didn't want to offend Empress Sun, so she didn't rush to respond.
Since marrying into Prince Rui's mansion, Xu Shu had frequent interactions with Consort Zhao. How could she not understand the implication in her words? That one was clearly stirring up trouble, sowing discord, and enjoying the spectacle! Coincidentally, Empress Sun and Consort Ling did not blame Wei Youtong for her disobedient behavior, but instead cast reproachful glances at her.
And Wei Youtong is even more...
Several pairs of eyes turned to her at once, some blaming, some watching with amusement, some mocking, as if flames were scorching her face.
Xu Shu was instantly extremely embarrassed, her fingernails almost digging into her flesh through her sleeve. The fine brocade was soaked with sweat and crumpled. Her smile was somewhat awkward, but she knew that this was not the time to make a scene.
Even for the sake of Consort Ling's reputation, the situation must be handled amicably.
He could only force himself to remain calm and said, "I am indeed very happy. In fact, before I was married, You Tong helped me a lot. However, I was not thorough in my work when I was young, and some things were not explained clearly, which may have caused some misunderstandings. I am very worried about You Tong's marriage to Qizhou. I am afraid that she will not be used to the local customs and will suffer grievances."
Everyone present knew perfectly well what her relationship with You Tong was like.
But to gloss over the truth is often just blatant lying, a pretense of seeking superficial harmony.
These words were said insincerely; Xu Shu practically clenched her teeth as she spoke them.
Across from her, You Tong smiled with a hint of mockery, her gaze, though not particularly sharp, felt like a knife slicing across Xu Shu's face.
Xu Shu's meticulously painted face wore a stiff smile, her cheekbones almost flushed red, which even the finest cosmetics couldn't conceal. Without that dignified demeanor, the crimson gold headdress and jeweled ornaments on her head looked all the more ridiculous, like an actress dressed in her finest attire who had forgotten her singing and was trying to appear composed.
You Tong looked at her, a cold sneer rising in her eyes.
Can't you handle just a few words?
She was just stating the facts; there wasn't a single lie in her words.
Back then, when all sorts of rumors and slanders were thrown at Wei Youtong, who was only fourteen years old, the mocking, ridiculing, and gossiping gazes were a thousand times sharper than they are now!
The two exchanged words in silence, and Consort Ling, fearing that Consort Zhao would cause trouble again, quickly took over the conversation.
"How long do you plan to stay this time, Yoyo?"
You Tong withdrew her gaze, lowered her eyes to hide the sarcasm in them, and said calmly, "It's not decided yet, it depends on how my husband arranges it."
"It's rare for you to come back, so please stay a while longer." After all, Consort Ling had been fighting in the palace for many years and had experienced all kinds of scenes when vying for favor. She glanced at Xu Shu, who was full of embarrassment, and knew that the knot in her heart could not be easily untied. She helped to smooth things over, "It's rare that we are all old acquaintances. We were all busy with our own things before, but now that we have time during the holidays, we can take some time to get together and have a chat."
These old acquaintances include Xu Shusuan, Consort Ling, and Empress Sun.
You Tong couldn't very well offend Empress Sun, so he said ambiguously, "It's time to catch up."
Empress Sun, standing nearby, secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing it was best to avoid this matter. She changed the subject, saying, "Speaking of which, I've met Old Madam Fu over there twice. She often worships Buddha, and the Fu family is full of military officers. If they have the protection of gods and Buddhas, the women can feel more at ease. I have two religious items here, both blessed by high monks. I'll take them to Qizhou as a small token of my appreciation."
You Tong went along with it and said with a smile, "Then this humble woman thanks Your Majesty on behalf of my grandmother."
He then spoke as if nothing had happened, without exchanging another word with Xu Shu.
Xu Shu's embarrassment remained, and she almost twisted her sleeves to pieces. However, because her elders were present, she dared not lash out for the time being, and gritted her teeth inwardly.
...
After this matter was concluded, Empress Sun sent someone to escort You Tong out of Fengyang Palace.
Consort Ling then took Xu Shu back to her palace.
Upon arriving at the other side and dismissing her attendants, Consort Ling's smile vanished completely. After the palace doors closed, she frowned and said, "You are usually eloquent and tactful. What happened today? If it weren't for the Empress's intervention, things would have turned ugly. What did you promise me here earlier?"
Although the voice was not a rebuke, it carried a strong sense of reproach.
Xu Shu knew she had messed things up today, so she bowed and said, "Mother, please calm down. Wei Youtong's attitude was truly... unexpected."
As he spoke, a hint of annoyance flickered in his eyes.
Before going to Fengyang Palace, Consort Ling did indeed instruct her, saying that Xu Chaozong now needed the Fu family's help, and You Tong, as the young mistress of the Fu family, was the face of the Fu family. The Empress was even trying to win her over, so the two of them should not disappoint the Emperor's wishes. Xu Shu was to be patient and tactful, and to say some soft words when the time came. Even if they could not reconcile their differences, they should at least get along amicably.
For the sake of Xu Chaozong's future, even if he might receive some sharp words, he should endure it for the time being and support the Fu family.
Xu Shu agreed at the time, after all, over the years, she had been quite good at pleasing the elders and had also pretended to treat You Tong well.
Xu Shu knew very well what kind of person Wei Youtong was, how many tricks he had up his sleeve, and where his weaknesses and vulnerabilities lay.
—So easy to handle!
But when they actually met You Tong, everything turned out differently than expected.
Compared to the proud and innocent person she remembered, Wei Youtong seemed to have become a different person. Her expression, gaze, and behavior were all very different from before.
Even at the very beginning of their reunion, she was publicly intimidated. She had no way of knowing that Xu Shu's previous ability to appease You Tong stemmed from their similar social status; she knew that such subservient companionship might bring immense wealth. But now, times had changed. For a princess to easily curry favor with the empress and the imperial concubine was easy, but speaking softly to a commoner was far more difficult. Not to mention, that commoner was her defeated foe, with whom she harbored deep resentment.
Whenever Xu Shu thought about You Tong's deliberately ignored attitude, she felt as if she were being pricked by needles all over her body.
Unable to explain the missteps in Fengyang Palace, she could only tentatively say, "Actually, His Highness arranges things outside. The Fu family is brave in battle, and their actions are not necessarily influenced by women. Mother Consort is of such noble status, why must she act this way? Judging from Wei Youtong's attitude, those things may not be forgotten. If she doesn't appreciate it, we can only try to win her over, which will only damage Mother Consort's reputation in the end."
In front of her elders, she was always gentle and kind, speaking softly and behaving respectfully and obediently.
Knowing that Consort Ling often had discomfort in her shoulders, he even moved to her side and gently massaged her.
Consort Ling felt even more troubled upon hearing this.
She had felt something was amiss when the Xu family had previously smeared the Wei family and trampled Wei Youtong into the mud, intending to eliminate any future trouble. However, because Grand Tutor Xu was afraid his granddaughter would be branded as a traitor for stealing someone else's love, he insisted on taking preemptive action, so she let it go. Who would have thought that she would be harmed by it today?
But what's done is done, and regret is useless now.
Consort Ling lowered her voice and said, "Do you know how many benefits Consort Zhao gave to win over Prince Xiping? What we're doing now is less than one-tenth of what they did. Even if we try to win over Wei Youtong, the Fu family might not be willing to help. But if we neglect her too much and make her resentful, and Fu Yu feels that we're not giving him face, then we'll have to offer even more benefits in return. You know how powerful the pillow talk is."
"But we don't necessarily have to rely on the Fu family."
"Oh?" Consort Ling raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing her with interest. "Then tell me, who else could you turn to?"
Xu Shu was speechless.
Born into the Grand Tutor's mansion, she had never even touched a sword, so how would she know about military battles?
He said in a low voice, "The imperial court has so many soldiers and generals, surely someone can help Your Highness?"
"If you can find it, then I'll listen to you. If you can't—" Consort Ling paused, her expression turning slightly cold, "then you must listen to me and appease You Tong. At least we can't let her whisper in Fu Yu's ear and hold Chaozong back. It's all for Chaozong's good, so think it over carefully."
After saying this, he seemed tired, walked to the chaise lounge, lay down and closed his eyes to rest.