Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow; this meant they acknowledged her identity!
Shen Lixue didn't want to stay in this heartless home for even a moment longer. However, since Lei Shi and Shen Yingxue had gone to great lengths to prevent her from entering the mansion, it meant that becoming the daughter of the Prime Minister would not benefit them. Shen Lixue was happy to do something that would cause trouble for her enemies, so she reluctantly decided to stay for a while.
"I'm a little tired!" Shen Lixue closed her eyes, looking unwilling to say more: dealing with Lei Shi and Shen Yingxue requires a long-term plan, not something to be rushed.
"Li Xue is tired, go rest in the bamboo garden!" Lei Shi smiled warmly, gentle and virtuous. "The bamboo garden is quiet and secluded, it's perfect for you!"
"Madam, please have a few old nannies properly teach the servants manners and etiquette. I can ignore their mockery of me, but if one day they make a careless remark about a noble person, our Prime Minister's residence will be utterly disgraced!" With that, Shen Lixue floated out of the living room.
The servants mocked Shen Lixue to flatter Lei Shi. If they were severely punished, wouldn't that show that they shouldn't be good to Lei Shi? But if they weren't punished, it would confirm that Lei Shi was lax in managing the household: "Those who just mocked Lixue, all of you go to the punishment room and receive twenty strokes of the cane!"
Watching Shen Lixue's retreating figure, Shen Yingxue's beautiful eyes blazed with anger: by retreating in order to advance, she not only punished the servants but also dealt a heavy blow to herself and her mother. Shen Lixue, you're ruthless!
Bamboo Garden is located in a relatively secluded part of the Prime Minister's residence. It is very quiet, with a large area of black bamboo planted behind the house. When the breeze blows, the fragrance of bamboo spreads, making people feel relaxed and happy.
After days of travel and the recent contest, Shen Lixue was quite tired. She took a fragrant petal bath and was about to go to bed to rest when she stepped out from behind the screen. She saw Nangong Xiao, dressed in brocade robes, sitting at the table, leisurely sipping tea with a languid expression. Suppressing her anger, she said, "Young Master Nangong, when you return to the capital, don't you need to report to the Emperor?"
Nangong Xiao treated the inner room of the bamboo garden as his own room, and he could come and go as he pleased!
"The beast infestation in Qingzhou has been quelled. It makes no difference whether you report back sooner or later!" Nangong Xiao put down his teacup, his charming eyes full of mockery: "Shen Lixue, aren't you curious why Shen Yingxue harbors such deep hostility towards you?"
005 Zheng Nangong Xiao
"Do you know why?" Shen Lixue poured herself a cup of tea and asked casually.
“There is a difference between legitimate and illegitimate children. You are the daughter of the first wife, Lin Qingzhu. As soon as you appear in public, Lady Lei will go from being the high and mighty wife of the Prime Minister to a second wife that noble ladies will look down upon. Shen Yingxue will also go from being the darling daughter of the Prime Minister’s family to the daughter of a second wife. Her status and position will be vastly different from before…”
Nangong Xiao slowly swirled the celadon teacup: "Most importantly, Shen Yingxue likes Prince An. Before you appeared, everyone, including Shen Yingxue herself, believed that she would be the future Princess Consort of Prince An!"
Shen Lixue immediately understood. No wonder the servants looked at her so strangely when she entered the mansion. No wonder Lei Shi was plotting against her openly and secretly. No wonder Shen Minghui's eyes showed more surprise than joy when he saw her.
She was the one engaged to Prince An, but she disappeared, and Shen Yingxue was allowed to marry in her place. Now that she has returned safely, she no longer needs Shen Yingxue. Shen Minghui's years of hard work have gone to waste, and Shen Yingxue's beautiful dream has been shattered. Of course, she will hate herself.
"I'm not interested in that Prince An..." Shen Lixue said calmly.
“But your status is what it is. As long as you live, Shen Yingxue can never become the Princess Consort.” Nangong Xiao pointed out the key point, and then said with a half-smile, “Besides, Prince An is the most handsome man, the famous Azure Flame War God. Countless noble ladies want to marry him. Aren’t you even a little bit tempted?”
"I'm not a lovesick fool!" Shen Lixue said calmly.
Nangong Xiao's eyes flashed, and his gaze toward Shen Lixue changed slightly.
"If Shen Yingxue wants to become the Princess Consort, the best way is to win over Prince An's heart, instead of pestering me. As long as Prince An is willing, what difference does it make whether she is the eldest daughter or the second daughter? It's a shame that Shen Yingxue is the most beautiful woman in the capital. Does she only have beauty and no brains?" Shen Lixue said disdainfully.
"Cough cough cough!" Nangong Xiao coughed a few times unnaturally. Was Shen Lixue encouraging her sister to seduce her fiancé?
"Shen Lixue, what happened to your neck...?"
The weather in early spring was still chilly despite the change in temperature. While traveling, Shen Lixue wore a high-necked garment to cover her neck. The inner room of the bamboo garden was warm, and Shen Lixue had just finished bathing and changed into a medium-necked silk robe, revealing her snow-white neck. On her delicate skin, a deep brown mark from a binding was shocking.
Shen Lixue touched her neck but didn't say anything.
The original Shen Lixue was strangled to death by Mu Zhengnan. The strangulation marks were very deep and had not faded much even after half a month. After Shen Lixue transmigrated, she went to the city to find him and discovered that Mu Zhengnan had already left Qingzhou and did not know where he had gone. Shen Lixue did not know Nangong Xiao and did not want him to know too much about her.
"You only like watching plays, there's no point in telling you this!" Shen Lixue vaguely brushed off Nangong Xiao, picked up a piece of plum blossom cake, and was about to put it in her mouth when Nangong Xiao reached out and snatched it away.
Shen Lixue was displeased and looked coldly at Nangong Xiao: "What does the young master mean by this?"
"Let's eat plum blossom cake!" Nangong Xiao said with a grin.
Why did you have to snatch her food when there was so much on the plate? Shen Lixue's gaze was unfriendly.
Seeing her like this, Nangong Xiao actually felt a little happy. He'd known Shen Lixue for so long, and she always had this indifferent and cold demeanor, seemingly unconcerned about anything, which was quite detestable. Now he was going to snatch her plum blossom cake; let's see what she can do about it!
Shen Lixue glared at Nangong Xiao, then picked up the plum blossom cake, which was also snatched away by Nangong Xiao.
This time, Shen Lixue did not get angry. Instead, she smiled strangely and said, "Young Master, does this plum blossom cake have a slightly tender meaty taste amidst its sweetness?"
Nangong Xiao savored it carefully, noticing a faint hint of meatiness amidst the sweetness: "How did you know?" Shen Lixue probably hadn't even tasted the plum blossom cake yet.
"Because I saw half a worm on the plum blossom cake..."
What? A bug? Nangong Xiao looked down and saw half a plump, green bug conspicuously placed on the soft, golden-yellow pastry...
"Why didn't you say so sooner?" Nangong Xiao's face was so black it was almost dripping ink: there was half a worm on half a plum blossom cake, so he must have eaten the other half of the plum blossom cake and the worm.
"I wanted to give you a heads-up, but the young master acted too quickly..." Shen Lixue's eyes were clear and innocent, as innocent as could be.
The thought of that half-eaten, green, fat worm, which he had swallowed, sent a jolt through Nangong Xiao's chest. He quickly ran to the side and began to retch, clutching his chest.
Shen Lixue suppressed a laugh and quietly opened her hand. In her palm, the other half of a green worm appeared. Who told Nangong Xiao to barge into her room and steal her things? This half of the fat worm was a lesson for him...
Just then, a maid came in and announced, "Miss Lixue, Granny Wan has brought a maid!"
"Really? Let's go out and take a look!" Seeing that Nangong Xiao looked like he was about to vomit for a while, Shen Lixue decided to go and choose a maid first, and then deal with Nangong Xiao later.
Granny Wan was around forty years old. Her hair was neatly combed, her face was fair, and her eyes were gloomy. It was clear at a glance that she was a shrewd person who was not easy to get along with.
Upon seeing Shen Lixue, Granny Wan curtsied slightly, her lowered eyelids concealing the deep disdain that flickered in her eyes. She pointed to the large pile of things on the ground: "Young Miss, the brocade quilt, tea set, porcelain and many other items are all here. Please take a look. There is also one first-class maid, three second-class maids, and five third-class maids..." Her casual tone carried a hint of arrogance and perfunctory attitude.
"Wait!" Shen Lixue raised her eyes, her gaze clear and bright. "Granny Wan, is the Second Miss also given this kind of allowance?"
"The Second Miss is born to the Prime Minister's wife, and is a legitimate daughter, so her status is naturally different!" Granny Wan's gaze was calm, and her face was serious. Although she was explaining, every word she spoke revealed disdain and severity, just like a governess scolding a student of low status.
In other words, this is the allowance for a concubine's daughter.
According to Nangong Xiao, her appearance seriously threatened the positions of the Prime Minister's wife and Shen Yingxue, so it was impossible for them to acknowledge her so easily. Thinking of what Nangong Xiao said about the difference between legitimate and illegitimate children, Shen Lixue became more cautious. She didn't expect that the Prime Minister's wife would actually try to manipulate her identity.
"Is this Madam's wish?" Shen Lixue smiled gently, her warmth like spring.