Chapter 242 Rotting Grass Turns to Fireflies (2)

"Today is the Spring Festival banquet. As for such inauspicious events, this subordinate should not mention them. Some of the harem ladies are timid and not suited for it," Zhong Li politely refused.

"Is that so?" Xie Yunxi sneered.

As Zhong Li was about to sit down, her body stiffened upon hearing the opposite party speak.

"Or rather, these cases were not all solved by Zhong Si Cheng alone?" Xie Yunxi retorted.

"Wang..." Hua Yao, upon hearing this, was about to stand up when Zhong Li stopped her, asking, "What does Wangfei mean?"

Xie Yunxi snorted coldly, "What could this Wangfei possibly mean? As everyone knows, a year ago Zhong Si Cheng was merely a disreputable lass from An Ding County. I don't know how she got involved with my son, Mo Cang. Since then, not only has she risen rapidly, but she has even gained the reputation of a goddess detective everywhere. This Wangfei merely wants to ask, how much of the official position Zhong Si Cheng holds is based on merit?"

Zhong Li looked at Xie Yunxi like this. She now knew that Xie Yunxi was waiting to pick a fight with her.

"Xian Wangfei..."

"Doesn't what Xian Wangfei said mean she's slapping her own face?" Just as Zhong Li was about to retort to Xie Yunxi, another voice chimed in.

All eyes followed the sound, and they saw a woman dressed in lotus-colored brocade, sitting next to Shen Nong, smiling at Xie Yunxi.

Hua Yao gently tugged Zhong Li's arm and said, "That is Empress Nangong, the Emperor's new favorite in recent years."

Xie Yunxi looked at Nangong Xiao Die and asked, "What does Niang Niang mean by that?"

"What do I mean?" Nangong Xiao Die slightly raised her eyebrows, with an expression as if looking at an idiot, she said, "Don't you know what your Xie family did in Jinzhou? If it were truly the Heir apparent stirring up trouble behind the scenes, it would be speaking highly of the Heir apparent's righteousness to expose his own family. To put it bluntly, with the way his mother died, and for him to specifically go to Jinzhou to destroy the Xie family, how would he face his mother in the afterlife?

So, in my opinion, the cases in Jinzhou and Yongcheng were handled by Zhong Si Cheng, and Zhong Si Cheng is truly deserving of her title. Besides, it's so hard for women to admit that others are good?"

"You! Empress Nangong, what you're saying..."

"Enough!" Xie Yunxi, having been choked by these words, was so angry her face turned pale. She put her hands on her hips and was about to retort when Empress Shen Nong frowned and stopped her.

Xie Yunxi, upon hearing this, was still about to say something. Zi Chu behind her tugged at her clothes. She looked up at Shen Nong's warning gaze, puffed out her cheeks, and fell silent.

"It is said that where there are many women, there is much gossip. At first, this Empress did not believe it, but now, seeing it, it is indeed true." Shen Nong gave Xie Yunxi a sharp glance and stood up, saying:

"Today is the Spring Festival banquet. This Empress does not like you all being so noisy. Also, after only a few days apart, how have you become so plump? If you have nothing to do, go admire the flowers and stroll, cultivate your character!"

With that, Shen Nong stood up and walked towards the garden.

Hua Yao made a face at Xie Yunxi and, pulling Zhong Li, also got up.

Zhong Li looked back at Nangong Xiao Die, then at Xie Yunxi following Shen Nong. If Shen Nong hadn't reminded her, she really wouldn't have noticed how much fatter Xie Yunxi had become since their last meeting.

In the Imperial Garden, tender buds grew abundantly, and blooming flower buds appeared one after another like bamboo shoots after rain, catching the eye.

Zhong Li sat in a relatively quiet spot by the water pavilion, watching Hua Yao skipping stones in the lake not far away. Occasionally, officials' families passed by, and she would smile and cup her hands in greeting.

"Oh, Sister, have you changed your attending palace maids again?" a voice sounded from above.

Zhong Li looked up. It turned out to be Nangong Xiao Die in the pavilion diagonally above, talking with Consort Rong.

Her willow-like eyebrows furrowed. She had no interest in the intrigues of the harem and was about to leave when Nangong Xiao Die's next words made her sit back down on the original stone.

"How long do you plan to keep this little maid alive this time? Half a month, or a few days?"

Consort Rong cast a sidelong glance at Nangong Xiao Die and sneered, "Nangong Xiao Die, don't forget your status. Everyone calls you Empress Nangong because you are currently the Emperor's new favorite, someone not to be offended. If we were to talk about rank, you are merely a consort."

"You!" Nangong Xiao Die was stunned and glared at Consort Rong.

Consort Rong was too lazy to bother with her. She glanced at the palace maid following behind her, turned, and walked out of the pavilion.

Nangong Xiao Die watched Consort Rong's retreating back like this. When the little palace maid she had teased earlier walked past her, anxiously trying to catch up with Consort Rong's steps, she grabbed the little palace maid's arm and said, "What is your name?"

The little palace maid was startled and said timidly, "Replying to Niang Niang, this servant's name is Lian Nu."

"Lian Nu, I advise you to quickly ask your aunt to change your posting if you want to live. Otherwise, at best, you'll lose an arm or a leg, and at worst, you'll appear in a mass grave before long!"

"Ah!" Nangong Xiao Die's words made Lian Nu's legs go weak, and she almost knelt on the ground.

Seeing her like this, Nangong Xiao Die chuckled, "How silly, scared by just a few words."

With that, she released Lian Nu's arm and also quickly left the pavilion.

As the flower-viewing time was long, soon many palace maids carrying trays appeared in the Imperial Garden, placing the glazed cups from the trays on the tables of each family member.

Shen Nong said upon seeing this, "This is the Hundred Flower Brew that the Emperor specially brought from Yongcheng this time. Ladies, you can all try it."

Hearing this, Zhong Li called Hua Yao, who was happily skipping stones, to their seats to have a taste of the sweet wine.

Although the journey from Yongcheng to Jin City was long, this Hundred Flower Brew was as sweet and fragrant as the one Zhong Li had drunk in Yongcheng.

"Here, this is for you." Zhong Li drank the clear wine in her hand and casually took out a small pouch, handing it to Hua Yao.

"What is this?" Hua Yao put down her wine cup, took the small pouch, looked at it first, and finding nothing remarkable, brought it to her nose to sniff. When she smelled a faint herbal scent, she couldn't help but ask.

"It contains mugwort and my homemade chrysanthemum ester, which are very effective for repelling insects. This Hundred Flower Brew is sweet and fragrant, and after the alcohol is expelled through bodily fluids, it easily attracts mosquitoes and insects. Hang this on your waist to prevent those little things from bothering you," Zhong Li said, and also took out a small medicine pouch to hang on herself.

"So that's how it is." Hua Yao hung it on her waist upon hearing this and said, "Lian Er is really thoughtful."

After finishing, Hua Yao once again linked Zhong Li's arm and pulled her towards the water pavilion walkway, saying, "Lian Er, you don't know, I skipped eight stones just now, and my hand is feeling hot. Let's see if I can break ten."

"Really? Then I'll try too." Zhong Li smiled and picked up a stone from the ground, intending to play a round with Hua Yao.

As soon as the stone in her hand was thrown, before she could clearly see how many skips it made, panicked screams from not far away made Zhong Li and Hua Yao completely lose their desire to play.

"Ah... Help... Xian Wangfei, Xian Wangfei is on fire."

"Quick, someone, come and put out the fire!!"