Caught red-handed, Feng Yinwan felt so embarrassed she wanted to crawl into a hole.
Just now, the little white lotus had spouted so much nonsense that Feng Yinwan, unable to stand it, was about to throw a stone at her when she slipped and fell…
Secretly rubbing her backside, she put on a calm expression and got up.
“Uh, this consort… this consort was flying kites with Yuping in the back garden. A sudden strong gust of wind blew up from nowhere, snapping the string. This consort is currently looking for the kite…”
To prove her words, she immediately began searching in a convincing manner.
Ye Tinglan frowned upon hearing this.
He suspiciously raised his eyes, meeting the clear, cloudless sky above, and immediately sneered coldly.
“With such a breeze, it would be hard for even a kite to fly, yet it snapped? What inferior goods were you using.”
Feng Yinwan, who had already crept to the edge of the courtyard gate: …
For a moment, she didn't know what to say.
Before she could utter a word, Qin Rulian, who had heard the commotion from inside, hobbled out. Her eyes immediately flashed with malice upon seeing Feng Yinwan.
Ye Tinglan quickly stepped forward to support her. Qin Rulian, feigning ignorance, spoke.
“Tinglan Gege, who are you talking to?”
Recalling her earlier words, Ye Tinglan’s expression subtly shifted. Before he could speak, he was cut off.
“Miss Qin truly has sharp ears, to be able to hear the Prince speaking with this Princess Consort from inside the room.”
Feng Yinwan lightly patted her clothes, a slight curve on her red lips.
Qin Rulian seemed to notice her only then, leaning on Ye Tinglan’s arm as she “strained” to straighten up.
“So it’s the Princess Consort. I didn’t know sister was here, and failed to come out to greet you. It is my fault.”
Before the little white lotus finished speaking, her body trembled, and she fluttered like a willow catkin into Ye Tinglan’s embrace, causing Feng Yinwan to roll her eyes repeatedly.
Truly, she was a master of drama!
Ye Tinglan frowned. “Your knee is injured, and it's already difficult for you to move. You don't need to come out to greet her.”
“That wouldn’t be proper. The Princess Consort is of noble status, how could Rulian…”
“How could she not pay respects?”
Feng Yinwan’s lips curved into a gentle smile, her gaze fixed on Qin Rulian.
“Miss Qin is learned and well-behaved, and has never been one to be overly sentimental. Having the honor of being personally taught by Her Majesty the Empress, her etiquette is impeccable and she is a model noble lady. If she does not pay respects, would it not break Miss Qin’s rules?”
She watched intently, but Ye Tinglan frowned.
“What is all this? Etiquette is important, but one must also consider one’s health. Rulian is so injured, what more do you want from her!”
“Tinglan Gege, Princess Consort’s words are reasonable. Rulian’s injuries are merely superficial and do not impede me.”
While the little white lotus said this, she subtly bent her knees a little further. The two conspicuous bloodstains on her pale pink skirt were revealed, causing Ye Tinglan’s gaze to darken further.
“Absolutely not! I have said it before, your health is paramount. You do not need to rise to pay respects.”
Qin Rulian was inwardly ecstatic, but outwardly feigned hesitation. “Then Princess Consort sister…”
Ye Tinglan frowned. “Why bother with her? She is a living person with sound limbs. It's not as if she will die if you don't receive her respects.”
Feng Yinwan: What the hell are you barking about? I’m still here!
Just as she was cursing him silently, she saw the little white lotus look at her with a soft, weak expression.
“Princess Consort sister, please don’t be angry. Tinglan Gege speaks like this because he is worried about my health, not because he intentionally looks down on sister. Sister, please do not misunderstand.”
As she spoke, the triumph in her eyes was almost overflowing. Feng Yinwan raised an eyebrow.
Playing this game with her?
She cast a casual glance, and immediately smiled.
“Whether one is looked down upon or not, I do not particularly mind. If Miss Qin does not wish to pay respects, this Princess Consort will naturally not force her. There are many servants in the manor who can pay respects, so you are not indispensable.”
Hearing herself being equated with a servant, Qin Rulian’s face turned unsightly again.
Feng Yinwan ignored her expression and continued.
“During the grand ceremony yesterday, this Princess Consort observed the graceful demeanor of Consort Rong from afar. Even the palace maids beside her were exceedingly proper. It is evident that she is a person who values propriety and law.”
Having said that, she turned her gaze back to the little white lotus. “Miss Qin, do not overthink it. This Princess Consort is merely making a casual remark, I mean nothing else.”
Qin Rulian naturally understood what “nothing else” meant.
Yesterday she had been thoroughly humiliated, and Consort Rong was certainly displeased with her. If this wench were to add fuel to the fire…
Biting her lip in hatred, she stood up despite Ye Tinglan’s attempt to stop her.
“There is a distinction between high and low status. Rulian dare not presume to be arrogant. I pay my respects to Princess Consort sister.”
Having completed a full bow, the little white lotus’s lips trembled, and her face lost all color.
Feng Yinwan clicked her tongue, not forgetting to add a final blow.
“Miss Qin is truly self-disciplined and respectful. Rest assured, this Princess Consort will speak favorably of you to Consort Rong, and will also do her best to assist the Prince in finding a suitable match for you.”
Qin Rulian’s face turned purple with anger. She shot Feng Yinwan a furious glare, closed her eyes, and immediately feigned unconsciousness.
Feng Yinwan clicked her tongue. “Oh dear, Miss Qin has fainted. Your Highness, quickly go and fetch a doctor!”
Ye Tinglan’s sword-like eyebrows knitted together.
“Silence! Do you expect me to carry her to find a doctor!”
The command was on the tip of his tongue when he saw Feng Yinwan already walking out of the courtyard as if it were none of her business. His handsome face immediately darkened.
“Feng Yinwan, get back here!”
Feng Yinwan ignored him, her hearing effectively shut off.
Go back?
You must be dreaming!
…
The Xiu Chun Courtyard was in chaos for half the afternoon before finally quieting down. However, commotion erupted again from the storeroom.
Ye Tinglan’s expression, as he looked at the three thousand taels of silver spent according to the accounts, shifted from green to purple and then to black. Just as he was about to question Qi Xuan, he turned to find that the latter had vanished.
He had no choice but to slam the ledger in front of the storeroom manager. “What is going on!”
The manager trembled. “Guard Qi came to the storeroom this morning with a voucher to withdraw silver, saying that Your Highness had already approved it. This subordinate did not ask further…”
“Outrageous! How could receiving reports from the Imperial Study cost thirty thousand taels? Do you think I am so easily fooled!”
Hearing this, the manager shuddered violently. “Your Highness, you wrong me! If I had ten times the courage, I would not dare deceive you. This… this is clearly written in black and white!”
Trembling, he handed over the voucher. Ye Tinglan snatched it and glanced at it, his narrow eyes instantly narrowing.
“Report acquisition fee, sixteen thousand taels. Confidentiality fee for minor news, five thousand taels. Copyright buyout fee, eight thousand taels. Bribes and miscellaneous expenses, one thousand taels.”
He read each item, his voice growing colder, his complexion darkening. The manager trembled incessantly, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
“Guard Qi… Guard Qi said that if the reports were not suppressed and bought out, the Imperial Study would continue to print them. So… so…”
Before he could finish his explanation, the voucher was already crushed into pieces. Ye Tinglan gritted his teeth, filled with immense fury.
“Well done, ‘suppress and buyout’! Well done, Imperial Study!”
Feng Yinwan, secretly counting money in the Lan Qing Courtyard: Huh? What?