Chapter 249

Chapter 249: Petty Spite

The corner of Sheng Zhi Wan’s lips lifted.

Just yesterday, Sheng Zhi Wan had thought Meng Yang’s status would make it hard for Meng Yang to come out and walk around. Yet today, Sheng Zhi Wan saw Meng Yang in the Prince Huai Residence.

If this had not been arranged by the Prince Huai Residence, Sheng Zhi Wan did not believe it.

The only question was whether the Princess Consort had done this purely to stand up for Ming Jia and make Sheng Zhi Wan look bad, or whether there was some other motive.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s steps only paused for an instant before she continued forward as if nothing had happened.

Today, Sheng Zhi Wan wore a moon-pale brocade dress woven with gold threads and peonies. The peony petals at the hem layered thickly, and pearls dotted the flower hearts. Under the sunlight, it glittered as she walked.

With black hair and snow-white skin, her noble air seemed natural.

Such a dazzling outfit would have overwhelmed most people. On her, it only barely counted as an ornament.

Many gazes turned toward her.

Qi Fei Rui, who had been laughing with others, saw Sheng Zhi Wan and froze for a moment, about to bow.

Sheng Zhi Wan had already shifted her gaze away and headed straight for the main hall.

With her status, she did not need to take the initiative to chat with these young noble ladies.

If the Princess Consort wanted to use Meng Yang to make her lose face, that only worked if Sheng Zhi Wan cared. Sheng Zhi Wan did not care at all, and she could not even be bothered to spare Meng Yang a glance.

Standing there, Meng Yang suddenly felt as if she had returned to the day she entered the Duke Residence.

Sheng Zhi Wan had been high above, breathtakingly elegant. Meng Yang had been nothing but a speck of mud, too insignificant to notice.

Meng Yang clenched her teeth and bit hard on her lower lip.

Meng Yang wanted to step forward, but the moment Meng Yang moved, Qi Fei Rui grabbed her tightly.

From afar in the main hall, the Princess Consort of Prince Huai saw the scene and could not help reaching out to tap her daughter’s head. “You’re being ridiculous. You even invited a bedchamber maid into the prince’s residence.”

In front of her consort mother, Ming Jia’s dark expression eased slightly. Ming Jia held her mother’s arm and said, “Hmph. I just can’t stand Sheng Zhi Wan’s fake, smug act. So what if she’s a princess? In the end, she couldn’t even beat a bedchamber maid. Her man got stolen. If it weren’t for her, Daughter wouldn’t have…”

Ming Jia did not continue.

The Princess Consort’s heart ached with pity. If it had not been like this, the Princess Consort would not have let Ming Jia act so recklessly.

Fine. Ming Jia carried resentment, and if Ming Jia wanted to vent, then let Ming Jia vent. With Qing Ning’s temperament, Qing Ning likely would not hold a grudge over such a small matter.

Once the Princess Consort thought that way, she stopped worrying.

In Sheng Zhi Wan’s previous life, it really had been like that.

Sheng Zhi Wan remembered the night the Princess Consort kept watch over her. Sheng Zhi Wan also carried a secret she had never told anyone – that night, she had truly treated the Princess Consort as her own mother.

Sheng Zhi Wan had never felt a mother’s love before.

The Princess Consort had given her that feeling. Even though it lasted only one night, the young Sheng Zhi Wan replayed it again and again through countless future nights.

Yet in her previous life, aside from Qi Shu Xian, it was this very woman – the one Sheng Zhi Wan once called Mother in her heart – who hurt Sheng Zhi Wan the deepest.

Even Sheng Zhi Wan’s last bit of pride had been crushed into the dirt, inch by inch.

Thinking of those memories, Sheng Zhi Wan lowered her eyes.

When Sheng Zhi Wan lifted them again, there was not a trace of emotion left on her face.

She entered the main hall.

The Princess Consort gave her a small nod. The Princess Consort had assumed that with Sheng Zhi Wan’s former closeness, Sheng Zhi Wan would certainly bow first.

Unexpectedly, Sheng Zhi Wan only nodded back once and sat down in the nearby seat.

For a moment, shock flickered through the Princess Consort’s eyes.

Ming Jia suddenly stood up. “Sheng Zhi Wan, what do you mean? Didn’t you see my Consort Mother here? You sat down without even bowing! Where are your manners?”

Sheng Zhi Wan replied calmly, “You called me by my name. Where are Commandery Princess Ming Jia’s manners?”

Ming Jia bit her lip, still wanting to argue.

The Princess Consort patted Ming Jia’s hand. “Enough. Since when would a princess bow to me? In the past, Princess was filial and kind. If Princess does not bow now, that is only proper.”

Those words implied that Sheng Zhi Wan was no longer filial and kind.

Sheng Zhi Wan pretended she did not understand and simply nodded. “Princess Consort was right.”

The Princess Consort’s smile stiffened again.

The Princess Consort forced herself to chat with Sheng Zhi Wan for a short while, then claimed she was not feeling well and told Sheng Zhi Wan to go join the young noble ladies for the lively part.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “What a coincidence. I also didn’t feel well. If the nanny who delivered the message hadn’t said that Princess Consort was ill and still insisted on seeing me, I would not have dragged my sick body here to visit Princess Consort.”

Dragged her sick body? To visit her?

Even if the Princess Consort had been slow, she could now sense Sheng Zhi Wan’s coldness.

Sheng Zhi Wan looked calm and radiant, like a peach blossom in spring. Where did she look sick at all? The Princess Consort could not help feeling a bit aggrieved.

In the past, Sheng Zhi Wan had never been this petty. Ming Jia felt upset, so what if Ming Jia vented a little? It was not as if it had not happened before.

But the Princess Consort’s silent complaint meant nothing to Sheng Zhi Wan now.

Sheng Zhi Wan stood up. “If Princess Consort is unwell, then this Spring Flower Banquet should not be held at all. From what I can see, the flowers in the Prince Huai Residence are withered. There’s no scenery worth calling a Spring Flower Banquet.”

After saying that, Sheng Zhi Wan rose to take her leave.

Ming Jia’s expression turned gloomy, yet for once, Ming Jia did not shout.

It seemed leaving the residence would not be that easy.

Sheng Zhi Wan wondered what trap Ming Jia had arranged on the way out. Very soon, Sheng Zhi Wan found out.

On the way in, there had been a pavilion in the outer courtyard that they had to pass. Now, someone stood there.

An Zhi spoke softly, “Princess, that looks like Meng Yang?”

Liu Shang noticed too and immediately became alert.

Sheng Zhi Wan smiled. Sheng Zhi Wan had already guessed what Ming Jia wanted Meng Yang to do.

Fall into the water?

It really was a coincidence. In Sheng Zhi Wan’s previous life, the Princess Consort’s attitude toward Meng Yang had seemed to change drastically after Meng Yang fell into the water once.

Did Meng Yang have something on her body?

Could it be…?

A possibility flashed through Sheng Zhi Wan’s mind, and her heart jumped.

If that was true, then Ming Jia was truly lifting a rock only to smash her own foot.