"Said wrong? What did I say wrong?"
Li Meng'er didn't quite grasp it at first.
Yun Shu closed the book.
Her good mood for reading today was ruined.
"Today, your three nephews came here to cause trouble and insult elders. It's only natural they were beaten. It's your three nephews who should be apologizing," Yun Shu explained to Li Meng'er with her remaining patience.
Li Meng'er had initially thought her aggressive stance would intimidate Yun Shu.
But now, seeing Yun Shu's clear, bright, beautiful eyes and her nonchalant words, she suddenly felt powerless.
It was as if no matter how many reasons she had, they all became invalid at this moment.
Even the words at the tip of her tongue, when she wanted to speak them, suddenly got stuck, and she found herself completely unable to articulate anything.
Her imposing demeanor instantly faltered by half.
"You!" Li Meng'er finally managed to squeeze out a single word.
However, as soon as the word left her lips, the rest of her words vanished, her mind going completely blank.
"It seems Your Highness was unaware of the full situation. Now that you know, I won't pursue this matter. As long as you go back and discipline them properly, teaching them not to speak nonsense to elders or slander them, this matter can be considered over," Yun Shu said, using their own logic of evasion against them.
Treating them with their own methods.
Letting them experience it themselves.
Li Meng'er felt as if her face had been slapped hard. She had a multitude of things she wanted to say, but for a moment, she couldn't speak.
She could only stare intently at Yun Shu.
"Princess Consort Ye is indeed sharp-tongued," Li Meng'er said bitterly after biting her lip for a long time.
Yun Shu raised an eyebrow, "Does Your Highness have any other matters?"
Li Meng'er was furious. Was she trying to drive her away?
This was her home!
Burning with anger, she let out a scornful laugh, "I heard Prince Ye didn't come with Princess Consort Ye. Could it be that Prince Ye abandoned Princess Consort Ye?"
The question was truly venomous.
But Li Meng'er felt a sense of relief saying it.
So what if she was the most beautiful woman in the world?
She still couldn't be with Prince Ye.
And she had to come here humbly, begging to see Prince Ye.
Hmph! Pretending to be so aloof!
Yun Shu's eyes instantly deepened like dark reefs, exuding an imperious, chilling light.
Li Meng'er was startled and took a sudden step back, "What are you doing? Why are you looking at me like that? I was just asking you."
In that moment, she felt as if her throat was being squeezed, making it difficult to breathe.
A sense of fear welled up from the depths of her heart.
A desperate urge to flee also arose simultaneously.
She immediately retreated a few steps, "I suddenly remembered some matters that need attending to. I will come back another day to have a good chat with Princess Consort Ye."
As soon as she finished speaking, she almost fled, pushing the door open and leaving.
Once outside, the cold wind brushed against her face.
Only then did she realize she had actually fled in a panic!
She had actually felt fear towards Yun Shu just now!
She really wanted to slap herself. What was there to fear from a woman without a husband?
When she returned somewhat dazed to Madam Li, Madam Li, seeing Li Meng'er's pale face, immediately stepped forward with concern and asked, "Meng'er, what's wrong?"
Hearing her mother's inquiry, Li Meng'er jolted back to reality and stomped her foot fiercely, "That Princess Consort Ye is truly strange! What makes her so arrogant!"
"What did she do to you? Doesn't she know you're a royal consort? How dare she be so bold!" Madam Li's eyes flashed with ferocity, and she spoke with hatred.
A consort of Dongning Kingdom, who was outwardly strong but inwardly had no real power, dared to be so insolent!
"She completely refused to admit fault for her three sons and even told us to apologize," Li Meng'er bit her lip.
The mere thought of Yun Shu's attitude earlier made her unsettled.
Why had she left just like that?
If she could have debated with Yun Shu, she would have surely made Yun Shu bring her children to apologize in the end.
Madam Li was utterly enraged upon hearing this, "Her audacity is truly immense! Fine, I'd like to see what kind of waves she can stir up in Xixia Kingdom! You are the Emperor's most favored consort right now, and she still dares to give you a cold shoulder."
"Mother, I don't want to stay in the palace," Li Meng'er's heart felt as if it were being pricked by needles at the mention of the Emperor's most favored consort.
She didn't want to be a royal consort, nor did she want to be favored.
She only wanted to return to the General's mansion.
Madam Li heard this, quickly glanced towards the door, and hurried to close it, pulling Li Meng'er's hand and asking with concern, "Meng'er, tell mother, is the Emperor treating you well? Have you suffered any grievances in the palace? Meng'er, your father is a great general, no one in the palace should dare to trouble you, even the Emperor must treat you with special regard. Tell mother if you have any grievances."
"I... no one has made me suffer grievances, it's just that I don't want to be in the palace. Mother, I... I don't like the Emperor, I don't want to serve the Emperor," Li Meng'er said with great grievance.
Madam Li immediately understood and anxiously advised, "Meng'er, mother knows you feel wronged, but things have come to this point, you must not be foolish any longer. Serve the Emperor well and become pregnant soon. As for His Highness Prince Jin... you should stop thinking about him."
"Mother, I am wronged. Why would Prince Jin not want me? Does he really like Yun Shu like that? Like... like a vixen? Do all men like vixens? How am I inferior to Yun Shu?" Li Meng'er's jealousy burned brighter as she spoke.
Her baseless hatred for Yun Shu also grew wildly.
Especially after Yun Shu had made her lose face just now.
She wanted to ruin Yun Shu!
Madam Li was terrified and quickly covered Li Meng'er's mouth, "Don't talk nonsense! If anyone hears these words and they get spread, it won't benefit you. Your father said you must be cautious with your words and actions, and absolutely do not act so willfully in front of the Emperor, do you understand?"
Li Meng'er's eyes reddened. In front of her mother, she no longer concealed her hatred, "I truly wish to ruin Yun Shu!"
"Don't worry, the grievances you suffered at her hands today, wait for your father and mother to settle the score for you. Don't trouble yourself with these matters," Madam Li could not stand to see her daughter suffer.
Thinking of how Yun Shu had made her daughter feel wronged, she considered Yun Shu to be a troublemaker.
Li Meng'er neither nodded nor shook her head, only saying, "When I return to the palace, I will send someone to summon Princess Ningde. I want to use her hand to deal with Yun Shu properly!"
Today, she truly hated Yun Shu to the bone!
Yun Shu must be eliminated. That face of hers was too eyesore!
...
In a wine shop.
Qin Yiqing held a pot of wine in her hand, drinking pot after pot.
A slight drunkenness appeared on her face.
But her eyes held no real intoxication.
"Wine is truly a good thing!" Qin Yiqing raised her cup and drained the full glass.
Just as she was refilling her cup to drink another pot, someone gripped her wrist. The warmth of that hand was extremely familiar.