The atmosphere in the pavilion instantly improved after the Grand Li princess departed.
The young gentlemen, who had been listless, now preened like peacocks displaying their plumage.
"Clang~"
Just then, a plate slipped from the table, emitting a piercing sound.
Everyone's gaze followed the source of the noise. As their eyes met the figure exuding a chilling aura, their hearts simultaneously trembled, their backs stiffening as if a cold hand had brushed against them, raising goosebumps.
Madam Liu and Nan Yuan'er both looked up.
The plate shattered on the floor, scattering pastries.
Madam Liu immediately stood, bowed gracefully to Ji Jinmo, her smile concealing a sharp edge, and asked softly, "What does Your Highness mean by this? If you dislike the food in my humble abode, a mere word to this consort would suffice. While the Nan Prefecture may not be as noble as the Royal Residence, our provisions naturally cannot compare. However, if Your Highness is displeased, this consort will have servants fetch delectable dishes from Guishan Zhai. Why go to such lengths?"
"Mother..."
Nan Yuan'er was startled by Madam Liu's audacity.
This was Regent Ji Jinmo, who commanded vast armies and held immense power in court, not some mere official dependent on his father's favor. Madam Liu, as the Prime Minister's wife, was putting on airs in the wrong place!
Ji Jinmo flicked his sleeve, his devilishly handsome phoenix eyes concealing a dangerous glint. He slightly raised his eyelids, his cool gaze sweeping over Madam Liu. The air seemed to thrum with a violent energy, and the entire pavilion felt as if an oppressive cloud was about to descend, threatening to tear it apart.
Under Ji Jinmo's icy stare, Madam Liu's smile visibly froze. She was merely a woman of the inner court, accustomed to unchecked behavior thanks to Prime Minister Nan Chaoyin's indulgence. Having never been in such close proximity to Ji Jinmo, she unconsciously assumed the bearing of the Prime Minister's wife, utterly unaware of the formidable entity she had provoked.
Her legs began to tremble, her body feeling weak. Fortunately, Nan Yuan'er subtly steadied her arm, preventing Madam Liu from making a public spectacle of herself.
Nan Yuan'er surveyed the surroundings. Seeing everyone cowering like frightened quail, and Nan Yujin watching with evident amusement, she knew she had to step forward, at least until her father returned.
She supported Madam Liu and then bowed to Ji Jinmo, her voice calm and steady, imbued with a gentle strength. "My mother spoke out of turn and has offended Your Highness. I beg you, for she is but a woman confined to her chambers, to not hold her words against her."
"Yuan'er is willing to apologize to Your Highness on my mother's behalf."
With that, she knelt directly and kowtowed to Ji Jinmo.
Ji Jinmo's lips curved into a cold, sharp smile. He picked up his wine cup and took a sip, completely ignoring Nan Yuan'er's display of filial piety. He allowed her to remain prostrate, showing no intention of letting her rise.
The assembled guests exchanged glances. Some felt indignation, but none dared to speak up for Nan Yuan'er.
Despite the roaring fire in the pavilion, the ground remained as cold as ice. Nan Yuan'er's knees began to ache unbearably after only a short while.
The surrounding gazes felt like needles pricking her back. The humiliation and awkwardness ignited a flicker of madness within Madam Liu. The more fear she felt, the more she suppressed it, and the more fragile the string of reason in her mind became.
"Your Highness, if this consort has done something wrong, Your Highness need only state it clearly. Must you humiliate me so? Though I am but a woman, I am also a bestowed noble lady by His Majesty. You..."
Seeing Madam Liu about to argue further, Nan Yuan'er, terrified, grabbed her mother's hand and yanked it down forcefully. Caught off guard, Madam Liu was yanked to the ground.
Her arm struck the edge of the table, and tears of pain welled up in her eyes.
"You..."
She glared, about to question, but Nan Yuan'er preempted her, scolding, "Mother, cease your nonsensical talk and quickly beg Your Highness for forgiveness."
She said this while casting a fierce glare at Madam Liu, the sharpness and warning in her eyes making Madam Liu's heart flutter, and she froze on the spot.
Nan Yuan'er, resolute, dared not let Madam Liu continue her reckless speech, lest even her father's intervention could not protect her.
"Mother, kneel!"
Nan Yuan'er's voice, laced with suppressed anger, echoed in Madam Liu's ears. Her demeanor gave Madam Liu an inexplicable sense of unfamiliarity.
Though annoyed, she also realized the gravity of the situation. Reluctantly, she knelt.
"This consort admits her mistake and begs Your Highness for forgiveness."
"Heh~"
A chilling, frost-laced laugh rippled out, as if a cold wind had swept into the air, causing even the fire to flicker and wane.
"Admit your mistake?"
His voice dripped with disdain. The two dismissive words drifted out, yet they fell like a mountain, crashing down.
"Then tell me, where have you gone wrong?"
Madam Liu had no idea where she had erred. She felt Ji Jinmo was deliberately looking for trouble.
"This consort should not have speculated on Your Highness's thoughts, nor should she have spoken so rudely..."
"Wrong!"
"This consort should not have defied Your Highness..."
"Wrong again!"
"This consort..."
Ji Jinmo suddenly hurled the cup in his hand to the ground. The cup shattered upon impact, shards flying outward. The heavy sound struck everyone's hearts like a hammer, scaring the wits out of them.
"Your mistake is the mismanagement of the inner court, favoritism, and allowing the servants in the residence to bully my wife, Ji Jinmo's wife."
"Madam Liu, you truly have immense audacity."
Ji Jinmo's sharp voice exploded, like rolling thunder pressing down. Everyone felt as if thunderclouds were churning in the heavens above and then exploding around them. The fear of being struck by lightning and dying left them utterly petrified.
As for Madam Liu and Nan Yuan'er, caught at the center of the storm, they were like lone boats adrift in the tempest, swaying precariously amidst the raging waves.
Madam Liu never imagined that Ji Jinmo's sudden outburst was for that little slut, Nan Shiying. She was merely the offspring of a low-born, yet he, Ji Jinmo, treated her like a treasure?
"Your Highness, my mother has been confined to her sickbed these past few days, which is why she has been remiss in her oversight of the household servants. It was not intentional... certainly not an intentional humiliation of the Royal Consort. I implore Your Highness to see the truth!"
Nan Yuan'er, suppressing her fear, attributed the entire incident to negligence.
"A fine excuse for poor management."
Ji Jinmo sneered, then shifted his gaze to Nan Yujin. He spoke, "I recall your mother is still alive, is she not? For a principal wife to be trampled upon by a secondary wife! Nan Yujin, tell your mother that if she is not dead, she should rise and manage this Prime Minister's residence properly, lest some unsavory characters occupy the position of the main wife."
"Your Highness, the matters of my residence do not require Your Highness's concern."
A voice, filled with suppressed anger, came from the doorway. Nan Chaoyin strode in with imposing steps, deflecting Ji Jinmo's words with a seemingly casual remark.