The little dumpling scanned her flushed cheeks, and for some reason, felt a pang of annoyance.
"But Auntie, Brother Yu told me he doesn't like you at all, and he even finds you very annoying."
Qin Mingyan's expression faltered, and she immediately put on a long face. "Nonsense! How could His Highness Prince Yu say such a thing? You're slandering me!"
With her figure and beauty, how could any noble young master resist her? How could His Highness Prince Yu not like her?
This girl must be jealous of her and deliberately trying to ruin her relationship with Prince Yu!
Consort Liang's gaze shifted between the two, and she suddenly seemed to understand something. "I haven't heard Yu'er say he dislikes you."
Qin Mingyan's eyes brightened, and she proudly lifted her head.
Consort Liang was indeed on her side.
Consort Liang continued, "However, I dislike you very much, so I won't let Yu'er marry you."
Her words cut off all of Qin Mingyan's retorts.
Su Yunmo smacked her lips, watching the spectacle with great delight.
"Why? What's wrong with me?" Qin Mingyan's voice rose.
A discarded concubine, unwanted by the Emperor, dared to look down on her!
Consort Liang sized her up and down. Speaking of which, there were too many things wrong with her. "You are impolite and have a corrupt character."
"You are too ugly and don't look like a lady from a good family."
"Your clothes are tattered, ugly, and shameful."
In fact, Qin Mingyan's clothes weren't tattered, but she constantly displayed her proud figure, dressing far from the standards of a lady from a good family.
The neckline alone was much lower than that of ordinary women, and her sleeves were also open, revealing a glimpse of what lay beneath with a slight bow.
Su Yunmo chimed in, adding, "You lose your temper easily and even hit people. Your temper is too bad."
Consort Liang added another point, "You're too eager, lacking self-awareness."
They picked apart Qin Mingyan's faults one by one. Qin Mingyan's face gradually turned from red to black, and her eyes welled up with tears from their combined scolding.
In her rage, she blurted out, "My father is a second-rank official in the court!"
Her implication was to use her family's influence to suppress them, completely forgetting that Su Yunmo was not the "illegitimate daughter" she had initially assumed.
So the little dumpling happily added, "That's not as impressive as my daddy, humph."
Qin Mingyan was momentarily stunned.
It was true, no matter how favored her father was, he couldn't compare to Su Qingtian's standing in the Emperor's heart.
Consort Liang waved her hand dismissively, realizing after speaking that the person before her had no redeeming qualities. "Hurry up and leave. You're blocking me and Mo'er from eating."
Qin Mingyan, having been scolded and then driven away in front of everyone, felt her entire body burn with shame and anger.
"You... you all, just you wait!"
She flicked her sleeve, her eyes red, and turned to run out.
The little dumpling shrugged. "You can't handle this? Your psychological resilience is too low."
Someone like this wouldn't be able to be with Ye Jingyu, after all, Ye Jingyu was petty and prone to outbursts.
"Your Highness, this servant has returned." The attending palace maids entered from outside, two of them kneeling side by side on the ground, their hands empty.
"This servant is useless. The Empress's attendants said that the flowers in the Imperial Garden belong to His Majesty, and Your Highness cannot touch them."
Consort Liang frowned in confusion. "His Majesty?"
What a familiar name.
"All the flowers belong to him? Didn't you try to negotiate with him, or at least ask for one?"
This was the last flower exhibition of the year, and after this, they wouldn't be able to see them until the end of the year. She wanted Mo'er to see them.
The two palace maids exchanged glances, their expressions troubled. "This... I'm afraid His Majesty wouldn't agree."
Besides, no one really dared to ask His Majesty for anything.
His Majesty had left Your Highness in the cold palace for so many years, neglecting her. To His Majesty, Your Highness had long been like air in this palace.
"Does Mother want flowers? Mo'er will go pick them for you." Su Yunmo shoved the remaining two pastries into her mouth and hopped off the table.
Consort Liang hesitated.
She actually wanted Mo'er to stay with her longer, but if Mo'er could go, she could see the flowers on the branches with her own eyes.
"Alright, you go."
The little dumpling brushed the pastry crumbs off her hands. "Wait for me, I'll pick them for you quickly."
Su Yunmo patted her chest, making a solemn promise, and then strode out of the cold palace towards the Imperial Garden with great determination.
By this time, the Imperial Garden had already gathered quite a few people.
They were gathered in small groups, chatting and laughing, creating a lively atmosphere.
Su Yunmo found a spot where no one was around but the flowers were lush and verdant, and began to reach up, stepping on the flowerbed's steps.
Suddenly, a woman's crying came from the opposite side.
The little dumpling froze and pushed aside the branches to look across.
It was Qin Mingyan, who had come here to cry.
She covered her mouth with a handkerchief, sobbing softly, occasionally wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes, but her eyes didn't seem to hold much moisture.
As Qin Mingyan cried, she sat sideways, constantly looking north.
There was a path there that led directly to the Hall of Heavenly Purity.
The path Su Yunmo had taken was the only way from the cold palace to the Imperial Garden.
In other words, this was the path Ye Jingyu would have to take to come to the cold palace after finishing his affairs.
The little dumpling silently rolled her eyes. This woman wasn't crying out of sadness; she was waiting here to lodge a complaint.
"Miss, why are you sad here all alone? Have you suffered some injustice? May I ask you to tell me?" An incongruous voice came from across.
Su Yunmo jumped down from the flowerbed, crouched on the ground, and peered through the gaps in the branches.
Su Xingzhe walked over from the opposite side, fanning himself with an air of a distinguished young master.
He was dressed in white today, looking very clean and fresh. The jade pendant worn at his waist was also a fine piece, but paired with his bruised face and bandaged ear, it was truly comical.
Qin Mingyan was startled by his appearance. "Who are you? Get lost quickly."
She was waiting for His Highness Prince Yu here.
Su Xingzhe didn't leave. Instead, he sat down beside her, deliberately nudging her with his fanning hand. "I saw you were lonely, so I came to keep you company."
His flirtatious tone ignited Qin Mingyan's fury.
She stood up abruptly, pointing at Su Xingzhe, and shouted, "You scoundrel dare to touch this young lady! Do you know who I am? Who needs your company? A toad wanting to eat swan meat!"
Qin Mingyan's voice was quite loud, attracting the attention of other flower-viewers nearby.
Su Xingzhe hadn't expected her to suddenly erupt in anger, and now that so many people were watching, he couldn't afford to lose face. "You little slut, what are you yelling about? Which one of us is the toad?"
"You've been here posing and seducing people all along. I thought you were lonely because no man paid attention to you, so I came to comfort you, and you're blaming me?"
Everyone nearby had seen Qin Mingyan sitting there, shedding tears, and behaving flirtatiously.
Now, with Su Xingzhe saying this, everyone looked at Qin Mingyan with disdain, pointing fingers at her.