Wang Qinglin’s eyes widened.
She wanted to witness Wang Qingyao’s humiliation in front of so many people.
The thought of her face covered in blemishes and her utter shame sent waves of delight through her.
Disfiguring Wang Qingyao was her plan.
The Ding’an Prince’s Mansion sought Wang Qingyao for her “precious” destiny. As long as she didn’t die, the marriage would proceed. But surely the Ding’an Prince wouldn’t want to face such a visage after marriage?
At that moment, Wang Da, the Minister of Revenue, would step forward and offer his legitimate eldest daughter as a concubine to the Ding’an Prince. Wang Qinglin and Wang Qingyao were sisters. With her in the mansion to look after the disfigured Wang Qingyao, Wang Qingyao’s life wouldn’t be too “difficult.” She assumed the Ding’an Prince’s Mansion wouldn’t refuse.
Currently, Wang Da was unaware of their plan, but he would agree once it succeeded.
If Wang Qingyao were disfigured, even if she married into the Ding’an Prince’s Mansion, she would merely be a decorative piece, utterly useless.
She would neither capture the Ding’an Prince’s heart nor bring glory to the Wang family.
Effectively, a wasted piece.
Why would Wang Da refuse to let his own daughter manage the Ding’an Prince’s Mansion?
Once the Ding’an Prince died, Wang Qingyao would no longer be needed.
Wang Qinglin considered her plan flawless and without any loopholes.
To ensure Wang Qingyao used the “Heavenly Bloom, Watery Hue” makeup powder quickly, she even roped in Wang Zijing.
It was she who suggested buying makeup powder for the Wang family’s young ladies, and she who instructed Ruihuang on what to say when delivering the items.
Madam Bai initially disagreed to involve Wang Zijing. She convinced her mother: “Who would suspect Eldest Brother? Wang Qingyao is sharp; she would surely be suspicious of anything sent by others. Moreover, if she discovered the makeup powder was poisoned, with Eldest Brother taking the fall, no one would believe her words.”
Wang Da wouldn’t believe it, and Old Madam Wang certainly wouldn’t.
Besides, it wasn’t Wang Zijing who had poisoned it in the first place.
At that time, Wang Qingyao would develop a rift with Wang Zijing.
All their deep sibling affection would be completely worn away.
This was another of Wang Qinglin’s petty desires; she still resented Wang Zijing for giving the Silver Fragrance Ball to Wang Qingyao.
Under Madam Bai’s forceful persuasion, Wang Qingyao reluctantly turned around.
A handkerchief still covered her face, and tears flowed from the gaps on either side.
Wang Qinglin sneered and tugged at her handkerchief. “Oh dear, Second Sister, tell us what’s wrong. We’ll help if we can. Hiding yourself like this isn’t the way.”
She pulled with all her might, but Wang Qingyao held on tight. She bit her lip and exerted all her strength.
Wang Qingyao let go, and Wang Qinglin, pulling the handkerchief, fell onto her backside.
“Ouch!”
Wang Qingzhen and Wang Qingzhu quickly came to help her. Ignoring the pain in her backside and her ladylike demeanor, she hastily looked up towards Wang Qingyao’s face.
Wang Qingyao’s eyes were red and slightly swollen from crying, and she was still sobbing intermittently.
But her face was clean. Not a blemish, not a single imperfection.
Her skin was like cream, pure and flawless.
She looked even more beautiful than before.
Her mouth dropped open in disbelief; she couldn’t believe her eyes.
Madam Bai was also stunned for a moment, gaping. But she quickly recovered, realizing Wang Qingyao had seen through their scheme long ago!
“Yao Yao, what’s wrong? Your eyes are so swollen from crying. Old Madam will worry when she sees you,” Madam Bai said through gritted teeth, her smile incredibly stiff.
Wang Qingyao sobbed, unable to speak. Yin Zhu then said, “It’s like this, Eldest Madam. Didn’t the Ding’an Prince give our young lady a kestrel? Well, it suddenly went mad and flew around the room, smashing the young lady’s mirror. The young lady scolded it a couple of times, and it… it committed suicide by crashing into a pillar… The young lady is upset about this.”
Madam Bai: “……”
Wang Qinglin: “……”
The confused Wang Qingzhen and Wang Qingzhu: “……”
The assembled ladies: “……”
That kestrel had quite the temperament!
Upon closer inspection, a gray kestrel lay on the ground. It had been in the shadows, so no one had noticed it immediately.
Now, as all eyes fell upon it, the kestrel seemed to stir. Then, with a shake of its body, it actually stood up.
Yin Zhu exclaimed in surprise, “Oh, Young Lady, Shàndiǎn isn’t dead!”
Shàndiǎn fluttered onto Wang Qingyao’s lap, rubbing its head against her like a child admitting fault.
Wang Qingyao burst into laughter and pulled out a piece of dried meat to feed it. “You naughty thing!”
One of the ladies flattered, “County Princess, you are truly blessed! Even your pets can come back to life after dying!”
Wang Qingyao seemed to notice them then and stood up, looking puzzled. “Who are you all?” As she stood, Shàndiǎn flew to her shoulder, its bright, round eyes staring at everyone.
Madam Bai explained their purpose.
Wang Qingyao smiled. “How could I have such abilities? I was just guessing.”
She wasn’t foolish. The modern world had developed so much, yet there was still sexism, let alone in ancient times?
Her words could end a life; what a sin!
As for asking her to bless them with children, that was even more absurd. She truly couldn’t do that; she wasn’t the Goddess of Childbirth.
“The wife of the grandson of the Marquis of Zhongyong…” someone mentioned Zuo Yun.
Wang Qingyao replied, “I only noticed she was pregnant after it happened; I didn’t make her pregnant.”
Yin Zhu chuckled, her lips pressed together.
Nian Momo coughed, seeing her speak more and more nonsensically.
The ladies were disappointed but helpless. After exchanging glances, they prepared to take their leave.
Just then, one lady pointed at Wang Qinglin, her face filled with horror, and cried out, “Your face, your face…”
Wang Qinglin looked at her blankly. A moment later, she suddenly realized and touched her face, bringing down many fragments of skin.
Her eyes widened, her eyeballs almost popping out.
The shattered mirror fragments on the ground reflected her current appearance: patches of white and brown, mottled and broken, a horrific sight.
Countless Wang Qinglins, with their blemished faces, looked as if they had seen a ghost.
The ladies present were so shocked by the sight that they were speechless.
Finally, Wang Qinglin screamed, covered her face, and fled the Lengxiang Courtyard.
Madam Bai’s mouth gaped open, and she trembled silently for a few moments before roaring, “Quick, fetch a doctor!”
She took a step to chase after her, but after a few steps, she turned back, her eyes bloodshot, glaring at Wang Qingyao. “You did this.”
Wang Qingyao smiled sweetly. “What are you talking about, Eldest Madam? I don’t understand a word.”
Madam Bai clenched her fists, her fingernails digging into the soft flesh of her palm. Her hateful gaze swept over Wang Qingyao’s face again and again before she chased after her.