Chapter 31: The Concubines Serve Tea

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: The Concubines Serve Tea

Feng Qing watched as the sky grew darker, and turned to Rong Ling on the side, saying, "Prince, the day is getting late, would you like to stay for dinner?"

Rong Ling let out a light hum, unexpectedly lifting his feet to walk towards the main hall of the Purple Bamboo Pavilion. Behind him, Feng Qing looked incredulous; she was merely being polite, and he really stayed for dinner.

However, since this master had already decided to stay, she didn’t dare to drive him away. Feng Qing unhappily led Si Qi to follow in Rong Ling’s footsteps, heading towards the main hall all the way.

Behind them, Nan Feng immediately instructed two servants to fetch food from the small kitchen in front.

Rong Ling’s meals every day were prepared in the small kitchen of his own courtyard, much more exquisite than that of the big kitchen.

In front, upon hearing Nan Feng’s instructions from behind, Feng Qing’s bad mood finally improved quite a bit.

The Prince’s meals were definitely better than those of her, the Princess Consort, which for a food enthusiast was indeed a delightful thing.

As the two of them had just entered the main hall and sat down, a sound of overlapping footsteps arose outside, followed by gentle voices speaking.

"Nanfeng Guard, we’ve come to serve tea to the Princess Consort."

Inside the main hall, both Rong Ling and Feng Qing heard the voices from outside. Rong Ling appeared indifferent as if he hadn’t heard, while Feng Qing raised her eyebrow with a half-smile, glancing at Rong Ling.

In the afternoon, during half a day’s time, these women hadn’t come to serve tea, yet in the evening, as soon as the Prince Regent returned to the mansion, the concubines came to serve tea.

The intention behind all this was more than evident, but Feng Qing did not intend to drink the tea from these concubines.

After all, she was to leave eventually, so why drink any tea.

Outside the door, Nan Feng had respectfully entered to inquire, "Prince, Consort Jiang and the others have come to serve tea to the Princess Consort."

The Princess Consort is the main wife, the others are all concubines; only after serving tea is formal recognition granted, otherwise, it becomes a subject of gossip in the future.

Rong Ling coldly said, "Let them in."

Nan Feng exited, and soon a few figures walked in from outside, precisely the women Feng Qing had seen before. The leading woman was gentle and graceful, even speaking softly, causing an immediate sense of closeness in others at first glance.

Yet Feng Qing did not believe that such a place would truly have someone utterly devoid of scheming; it was just that each relied on their own methods.

Below, several women had already saluted Rong Ling, "Your concubines have seen the Prince."

Rong Ling cast a glance at them, and blandly said, "Rise."

The women got up, and the gentle and graceful woman at the forefront started to speak: "Prince, we have come to serve tea to the Princess Consort. Under the circumstances yesterday, we couldn’t serve tea, but since the Princess Consort moved into the Purple Bamboo Pavilion today, we should complete this ceremony."

The Purple Bamboo Pavilion was originally prepared for the new princess, and now that the Prince allowed the new princess to move in, doesn’t it acknowledge her identity? Hence, it was appropriate for them to come and serve tea.

Nonetheless, the women harbored some thoughts, intending to test the situation. If the Prince merely temporarily acknowledged this woman, he might not let them serve tea.

If that were the case, they could rest assured, but if the Prince let them serve tea, this woman would be recognized as the Princess Consort of the Prince Mansion.

However, in the views of Consort Jiang and the others, this seemed unlikely.

Feng Qing, reputed as Dayan’s ugliest woman, most importantly, she was cursed; it’s said she caused her own mother’s death, as well as her wet nurse’s, and even two close-serving maids.

Later, people of the Marquis Mansion feared being cursed by her, so they placed her in the most secluded courtyard, not allowing her to come out ordinarily.

How could the Prince allow such a woman to sit in the position of the Princess Consort?