The Flirtatious Beauty Decides to Steal the Princess - Chapter 4

Fu Qingyin couldn’t stand Bai Zhi’s haughty demeanor. Now that she knew the full story, she was even more unwilling to let a petty person like Bai Zhi have her way.

Fu Qingyin turned and walked back into the hall. She retrieved the imperial edict from her cabinet and strode out again. As she passed the door, Wen Ying cautiously reached out and tugged at Fu Qingyin’s sleeve.

“Bai Zhi is unreasonable. Let me go with you, alright?” Wen Ying wasn’t sure what help she could offer, but she couldn’t bear to see Fu Qingyin face such trouble alone on just her second day in the palace.

Fu Qingyin had been seething with anger, her usually enchanting eyes now sharp with hostility. But the moment she saw Wen Ying, her expression softened involuntarily.

Wen Ying’s fair face peeked out from behind the door, like a pristine pearl hidden away in a wooden box by a greedy merchant. Fu Qingyin’s gaze gentled, and she shook her head slightly. Wen Ying hadn’t even had breakfast, what kind of life was she living?

Fu Qingyin didn’t want her to provoke such a vicious and unreasonable person on her behalf, so she stepped out of the main hall alone.

The imperial edict in Fu Qingyin’s hand had been issued just the night before, its golden characters still gleaming. The moment Bai Zhi saw it, she immediately dropped to her knees. The law of the land dictated that an imperial edict was to be treated as if the emperor himself were present. Thus, aside from Fu Qingyin and Sang Zhi, everyone else knelt.

Standing atop the steps, Fu Qingyin looked down at them with a faint smirk. “Oh? Where’s that ferocious look from earlier now that you’ve seen the edict? Is this how Emperor Wen disciplines his palace servants showing no respect for their superiors?” She fired off several questions in succession, leaving Bai Zhi speechless.

Fu Qingyin slowly unfurled the edict she despised, reading it word by word. When she reached the key passage, she enunciated each syllable deliberately: “Princess Qingyin is an honored guest. The entire palace shall treat her with due courtesy, without fail.”

She didn’t bother reading further. The hypocrisy of the words disgusted her calling her an “honored guest” while housing her in such a dilapidated palace, all to feign benevolence before the world.

Yet it was this very pretense she scorned that she now wielded as leverage against Bai Zhi. At this moment, all of Fu Qingyin’s pent-up resentment surged forth. The urge to end her own life, which had plagued her the night before, resurfaced, and her eyes turned icy.

Bai Zhi naturally didn’t dare defy the imperial edict, but she committed every detail of what had transpired in Hanguang Palace to memory. Accustomed to throwing her weight around, this was the first time someone had dared to humiliate her in front of so many.

Gritting her teeth, Bai Zhi rose to her feet. She snatched the plate of pastries from a nearby servant, pretending to return it to Sang Zhi.

But at the last moment, she hurled the plate to the ground, shattering it instantly.

“Oh dear, Miss Sang Zhi, how careless of you not to catch it!” Bai Zhi covered her lips with a light laugh, her smug expression pushing Sang Zhi past her limit. Breaking free from the two maids restraining her, Sang Zhi lunged, her fist aimed straight at Bai Zhi.

In a blur of motion, Fu Qingyin flashed to Sang Zhi’s side and took the punch herself.

Sangzhi was somewhat skilled in martial arts, and Fu Qingyin was no exception both possessed formidable internal energy. Seeing that the strike was about to land on her own master, Sangzhi was instantly frightened to the point of weakness in her legs, dropping to her knees and repeatedly pleading guilty.

The blow from Sangzhi was not light. Wen Ying, hiding behind the door, could clearly see Fu Qingyin struggling to maintain her composure with some difficulty.

Without a second thought for the trouble it might bring her, Wen Ying pushed the door open and rushed out.

In that moment, little Wen Ying truly had no time to think. She was only worried that any further delay would mean the beautiful sister she had just met would have to endure the pain a little longer.

“Princess Wen Ying?” Bai Zhi was clearly startled. She had never expected that the least favored princess, who lived even worse than a palace maid would not only be alive and unhidden but also appear in the residence of a hostage prince.

After only a brief moment of shock, Bai Zhi quickly regained her composure and began scrutinizing Wen Ying, who was running toward Fu Qingyin with an anxious expression.

Her waist was as slender as a willow, her figure graceful. Even her face was as stunning as her mother’s had been so beautiful it was almost detestable. Perhaps because she hadn’t fully matured, her beauty lacked the depth of her mother’s charm, but even so, it was enough to captivate anyone who saw her.

Though Bai Zhi was arrogant and domineering, there was a reason she had managed to act so boldly under the noses of the imperial consort and the emperor for so many years. Just like now, seeing Wen Ying’s beauty, alarm bells began ringing in her heart.

Hearing movement behind her, Fu Qingyin quickly turned around, only to be met with a warm embrace from Wen Ying.

Little Wen Ying might have been small, but she was still a girl who had come of age. Though a head shorter than Fu Qingyin, her hug was firm.

After holding on for a short while, Wen Ying, mindful of Fu Qingyin’s recent injury, reluctantly let go. She was just a neglected princess in the palace and had no idea that Fu Qingyin could regulate her breathing quickly, the punch earlier hadn’t been much of a problem.

With tears glistening in her eyes, Wen Ying stepped forward to Bai Zhi, slightly bowing in a submissive posture. “Dear Sister Bai Zhi, we understand now. Please return to your duties.”

Wen Ying didn’t actually believe she or Fu Qingyin were at fault, so she didn’t offer any words of reconciliation. Instead, her voice was soft and meek, a strategic retreat.

Bai Zhi had long wanted to leave. Since Sangzhi hadn’t actually harmed her, there was no real grounds for further confrontation. Silently noting Wen Ying’s actions, she led her maids away in a flustered retreat.

“Why did you come out?” Fu Qingyin grabbed Wen Ying’s wrist, her face full of worry. But Wen Ying only reached out to massage the spot where Fu Qingyin had been struck earlier. Sangzhi remained kneeling on the ground, not daring to rise.

It wasn’t until Fu Qingyin watched Wen Ying rubbing her chest that she realized why the girl had rushed out. But did no one ever teach this little one that certain areas shouldn’t be touched so casually?

Fu Qingyin was no longer in pain. Now, feeling Wen Ying’s soft hands moving aimlessly over her chest, she noticed the girl’s reddening earlobes.

“Is little Wen Ying taking advantage of me?” Fu Qingyin whispered, leaning close to Wen Ying’s ear. Already flustered, Wen Ying grew even more embarrassed at the deliberate teasing and withdrew her hands, pouting. “I was just worried you were still hurting. Beauty sister doesn’t recognize kindness.”

Fu Qingyin laughed, her enchanting eyes glimmering as she took Wen Ying’s small hand and led her toward the main hall.

Wen Ying turned her head to look at Sang Zhi, who was still kneeling on the ground, hesitating to speak. Fu Qingyin could tell what Wen Ying wanted to say, but she had no intention of letting the matter go. She turned to face Sang Zhi squarely: “Even though I have entered Emperor Wen’s harem, that doesn’t mean we should abandon our manners. How dare you overstep your bounds and act without orders from your mistress? Is this what I’ve taught you all these years?”

Fu Qingyin knew full well that Sang Zhi couldn’t stand those people bullying others with their arrogance and power. But if Bai Zhi had truly been injured today, it wouldn’t have been a simple matter of snatched pastries anymore. Given her current circumstances, Fu Qingyin wouldn’t have been able to protect Sang Zhi at all.

Sang Zhi remained kneeling. Even if she were slow-witted, she understood her mistress’s good intentions and was willing to accept the punishment.

Wen Ying sighed. Some things were beyond her control, so she could only follow Fu Qingyin into the main hall.

Fortunately, the five dishes hadn’t been withheld, it was just that there would be no pastries today. Fu Qingyin gazed at the shattered porcelain fragments outside, her expression tinged with melancholy. “I’m sorry, there are no pastries this morning.”

Wen Ying had just finished setting out the dishes when she heard Fu Qingyin’s words. She quickly shook her head and walked over, placing a pair of chopsticks into Fu Qingyin’s pale palm.

“Beautiful sister, Wen Ying should be thanking you for letting me share your meal,” Wen Ying said cheerfully, standing nearby. Though she was hungry, she waited until Fu Qingyin had taken the first bite before starting to eat. Fu Qingyin found it both amusing and exasperating Wen Ying clearly wanted to get closer to her, yet she didn’t fully trust her.

But if not for such caution, Wen Ying might not have survived this long. Fu Qingyin had felt a pang of sadness earlier, though she hadn’t shown it in front of those people. Now, looking at the cold dishes on the table and Wen Ying eating with relish, not a hint of complaint in her demeanor, she wondered: Would she, too, become like this in time?

Fu Qingyin pulled a pristine handkerchief from her sleeve and gently wiped a stray drop of soup from Wen Ying’s lips. Wen Ying smiled sheepishly, about to say something, when she noticed the usual allure in Fu Qingyin’s eyes replaced by despondency.

Wen Ying stared blankly. Those eyes, she thought, should be surveying green mountains or standing above ten thousand people not trapped in this dilapidated palace, facing a meal long gone cold.

“Sister are you unhappy?” The moment the words left her mouth, Wen Ying realized how pointless the question was. But Fu Qingyin perked up, forcing a smile as she used serving chopsticks to heap more food into Wen Ying’s bowl.

Wen Ying watched the growing mound in her bowl, torn between laughter and tears. Since Fu Qingyin didn’t want to talk, Wen Ying didn’t press to reopen old wounds. She dutifully ate everything, even when her stomach protested. Yet Fu Qingyin kept adding more.

Wen Ying grimaced. “Sister, I’ve already eaten most of this. Any more and I’ll turn into a plump girl.” Fu Qingyin chuckled at that, reaching out to pinch Wen Ying’s cheek still lacking much flesh, though Fu Qingyin couldn’t help imagining how adorable she’d look with a little more weight.

“Then how about sister feeds little Wenying until she becomes a chubby girl?” Fu Qingyin finally broke into a genuine smile. She loved teasing Wenying, who always fell for it so easily. Covering her mouth, Wenying shook her head repeatedly, “If I get fat, I won’t be pretty anymore.”

“Nonsense. Little Wenying must remember that chubby girls have their own charm too. Every girl deserves to be loved.” Fu Qingyin looked into Wenying’s eyes and spoke with utmost sincerity.

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