Chapter 207: Meeting One Another (Part 1)
Ji Furen smiled, “This young lady is the Young Lady Li Mei who brought the herb out.”
Shen Miao stared at her.
The reason why Mei Furen was able to be favoured for so many years in the Inner Palace and had Fu Chen in the position of the new Crown Prince even though there were seventy two consorts in the three Palaces and six courtyards, and none of them were easy to deal with, was that Fu Xiu Yi only favoured her alone. She was not someone that an ordinary female could deal with. Those who were more beautiful than her were not as smart as her, those who were more intelligent than her were not as pretty as her. She knew went to move forward and when to retreat. She was obviously one with schemes but always gave other a feeling of being as one was. She was arrogant but knew her proprieties, had beauty but knew when to portray her most beautiful side. The concubines in the Inner Palace would always discuss at the back that if she wanted, all the males under Heavens would all surrender to her skirt.
Just at this moment when she came in, she wore Shen Miao’s clothes and even though that was a dignified and somewhat conservative clothes, she wore it very lively and natural, making Shen Miao look even more bad.
Mei Furen had a pair of extremely flattering eyes that was like a cat who just woke up from an afternoon nap, having a careless laziness to it. Shen Miao stared at her gaze too much that she could not help but glance at Shen Miao in surprise but it was not not rude.
Her surprise was caught by Ji Furen and Ji Yu Shu, who was standing the closest. Both of them looked at Shen Miao at the same time but was startled when they saw Shen Miao’s expression. However in the next second, Shen Miao lowered her head and when she lift her head again, it was an expression of a gentle smile, as if what happen previously was an illusion.
“She is a neat person./“ Shen Miao said lightly.
Tang Shu could not help but frown. When Shen Miao spoke, she sounded like one from the Palace. No. Like those official wives looking picky and contemptuous at the concubines that just entered the residence. But Shen Miao was not one who would make unreasonable trouble. She did not even put the matter of Lu Wan-er in her heart so how would she be sensitive and jealous towards a person she met for the first time?
Luo Tan signed in her heart. Previously Tang Shu said that the pair of siblings had an outstanding appearance and she did not think too much when she saw Li Ke and only felt that he looked pleasing but after seeing this Li Mei, she then knew what feeling she felt. Luo Tan had always felt that out of all the females she knew, the most outstanding was Shen Miao. Not talking about her feature, Shen Miao had a dignified air from her bones that even females would be envious off. This Li Mei however had a completely different atmosphere. If one were to say that Shen Miao was a large peony in bloom, the king of flowers, then this female was a poppy, as there is a strong temptation, devilishly charms and beautiful.
Shen Miao said, “Young Lady Li is Great Liang citizen?”
“Exactly so.” Li Mei looked at Shen Miao strangely and smiled, “Its just that one just came to Long Ye.”
“Young Lady Li and Gentleman Li are Qin province people.” Ji Furen smiled, “When they first arrived at Long Ye, they saw the notice on the city gates and saved Xie Jing Xing’s life.”
“Saw the notice when one just arrive?” Shen Miao looked at Li Mei with a smile but not a smile, “It that to say that His Highness has good luck? Or it is to say that Young Lady Li has good fortune?”
This time, everyone in the room heard the subtle hostility from Shen Miao. Li Mei was stunned and Li Ke took a step forward and bowed towards Shen Miao with a smile, “Since His Highness is alright, this lowly one and Older Sister would take a leave first. One had disturbed the residence for these days and one has offended.”
This Li Ke’s words were not humble and seemed to have an indignant behaviour because of Shen Miao’s words. Ji Furen was startled and had no time to question Shen Miao about what was going on when she stopped Li Ke and Li Mei, “What disturbance you are talking about? You have saved Jing Xing’s life so how could one say it is offending? Speaking of which, we have not repaid…”
However Li Mei smiled, “Ji Furen, previously one had said before that one came here for the first time and it was because of coincidence. One did not think too much. This herbs was to detoxify poison and save lives and both me and my brother have no use for it. It is useless for one to keep holding on to it so one would naturally use it to save another. This can be considered as this herb has a fate with His Highness and nothing more else could be said.”
The other Furens who were at the hall were clicking their tongue in wonder as she had a beautiful appearance and a good temper. It was rare to be that generous and not be greedy for power. Seeing that she was a good person, they then looked at Shen Miao, who was unfathomably making things difficult for others. She really did not have the bearing of a Rui WangFei.
Li Mei then looked at Shen Miao and said apologetically, “It is just that just now PingNui (aka this female commoner) had dirtied one’s clothes and thus wore WangFei’s clothes. May WangFei not mind it. This PingNui will wash it clean and personally return to WangFei. There would not be a trace of it being worn.”
Shen Miao looked at her fixedly.
When Shen Miao saw Mei Furen, that was when she returned from Qin country to Ming Qi. She had expected that there numerous concubines but the only one who bore a son was only Mei Furen. At the beginning she did not believe that a cold personality like Fu Xiu Yi would favour a female su much but after seeing her, she could not not concede to it.
Mei Furen was deeply favoured by Fu Xiu Yi so from the beginning when she saw Shen Miao, she had never lowered her head. Even if her head was lowered, it was only a perfunctory action that one would not be happy about. Even though Shen Miao was the Empress, in the Inner Palace, Mei Furen would be ranked higher than her, just like Fu Chen would always be more favoured than Fu Ming.
At this moment, that one who was always lifting her chin lightly and would look at her with ridicule but always had a humble attitude and keep calling herself a ‘PingNui’ and referring her as ‘WangFei’.
The world was so big that one could repeat one’s life twice but the world was also so small that in both lifetimes, one could still meet the enemies of the previous lifetime.
Li Mei saw that Shen Miao did not answer and was somewhat awkward. She smile gently and wanted to pull Li Ke to leave. Ji Furen wanted to persuade but this was the residence of Prince Rui and Shen Miao was the matriarch of the residence so she had no reason to go over Shen Miao and make the decision.
“Stop.” Shen Miao suddenly spoke.
Li Ke and Li Mei was startled. Both of them turned around but saw Shen Miao smiling as gentle as water, “Since one have save His Highness, one is the benefactor of the residence of Prince Rui. For these two to leave now, is it to let others say that the residence of Prince Rui are people who stab others behind and is indifferent towards others?”
“How could one say that the Prince residence is indifferent?” Li Mei shook her head and smiled, “This is our intentions.”
“One have to wait till His Highness fully recover before leaving.” Shen Miao smiled gently, “Else, the Prince residence could not afford to bear matters that are halfway done.”
The meaning behind the words was that there was still some doubts about the matter. If the story of the herb was false and Xie Jing Xing relapsed, the where could they find them?
Ji Furen and Ji Yu Shu was somewhat embarrassed. Shen Miao was not an aggressive person who why was she this aggressive when she face this pair of siblings? They were the benefactors so no matter what, one could not use that kind of attitude. Even though there were suspicions in one’s heart, there was no need to speak it out.
However Shen Miao knew that this two siblings would not stay behind because of the Prince residence thanks but would definitely stay due to the Prince residence’s suspicion.
Because their life was to leave a good name even though one did something bad. They did not permit to have any dirt on themselves so how would they let anyone splash dirty water on themselves?
Sure enough, as soon as the words were said, Li Ke had a look of indignant, “Don’t worry, we will definitely be here to witness His Highness recover.”
Shen Miao smiled gently, “That is even better. The Prince residence does you such a favour that if one do not stay behind, how would we be have to repay it?”
First was suspicion then later repaying the favour, this ambiguous attitude made one felt somewhat confused. Li Mei looked at her thoughtfully and Shen Miao noticed her gaze and smiled, “I still have other matters and will not accompanying everyone here.” She then said to Ji Furen, “May YiMu help me to look after all the Furens.” She looked like she was leaving when she seemed to thought of something and stopped in front of Le Mei and smiled, “This clothes seemed to suit you, as if this was made for you. Since it is suitable, then there is no need to take of and return me. Just take it as me gifting it to you.”
Shen Miao said that the clothes was a gift but it did not seemed to be like gifting clothes but instead bestowing something. Even Tang Zhu that was usually smooth and slick, was somewhat confused with Shen Miao’s strange actions today. It was only when Shen Miao left then he looked towards Luo Tan.
Luo Tan stick out her tongue, “Don’t ask me, I also do not know.” She then turned around and followed along.
Ji Furen looked somewhat apologetically towards Li Mei and Li Ke, “WangFei has been worried about the Prince’s condition for these days and most likely is somewhat sensitive. One hope that you will pardon it.”
“One naturally can understand a sincere heart.” Li Mei smiled gently.
“Then lets go inside to chat.” Ji Furen smiled.
Ji Yu Shu also looked at Li Ke and hesitated for a bit before saying, “Brother Li, please.”
When Shen Miao returned to the room, Jing Zhe and Gu Yu was happy to see her return and went up, “Furen, you have finally return back. These days these servants were so anxious and feared that something happened to you.”
After seeing that Shen Miao was in such a poor condition, both of them could not help but be stunned. Jing Zhe asked, “Furen… What is going on? Did one suffer any grievances?”
Shen Miao’s clothes were very dirty and untidy that it was surprisingly very ugly. Upon closer look, there seems to be some sense of sorrow and loss, as if one had suffered a huge blow.
It was Gu Yu that was quick witted and said, “Furen, this servant will get some water for you. You can first wash up before drinking some hot porridge. Since His Highness is alright, it is not too late to rest before slowly thinking about the matter.” She then pulled Jing Zhe to bring hot water over for Shen Miao.
After the hot water was brought over, Shen Miao sent them off as she sat in the wooden tub. That water was warm and at the right temperature but Shen Miao felt as cold as snow.
How could Mei Furen appear in Great Liang? How could one be mistakenly become Xie Jing Xing’s benefactor? She had endured a lot and did not kill her at first glimpse because this was the residence of Prince Rui and she could not explain her actions.
But no matter how much she endured, her somewhat different appearance fell into others’ eyes. She did not know how would others think of her. One feared that these people would be suspicious that she was jealous or something. However Shen Miao wanted to figure out just how did Mei Furen come to Great Liang?
In the past lifetime, when Shen Miao went to be a hostage in Qin country, Mei Furen had already entered the Palace when she returned. One heard that Mei Furen was an official’s daughter that Fu Xiu Yi had encountered en route on the expedition to the East. However Fu Xiu Yi had not yet set off an expedition to the East so naturally he had not encounter Mei Furen but Mei Furen was currently in Great Liang.
Could it be that the Mei Furen of previous lifetime also came to Great Liang? According to this timeline, before Mei Furen had encountered Fu Xiu Yi, she had already met Xie Jing Xing in advance?
Then how did that Mei Furen became Fu Xiu Yi’s favoured Consort? How would she go to Ming Qi… Unless this was also Xie Jing Xing’s intention? Shen Miao could not help but have a cold sweat.
The her in the previous lifetime had not met Xie Jing Xing before and did not follow Xie Jing Xing to Long Ye. Xie Jing Xing did not go to the Tribute banquet in Ming Qi and Shen Miao was Fu Xiu Yi’s wife and Xie Jing Xing was unconscious in Long Ye, like now, and Mei Furen and younger brother passed by and saved him. After that, they should not be hostile to one another… So if Mei Furen was Great Liang’s people but at the end became Ming Qi’s Emperor’s favoured consort. Could it be that she was also a spy?
Just like Xie Jing Xing was Great Liang’s Prince of First Rank but was the Little Marquis of Ming Qi’s residence of the Marquis of Lin An. Could it be that Mei Furen was a spy that Great Liang sent over?
In this case then Mei Furen do not need to give birth to Fu Chen for Fu Xiu Yi and even gotten Fu Chen the position of the Crown Prince.