ARTTEDSBGT Chapter 82
Madam Li has been bedridden for several days. On that day, in front of the entire mansion, she was slapped Li Cen and learned that Li Zhizhi had been bestowed the title of Princess. Shocked and angered, regret consumed her, and her nights were filled with restlessness and remorse. The constant turmoil took a toll on her, causing her to lose weight.
Unfortunately, some people refused to let her rest. Madam Song visited specifically to inquire about her condition, observing Madam Li looking haggard, she exclaimed, “Sister, I haven’t seen you for a while. What happened?”
Madam Li, feeling annoyed at the sight of her, casually replied, “I caught a cold a few days ago from the wind.”
Madam Song feigned surprise and advised, “It’s almost June; how could you catch a cold? Take care of yourself. Now, with Zhizhi about to become a Princess, bringing honor to the family, your good days are coming. You mustn’t fall ill at this crucial time.”
Inside, Madam Li was infuriated but maintained a facade of indifference. She forced a smile and nodded in response.
Madam Song continued, “Speaking of which, Grand Princess Chang has been exceptionally good to our Zhizhi. She recognized her as an adopted daughter, and now, the title of Princess. I heard they even went to the palace together recently. Ordinary children don’t receive such treatment; it seems luck has turned in her favor.”
Suspecting a mockery in her words, Madam Li, with a stern face, was about to speak. However, Madam Song remembered something else and added, “Oh, by the way, there was a banquet at Duke Chang’s mansion yesterday. I saw Zhizhi there; Grand Princess Chang took her. I think that it’s probably because she’s about to be conferred as a Princess, and Grand Princess Chang wants her to get acquainted with the people.”
Madam Li, feeling even more bitter, both resentful towards Li Zhizhi’s lack of discretion and annoyed at Madam Song’s insincere attitude, managed to maintain a composed demeanor. She forced another smile and said, “Grand Princess Chang values her; that’s a good thing.”
“I also said the same,” Madam Song said with a smiling face, “When the imperial edict is issued in the future, and Zhizhi receives her title, sister, you must host a grand banquet to celebrate. At that time, I will come to ask for a few cups of wine to drink.”
Madam Li, at this point, just wants her to leave, gritting her teeth inwardly. Madam Song, seemingly oblivious, looked around and said, “Speaking of which, why haven’t I seen that child Zhizhi both times I visited your mansion?”
She was really annoying, and Madam Li impatiently replied, “I already said, she is currently accompanying the Grand Princess in the Grand Princess’s residence.”
Madam Song looked surprised and said, “Could it be that she has now climbed up to the Grand Princess and looks down on your Li Mansion, unwilling to come back?”
This statement hit Madam Li right where it hurt. Unable to contain herself any longer, she lost her good mood, stared at Madam Song, and said coldly, “You care so much about our family, does your family have no one to care for?”
Madam Song, instead of getting angry, smiled and said, “Why do you say that? We are all close sisters; is it wrong for me to care about you? Alright, alright, I see I brought this scolding upon myself today. I’ll leave now.”
So she took her leave. Although Madam Song left, this time, she took away that talkative mouth of hers as well.
The capital, though not huge, was not small either. Even though the decree conferring the title of princess to Li Zhizhi had not yet been issued, there were always a few people who got wind of the news first. They would then discuss it with familiar ladies, and the speculations about Madam Li that had almost subsided were now spreading like wildfire throughout the city.
However, they were cautious, knowing that Li Zhizhi was now protected by the Grand Princess and dared not discuss her. They only talked about Madam Li, bringing up matters of the Li Mansion for gossip and speculation, making it a topic of conversation after meals. Everyone had something to say about it for a while.
There were curious individuals who went to inquire about the situation with Madam Song. Although she claimed ignorance on the surface, both overtly and covertly, she hinted at a meaning: Zhizhi was indeed Madam Li’s biological daughter, but the Li family refused to acknowledge her. As for the reasons behind this refusal, they were intriguing.
…
The Grand Princess’s residence.
Early in the morning, several maids attended to Li Zhizhi’s grooming. They brought the clothes prepared from the previous day, a snowy blue water-wave silk dress, covered with a light gauze sleeved jacket embroidered with delicate pear blossoms, giving it an elegant touch.
Dressed in such finery, it was because a few days ago, the Grand Princess informed Li Zhizhi that they would be attending a banquet at the General of Wuwei’s residence. The General had a previous acquaintance with her, and this time, he invited her to celebrate the birthday of the old lady.
While the maids were styling Li Zhizhi’s hair, another maid entered the room carrying a tray with intricately carved red lacquer. She smiled and said, “The Grand Princess instructed to use this set of accessories for Miss today. Take a look, and if you don’t like anything, you can go to the storage room.”
She uncovered the silk cloth on top, revealing exquisite jewelry – emerald hairpins, golden hair clasps, and beautiful pearls. Each piece was luxurious and finely crafted.
Recalling a few months ago when Li Zhizhi was preparing for the Spring Banquet, when Hai Tang was dressing her up, they struggled to find suitable accessories. Eventually, Li Zhizhi had to hastily pick a couple of silk flowers.
Now, when it comes to attending the banquet, the Grand Princess has meticulously arranged everything for her, fearing that it might not be careful enough. In this situation, Li Zhizhi unexpectedly feels a sense of being in a different world, even feeling somewhat unreal.
“Miss?”
The maid’s voice brought her back to reality, and Li Zhizhi smiled and said, “These are already very good.”
She is content. The Bodhisattva has already given her a mother, and she dare not ask for too much in her heart. Carefully and cautiously, always afraid that if she is not careful, this beautiful dream will be shattered.
After finishing her makeup, Li Zhizhi went to the flower hall in proper attire. It was already half an hour later. The Grand Princess was having tea, and Qingluo stood beside her, softly reading the list of gifts: “A pair of jade ruyi, a pair of Jun kiln Xi Mountain vases…”
Seeing Li Zhizhi approaching, the Grand Princess waved and said, “Come, sit here.”
She pulled Li Zhizhi over, looked her up and down, very satisfied, nodded and said, “Our Zhizhi looks really good. This outfit suits you well. By the way, I have a piece of Bluish Jade from Tianshan in my place. Let me get it for you to wear.”
The maid went to fetch it as instructed, and the Grand Princess personally tied it for Li Zhizhi. She said, “Today, I’ll take you to the general’s mansion for the banquet. There will be many people there, so you don’t need to be nervous. Just recognize some familiar faces. It’s okay if you can’t remember. From now on, our Zhizhi is a Princess. With a title, you can be confident, and whoever sees you will have to bow and salute.”
Li Zhizhi obediently agreed, and Qingluo on the side chuckled and said, “Your Highness is treating Miss like a child, comforting her.”
Grand Princess Chang couldn’t help but chuckle and said, “We’re still so young, aren’t we just children?”
After getting everything ready, Grand Princess Chang took Li Zhizhi in a horse carriage to General Wuwei’s residence. With nothing else to do along the way, she talked to Li Zhizhi about General Wuwei, Fu Gan. When Emperor Jingming was still a prince, Fu Gan served as the captain of the palace guards. Over the years, he had been by Emperor Jingming’s side, supporting his ascension to the throne. Later, he volunteered to lead troops on the border, successfully repelling invaders several times and earning great merits.
Grand Princess Chang smiled and said, “Speaking of which, I used to pester him to teach me archery. Despite not having any blood relation, he can be considered half a brother to me.”
With just this sentence, Li Zhizhi understood why Grand Princess Chang had brought her to the banquet today. As they spoke, they arrived at General Wuwei’s residence, where people were already waiting at the entrance to welcome them inside.
At that moment, a few people came out of the flower hall to greet them. The leading woman was dressed in luxury, appearing to be around the same age as Grand Princess Chang. She smiled warmly and said, “The honored guests have arrived. Please don’t blame us, Your Highness, for not welcoming you from afar.”
Li Zhizhi secretly thought that this lady should be the general’s wife.
As expected, Grand Princess Chang and the lady exchanged greetings, and their conversation was very familiar. The general’s wife then looked at Li Zhizhi and praised with a smile, “It’s been a while, and you look even more beautiful than last time. It seems that the Grand Princess’s mansion is indeed nurturing.”
Li Zhizhi blushed slightly and bowed her head, saying, “Madam is too kind.”
The general’s wife led the group into the flower hall, exchanged pleasantries, and many familiar faces appeared, people who had attended Li Zhizhi’s coming-of-age ceremony, such as the Duchess Yiguo and the Marquise of Jianchang. Whether familiar or not, everyone wore eager smiles, flattering Grand Princess Chang and complimenting Li Zhizhi.
Li Zhizhi sat beside Grand Princess Chang, smiling, feeling like her face was about to freeze from the forced expression. Grand Princess Chang noticed and gently patted her hand, saying, “If you feel bored, go out and have some fun. I’ll have someone accompany you, and when the banquet is ready, they’ll come to get you back.”
Li Zhizhi obediently nodded, stood up, and left the flower hall. There were many guests in the General’s Mansion today, and it was crowded everywhere. She was thinking of finding a quiet corner when she heard a familiar voice calling her, “Li Zhizhi!”
Turning around, she saw that it was Zhao Shan’er. Today, she was dressed in a charming red gown, looking luxurious. With a slightly raised chin, she exuded the usual pride, surrounded by a group of admirers.
Li Zhizhi was a bit surprised, “Miss Zhao, why are you here?”
Zhao Shan’er walked over gracefully and replied, “The General’s wife is my cousin.”
She looked Li Zhizhi up and down, saying, “Your outfit today looks good. Did you get those hairpins from the Xiangji Gold Shop?”
Li Zhizhi just smiled faintly, saying, “I’m not sure. I’ll inquire about it for Miss Zhao another day.”
Zhao Shan’er nodded and then glanced at her hesitantly, “I heard people say that you are the real young lady of the Li family, and Li Suwan is an imposter. Is it true?”
Li Zhizhi smiled slightly and asked, “What does Miss Zhao want to say?”
Zhao Shan’er said, “I heard that you are the true heiress of the Li family, and Li Suwan is just pretending. Is that true?”
It’s probably because Li Zhizhi was afraid of any misunderstandings. She immediately explained, “Someone mentioned something to me earlier, I don’t remember who. I was just curious and asked casually.”
Li Zhizhi was very surprised. She knew people would gossip about these things, but she didn’t expect it to have spread almost like the truth.
While Zhao Shan’er was casually asking, her eyes were filled with curiosity. After a moment, Li Zhizhi smiled and spoke seriously and sincerely, “Of course, it’s not true, Sister Zhao. How could such a bizarre thing happen in the world? Refusing to acknowledge your own child and instead recognizing a fake one? That’s just too ridiculous, isn’t it?”