Chapter 290: Human Instinct
Li Xi’er watched with her own eyes as Granny Dou ate the meal she bought, drank the warmed medicine, chatted a few words, then walked back. On the way, she met Neighbor Liu Ma who was dumping waste pebbles and such.
They built houses here with stones, possibly renovating the house. Going uphill, she helped push Liu Ma’s cart.
On the way back, the sun was setting in the west, just as Princess Luoning was leaving the Prince’s Mansion. The two nearly bumped into each other head-on.
Feng Zhi’s eyes were red, immersed in her own emotions, and she didn’t notice the person coming.
After she passed, she thought where this young man came from, flashing by so recklessly without etiquette. Looking closely, wasn’t this that vixen? She was instantly filled with anger.
“Greetings to Princess Luoning!”
Li Xi’er lowered her head and eyes to pay respects to her, then turned and ran back to Zui Yue Pavilion.
“Stop!”
“What does the Princess command?”
Li Xi’er had only walked a few steps, helpless. Wasn’t it you who nearly bumped into me?
Princess Luoning looked at her coldly, her eyes filled with hatred. Li Xi’er felt her scalp go numb under her hostile gaze.
“Where did you go?”
“Reporting to the Princess, this is a private matter of this young woman, unrelated to others. I cannot inform you, please forgive me!” Li Xi’er said politely!
“What things! Private matter? Fine, unrelated to others. Dressed like this, neither man nor woman, simply improper! What decency is this? With some beauty, relying on Third Child’s favor to act lawlessly. Do you think this Princess doesn’t know those rumors outside?”
“Feng Lan God of War Prince Xunyang, doesn’t love red attire but armed…”
“Reporting to the Princess, you know those are just rumors. Since they are rumors, they are not credible. If you insist on knowing the situation, you can ask the Prince yourself. This is also a private matter between this young woman and him!”
Ask Third Child personally? That wouldn’t be digging a pit for herself to jump into? This damned Li Xi’er, every word private matter, truly cunning beyond measure!
“Such audacity! Calling him Prince every time, pushing all responsibility onto the Prince. Look at your appearance. No wonder people outside spread it that way. If you go out like this and cause trouble, won’t it be our Xunyang Prince’s Mansion covering for you?”
Li Xi’er sneered. Speaking of rumors, can they compare to your Princess’s Mansion?
“The Princess overstates!”
This Princess Luoning was so like Consort Li in many ways, the tone of speech and the questions identical, no wonder a pair of real mother and daughter.
In fact, Princess Luoning was full of grievance. She heard her mother was ill and rushed over today with the little county princess to see her!
Unfortunately, her mother sighed and grumbled, looking at her every which way but never pleased, wanting to drive her away, and in her words intentionally or not belittling her, saying others cared for her more!
She wondered, who else could compare to her own flesh-and-blood daughter?
Later she figured it out. Turns out Third Child found a cook for her mother, making that durian pancake, durian pastry, durian smoothie, those stinkier-than-stinky things to eat!
Who knew what was good about this stinky fruit? Her mother loved it deep down.
And this cook, she figured it out too. Last night when Third Child returned to the mansion to visit her mother, he personally told her mother it was this Li Xi’er!
Consort Li was instantly moved and self-reproachful! She felt today’s illness improved so quickly thanks to her. Unexpectedly, these things were specially researched by her to condition her appetite. She had wronged her for poisoning, yet when she punished her in the morning, she didn’t say a word extra, but hurriedly ran over to treat her and find the cause, timely diagnosis and treatment. Instantly, her favor rose!
During the chat, Grandma Zong kept speaking up for her nonstop, who knows which nerve was off!
Consort Li looked at Luoning again, who crawled out of her belly. She sat there steady as a rock upon arrival, waiting for servants and maids to attend her, even handing the little county princess to Grandma Zong to hold!
Crying and fussing nonstop. Before she left, she said to leave the little county princess to accompany her mother, and she’d go back first if nothing else!
Consort Li instantly felt she was so immature. She doted on the little county princess, but now sick, the slightest noise made her scalp numb, head buzzing, needing quiet rest. What kind of visit was this? It was like thinking her illness wasn’t serious enough and deliberately stirring it up!
On this point, Consort Li wronged Princess Luoning. She really meant to leave the little county princess to accompany her mother, hoping her mother would bond more with the little county princess, see her past self in her, speak well of her in front of Third Child a few times. No matter how good Third Child was, don’t forget her own flesh-and-blood daughter!
Princess Luoning also lacked security. She herself was useless, her husband didn’t want her and detested her extremely, wanting outside vixens. On the surface she divorced him, but she had long felt no love or warmth from his attitude!
She couldn’t bring this up to Consort Li. Her self-esteem wouldn’t let her open her mouth. In a fit of anger, she divorced him and took over a dozen male consorts, making the Princess’s Mansion a foul atmosphere, which greatly annoyed Consort Li!
Feeling it too disgraceful, lately not as intimate with her as before!
Feng Zhi, seeing this face now, was instantly furious. Li Xi’er, Li Xi’er! It was her!
This woman was her nemesis. First time seeing her, her servant was electrocuted by her. So many maids killed by Third Child. Now even her mother spoke well of her indirectly!
She was furious to death. She really didn’t like stinky fruit stuff, so she covered her nose and stayed far from her mother!
It was a physiological reaction, couldn’t blame her!
“Kneel for me! When does this Princess speak allow a nameless woman like you to retort?”
“Kneel? Heh! The thing I hate most this lifetime is kneeling to others! Truth be told, impossible!” Li Xi’er straightened her back and said word by word!
“What?” Feng Zhi couldn’t believe it. Had she eaten bear heart leopard gall today? Such words from a woman like her. What gave her such backbone?
Just relying on Third Child? Today she would make her recognize reality, recognize who she was!
“Is that so? Then today you will kneel, and this Princess guarantees you’ll never stand again!” Feng Zhi wished to scratch her face, break her legs, see what qualification she had to strut before Qingcheng and her mother.
“You, go up!” The two maids behind Princess Luoning answered “Yes!” and stepped forward to press her. Suddenly, a burst of huge strength from her kicked them flying!
The action merciless. After kicking flying, she stomped two more on their backs. The two girls lay on the ground, mouths bleeding, motionless.
“How about it? Still want to break my legs?”
Feng Zhi’s eyes widened in disbelief at what she just saw!
Li Xi’er shook her sleeves like a beast, faintly looking at her. “Protecting my own is instinct. Just see if you have that strength!”
“You know martial arts? Good! Daring to deceive us. Come people, this Princess suspects she’s a spy sent by the enemy nation to harm Mother, ill-intentioned toward the Prince. Capture, capture her!!!” Princess Luoning shouted loudly to the guards and servants at Yu Qing Palace’s door!
The Princess’s shouting left people speechless and panicked. A princess of a nation, acting like a street thug shrew throwing a tantrum!
Those servants hadn’t expected this Xi’er young woman to be so formidable, hesitating whether to help or not. Some had already quietly gone to find Steward Sun!
The steward head maid Jin Su beside Feng Zhi hurried forward to block. “Princess, better think twice. This is Yu Qing Palace!”
“What’s Yu Qing Palace? Good, Jin Su you traitor. Have you long been dissatisfied with this Princess?”
Jin Su was wronged. She knew the Prince protected this woman, and Consort now viewed her favorably.
The Princess insisted on opposing her, who knows which nerve was off. This was still at the big doorway of Yu Qing Palace. Wasn’t last time’s lesson enough?
“Jin Su is wronged, Princess!” Jin Su hurriedly knelt! She knew, going back meant another beating and scolding. Her arms were purple and blue patches. When Princess was in a bad mood, she vented on them close servants!
Especially the scar on her face she couldn’t accept. It was because of Hou Minghao, the former imperial son-in-law. Princess suspected he had feelings for her, deliberately left it as proof of her loyalty!
“Luoning, who are you tearing the mouth of?”
A man’s clear voice rang out. Not loud, yet it made Feng Zhi freeze.
Princess Luoning knew who it was without turning. “Third Child, Third Child how are you back?”
Feng Zhi felt so unlucky, caught at this special time again!
“This is this King’s Yu Qing Palace. Isn’t this King returning normal?” Feng Qingcheng stood gracefully at the Prince’s Mansion door, eyes ice-cold, looking at her indifferently without a trace of emotion in his tone.
“Hehe, Sis doesn’t mean that… Sis was just helping you discipline a rule-less servant… Right, Third Child, you’re back just in time. Sis tells you, your little Xi knows martial arts, very suspicious!”
Feng Qingcheng interrupted her.
“Sis, seems you still didn’t understand this King’s meaning last time. Want this King to repeat? This King’s Yu Qing Palace, every blade of grass every tree, every matter every thing is under my control. Anyone disrupting is an insult to me! This King’s Yu Qing Palace does not welcome you. Don’t come if nothing in the future. Please leave!”
Feng Qingcheng nearly said outright not to come to Yu Qing Palace again.
“Feng Qingcheng, don’t go too far.”
“It’s Sis who went too far!”
