Chapter 211: Laughter and Schemes

Quan Tianyi looked at Jun Yiyi before him. Since it was their wedding, she had finally changed out of her eternal white robes. With her eyes lowered, her long lashes cast shadows upon her lids, making her appear weak, innocent, and pitiable.

Yet he was almost certain that her every action was clearly calculating something.

But he could hardly admit he was impotent just to expose her, could he?

A wave of irritation surged in Quan Tianyi’s heart, though his face remained composed.

"I have matters to attend to. You go ahead and dine; later, you will go to serve tea to the Princess."

Leaving those words behind, he strode out of the room.

The warm spring sun spilled over the glazed tiles of the Prince Yi Residence, refracting colorful light, yet the atmosphere in the inner courtyard was as cold as the lingering chill of spring, permeated with a faint frostiness.

Jun Yiyi watched his departing back, the corners of her mouth curling slightly upward to reveal a subtle, imperceptible sneer.

As the daughter of a dignified Right Prime Minister’s residence, she had been sent into the Prince’s residence as a concubine.

How could she be content to spend her life silently in this deep, walled compound? No! She was not content!

Hearing that the Princess had been childless for years and was frail and sickly, she was determined to be the first to conceive a child and ensure the entire inner courtyard of the Prince’s residence was held in her grasp.

Jun Yiyi dressed herself meticulously, donning a pale pink silk skirt, pinning a jade hairpin in her hair, and applying light makeup, which made her look charming and moving.

Accompanied by her dowry maid, Yan'er, she carried a tea tray and walked toward the Princess’s courtyard.

Princess Yi, Lin Wanyi, was sitting in the main seat. Below her sat several secondary consorts and concubines.

Jun Yiyi entered the room and bowed gracefully.

"This concubine pays her respects to the Princess. May the Princess be blessed with great fortune and good health."

As she spoke, she signaled for Yan'er to present the tea. Lin Wanyi looked at the cup of tea but did not reach out to take it immediately, instead scrutinizing Jun Yiyi carefully.

"Little sister is truly exquisite; no wonder the Prince took you into the residence."

Lin Wanyi said softly.

Jun Yiyi hurriedly replied:

"The Princess flatters me. This concubine is but a crude person; being able to enter the Prince’s residence is entirely due to the Prince’s grace, and I am not even half as worthy as the Princess."

Lin Wanyi smiled, finally took the tea, and sipped it lightly.

"The tea is indeed good tea, but I fear your heart, little sister, is filled with quite a few things."

The women sitting below also covered their mouths and giggled.

Jun Yiyi felt a jolt in her heart, yet she maintained a smile on her face.

"I truly do not understand what the Princess means."

Lin Wanyi set down the teacup, her gaze becoming sharp.

"In this Prince’s residence, though I am physically weak, I am not someone to be toyed with. If you keep to your place, I naturally will not treat you poorly, but if you harbor thoughts you shouldn't..."

Jun Yiyi hurriedly knelt down.

"Princess, please calm your anger. This concubine has no intention of offending you; I have only just entered the residence and do not know the rules. If I have committed any slights, I hope the Princess will be magnanimous."

Though Jun Yiyi said this, the fire of jealousy in her heart burned ever brighter.

Let them all wait; one day, she would turn the world upside down in this Prince’s residence and make everyone look at her differently.

In the time it took to serve a cup of tea, the group had already exchanged a hundred and eighty blows.

As the sun set, the Prince Yi Residence, which should have been lively, was unusually quiet. The Jun residence, however, was exceptionally bustling.

Since Jun Yiyi was sent away yesterday, the only mistress in the residence was the Old Madam, along with Zhou Yiniang and the two sisters, Jun Zijin and Jun Shuyan.

Without the life-or-death scheming, the days passed in peace and comfort.

In the garden, Jun Shuyan was like a cheerful little deer, hopping and skipping as she circled Jun Zijin incessantly.

Her eyes were bright and sparkling, and she said full of anticipation:

"Second Sister, hurry and make me some barbecue; I’ve been craving it for so long!"

Jun Zijin chuckled helplessly and reached out to tap Jun Shuyan’s nose.

"You girl, I only mentioned it once, and you actually remembered!"

Jun Shuyan stuck out her tongue playfully and said with a grin:

"Second Sister, you can mention anything, but you cannot mention food. Otherwise, if I don't get to eat it, I will never let it go."

Jun Zijin could not refuse her and had no choice but to order the servants to prepare charcoal and ingredients.

She also sent someone to invite Quan Qingle and He Linger over to join in the fun.

Before long, Quan Qingle and He Linger arrived. Quan Qingle was bouncing with energy, and as soon as she entered the garden, she exclaimed loudly:

"I heard there was fresh food here, so I rushed over impatiently to see what this 'barbecue' is all about."

He Linger’s eyes were filled with smiles:

"I heard there was barbecue to eat—barbecue and beer, I’ve been dying for it!"

"There is no beer, but I have brewed some fruit wine."

She did not have beer in her space, and even her dormitory was a hospital dormitory, which had no beer.

After some laughter, the group gathered around the barbecue grill.

The charcoal fire burned brightly, illuminating everyone’s faces with a red glow.

Jun Zijin and He Linger skillfully threaded the prepared ingredients onto bamboo skewers and placed them over the fire to roast.

Grease dripped onto the charcoal, sizzling, and an enticing aroma instantly filled the air.

Jun Shuyan was stomping her feet in impatience nearby, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the grill, occasionally reaching out to fan the flames to make the food cook faster, muttering:

"Second Sister, is it ready yet? I’m about to starve to death!"

Jun Zijin laughed and comforted her:

"Don't be impatient, it will be ready in a moment."

Finally, the first skewer of roast lamb was ready.

Jun Shuyan reached out impatiently to grab it, only to let out an "ouch" from the heat.

Jun Zijin hurriedly handed her a handkerchief and chided:

"Be careful, no one is going to snatch it from you."

Jun Shuyan blew on her fingers and took a bite of the lamb skewer, a satisfied smile instantly blooming on her face:

"Wow, Second Sister, it’s so delicious! You are simply the most amazing person in the world!"

Watching Jun Shuyan wolfing down the food, Jun Zijin’s heart was filled with warmth.

In this seemingly calm yet treacherous noble household, such simple and pure happiness felt especially precious.

Just then, the Old Madam and Zhou Yiniang, supported by their maids, arrived in the garden, followed closely by Jun Chengcai.

"What are you two tinkering with here? It smells so good."

The Old Madam asked with a smile.

"Little sister, I smelled it from far away. What is this thing?"

Jun Shuyan ran over, took the Old Madam’s hand, and said:

"Grandmother, Mother, Brother, you’ve come just in time. The lamb skewers Second Sister roasted are delicious; hurry and try some."

The Old Madam took a skewer, took a small bite, and nodded in praise:

"Hmm, it is indeed good. It is rare for you sisters to have such thoughtfulness; it has added much vitality to this courtyard."

Zhou Yiniang also smiled and said:

"Indeed, seeing you all so happy makes me feel at ease as well."

There was nothing more blissful than watching one’s children be happy.

The family sat around the barbecue grill, tasting the food and drinking fruit wine while chatting and laughing.

The sounds of laughter echoed in the courtyard, forming a sharp contrast to the Prince Yi Residence, where Jun Yiyi was anxiously waiting in her room to serve Quan Tianyi as he slept.

At this moment, He Linger, having had a few cups of wine, rolled her eyes and used lip-reading to quietly call Jun Zijin outside.

"Zijin, we’ve eaten and we’ve drunk; shouldn't we stir up some fun?"

Jun Zijin raised an eyebrow:

"Who do you want to mess with?"

"That person next door almost got you killed. You already let her pass the New Year; do you intend to let her pass another one?"

Jun Zijin’s eyes darkened. How could she forget? Since she had some free time, she would go and take a look that night.