Chapter 85: Tangled Romantic Entanglements

This palace banquet was held in Taihua Hall; under the guidance of a palace matron, Jun Jun Zijin and Jun Jun Shuyan made their way toward Taihua Hall. Halfway there, a small palace maid came forward and blocked their path:

"Lady Lady Qingping, Noble Consort Gao requests your presence!"

Jun Jun Zijin's heart tightened. Noble Consort Gao, Gao Gao Shanshan's aunt—calling for her at this hour could only mean trouble.

Jun Jun Zijin's expression remained unchanged. She exchanged a glance with Jun Jun Shuyan and said to the palace matron:

"Please take my younger sister to the main hall first."

Then she turned to Guazi and said, "Tell Crown Prince Quan Quan Aoyu I will arrive shortly. Miss Huasheng will accompany me." Miss Huasheng was skilled in lightness technique; if trouble arose, she could fetch help quickly.

Jun Jun Zijin turned back to the small palace maid and said:

"I trouble you, auntie, to lead the way."

The small palace maid led the way slowly and deliberately, saying nothing. Jun Jun Zijin followed at the same unhurried pace behind, observing the layout of the palace.

As the little maid led her through winding palace corridors, Jun Jun Zijin arrived outside Liulidian, Noble Consort Gao's residence. Miss Huasheng was stopped.

"Noble Consort Gao has ordered that Lady Lady Qingping enter alone; all others must wait outside," the maid said.

Miss Huasheng grew extremely anxious and wanted to speak up to protest, but just then Jun Jun Zijin gently shook her head toward her, made a hushing gesture, and lowered her voice:

"Wait outside. If I have not emerged within two double-hours, go find Crown Prince Quan Quan Aoyu."

As soon as Jun Jun Zijin entered with the small maid, she saw Noble Consort Gao seated in the place of honor, her expression dark. Gao Gao Shanshan stood aside, looking thoroughly smug, her eyes gleaming with malicious glee.

Jun Jun Zijin's heart tightened again. So Quan Quan Aoyu's tangled romantic entanglement had found an ally. Yet her face bore a faint smile as she bowed and said:

"May Noble Consort Gao enjoy ten thousand blessings and golden peace. I wonder what urgent matter prompted Your Ladyship to summon me suddenly?"

Noble Consort Gao snorted coldly and did not answer immediately. Instead, she picked up the teacup beside her, took a delicate sip, as if savoring this moment of power and control. Gao Gao Shanshan, meanwhile, curled her lips into a mocking smile, as though watching a fine play.

"Lady Lady Qingping, do you know your crime?" Noble Consort Gao finally spoke, launching a sudden attack, her voice carrying an authority that brooked no dispute.

Jun Jun Zijin raised her eyebrows slightly. It seemed Noble Consort Gao did not intend to let her off easily today. Jun Jun Zijin pondered inwardly, yet her expression grew even more composed:

"Your servant is foolish and knows not where she has offended Your Ladyship. Please instruct me clearly."

Noble Consort Gao set down her teacup, her gaze sharp as a blade, staring directly at Jun Jun Zijin:

"Do not think that being betrothed to the Crown Prince means you can rest in peace and security."

Jun Jun Zijin sneered inwardly. Noble Consort Gao was deliberately picking a quarrel. Noble Consort Gao also had a son; Prime Minister Gao was ambitious, his desire to seize the throne evident to all. Noble Consort Gao's words, though seemingly directed at her, were in fact a double-edged remark.

Jun Jun Zijin's expression did not change. Though her tone carried respect, it was even more resolute, and she replied with neither humility nor arrogance:

"Since Your servant is betrothed to Crown Prince Quan Quan Aoyu, she naturally observes all rites and protocols, daring not the slightest negligence. She constantly reminds herself to speak and act with caution, so as not to bring trouble to Crown Prince Quan Quan Aoyu."

Upon hearing this, a flash of anger passed through Noble Consort Gao's eyes, yet she could find no fault in Jun Jun Zijin's words.

Gao Gao Shanshan, however, could no longer hold back. She coquettishly said to Noble Consort Gao, "Auntie, look at her!"

Then she turned and shouted at Jun Jun Zijin, "Jun Jun Zijin, is Crown Prince Quan Quan Aoyu someone you can covet? Crown Prince Brother belongs to this Young Lady; no one shall take him away!"

Jun Jun Zijin's eyebrows lifted slightly. She glanced imperceptibly at Noble Consort Gao. When Noble Consort Gao heard her niece Gao Gao Shanshan's utterly unmasked declaration of affection for Quan Quan Aoyu, she did not even blink. Jun Jun Zijin thought inwardly, "It seems Gao Gao Shanshan is merely a pawn of Noble Consort Gao."

Jun Jun Zijin now had a plan. She smiled lightly and said, "The betrothal between myself and Crown Prince Quan Quan Aoyu was granted by the Emperor. How could either you or I alter it?"

Gao Gao Shanshan was about to say more, but Noble Consort Gao raised her hand slightly, signaling her niece to stop. Then she shifted her tone and pointed to a pure white long-haired dog in the corner:

"My beloved dog today showed disrespect to my niece, so I had its leg broken. Since Lady Lady Qingping is skilled in medicine, go examine that dog."

Though Jun Jun Zijin clearly understood Noble Consort Gao's intent, she sneered inwardly while showing nothing on her face.

She had struck Gao Gao Shanshan at Biopotting Pavilion; now Noble Consort Gao, using the excuse that the dog had been disrespectful to Gao Gao Shanshan, had broken the dog's leg and ordered Jun Jun Zijin to treat the injured animal. Noble Consort Gao was using this as a pretext to attack her, her intentions extremely vicious. After all, one must consider the master when beating a dog. By acting thus, Noble Consort Gao sought both to deliver a severe warning, making Jun Jun Zijin understand who truly held power and authority in the palace, and to humiliate her.

Jun Jun Zijin smiled faintly, bowed calmly and composedly, and said:

"Noble Consort Gao, though Your servant's medical skills are humble, since Your Ladyship has given an order, Your servant will naturally do her utmost. However..."

She deliberately paused, her gaze sweeping over the pure white long-haired dog in the corner, then continued, "However, the Emperor has issued an edict requiring Your servant to enter the palace today to take the Emperor's pulse. If I delay and endanger the Emperor's health, no amount of death would suffice to atone for my crime."

Jun Jun Zijin spoke with neither humility nor arrogance. Noble Consort Gao was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting her to invoke the Emperor.

But quickly, Noble Consort Gao regained her composure. A cold smile curled her lips, and her eyes brimmed with provocation:

"Is Lady Lady Qingping making excuses? Could it be that you are unwilling to treat my dog? As for the Emperor, I will explain it myself. You need only go treat my dog."

Jun Jun Zijin walked toward the dog in the corner. As she squatted down, pretending to examine the dog's injury, she said in a low, mournful tone:

"Your servant will now treat Noble Consort Gao's beloved dog. As for the Emperor, Your servant will naturally apologize to the Emperor. But these hands have just today treated Noble Consort Gao's beloved dog; if they then take the Emperor's pulse and treat him, I wonder whether the Emperor would mind?"

Upon hearing this, Noble Consort Gao's expression shifted slightly. She naturally understood the meaning behind Jun Jun Zijin's words. If that girl truly treated the dog and then took the Emperor's pulse, it would not only be a grave disrespect to the Emperor but would also make Noble Consort Gao appear narrow-minded, unable to tolerate a mere young lady, and using her power to oppress others. If this escalated to the Emperor, given the Emperor's current favor toward that girl, Noble Consort Gao herself might not fare well. Yet now that the words had been spoken, retracting them would be a direct challenge to her authority as Noble Consort. How could the lofty Noble Consort Gao bring herself to lose face?

Just as Noble Consort Gao found herself in a dilemma, Jun Jun Zijin spoke again, her voice gentle yet carrying undeniable force:

"Noble Consort Gao, Your servant has a method that satisfies both sides. I wonder if Your Ladyship would be willing to hear it?"

Noble Consort Gao raised an eyebrow, signaling Jun Jun Zijin to continue. Jun Jun Zijin rose, slowly walked to stand before Noble Consort Gao, bowed, and then said:

"Your servant is willing to treat Your Ladyship's beloved dog, but before that, Your servant dares to request Your Ladyship's permission to first take the Emperor's pulse. After all, the Emperor's health is a matter of national importance; Your servant dares not the slightest negligence. After Your servant fulfills the Emperor's command, she will then devote herself wholeheartedly to treating Your Ladyship's beloved dog. Alternatively, Your Ladyship might first have the palace's animal physician try, since each art has its specialists. What does Your Ladyship think?"

Jun Jun Zijin was reminding her that the palace had animal physicians dedicated to treating beasts.