Chapter 111

Chapter 111

Yipin was still lingering in Yonghe Palace.

She had already locked horns with Consort Rong, determined to see when Consort Rong would cave and let her leave first.

But in the end, Yipin stayed at Yonghe Palace for the meal.

To compete with Consort Rong, she stubbornly stayed and joined the meal. If Consort Rong could eat, so could she. If anything went wrong, it would be on Consort Rong.

What did she have to fear now?

To maintain her figure, Yipin would count every grain of rice and eat only a tiny portion. The dishes were nearly untouched when cleared.

She wouldn’t normally dine at Yonghe Palace, but she had failed to gain any upper hand over Consort Rong.

She had always hoped to see Consort Rong humiliated, but it felt like hitting a wall. Yipin refused to accept it and was deeply resentful. She was determined to stay and outlast her.

During the meal, Consort Rong ate heartily, showing no lack of appetite. Especially when Consort Rong cast a casual glance, it successfully riled Yipin, who defiantly ate more.

There was no reason Consort Rong could handle it, but she couldn’t. The thought of losing to Consort Rong even in this made Yipin abandon her usual restraint.

Just as Yipin began to feel uneasy, Consort Rong said, "Yipin, if you can’t eat anymore, just stop. Don’t push yourself."

This instantly riled Yipin, who snapped back, "No need for your concern. I’m not forcing myself. This is how I always eat."

Was Consort Rong implying she was better?!

Hmph, she’d show Consort Rong she was just as capable!

Even now, Consort Rong, the supposedly frail one, could out-eat her. What was this?!

Yipin, about to set down her chopsticks, picked them up again and kept eating.

Su Yi: "....." No, I was genuinely worried you’d overeat. Why are you so stubborn? I tried to warn you, and you just dug in deeper.

This isn’t good at all.

Then she gestured to Qinxin and whispered to bring hawthorn water after the meal.

Yipin strained to hear Consort Rong’s words, but they were too faint to make out. But Yipin refused to ask, so she leaned in closer, yet still couldn’t catch the words.

So secretive—was Consort Rong scheming? Why else would she whisper to the maid instead of speaking openly?

After that, Su Yi took a few bites, then set down her chopsticks, pretending she was too full to eat more.

She could still eat, but someone else couldn’t. Forget it, if she scared them away, what if they didn’t come back next time?

When Yipin saw Consort Rong put down her chopsticks, she couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief in her heart.

She was really about to vomit from eating too much, her stomach was so full. If Consort Rong hadn’t provoked her, she really wouldn’t have taken this bet!

She had already regretted it as soon as she finished speaking.

How could Consort Rong eat so much!?

Yipin almost suspected that Consort Rong did it on purpose. She could eat so much, yet she still provoked her to compete, just to make her lose face?

Originally, Yipin wanted to leave right after the meal, but because she was so full, she didn’t want to move at all, let alone take a sedan chair back at this moment.

Even though the sedan chair is quite steady, there will still be some bumps.

Yipin was afraid she might vomit from the jolting, which would surely cause a scene, so she reluctantly decided to stay longer.

This was just a stopgap solution.

Yipin wished she could lie down bonelessly, but to maintain her dignity in front of Consort Rong, she sat bolt upright with great effort.

To flaunt her poise, she even sneered when she saw Consort Rong lounging lazily to the side without proper posture.

"Consort Rong, even in your own palace, you should pay attention to your demeanor. As a mistress, you should act like one. Being so careless is not good; it will make the servants mock you for not acting like a proper mistress."

The servants were all there, and Consort Rong was sitting so carelessly, not afraid of being laughed at by the servants. It was truly unruly.

Yipin sat bolt upright, maintaining her posture perfectly, and sucked in her round, full stomach with effort to make it look as flat as before.

But holding in her stomach while being so full made Yipin feel awful, as if the food in her stomach was constantly trying to rise. But thinking she couldn't lose face in front of Consort Rong, she kept it up.

Though Yipin hid it well, Su Yi could still tell she was stubbornly holding on.

"You're right," Su Yi said, smiling on the surface but not budging an inch, still leaning as before.

It was a classic case of agreeing but not budging an inch.

Yipin thought: What’s up with Consort Rong? Why didn’t she argue back and just agree? It made me feel even worse!

Seeing Consort Rong had said so but hadn’t moved, it was clear she was just being dismissive, and Yipin figured out why she felt so uncomfortable.

"Yipin, come over here," Su Yi suddenly patted the spot beside her. "You're sitting too far away; it's inconvenient for us to talk."

Yipin instinctively wanted to snap back, "Do I have to come just because you say so? Who do you think I am?"

But Consort Rong had a point; it was indeed a bit far.

Plus, the stool she was on had no backrest. Yipin glanced at where Consort Rong was sitting, seeing the thick cushion and the many pillows behind her, which looked very comfortable.

Yipin was on a thin cushion with no pillows, making it so uncomfortable it felt like torture. Why would she refuse?

But she still said, "Since you've said so, I'll reluctantly come over."

Su Yi’s smile didn’t waver.

When Yipin sat down, she almost leaned back into the soft pillows like Consort Rong, but she caught herself just in time.

If she did that, wouldn’t she be contradicting her own words about Consort Rong?

Consort Rong! What a sneaky move, trying to get her to relax with all this.

No way!

The more this went on, the better she had to act compared to Consort Rong.

At this moment, Qinxin brought over some hawthorn water. Su Yi wasn't very keen on drinking it, but if she didn't, Yipin probably wouldn't feel comfortable drinking it either, so she decided to drink it as well.

She even gave the stubborn Yipin a way out, "I ate a bit too much earlier, and my stomach is feeling uncomfortable. Let's drink this together to aid digestion." Su Yi picked it up and sipped slowly, not worried that Yipin wouldn't drink.

If Yipin was so stubborn that she wouldn't take the offered way out, then there was nothing else to do but continue to endure.

When Yipin heard it aided digestion, she wanted to drink it right away, but before she did, she had to say, "You really shouldn’t be so greedy with your weak constitution—*hiccup*!"

Yipin hadn’t even finished speaking when she hiccuped.

Yipin paused, about to speak, but hiccuped again, "Sister, this—hic—no, hic—!" Yipin's words were repeatedly interrupted by hiccups, leaving her unable to complete a single sentence.

Yipin was livid. Why did she have to start hiccuping now of all times!

And right in front of Consort Rong, no less!

Why did it have to be in front of Consort Rong? Yipin's face darkened as she tried to stop the hiccups, but it was no use. They kept coming, and she was so furious she wanted to bolt.

Consort Rong held her back, and Yipin snapped, "What, are you—hic—!" trying to embarrass me? She couldn’t even finish her sentence before another hiccup interrupted her.

"Don’t worry, have some water first," Su Yi said, picking up the still-warm hawthorn water prepared for Yipin.

Yipin was about to refuse her insincere concern when she heard Consort Rong say, "Listen to me!"

Her tone was no longer gentle and soft, but firm and commanding. Before Yipin could protest, she was already drinking the hawthorn water Consort Rong handed her.

With the water in her mouth, Yipin couldn’t speak, afraid it might spill on her clothes, so she had no choice but to drink it.

"All done. Want another cup?" Su Yi took the empty cup and picked up the teapot, casually offering more, her gentle demeanor back in place.

"No need, I don’t like this stuff," Yipin was about to say, "Were you just bossing me around?"

But then she realized, huh, she could speak without hiccuping now!

Yipin touched her throat—the hiccups were really gone.

"No more hiccups, huh?" Su Yi refilled her own cup, smiling as she spoke.

Yipin shot her a look. Even though Consort Rong had just saved her from embarrassment, she still didn’t like her. "It’s late. I should go. Consort Rong, you should get some rest."

"Take care on your way," Su Yi called after her kindly.

Yipin just snorted, not looking back, and left briskly with her maids, just as she had come.

Yipin sat on the sedan chair, her expression cold and regal, but soon after leaving, she couldn’t keep it up. She felt queasy and her face paled as she told the maids to slow down.

Hearing this, the maids immediately yelled at the eunuchs to walk more steadily and slowly, so as not to jostle her.

The eunuchs did slow down and walk more steadily, but Yipin still felt queasy, her stomach in knots.

Finally back, Yipin got off the sedan chair and hurried inside, moving so fast her maids could barely keep up. The maids wondered why Yipin was rushing even after getting back.

As soon as she was inside, Yipin couldn’t hold back any longer. "Quick! Get the spittoon!" She was about to lose it.

The maid quickly fetched the spittoon, and Yipin grabbed it, vomiting everything she had just eaten.

"Your Highness, are you alright! Should we call the physician?" The maid hurriedly patted Yipin’s back.

After vomiting everything, Yipin finally felt better, her stomach no longer upset. Hearing the maid suggest calling the physician, Yipin immediately said, "Call what physician! Quickly bring me something to rinse my mouth!"

If the physician came and word got out why she had called him, wouldn’t she be laughed at by the other women, especially Consort Rong! Consort Rong would definitely laugh at her!

She wasn’t going to call the physician!

Fortunately, after vomiting, she didn’t feel uncomfortable anymore. Hmph, Consort Rong wanted to see her make a fool of herself? Not a chance!

It could be said that Yipin had been holding back her vomit all the way, insisting on waiting until she returned to vomit, just to maintain her dignity.

"Madame, Yipin is ungrateful, why even bother with her," Yun Hua said from the side, seeing no need to prepare hawthorn tea for Yipin to aid digestion.

Whatever scheme Yipin had in coming here, she should be made to lose face.

Su Yi smiled, "It's nothing, her puffed-up look is kind of cute." Her stubbornness is also quite charming.

She probably threw up after she left.

Someone who usually eats very little, suddenly eating so much, must feel uncomfortable. Vomiting might actually be better, though the trip back must have been rough.

Although Yipin came intending to mock, her words weren’t that harsh.

It’s still something to break the monotony, after all, not many people come here. Yipin’s visit does help kill some time.

I wouldn’t mind if Yipin dropped by more often.

"Madame, the Emperor! The Emperor he—"

Qinxin, who had just seen Yipin off, hurried in, she could barely contain her excitement.