Chapter 46 Consort Li’s Warning
by 枕星鱼Chapter 46: Consort Li's Reprimand
The Empress’s eyes lit up. She hadn’t expected that, just asking casually without much hope for Ji Yuntang, she actually had a way to cure him?
Ji Yuntang said slowly, "Today, I’ve already given the Seventeenth Prince acupuncture once. If you trust me, Your Highness, I’ll come back to the palace in ten days to give him acupuncture again."
Hope flickered in the Empress’s heart. This was their first meeting, yet for some reason, she felt like taking a gamble on her.
A person’s eyes don’t lie. She could see that Ji Yuntang meant no harm to Luo Xian’an.
The Empress said gratefully, "Then I’m grateful to you, Princess Ye. If An’er’s illness can be cured, I’ll definitely reward you generously."
"By the way, how’s Prince Ye’s health now? If you need my help, Princess Ye, please don’t hesitate to ask."
Ji Yuntang curled her lips. "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I’m currently helping A He with his health. If I need your help in the future, I won’t hesitate to ask."
Seeing it was getting late, she took the initiative to say goodbye to the Empress.
"Your Highness, I still need to go see Consort Li, so I’ll take off now. I’ll come pay my respects another day."
The Empress didn’t stop her and had Nanny Shen personally see Ji Yuntang out.
Ji Yuntang, with Tao Zhi, arrived at Weiyang Palace. Consort Li had been waiting there a while. Knowing Ji Yuntang had gone to the Empress first, she said with a fake smile:
"Princess Ye, I heard you saved the Seventeenth Prince today. Do you know medicine too?"
Ji Yuntang didn’t like Consort Li. Anyone who could ignore their own son wasn’t a good person. She also responded with a fake smile.
"No, I don’t. I just once cured a pig, a cow, and two ducks in the countryside. Today, I happened to see the Seventeenth Prince passed out in the back garden, so I helped out. Surprisingly, it actually worked. I guess even a blind cat finds a dead mouse sometimes."
Consort Li: "..."
If she herself hadn’t ordered Shuixian to poison the Seventeenth Prince, she might’ve believed Ji Yuntang’s nonsense.
She knew all too well how strong the Broken Star Grass poison was. Once the madness set in, the victim would convulse on the ground for at least two hours.
This was a symptom even the imperial doctors of the Tai Hospital couldn’t handle, yet Ji Yuntang had calmed it so easily.
Saying it was a blind cat finding a dead mouse—who’d believe that?
"Princess Ye is really talented. When you don’t act, nothing happens, but when you do, it’s amazing. With you by He Er’s side taking care of him, I can finally rest easy."
"I just wonder, marrying you to He Er, a cripple at death’s door—do you resent His Majesty and me for that?"
Ji Yuntang smiled. "Yes."
Consort Li: "..."
She hadn’t expected Ji Yuntang to be so blunt. The gentle, magnanimous expression on her face almost couldn’t hold up.
Of course, who wouldn’t resent being married to a crippled, ugly mess like Luo Junhe, having to clean up after him every day?
Ji Yuntang must hate them to death, right?
But Ji Yuntang’s answer surprised Consort Li.
"Your Highness, I resent that His Majesty and you granted the marriage so late. If you had betrothed me to His Highness Prince Ye earlier, I wouldn’t have had to suffer so many years raising pigs in the countryside."
"Now, the reason I could come to the capital and marry His Highness Prince Ye to become his princess is all thanks to your and His Majesty’s decree. It allowed the Marquis Yongning’s estate to find me. I am truly grateful."
Ji Yuntang’s words dispelled the anger in Consort Li’s heart, turning it into pure contempt.
So, this little wretch, raised in the countryside, was actually resentful that they had betrothed her too late?
If Ji Qingqing hadn’t been unwilling to marry, this marriage would never have fallen to Ji Yuntang. She had simply picked up a bargain, escaping her country bumpkin status.
Consort Li suddenly felt she might have overestimated Ji Yuntang.
This woman stayed in the Prince Ye’s mansion not because she liked Luo Junhe, but because she coveted the wealth of the mansion and the status of Princess Ye.
No wonder she had made such a big scene in the mansion and offended Luo Sinian.
"It’s good that you think that way." Consort Li’s eyes flickered, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly. "I summoned you to the palace today, and I’m sure you know the reason."
"Since you have entered the royal family, you naturally cannot neglect the proper etiquette. Your every move outside represents the face of our entire imperial family."
"I will arrange for Nanny Sun to teach you the rules of etiquette. She is very proficient in our royal courtesies. You must learn well from her and not disappoint me."
Ji Yuntang did not miss the disdain in Consort Li’s eyes. She knew the other woman wanted to use the pretext of learning etiquette to warn her, or perhaps to avenge Luo Qianxue.
In any case, this Nanny Sun that Consort Li mentioned would definitely make things difficult for her.
But Ji Yuntang was not one to be bullied. She smiled and readily agreed.
"Very well, I thank you, Mother Consort. I will certainly study hard with Nanny Sun."
Nanny Sun was Consort Li’s dowry nanny, who had been by her side for over twenty years and was deeply trusted by her.
She was ruthless and cunning, and naturally knew what Consort Li meant by arranging for her to teach Ji Yuntang etiquette.
Nanny Sun twisted her face into a sinister smile. "Rest assured, Princess Ye, this old servant will live up to your expectations and impart all my lifelong knowledge to you."
With that, she led Ji Yuntang to an empty palace in Weiyang Palace.
This place was remote and rarely visited, perfect for her to "teach Ji Yuntang etiquette."
"Princess Ye, the first step in learning etiquette is to test the accuracy of your movements. Whether it’s walking, sitting, kneeling, bowing, eating, sleeping, or facial expressions, there is a standard posture."
"Now, let’s start with the first ritual: kneeling. When you see Consort Li, you must kowtow and kneel. Just now in Weiyang Palace, this old servant noticed that you did not kneel. That is a grave offense."
"Now, kneel first and let this old servant see where you need guidance."
Nanny Sun held a two-foot-long ruler in her hand, her expression haughty and contemptuous.
The ground here had been deliberately made uneven, cold, and hard. Previously, any maids who were punished would come here to kneel for a day and a night.
When they stood up the next day, their knees would be bruised and purple, unable to even walk.
Nanny Sun was confident that once Ji Yuntang knelt down, she would never give her a chance to stand up again.
Ji Yuntang curled her lip. "Nanny, aren’t you supposed to teach me? If you don’t kneel yourself, how can I learn?"
"Why don’t you demonstrate for me first?"
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