The Cry of the Phoenix Which Reached the Ninth Heaven - Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Purposefully Bullying the Prince

There was that second in which Ye Junqing felt that he should just fling his sleeves back and leave. However, to his own surprise, he actually mirrored Yao Mowan’s toasting motion, then downed the drink. From the looks of it, he really has gotten trained by Yao Mowan.

“In truth… something has happened before between you and Consort Li, right? She seems to… also hate you a lot.” Ye Junqing put down his cup and looked towards Yao Mowan seriously. For an instant, he was struck by the feeling that Yao Mowan and Yao Moxin were very similar. Their beautiful appearance always concealed countless secrets that he had no way of ever touching.

“I just don’t like the look of her. However, I’ll eventually make her hate me even more…” Yao Mowan lifted the wine and poured herself another cup, then drank it all.

“You couldn’t be planning to do something to her again? She already seems really pitiful right now.” She had lost her child, her honor and glory, and was demoted to the rank of consort. In Ye Junqing’s eyes, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say in the eyes of most people, Yao Suluan did indeed seem pitiful. However, to Yao Mowan, this was nothing! Compared to what she had suffered back then, all this barely weighed a feather.

“See? And yet you still won’t admit it even though Mowan has already guessed that you guys were having a love affair!” Yao Mowan drank her third cup of wine, then leaned over the table peer at Ye Junqing with her head slightly tilted. Her soft eyelashes batted, and the light they framed seemed to sweep over Ye Junqing’s heart like a gentle tickling wind.

“Y-you… What are you looking at?” Ye Junqing gulped and turned away. He couldn’t meet her eyes and looked very ill at ease.

“Your face is red. Looks like I hit the mark!” Yao Mowan’s lips curved into a slight smile that was beautiful enough to collapse a city. When facing a scene like this, when a beauty that was slightly flushed with the heat of alcohol was in front of you, anyone that was a man would have  questionable thoughts!

“You… Isn’t your face red as well!? Who doesn’t get affected by alcohol?” Ye Junqing immediately covered his face and argued back with a forceful and righteous tone. Yao Mowan couldn’t help but burst out laughing when she saw how flustered he was.

“What are you laughing at? Everyone’s face turns red from alcohol, what’s funny about it…” As Ye Junqing’s face turned more scarlet, he realized that he was being teased.

Right at this moment, Ting Yue’s voice came from outside the door.

“Niang niang, Consort Xian has sent Qian Xi to deliver a cup of nourishing ginseng soup.” Ting Yue’s tone was clearly asking for instructions.

“En, have it brought in.” Yao Mowan put away her earlier joking manner and gave the command in a dignified tone. After she said that, the door to the palace opened and Qian Xi walked in respectfully while carrying a food box.

“This servant, Qian Xi, kowtows in salute to the Esteemed Prince and Consort Yao.” The clear-sounding voice contained strong decisiveness. Yao Mowan seized up Qian Xi. Of the four noble consorts in the palace, Consort Xian was the most intelligent and hardest to read. Hence, it was natural that a palace maid that had been personally trained by her would also be of good quality. If it weren’t for the fact that she happened to learn of the feelings Yu Funing harbored towards Ye Junqing, perhaps she would have left her for last.

“You may rise.” Back then, Yao Mowan had high status, so it was inevitable that these consorts and concubines had schemed behind her back. However, she didn’t hate them. After all, one must look out for oneself, since the world could be ruthless.

That was why, even though she held no grudges against them, she was still going to use these four noble consorts to attack the four large clans – Wang, Xie, Yu, and Huan – in order to shake the stability of great Chu and create an opportunity for a hero to be born from turmoil. This was a necessary step for Ye Junqing to rise to the top, and also a necessary step to send Ye Hongyi down to hell.

“Consort Yao, this ginseng soup was something my niang niang took special care to instruct the cook in the Imperial Kitchen to make. It was made with millenium ginseng and slowly simmered over a low flame for six hours, so it’s extremely nourishing. This servant asks niang niang to kindly accept.” Qian Xi spoke humbly and courteously with perfect etiquette.

“Then that’s definitely something good?” There wasn’t a stain in Yao Mowan’s innocent gaze and the surprise on her face looked perfectly natural. At the side, the corners of Ye Junqing’s lips twitched. She could sure get into her act fast!

“The presents brought to Guan Osprey Palace are naturally of the best quality.” Qian Xi nodded slightly.

“En. His Majesty has said before that the best things should be used in the places that need them most. Junqing, go bring Fluffy over. She needs nourishment the most right now!” Yao Mowan looked towards Ye Junqing with a completely innocent smile on her face. Ye Junqing had been in the middle of sipping the clear porridge and almost choked.

“Cough cough…. Wh… what did you say?” Ye Junqing stared at Yao Mowan’s beautiful features. He now deeply came to understand that the more harmless Yao Mowan looked, the more evil of a scheme she was about to put into play.

“You can’t hear me even though I’m this close? I told you to carry Fluffy over! Hurry up!” As Yao Mowan spoke, she yanked Ye Junqing up.

“I got it!” Ye Junqing took a deep breath then walked sulkily to the chaise lounge to pick Fluffy up before walking back.

“What’s your name?” Yao Mowan turned to look towards Qian Xi.

“Replying Consort Yao, this servant is Qian Xi.” Although Qian Xi’s expression didn’t change, inwardly she was stunned. There was no way she could have imagined a day like this in which the Esteemed Prince, who once reigned over the battlefield, would have to listen to the random commands of a fool. It was seriously a humiliation.

“Qian Xi, hurry and bring the ginseng soup over!” Yao Mowan beckoned Qian Xi with her hand. Qian Xi nodded, then stood up to take the ginseng soup out from the food box. Following that, she watched helplessly as the ginseng soup that had been carefully simmered for six hours was fed to an animal! Qian Xi was really grateful that her master hadn’t come with her, otherwise her master probably would have killed Yao Mowan on the spot!

“En, it looks like she’s full. Junqing, do you want to drink what’s left?” Yao Mowan looked towards Ye Junqing innocently as the smile hovering over her lips deepened. Upon hearing this question, three black lines immediately appeared on Ye Junqing’s forehead.

“I don’t!” Ye Junqing repressed his urge to just storm away and replied between gritted teeth.

At the side, Qian Xi almost fell from hearing this. How could she? How could she have the Esteemed Prince drink something that an animal had drunk from? Qian Xi could not imagine how much the Esteemed Prince must have suffered during this past period as he stayed in Guan Osprey Palace!

“It seems good intentions aren’t always repaid in kind. I’ll have you know that I don’t casually offer things as good as this to anyone!” Yao Mowan shot a glare at Ye Junqing, then took Fluffy and stroked her gently.

Yes, it was true. She really didn’t casually give it to anyone (any person), she gave it all to an animal! Ye Junqing was grinding his teeth so hard his jaws hurt.

Ye Junqing only glowered at Yao Mowan once Qian Xi left.

“Why did you bully this prince?”

“How else do I get someone to step up for you?” Yao Mowan spoke as if it was obvious.

“Are you planning do something bad again?” Ye Junqing retrieved the indiginance in his eyes as he asked this curiously.

“Nice guess. It’s going to be something very very bad. How about it? Interested in taking part?” Yao Mowan abruptly curved her lips into a beautifully bright smile.

“You must be sick!” Ye Junqing rolled his eyes at her.

“That’s right ah! How did you know?” Yao Mowan replied with an expression of innocent surprise. Upon hearing this, Ye Junqing slid down his chair…

As Su Muzi walked through the corridor in the Imperial Garden, she was thinking that she probably would’ve never had the chance to walk through the Imperial Garden in this lifetime if it weren’t for Yao Mowan. However, she was nervous about the fact that Yao Mowan had suddenly wanted to see her.

Even after she walked into Guan Osprey Palace, she still felt like the situation was unreal.

“Shu mother, hurry and come in. Ting Yue, have the Imperial Kitchen prepare some tasty pastries so that shu mother can bring some back later.” Yao Mowan welcomed Su Muzi with an amiable smile before shooting a meaningful look to Ting Yue. Ting Yue immediately understood and left the main hall, closing the doors behind her.

“This common woman kowtows in salute to Consort Yao niang niang and wishes niang niang good health and fortune.” Yao Mowan has always seemed to have a gentle personality, thus Su Muzi felt that even though her intelligence was only that of an eight year old, there was nothing bad about her. At the very least, she wouldn’t rely on the power of the Prime Minister Residence to oppress people.

“Why is shu mother being so polite? Please get up.” Yao Mowan walked up and helped Su Muzi over to a chair, then put a cup of freshly brewed tea in front of her.