After the Right Prime Minister Han and Han Yimei left the banquet, the harmonious atmosphere resumed. But the reputation of the Han manor will surely have a little crack specially their eldest miss. The crowd couldn't believe that such thing would happen. The model noble lady of the empire is surprisingly an aggressive type. Following her example, the rest of the noble ladies made sure to behave themselves to not ruin their chance to enter the emperor's harem. The officials approached and toast with the couple bringing their daughters along. They would first greet the emperor then flatter the empress.
When it is the emperor's concubine's turn to give their greetings, Yu Yanyan and Lan Jingjing approached the front hall together. Yu Yanyan showed her cordial smile trying to show that she likes the empress very much. She also looked at Feng Jun Yi with a bashful smile. But Lin Xulian and Feng Jun Yi knew that her feelings aren't true specially because she is often stealing glances towards Xu Yichen.
On the other hand, it is the first time for Lin Xulian and Lan Jingjing to meet each other. Lan Jingjing would only stay in her palace the whole time and wouldn't cause any trouble. Lan Jingjing is pretty but plain looking. She is the type of beauty that would comfort you but you would forget about it later on. Lin Xulian is actually curious about her and her personality. She only knew that she came from the Fanrong country as the previous empress's niece.
She is actually a royalty since she is the current emperor of Fanrong's half-sister. Her mother is just a servant but became a concubine because she is their previous emperor's bedding maid and also his first woman. Because of this, Lan Jingjing and her mother is favored by her father gaining jealousy from the other concubines. Her mother is a friend of Feng Jun Yi's mother so when Lan Jingjing's mother died, their emperor asked empress Lan to take her in so she won't be bullied.
The empress took her in when she was just four. This made empress Lan happy since she only had a son and also the eldest so Feng Jun Yi is trained to mature earlier. Empress Lan didn't enjoy her motherhood so Lan Jingjing's arrival is like a medicine to her soul. She pampered her and treated her like her own. Everybody thought that Feng Jun Yi's closest female acquaintance was Han Yimei labeling them as childhood sweethearts. But the truth is, Lan Jingjing is his true female friend but nothing romantic at all. They grew up like siblings.
From other people's point of view, Lan Jingjing is silent and obedient. But only Feng Jun Yi knew that she is valiant. She is secretly learning martial arts. She also asked Feng Jun Yi if she could enter the military after Feng Jun Yi sat on the throne but was declines since females aren't allowed in the battlefield. Since their marriage, Lan Jingjing never left her palace unnecessarily and used her time training.
Feng Jun Yi wanted to marry her to his fourth brother but she refused saying that she doesn't want to be controlled by a husband. To her, marrying Feng Jun Yi is like not marrying at all. She spent her time minding herself. This made Feng Jun Yi worried. She is like sister to him so he wanted her to be happy. So he just promised to give her freedom to do whatever she wanted.
When Lan Jingjing's gaze first landed on Lin Xulian, she couldn't take her eyes away anymore. To her, Lin Xulian is a perfect goddess. A gift to humanity. She is close to Feng Jun Yi so she is one of the few people who knew about Feng Jun Yi and Lin Xulian's actual first meeting. She admired her from then on but now Lan Jingjing could literally feel her heartbeat racing. She looks at her with shining eyes and Lin Xulian could see her little blush.
******
When Han Yimei woke up, she is already at her courtyard in the Right Prime Minister's manor. She is greeted with a splitting headache and slowly her memory about what had happened in the banquet flashed on her mind making her scream in frustration. She began to cry and throw things everywhere turning her room into a wretched state. The Right Prime Minister arrived just in time to witness how Han Yimei threw a porcelain vase towards her servants.
Seeing this, Prime Minister Han was stunned silly and reprimanded her. "Mei'er?! What are you doing? You are like a crazy person!"
Han Yimei immediately ran towards her grandfather and hugged his waist while crying like she was bullied. "Yeye! It was that b**ch Lin Xulian. She must have done something to me that is why I acted that way. You have to seek justice for me Yeye or else big brother Yi will hate me and won't marry me anymore…..wuwuwu… Yeye help me please. I can't miss the chance to marry big brother Yi."
"I told you I don't have any power to control his majesty's decisions. I also told you that you don't deserve to be just a concubine and since the empress's position is taken I don't want you to marry his majesty anymore. Also I remembered that the wine was brought in by you so how could the empress tamper with it? It was obvious that you can't hold your liquor and got drunk easily. The only one who could tamper the wine is either you or your servant. We should blame your servant and punish her instead of blaming the empress about everything." Prime Minister Han sighed. This granddaughter of his grew up spoiled by him. He was happy when the people of the empire started calling her the model noble lady but it was shattered in a few minutes. He is now regretting the way he raised her.
Han Yimei immediately quieted down and just continue crying. She can't let her grandfather have an idea that everything started because of her and just failed miserably. But still she promised to herself that she won't back down. She just need to hide right now and wait until the issue of her deranged state died down. She had to wait for another chance and plan her revenge again.