Bai Lianhua looked down, refusing to look at the embracing couple in front of her. She thought of all the hardships she had endured to get to this moment and realised that what the system said was right. 'I really don't have the time to be getting angry or losing my emotions to these ungrateful people around me. I just have to do my task and keep it moving.' She took a deep breath and continued kneeling. She couldn't just get up until she was told to get up.
Li Zhenzhen felt so warm in her heart that Long Aotian supported her irrational actions even though it was at the expense of his new concubine that the favorability increased to 85. Long Aotian hid his emerging smirk, and his system rejoiced in knowing that they were succeeding.
Long Aotian motioned for his servants to come in, and one of them held a big mahogany box. All the other concubines looked curiously at it, and Bai Lianhua, who was still kneeling on the floor, was ignored. The servant opened the box, and a shining luminous pearl was revealed.
Gasps filled the room because no one had ever since such a beautiful pearl like that before. Long Aotian grabbed the box and offered it to Li Zhenzhen, "My wife, you have suffered so much, and l just wanted to give you a gift that showed that you were still the one in the topmost position in my heart." Li Zhenzhen teared up and took the box from his hands, feeling grateful that he had done this for her. All the other concubines in the room stared at her, lips pursed and eyes shining with jealousy and greed, but no one said a thing.
Long Aotian dismissed everyone else, took Li Zhenzhen's hand and walked her back to her residence. Wang Xiuying went directly to Long Ting's residence to make a complaint again, as usual. She knelt down and grasped Long Ting's skirt, "Madam, I've been enduring for so long. You see Li Zhenzhen! It's so unfair that she has been stealing Msang-gong from me every time we make a breakthrough. And even now, Bai Lianhua has been more favoured than me!"
Long Ting closed her eyes and continued reciting the Buddha's sutra, completely ignoring Wang Xiuying's complaints. It's not as though she hadn't tried to help Wang Xiuying before, but she didn't want to risk ruining her relationship with her son. 'I'm getting too old for these backyard battles, and l cannot be involved too much! What's more, Li Zhenzhen has done a good job running the backyard. There's no need to create further division in the house.' She then glanced at the flower painting hung just next to her incense burner, sighed and then motioned for her servants to take Wang Xiuying out.
Zhou Mama motioned for Wang Xiuying to follow her outside, and both people left Long Ting behind. On the way back, Zhou Mama gave Wang Xiuying a hint: "The Madam will be going to the temple to pray for about two months in Longjing. The Master will not be going with her, but he gave her permission to choose any concubine to go with her. She will not be taking you at that time, so take advantage of this to win the Master on your side.'
Wang Xiuying smiled, gave some silver to Zhou Mama and then rushed back to her residence with her dowry maid to make some preparations.
No one else knew about this trip to the temple, so both Feng Minyan and Wen Lili were shocked to be told to prepare to go to the temple. Bai Lianhua, who was recovering from injuries, was left behind because she could not travel for such a long distance. Lu Weiwei, who was keeping a low profile this entire time, sprang up and said she wanted to go to the temple, which surprised Long Aotian.
Bai Lianhua cursed Long Aotian's eighteen generations while lying on the bed and having medicine applied to her wounds. 'Curse him! He's so cruel to women - he shouldn't even be allowed to have wives.' The system laughed and continued minding its own business. Bai Lianhua recalled the timeline of events and realised that she had missed something important! It was almost approaching the new year celebrations, and this was when everyone was invited to the Imperial Palace for a banquet. At this banquet, Fang Lianhua was caught cuckolding Long Aotian! This was the event that caused Fang Lianhua to get punished and also tarnished the queen's reputation.
Also, this banquet acted as a reward ceremony for all the officials who had done well, and the emperor wanted to reward them with a thing of their choosing. Long Aotian chose to be sent to the border to fight against the Huns, and this was where he built most of the military connections for his future rebellion.
Bai Lianhua thought of all the events and gradually came up with a small plan to get out of the entire banquet. Since half of the house would be away at the temple very soon, she would be able to act quickly without many people watching her.
Two weeks passed, with everyone gradually forgetting the events that had transpired before. Li Zhenzhen was also recovering steadily, especially with Long Aotian concentrating primarily on her. Both Feng Minyan and Wen Lili were moved to other courtyards for cleansing and preparation to go to the temple. Their punishments would continue once they were at the temple.
Qing Li was frustrated that things were cut so short as he was just getting used to seeing Wen Lili almost every day. Being close to her and reminiscing about the past made him so happy.
His mother would constantly ask him about his impending wedding, and he just ignored her comments as if she didn't exist. He was in the throes and passions of love again, and he didn't want to face the reality of his life. At his last meeting with Wen Lili, he embraced her and stroked her hair lovingly, savouring every last moment. "I cannot bear to part with you, my dear! Just say the word, and l will follow you to the temple to be with you!"
Wen Lili pinched his waist and shook her head, "You cannot come. If you come, we'll be found out, and it will ruin your reputation. I cannot do this to you, Qing Ge." Qing Li felt so much warmth and care in his heart, "This is the first time you've cared about me so much since you decided to marry that wretch Long Aotian! He doesn't deserve you!" Wen Lili's dowry maid looked on in fear seeing her mistress betray the master, but she forced herself to remain calm. If she slipped up, it could mean death for both her and her mistress.
Unluckily for them, one of Bai Lianhua's maids saw what seemed to be a secret meeting between Wen Lili and Qing Li and went straight to Feng Minyan to report it! Yes! She was a spy that both the Empress and Feng Minyan had planted in Bai Lianhua's maid entourage at her wedding. Did you really think that the Empress wouldn't protect her child first?
This maid was a sweeping maid for the courtyard, which meant that she saw everyone who came in and out of Bai Lianhua's house. This was really strategic because all she would be sending notes about are the people Bai Lianhua was meeting.
At first, she had intended to follow Bai Lianhua seriously, especially after the musk incident, because it showed that her mistress was strong, resilient and independent. But at the same time, if she wasn't the one who was going to do it, someone else would, and she needed the money. If Bai Lianhua heard this horrible logic, she would've actually fought this maid. This normal level of favorability was what allowed this maid to slip through the cracks and give Bai Lianhua a big blow later.
Feng Minyan felt like her big break had come after hearing this news. IF she was going down with no chance of return, she had to drag everyone with her also.
Long Aotian had invited a medical specialist to come and do a paternity test for Feng Minyan's pregnancy, but Feng Minyan was one step ahead of him. No one could have predicted the level of cruelty Feng Minyan could exact on herself. A week before she was due to leave to go the temple, Feng Minyan wore the prettiest robes in her dowry chest. A hanfu of pink material with handsewn cherry blossom petals and a light pink shawl to match. She then gave her dowry maid a note to give and continued putting her makeup on.
Glancing at her reflection in one of the only mirrors in the kingdom, she smiled, knowing that this round of the backyard battle would be won by her.
Bai Lianhua, yet unaware of the things about to happen, was taking another stroll in the garden. This time she was extremely alert so that no strange man would pop out of nowhere. She kept walking until she reached the koi pool, so she knelt down to look at the pretty fish. Seeing the many different colours in the middle of a hot summer was amazingly beautiful to her. 'Really, l should consider moving to the countryside after l finish all these missions! It would be such an easy life!'
The system harrumphed and told her to get a move on with her plan. Bai Lianhua rolled her eyes and motioned to her dowry maid to go tell the kitchens to make soup. It was time for her to do some work.