Wang Fengli and Xiao Taoqi were returning from the court when they came across a royal sedan accompanied by a long train of servants and guards. Wang Fengli glanced up at the person seated in it and harrumped. He pulled Xiao Taoqi's hand and made to bypass the sedan. Xiao Taoqi poked his back.
"Hey, Idiot Feng, do I get to ride one of these soon?"
"Of course," Wang Fengli turned around and smiled at her, but at that moment the person in the sedan called out.
"Aiyo, crown prince! Are you really going to ignore this humble one?"
Wang Fengli gritted his teeth. He finally turned around, holding Xiao Taoqi behind him, and nodded at the Noble Consort, whose sedan had been lowered on her request.
"Hello, Noble Consort He,"
The Noble Consort snickered. Her face was very heavily made up. She tilted to one side to try to see behind Wang Fengli but couldn't. Frowning, she spoke.
"Isn't Lady Xiao going to greet me?"
Xiao Taoqi had already been feeling slightly miffed at being shielded by Wang Fengli. Hearing the Noble Consort's remark, she therefore stepped forward.
"Xiao Taoqi greets the Noble Consort," she was just about to curtsey when Wang Fengli pulled her up abruptly. Huh? Xiao Taoqi glared at him. What was his problem? He looked angry.
"We'll be seeing the Noble Consort around," Wang Fengli pulled Xiao Taoqi and made to leave. Xiao Taoqi abruptly snatched her hand back. She then turned to the Noble Consort with a big smile on her face.
"Noble Consort, I'm truly very happy to meet you! Taoqi has been a very big fan of yours since I was little! Now that I'm seeing you in person, I realise that all the sayings about your beauty are true!"
Wang Fengli frowned as he took another good look at the girl. Was she possessed? He mused over her words unhappily. His mother would not be pleased to hear that Xiao Taoqi was befriending her sworn enemy. What to do?
The Noble Consort was quite shocked, herself. She appraised the fresh faced beauty with a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. Since when had she been flattered like this?
"Heh. Seems like the crown prince consort-to-be has a sweet mouth. I had no idea I had a fan in the person of Lady Xiao,"
Xiao Taoqi smiled. It was good to butter up her clients. This woman was almost the sole financier of her business.
"Noble Consort's tastes in jewelry and beauty products leave me in awe. I think that you also shop with Lady Yue Meng Mei?"
The Noble Consort's eyes widened, and then she gave a tight smile. Ah. So that was where this girl had encountered her. However, she did not think Xiao Taoqi, even with being a General's daughter, could afford any of Yue Meng Mei's pieces.
"I see that Lady Xiao also loves Yue Meng Mei. What have you bought from her store lately?" she chuckled. Xiao Taoqi kept up her sweet smile and raised her hand, showing off her wrist. Did the Noble Consort want to embarrass her? Hah, too bad.
"I managed to buy this cheap thing from pulling all my savings together. What does Noble Consort think?"
He Danxian glanced sneeringly down at the bracelet, and then colour drained from her face. This--! How dare she call this treasure cheap!!! How had a mere General Xiao's daughter been able to purchase the blood red Jadeite Bracelet from Yue Meng Mei?!!? Putting aside the cost, didn't Yue Meng Mei always use it as a trump card to tantalise the noble ladies at her fairs? Didn't she say that it was an 'unselleable' treasure? She herself knew how much she had repeatedly offered the cold-faced tycoon for this bracelet, and yet she had always been turned down before she managed to get all the words out.
"This--!!" Was all the Noble Consort could say. Wang Fengli was already pissed all the way to his stomach. He promptly pulled Xiao Taoqi and they walked away before the Noble Consort could recover from her stupor. Xiao Taoqi did not forget to curtsey before leaving.
"Taoqi," Wang Fengli opened his mouth when they approached the Eastern Palace, "I want you to stay away from the Noble Consort. She's dangerous,"
Xiao Taoqi rolled her eyes.
"It's up to me to decide who's dangerous or not."
"No-- listen!" Wang Fengli looked truly serious, as he stopped in his tracks to face her, "I know she looks harmless, but she's actually a snake. Don't be friendly with her. She has very high ambitions in this palace, and she opposes me, therefore she will hate you as well. Be careful,"
Xiao Taoqi looked at Wang Fengli from top to toe. He was confused at her expression.
"Alright. Then let me tell you, Idiot Feng, that she can't do anything to me."
Wang Fengli sighed exasperatedly and pulled her hands into his.
"Taoqi, please-- I -- I don't want to tell you about all the evils she's committed. Just listen to me this once,"
Xiao Taoqi did not understand. Who was the Noble Consort that even Want Fengli was so wary of her? Was her best customer really an evil person as he said? She would have to find out privately.
"Fine, fine! Alright!" She still had another identity anyway. She would continue to milk Noble Consort He of her funds!
Wang Fengli did not look entirely convinced but he left it at that. He grasped her hand tightly as they entered the Eastern Palace.
"There is a lot of scheming in the palace that you have to watch out for," he said, "I understand that you grew up in the General's Residence and you are a straightforward person so you might not realise it. In this palace, people appear to be friendly with one another on the surface, but their hearts are as black as coal--"
"That's why I didn't want to come here in the first place," Xiao Taoqi interrupted. She pulled her hand out of Wang Fengli's and ran towards her own courtyard. Wang Fengli looked after her and sighed and shook his head. She would learn...