"Wait... wait for me!"
Unexpectedly, she dared to be so brazen. Lü Qin was momentarily stunned. By the time she came to her senses, Feng Yin Wan had already pushed her aside.
Seeing the two figures about to storm into the hall, she tried to stop them again but was silenced by Ye Ting Lan's stern gaze.
Inside the hall, Concubine Rong and Ye Zi Yun were examining newly applied nail polish. Caught off guard by their unannounced intrusion, their faces immediately contorted with displeasure.
"Presumptuous!"
Feng Yin Wan stopped as instructed, her beautiful eyes glancing at their still-wet fingernails. A cold sneer touched her lips.
"Just now, the palace maid said Your Ladyship and Princess Qing Yun were having a heart-to-heart in the hall. I didn't believe it. But upon entering, I see it's true. Who has a heart-to-heart while doing their nails? This palace maid truly speaks nonsense."
As Lü Qin hurried up from behind, she heard Feng Yin Wan shifting the blame onto her. Her face paled slightly, and she quickly bowed to Concubine Rong.
"This concubine did not heed advice and trespassed into the hall. I, your servant, failed in my duty and could not stop her. I beg Your Ladyship to punish me."
Concubine Rong's face darkened at this. Her gaze met Ye Ting Lan's chilling stare. With a flicker in her eyes, she waved her hand.
"Retire."
"Yes."
Lü Qin responded and stepped aside. Concubine Rong's gaze shifted, passing over Feng Yin Wan, and returned to Ye Ting Lan.
"You rush in so anxiously, what is the matter?"
She glanced at Feng Yin Wan obliquely, the words "unwelcome" written all over her face.
Seeing this, Ye Ting Lan's expression grew colder. "This son brings his concubine to pay respects to Mother Consort."
A snort echoed through the hall as Ye Zi Yun looked down haughtily, a heavy mockery in her eyes.
"Brother, have you lost your mind? Only the principal consort is allowed to enter the palace. Since when do concubines pay respects?"
"I welcomed her into my manor with the ceremony of a principal consort, so she is naturally permitted to enter the palace."
Ye Ting Lan, too lazy to argue with her, straightened his expression and calmly explained. However, Ye Zi Yun seemed to hear something amusing, letting out a scoff.
"The ceremony of a principal consort? Does she deserve that?"
Her gaze swept over Feng Yin Wan, full of disdain. "Not just any commoner can be a concubine. Brother, you should have chosen more carefully before taking her in. It's truly hard to describe."
To use the ceremony of a principal consort! This was simply an insult to the royal family!
Ye Ting Lan was about to tell her to shut up, but Feng Yin Wan spoke faster.
"My status is humble, and I am indeed unworthy of the Prince's special ceremony for a principal consort. However, Princess Qing Yun's etiquette is not much better. So vulgar, truly unbecoming of a royal daughter."
Since Feng Yin Wan had thrown these words in her face, Ye Zi Yun couldn't let it slide.
Upon hearing this, Ye Zi Yun immediately shot up.
"Who are you calling vulgar!"
This vulgar woman, how dare she insult her!
Feng Yin Wan raised her eyebrows. "Doesn't the Princess hear clearly who I am referring to?"
"You are presumptuous!"
Presumptuous?
Feng Yin Wan's gaze shifted to the side.
As if in tacit understanding, Ye Ting Lan spoke coldly, "Ye Zi Yun, be silent."
"Brother!"
Completely unprepared for him to so openly take the side of an outsider, Ye Zi Yun was choked with anger.
Seeing her daughter unable to gain the upper hand, Concubine Rong quickly chimed in.
"Enough, Lan'er. Yun'er is your sister, how can you be so harsh with her!"
Then, she looked at Feng Yin Wan, her eyes particularly sharp. "Consort Wan, you speak with such confidence, standing so tall."
She had come to pay respects but neither greeted nor bowed. How dare she be so presumptuous!
Feng Yin Wan nodded upon hearing this, showing no modesty at all.
"Not as tall as Your Ladyship, but I do have some confidence."
"Presumptuous!" Concubine Rong was furious. "Was no one there to teach you manners before you entered the palace?!"
Feng Yin Wan thought for a moment. There really wasn't.
Therefore, she looked at Concubine Rong and truthfully replied, "No."
To Concubine Rong, this situation appeared as arrogant and overbearing, fueled by favoritism.
She clenched her knuckles, her bones creaking, and gritted her teeth. "Very well! Lan'er dotes on you, but this Consort will not indulge you!"
"Lü Qin! Go and fetch several governesses for me to properly teach her what etiquette a concubine should possess!"
"Yes, Your Ladyship."
Lü Qin remained in the hall, waiting for this very moment.
The governesses for teaching manners were prepared long ago by her orders, precisely to establish rules for this concubine, Feng Yin Wan.
Her presumptuousness made it all the more justifiable.
Almost at the command, several robust women with broad waists rushed in from outside the hall, lining up in front of Feng Yin Wan.
Lü Qin tilted her chin upwards. "Your Ladyship has ordered that since Consort Wan is new to the palace and ignorant of the rules, you shall all, as elders of the palace, teach her well."
"Yes!"
This synchronized response was filled with imposing energy. Feng Yin Wan raised her eyebrows upon seeing this, finally feeling a flicker of interest.
However, it was merely "a flicker."
Because as she was about to flex her fists, a cold voice beside her had already quelled the chaos.
"Enough."
The next moment, a sharp aura descended, encompassing her forcefully.
Ye Ting Lan put an arm around her, his tall figure shielding them from the noxious atmosphere. He looked at Concubine Rong with an indescribable coldness.
"I respect you as Mother Consort, which is why I brought her to pay respects. Since Mother Consort so dislikes the person this King cherishes, this King will no longer visit Chunxi Palace from now on."
This was a declaration of estrangement!
Although the mother and son had never been very close, they appeared harmonious and filial in the eyes of outsiders.
Never expecting him to utter such harsh words, Concubine Rong's face paled. The hand holding her silk handkerchief trembled slightly.
"Lan'er, you...!"
She saw that her son's mind had been bewitched! To abandon his own mother for some cheap woman!
Ye Zi Yun had clearly not anticipated the situation escalating this way. She quickly stepped forward to support Concubine Rong and also spoke in protest.
"Brother, how can you speak to Mother Consort like this! Mother Consort is doing all this for you!"
Ye Ting Lan didn't even bother to look at her. "Shut up."
For his sake?
She was doing it for herself!
Concubine Rong half-closed her eyes, appearing utterly exhausted.
"Lan'er, I had thought you, at your age, would be more composed, but I didn't expect... Have you considered how the Duke of Ding Nan will react to your actions!"
"What was all this Consort's painstaking effort for! What have you been meticulously planning for years! How can you ruin the grand scheme for a woman!"
Ye Ting Lan remained unmoved, his cold gaze fixed on her, his face terrifyingly chilling.
"Mother Consort is tired. Help her back to her room to rest."
Concubine Rong was escorted away. For a moment, everyone was struck dumb with fear, and no sound could be heard in the hall.
With a chilling glance at Ye Zi Yun, Ye Ting Lan's thin lips curved again. "Princess Qing Yun's etiquette is lacking. Have these governesses teach her well. If so many people cannot teach the Princess properly, then there is no need for her to remain in the palace."
His tone was utterly cold, yet it carried a crushing weight. Ye Zi Yun's face had already turned extremely pale upon hearing this.
"Brother, I don't want them to teach me. My etiquette is not lacking at all!"
These governesses were specifically prepared by Mother Consort to discipline that woman, and they were arguably the strictest in the palace.
Ye Ting Lan wanted them to teach her – this was clearly deliberate torment!
She absolutely refused to suffer such torment!
Ye Ting Lan pursed his lips, his handsome face resolute, showing no sign of yielding.
"Take Princess Qing Yun back."
The chaotic farce in Chunxi Palace dispersed noisily. Feng Yin Wan followed behind Ye Zi Yun as they left the palace. Seeing her surrounded by a group of robust and fierce governesses, on the verge of tears, her mood couldn't have been better.
The pressure on her shoulder eased as the warmth that had covered her retreated.
Ye Ting Lan looked at her, a hint of unease in his eyes.
"If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn't have let you go."
Feng Yin Wan blinked before realizing he was referring to going to Chunxi Palace.
Just as she was about to wave it off and say it was fine, she paused mid-sentence, a touch of surprise in her voice. "Why is Your Highness being so considerate of others today?"
It seemed he had been trying to pull her away even before they entered the hall. And after entering...
It appeared that not only was Ye Ting Yun acting strangely, but Ye Ting Lan was also somewhat unusual.
"This King..."
His dark eyes upon her deepened momentarily. Feng Yin Wan's brow twitched inexplicably. She interrupted him.
"Concubine Rong's words are not entirely unreasonable. With the succession struggle imminent, Your Highness should indeed not offend the Duke of Ding Nan for someone as insignificant as me."
It wasn't about whether he should or shouldn't. It was entirely unnecessary.
Suddenly staging such a scene, it was normal for Concubine Rong to be agitated.
Ye Ting Lan gazed at her, his eyes deep. His thin lips moved, but he countered with a question.
"Do you wish for this King to contend for the throne?"
Feng Yin Wan's brow rose slightly. She didn't understand why he would suddenly ask her this, or from what standpoint.
Perhaps his expression was too earnest. Feng Yin Wan thought for a moment and nodded seriously.
"Naturally."
In a sense, they were in a cooperative relationship.
Although she would likely have already left by the time the succession struggle began, until their cooperation ended, she and Ye Ting Lan were, to some extent, a community of interest.
Whether Ye Ting Lan succeeded in the succession struggle wouldn't significantly impact her. However, him taking the throne was better than Ye Ting Yan or Ye Ting Yu.
Her safety and Chen Chen's safety were one aspect. Also, those who had harmed her father and brother had to pay the price. Using him to kill Ye Ting Yu and Ye Ting Yan would be a beautiful thing.
She would watch from the sidelines, remaining uninvolved. Ye Ting Lan nodded upon hearing this, his gaze on her deepening.
"This King understands."