Chapter 4

Chapter 4

“What, are you afraid of bitterness?”

“I’m afraid you added something extra.” Song Yan assumed the worst with malicious certainty.

He left the medicine I had brewed to cool on the side, then took the bowl the transmigrated woman brought him and downed it in one go. The transmigrated woman glanced at me, then turned back to him and coaxed him in a soft, gentle voice. “Song Lang, drink more slowly. It was stewed for such a long time. The medicine is strong, so have a candied fruit to take away the bitterness.”

In that glance, beneath the respect and fear, there was a certain smugness, a certain vanity that said, Look, even the princess isn’t as favored by Song Lang as I am.

I was raised personally by Imperial Father. With one look, I could see straight through those petty thoughts of hers.

Every word she said misled people, as if she had worked hard to brew the medicine herself.

In reality, she had merely waited until the kitchen finished brewing it, then snatched the task of delivering the medicine from the maid so she could curry favor. A common trick in palace and household scheming. After all, who would actually do the kitchen’s hard labor?

I would.

She had no idea that the medicine she had carried over from the kitchen was what remained after I had watched the fire and simmered it for several hours.

Those who fight for favor only need to clumsily flatter men.

But I am a princess. I can act willfully, but I cannot leave flaws everywhere. Take this bowl of medicine, for instance. Once it leaves my hands, if some spy adds a lethal poison midway to sow discord between the imperial family and the military commanders, that would cause trouble for Imperial Brother.

She could only see my arrogance and domineering temper. She could not see the meticulous caution behind it, and then she felt pleased with herself for winning a man’s favor.

Just as she could not see that I was deliberately indulging her, permitting her, and letting her do as she pleased.

Song Yan bit into the candied fruit, then spat it out with a “pah.”

“Too sweet.”

The sight of him being so precious irritated me, so I turned and left. Whether he drank the medicine or not was none of my concern. All I needed was to make the proper show of things so Imperial Brother could rest easy.

The next few days were all the same. He would set aside the medicine I brought, or even pour it out, but when Su Wushuang brought it, he would obediently drink it.

Since he was determined to disgust me, of course I was not going to simply let him.

The batch of medicine was almost finished. With only the last dose left, I hummed a tune and added some croton seeds and coptis to it, then carried the food box down the road. Along the way, I ran into a group of concubines admiring the flowers. The beauties were all extremely eager to help me carry my things.

That would not do. This bowl really had been spiked. How could I bear to let these beautiful sisters get dragged into it by accident?

I firmly insisted on carrying it myself. I did not even need a maid.

As we were still refusing one another, Su Wushuang passed by and timidly paid her respects. By the time I reached Song Yan’s door, I happened to hear her say to Song Yan, “The women in these grand households are so pitiful. Female competition is everywhere.”

Her subtext: I am different from those women. I don’t engage in female competition. I am special, and I pity them. Look! How kind and compassionate I am!

Song Yan said impatiently, “A bunch of women fighting over jealousy every day. They’ve made the whole residence foul and chaotic.”

The high-ranking concubine who had been the most fiercely jealous just now heard this and was filled with righteous indignation. She rolled up her sleeves and asked me for permission. “Your Highness, allow me to go twist off that shameless pair’s heads!”

My face was full of disapproval. “That is far too violent. Xiaohua, how many times have I told you? Violence cannot solve problems. You are now a noble concubine of a great household. You must be refined. You must be serene.”

The moment I finished speaking, I did not break stride. As soon as I pushed open the door, I very smoothly, very violently, and with a very blatant double standard, smashed the food box in my hand at that bastard’s head.