Chapter 87
Chapter 87
The senior maid had hoped to see humiliation, jealousy, and envy on Zhiyu’s face.
She was destined for disappointment.
Zhiyu showed no reaction at all. Her expression remained cold, her eyes fixed ahead.
After all, she had visited nearly every imperial palace across the three kingdoms and lived in them for extended periods. What had she not seen?
She had spent especially long in Zhen’s imperial gardens, which were practically a magnificent miracle. Compared with them, this courtyard–regarded by the maid as the finest on the continent–barely qualified as child’s play.
A beautiful young woman sat in the center of the main hall, surrounded by servants. When she saw Zhiyu, unconcealed disgust flashed across her face.
The girl looked more like her mad mother every day.
“Madam.” Zhiyu bowed.
Madam Jiang lazily raised a hand and ignored the maid standing behind her.
A middle-aged woman nearby approached and circled Zhiyu several times. Her aged face wrinkled with smiles.
“A truly pretty face. Master Jia especially favors this type. The hips are a little narrow, though. That is less ideal.”
The matchmaker shook her head.
Without changing expression, Shengsheng glanced at the matchmaker’s backside.
Yours seems wide enough. Heaven knows how many children you bore.
Zhiyu frowned and stepped away from the scrutiny.
“What does Madam mean by this?”
Madam Jiang sipped hot tea without answering.
The maid beside her spoke.
“Third Young Miss, you may be an illegitimate daughter, but Madam has a benevolent heart. Remembering that you are still a daughter of the Jiang family, she arranged an excellent marriage for you.”
“Which family?”
The maid answered proudly, “The renowned capital merchant, Jia Tancai.”
Jia Tancai was famous. His enormous wealth was only part of it.
The greater subject of gossip was the rumored hundred beauties in his rear court and his dozen sons, every one waiting for him to die so they could divide his fortune.
Zhiyu’s face darkened.
“Madam! Jia Tancai is over fifty, older even than Father. Does Father know what you are doing?”
Madam Jiang lowered her teacup and waved her round fan.
“I will speak to the General. He will agree.”
“Third Young Miss, do not reject kindness,” the senior maid said. “At the Spring Banquet, you offended the Noble Consort in the palace. That has already damaged the Jiang family’s reputation. Madam has fulfilled every duty by finding you such a match.”
The matchmaker chimed in, “Exactly. Master Jia is taking you as his second wife. This is the finest future available to you.”
Zhiyu’s face shifted between green and white. Her shoulders trembled with indignation.
Shengsheng moved one foot. The scrape of her sole was barely audible, yet Zhiyu reacted as though receiving a signal.
“No! I will not marry! I would rather die than marry him!”
“You will not succeed!”
Madam Jiang sneered. “Ungrateful girl. This is not your decision.”
“Someone take the Third Young Miss back. Lock her up until her wedding!”
“No! I will never marry him! Never!”
Her furious, grief-stricken voice echoed through the room. Before she could resist, two strong maids seized her arms.
Despair and sorrow flooded her. One glistening tear slid from the corner of her eye and down her pale cheek.
Next came the part where she wailed all the way back, had her mouth covered, and was imprisoned while sobbing.
Zhiyu carefully reviewed the scene in her mind.
She had almost forgotten her line just now.
As the maids bound her and prepared to drag her away, a fluffy yellow bird suddenly descended from the sky.
Shengsheng stared.
No. Had something nearly identical not happened before?
The bird landed securely atop Shengsheng’s head. Ordinarily, that would have drawn attention, but something else immediately seized every eye.
“Verbal decree from Noble Consort Duan! Xiyuan Duanmu and her daughter, meritorious officials who exposed a traitor, are summoned to the palace!”
The eunuch’s shrill cry shattered the orderly proceedings.
Madam Jiang was already on her knees. Everyone in the courtyard followed in a rustling wave.
The messenger hurried to Zhiyu, kicked away the two strong maids restraining her, and helped her up with a fawning smile.
“Miss Jiang, would you like to enter the palace now?”
Zhiyu froze.
What should she do? This had departed from Shengsheng’s script again. Should she go or refuse?
Under the eunuch’s expectant gaze, Zhiyu pressed her lips together, curved one corner of her mouth, and smiled.
“Ha. Things have become interesting.”
The eunuch stared.
Everyone else gasped.
Shengsheng despaired.
She truly should not have taught her that.
In the end, a lifeless Zhiyu entered the palace with an equally lifeless Shengsheng and one freshly arrived bird.
In another carriage, a bewildered Xiyuan Duanmu stared at an equally baffled Meiren Liu.
Shengsheng rode with Zhiyu. She pulled the bird from her sleeve and stroked his tiny beak.
“You certainly know how to choose your entrance, darling.”
Pecky dodged her hand and flew to her shoulder.
They had not seen each other for some time. Now that Shengsheng finally caught him, she refused to let him escape so easily. She grabbed the bird and planted kisses on him from both sides.
Zhiyu watched with envy and whispered, “Shengsheng, kiss me too.”
Shengsheng released the bird, spread her arms, and gave a grin far too lecherous for a young woman.
“Come here, darling. Let’s have some affection.”
Zhiyu was about to pounce when Pecky, perched on Shengsheng’s leg, tilted his head. His black-bean eyes fixed upon her.
“Chirp?”
The cuteness was explosive.
“My darling, how did you become so good at acting cute? Did you miss me?”
Shengsheng withdrew her arms. Her attention shifted completely as she held the bird, kneaded him, and showered him with kisses.
Pecky’s avian face went numb.
Zhiyu stared.
So love truly vanished.
*The Day I Never Imagined I Would Lose to a Bird.*
“Shengsheng, why did the Noble Consort call me a meritorious official?” Zhiyu suddenly asked.
Shengsheng found it strange as well. What new scheme was Fusheng performing?
She shook her head.
Zhiyu leaned against the small carriage window and recalled the messenger’s words.
“So the Noble Consort’s surname is Duan.”
Shengsheng nodded.
Everyone habitually called Fusheng “Your Grace the Noble Consort.” Many had forgotten his family name.
“Fusheng Duan. That is His Grace’s name.” She had almost called it his maiden name.
Zhiyu nodded. “What a strange name.”
Shengsheng swiftly caught Pecky as he spread his wings.
“It isn’t strange. Like the sun rising over the fusang tree. Isn’t that beautiful?”
Pecky suddenly stopped struggling.
Shengsheng stroked him and cursed inwardly:
*Fusheng Duan’s little bootlicker, despite never even meeting him.*
Duan-Pecky ignored her, but no longer dodged her increasingly presumptuous hands.
He remembered that he had mentioned the origin of his name only once.
“We have arrived.”
The carriage stopped. A shrill voice interrupted everyone’s separate thoughts.