The weather was getting hotter and hotter. Princess Eleven was eating chilled melon under the grape rack. Watching the palace maid cut one open, she waved her hand lacking interest, signaling the maid to take it away.
She was unhappy, and the servants around her were even more trembling, trying every means to cheer her up. The little maid took away the melon and replaced it with a bowl of ice that she used to like the most, and coaxed her to eat softly, but she still had no interest, and just pursed her lips and asked, "What day is it?"
The young maid knew who she was asking about, and subconsciously looked at the senior maid Su Tao beside her. Su Tao coughed, leaned down to take the ice bowl from the young maid, and replied with a smile: "Princess, it's been more than half a month."
It had been more than half a month. Princess Eleven pushed away the book beside her in annoyance and complained: "It's been so long, why hasn't Tian Xun come back yet?!"
No one dared to speak.
Su Yao and the Eleventh Princess were at loggerheads, and the Eleventh Princess liked Tian Xun more. This was already known to everyone in the palace. But the strange thing was that this Lady Su clearly never coaxed or obeyed the Eleventh Princess, and she even made the Eleventh Princess so angry that she went to the Queen Mother to complain several times. But in the end, the three people who could make the decision in the palace, the Queen Mother, the Emperor, and even Concubine Pang, all turned a deaf ear to it and pretended not to know about it.
Who wouldn't be the smartest of the smart in the palace? Sometimes having no attitude is itself an attitude.
Therefore, even though the eleventh princess's dislike for Su Yao was already very obvious, and the palace maids rarely echoed in saying bad things about Su Yao, Su Tao said bluntly: "Your Highness, don't you know? Such a big thing happened to the Tian family. I'm afraid Miss Tian Xun won't be able to come back for a while..."
The fact that Tian Chengzhong and Madam Tian were threatening to divorce could not be concealed after all. Just yesterday, the Eleventh Princess filed a complaint, and today Tian Chengzhong was summoned to the palace by Empress Dowager Tian. It had come to this, and Tian Xun was afraid that there was no hope for her to return to the palace - her parents at home had reached the point of threatening to divorce, and it was not appropriate for her to return to the palace to accompany them in their studies.
The eleventh princess was even more indignant: "Those who should leave didn't leave, but those who shouldn't leave left!"
Su Tao smiled bitterly, "Your Highness is really... Actually, the county lady is doing this for your own good. The kite is hung so high, if she doesn't shoot it with a bow and arrow, what else can she do? If she really got hurt while trying to take the kite down for you, how would it sound good if it got out?"
"Su Tao is right!" Concubine Pang had been listening in the corridor for a while, and only interrupted their conversation at this moment. When she saw the Eleventh Princess stand up, she raised her eyebrows and shook her head: "You are making trouble again!"
Unexpectedly, Concubine Pang came. The Eleventh Princess stood up in a hurry. Seeing her mother shaking her head at her, she felt very aggrieved: "Mother is partial. Why do you always speak for her?"
It was cool and comfortable under the grape trellis, and the wind brought a scent of flowers. Concubine Pang sat down beside her and looked at her daughter calmly: "Because you were the first to be unreasonable."
Looking at her daughter who was like a tender leaf on a branch, Concubine Pang said calmly, "You are no longer a child. You can't just do whatever you want. Ask yourself these days, what did Su Yao do wrong? It was you who took a hostile attitude from the beginning and tried to intimidate her. Why, she didn't admit her defeat and didn't kowtow, so you feel you can't stand it?"
Concubine Pang's words hit the nail on the head. Princess Eleven's little thoughts were exposed to the public by her mother's blunt words. She felt a little embarrassed and really got angry: "Mother, am I doing something wrong?! I'm a princess! You let her enter the palace to study with you, not to be her master!"
Concubine Pang fell silent and stared at the Eleventh Princess closely.
They were silent, and the palace maids around them were even more silent.
After a long silence, when Princess Eleven turned away uncomfortably because of her stare, Concubine Pang ordered all the palace people to leave, leaving only Jing Gu behind. Then she spoke in a deep voice, "Xiao Baozhu, you also know that you are a princess!"
The Eleventh Princess was actually still afraid of her mother, especially when she heard Concubine Pang speak in such a tone, she felt even more regretful. She bit her head hesitantly and dared not answer.
"What is a princess?" Concubine Pang asked her. Seeing her confused face, she couldn't help but chuckled: "Baozhu, your name was given by your father. Baozhu is like a pearl, like a treasure. Your father cherishes you. The princess of the imperial court is so honorable. You naturally have the capital to be arrogant. But you have started to study recently, and you should also know some truths. You are a princess, you are supported by the world, you enjoy glory, and you enjoy brocade clothes. You should also bear responsibilities that ordinary people cannot bear."
These words were very serious, and the Eleventh Princess hesitantly called out "Mother".
Concubine Pang's tone was still not too serious, but it was no longer gentle: "Your father indulges you, not because he wants to raise a princess who is arrogant and looks down on others! Baozhu, you should be thankful that the country would rather die than marry, so princesses of our dynasty don't have to marry far away and endure humiliation. But since it has come to this, you should know how to cherish your blessings. You are a princess, and you will be married sooner or later. By then, although you and your husband are the monarch and his subject, you are also husband and wife. Do you want to suppress him with your status as a princess? Even if you are a prince, you should respect your own princess. Even if you are your father, do you want to beat and scold me at every turn? You are so old, how can you be so biased just based on a little slander from others? And treat your companion as a servant?"
Princess Eleven felt a little embarrassed by Concubine Pang's words, but Concubine Pang ignored her and just stood up to leave coldly: "You have been fooling around for a while now. I hope you can think about it carefully. If you are still like this, then let Su Yao leave the palace. It doesn't matter whether you read the book or not."
She came out of the eleventh princess's bedroom without hesitation. Jinggu followed her. After helping her onto the sedan chair, she asked reluctantly, "Madam, were your words just now too harsh? In fact, His Highness has always been a kind person. He and County Lady Su just don't get along for the time being..."
How can matters between children be elevated to the level of "princess's character"
Concubine Pang shook her head, her eyes were complicated but she still said firmly: "No, it's too late now. Flowers and plants that can withstand wind and rain can't be grown in a greenhouse. You accompany me to Su Yao's place."
Jinggu knew Concubine Pang's personality and knew that she would not change her decision, so she did not dare to say anything more. She quickly agreed and ordered the sedan chair to go to Qingning Palace where Su Yao was.