Step aside?
That was impossible.
Cui Yunfeng took the offensive this time, saying, "Just now that older maid said the Side Consort was feeling unwell. Looking at you now, however, your complexion is quite rosy."
"..."
Liu Wanting looked at the main gates of the Crown Prince's estate that were right before her eyes, but she just could not enter. She felt so stifled she could die.
But with so many people watching, she could not let herself become a laughingstock. "After resting for a bit, I do feel much better."
Cui Yunfeng nodded. "That is good. The side gate is on the west side. We will not see you off, Side Consort. Hurry along now."
Liu Wanting's nails were digging so hard into her palms they almost pierced the skin.
Cui Yunchu immediately followed up with a sarcastic jab, "It must have been hard on the Side Consort. Disregarding your own joyous day, you insisted on blocking the main gate to teach me a lesson. They say people use their power to bully others, but you haven't even entered the gates yet and you're already bullying me. It shows how special I am to you."
Liu Wanting truly could not hold back anymore. She wanted nothing more than to slap Cui Yunchu fiercely across the face and sew shut the mouths of the two Cui sisters.
But she could not admit to it.
It was the rule and etiquette for a side consort to enter the estate through the side gate. If she tried to argue, it would be considered overstepping her bounds, a crime far greater than intending to block Cui Yunchu for a beating.
After all, the Empress had only given tacit consent and had never stated it explicitly.
But no matter what, she definitely could not enter through the main gates today. There were many onlookers around, and her reputation had been completely ruined by Cui Yunchu.
Liu Wanting looked at the main gates, her eyes red with deep reluctance.
The Cui family had Cui Yunfeng, while the Liu family was firmly aligned with the Crown Prince. Xiao Yi was more than happy to cause trouble for them. "Perhaps Side Consort Liu does not know where the side gate is. Men, show Side Consort Liu the way."
The eunuch beside him immediately stepped forward and made an inviting gesture.
To suffer a double loss—there was no better description than this. Liu Wanting gripped the armrests of the bridal sedan tightly, holding back her tears as she dropped the carriage curtain. The older maid beside her waved her hand, and they dejectedly followed Eunuch Liu away.
The gong and drum troupe brought by the Liu family immediately started playing and beating their instruments again.
"..."
The sound was incredibly ironic to Liu Wanting's ears. "Tell them to stop. Get lost, all of you get lost."
That music was prepared for when she walked through the main gates to embarrass Tang Qingwan. Now, playing such festive music while entering through a side gate—was she afraid people wouldn't laugh at her enough?
Cui Yunchu looked at the musical troupe and smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. She said to Cui Yunfeng, "Just like you, no brains."
Cui Yunfeng was speechless.
"Seeing as you made a great contribution today, I won't hold it against you." Cui Yunfeng no longer had any disdain for Cui Yunchu; she only felt admiration.
"Eldest Sister, you are this." She secretly gave a thumbs-up.
Standing nearby, Xiao Yi watched the young woman's beaming face and his lips curved into a smile as well.
The crowd of onlookers, seeing that the drama had dispersed, began entering the Crown Prince's estate in small groups.
However, one person stood frozen with a stiff face.
Shen Xiabai glanced at Shen Zilan and said coldly, "Are you going to stand there forever?"
Shen Zilan ignored him, his gaze falling on Prince An and Cui Yunfeng, and muttered softly.
"I don't know what Eldest Miss Cui actually sees in you. In that situation just now, even Prince An knew to step forward and protect the Second Miss Cui, while you only knew how to stand with your hands behind your back and watch the show."
Shen Xiabai was speechless.
His mouth twitched, and his gaze darkened a bit more. "I am warning you, do not get too close to Cui Yunchu. It will only make you more foolish."
Shen Xiabai could already foresee the ending where Shen Zilan would be tricked by Cui Yunchu until he had nothing left.
Shen Zilan snorted lightly. "You can't protect her yourself, yet you don't allow others to get close. Where in the world is there such a rule? If the one she fancied was me, today I definitely would have..."
The rest of his words were swallowed back under Shen Xiabai's increasingly chilling glare.
Swallowing his anger, Shen Zilan stepped into the estate.
Shen Xiabai looked at his back, feeling an indescribable exhaustion. When he returned, he absolutely had to light a few extra sticks of incense for his eldest brother in apology.
Beside him, Yu Feng spoke in a low voice, "Master, after the young master complained, the Old Madam has sought you out many times. If you continue to brush her off like this, will there be trouble?"
Shen Xiabai replied, "If she doesn't bother me, there won't be trouble."
Shen Zilan was his mother's lifeblood. Shen Xiabai didn't even need to think to know why she was looking for him.
On the other side, the Chen siblings also entered the Crown Prince's estate in silence.
Chen Miaohe said, "Big Brother, since Eldest Miss Cui already has a good match, you shouldn't bother her anymore."
Chen Jiuhe pressed his lips together tightly. "I know my limits. I just... want to apologize to the lady."
During their marriage discussions back then, he had held prejudices against Cui Yunchu.
Chen Miaohe sighed. "Alright, if there is a chance, I will have someone pass a message for you."
Cui Yunfeng had been taken somewhere by Prince An, leaving Cui Yunchu sitting alone in the garden. Calculating the time, Tang Qingwan and the Crown Prince should be returning soon to hold the grand ceremony.
As she sat there, a round-faced maid took small steps forward and approached Cui Yunchu. "Eldest Miss, the Crown Princess asked this servant to give you something."
Cui Yunchu raised her eyes to look at the little maid, and immediately a paper packet was pressed into her hands. "The Crown Princess has a few words she asked this servant to pass on to the Eldest Miss."
After hearing the little maid's words, Cui Yunchu raised an eyebrow.
"Are you my cousin's person?"
The little maid did not speak. She pulled a solid gold hairpin from her sleeve and pressed it into Cui Yunchu's hand. "The Crown Princess says this is the reward for the Eldest Miss."
Looking at the hairpin, Cui Yunchu instantly believed the little maid's identity. "Alright, I understand."
The little maid pointed the way for her. "That person's courtyard is to the west."
Cui Yunchu waved her hand, lifted her skirt, stood up, and walked in the direction the little maid had pointed.
Then, Chen Jiuhe, who had been paying attention to her every move, immediately stood up and followed.
But in the garden, Chen Jiuhe was not the only one watching Cui Yunchu. Shen Zilan, acting as if he had been bitten by a dog and scratched by a cat, immediately went to tug at Shen Xiabai. "Chen Jiuhe went after Eldest Miss Cui."
Shen Xiabai swept a glance over, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly, and then brushed off Shen Zilan's hand. "Other than Cui Yunchu, is there nowhere else in the Crown Prince's estate worthy of your attention?"
Shen Zilan was a bit anxious. Was that the main point? Shouldn't the focus be on Chen Jiuhe?
"Are you going to do something about it? If not, I'm going."
Shen Xiabai was speechless.
Before he could even say the words do not go, Shen Zilan had already darted off.
An official who had been conversing with Shen Xiabai was momentarily stunned, then smiled. "Young Master Shen is quite lively. Young people indeed have good stamina."
"..."
Shen Xiabai exchanged a few pleasantries with the official, then could only follow with a dark expression.
