Chapter: 156.3 out of 171
The weather became warmer and warmer. Spring quickly turned into summer. It would soon be Duke Ying’s wife’s birthday banquet.
Wei Luo felt listless as soon as summer arrived. She wasn’t interest in doing anything. Zhao Jie ordered the servants to buy a wagon of ice. The ice was placed in all four corners of their room to lower the temperature. It was only after this was done that Wei Luo felt slightly better.
On old madam’s birthday, Wei Luo wore a light muslin top that was as thin as a cicada’s wing. It was paired with a light red and green gauzy skirt. Her attire looked very refreshing.
Zhao Jie was wearing a deep black robe embroidered with honeysuckles and a jade waist accessory. His tall and straight body showed his bone-deep handsomeness.
After they arrived at Duke Ying’s residence and presented old madam’s birthday gift, Zhao Jie and the other male guests stayed in the receiving room and Wei Luo went to the reception pavilion to converse with the other female guests.
When fourth madam saw her, she didn’t rush to ask her if she was pregnant. It was probably because she could tell that Wei Luo also wanted a child, but the child still hadn’t come yet. It would be superfluous to discuss this topic further. Fourth madam didn’t want to put Wei Luo in a difficult position, so she didn’t bring up this topic in front of her.
However, just because fourth madam didn’t mention this, it didn’t mean that other people would also stay quiet on this issue.
Wei Luo talked with fourth madam for a while. Because she was feeling tired, she wanted to go to her old room to sleep for a bit. As Wei Luo passed through a flowerbed, her handkerchief was swept away by the wind and landed behind the rock garden. Wei Luo led Jin Lu over there to look for her handkerchief. Right after she picked up the handkerchief, she heard people speaking on the other side of the rock garden.
“Miss, this servant saw Princess Consort Jing passing by here recently.”
Wei Luo heard Wei Bao Shan’s voice next, “How come I didn’t see her? You’re probably mistaken.”
The servant girl looked left and right. She wasn’t certain as she said, “Strange, where did she go?” She immediately followed these words by saying, “This servant guarantees that this servant didn’t make a mistake. Princess Consort Jing is so beautiful. She looks like someone that walked out of a flower. This servant had never seen someone so beautiful.”
Wei Bao Shan didn’t reply.
That servant girl was probably young. When she spoke, her voice was very lively. She chattered on, “This servant heard that Prince Jing is extremely pampering towards Princess Consort Jing. During the Spring Lantern Festival, he personally made over a hundred lanterns and had them released in Huai An River just to make Princess Consort Jing happy.”
Wei Bao Shan stopped walking for a moment and slowly said, “Really?”
Even though she said those words, she secretly felt this was very probable based on what she had seen when she went to Da Long Temple last time. How many husbands would crouch down in front of other people to carry their wives up a mountain to pray at a temple? Not only had Zhao Jie done that, there hadn’t been the slightest hint of dissatisfaction on his face. He truly cherished Wei Luo to the core of his bones.
The servant girl added, “Of course, it’s real. Princess Consort Jing really makes a person feel envious. Not only was she born in a good family, she also married well…”
Wei Bao Shan lightly sneered. Her tone was slightly disapproving as she said, “What’s there to envy? So what if she married well? Isn’t she still a hen that can’t lay eggs?”
On the other side of the rock garden, Wei Luo’s eyes turned icy.
Jin Lu was angry that her entire body trembled. She clenched her fist and said, “Miss, this Wei Bao Shan is too outrageous…”
Wei Luo didn’t respond to her words. She calmly walked out from behind the rock garden and blocked Wei Bao Shan’s path.
Wei Bao Shan hadn’t expected that Wei Luo would be nearby. Although her face immediately paled and she bit her bottom lip, she was able to force herself to remain calm
On the other hand, the servant girl that was wearing a dark green jacket and skirt fell down to the floor on her knees. Panic-stricken, she said, “Greeting Your Highness…”
Wei Luo ignored the servant girl and only looked at Wei Bao Shan as she said, “Miss Bao Shan, the next time you talk about people behind their backs, don’t forget the words “the walls have ears”.
Wei Bao Shan opened and closed her mouth without saying a word. She lowered her head.
Wei Luo coldly said, “Kneel.”
When the servants that were passing through this courtyard noticed that something was wrong, they inevitably couldn’t resist glancing back.
Wei Bao Shan had thought Wei Luo was only an overly spoiled, young girl. After all, when she interacted with Wei Luo in the past, she didn’t discover anything unusual about Wei Luo. However, when Wei Luo had ordered her kneel, her cold and severe tone had increased her imposingness and made Wei Bao Shan feel as if there was no room to refute.
She hadn’t realized that there was a reason why Wei Luo hadn’t sorted her out previously. Wei Luo used to feel that Wei Bao Shan was beneath her notice.
Right now, she had poked at Wei Luo’s sore spot and Wei Luo would no longer be courteous towards her.
In front of everyone, Wei Bao Shan slowly kneeled down. She tried to explain, “My earlier words… They weren’t directed at the princess consort…”
Wei Luo softly smiled and leaned over to face Wei Bao Shan. Wei Luo had previously felt angry, but seeing Wei Bao Shan’s terror, she controlled herself and only felt disdain. She had though Wei Bao Shan would be more daring, but her daring had only amounted to this much. “It wasn’t directed at me? Then, whom was it directed towards? Wei Bao Shan, you have to take responsibility for your words. Do you think I’m a fool? You’re scared now, but why didn’t you control your mouth before?”
Wei Luo’s eyes were smiling and she seemed very agreeable, but her mouth said, “Showing lack of regard towards your superior. Insulting the imperial family. With this alone, I can condemn you for your crime. Jin Lu, come here. Punish her with twenty slaps. Not even one slap can be missed.”
Jin Lu had wanted to do this since she first heard Wei Bao Shan’s words. Hearing Wei Luo’s command, she was naturally happy to obey. She walked to Wei Bao Shan’s side, rolled up her sleeves, and satisfyingly slapped her with one hand and then the other hand in quick succession.
Twenty-three slaps were heard in the courtyard. Each slap was louder than the last.
Only a short time had passed. Wei Bao Shan’s face had swollen to the size of steamed bun. It was an absolutely unsightly appearance.
Wei Luo looked at her and was rather satisfied. She curved her lips and asked Wei Bao Shan, “Do you acknowledge your wrongdoing now?”
Wei Bao Shan tightly clutched her swaying skirt and nodded her head in humiliation. She probably couldn’t speak right now.
Wei Luo lowered her eyes to look at her. “Since you know you were wrong, go to Second Madam and tell her that you did something wrong and that I ordered a servant to discipline you. Otherwise, other people will wonder if they see you like this.” She suddenly thought of something and faintly smiled. “Go now.”
Wei Bao Shan suddenly widened her eyes and incredulously looked at Wei Luo.
Second madam was currently in the reception pavilion and there were also many guests gathered there. If she went there now, wouldn’t everyone have a poor impression of her?