Li Yuyu felt the entirely snow-white bottle was particularly hot to the touch; she began to tremble just as her fingertips touched it.
"Really using this?" She reconfirmed with Yan Xiu.
"Naturally, it’s not enough with just this; there are also those, Shen Quan."
Upon hearing the call, Shen Quan quickly walked in with his head down, efficiently bringing in several more porcelain bottles—white, green, blue, some round and bulging, others slender—but overall not large, naturally allowing Li Yuyu to hold them.
Yan Xiu was very satisfied with Shen Quan’s selection of porcelain, waved him away, then gently held Li Yuyu’s hand and slowly turned her to face Yan Zixuan. He approached again, holding Li Yuyu’s hand from behind...
...
"What did you say? Lady Li smashed Prince Xuan out of the Yangxin Hall?" Princess Consort De widened her eyes in shock.
"Your Highness, how could Lady Li have such nerve? She even dared to smash Prince Xuan, rumored to have smashed the most precious coiled dragon white porcelain bottle in Yangxin Hall. If Prince Xuan hadn’t dodged quickly, he certainly would have had a bloody hole on his head; just thinking about it is frightening."
Lan Qin patted her chest, still jittery.
It’s unclear if the attendants serving Yangxin Hall can sleep soundly tonight.
Princess Consort De sat on the Imperial Concubine’s Couch for quite a while without reacting: "Lan Qin, how could Lady Li have such nerve?"
Lan Qin shook her head and speculated: "Could it be because of General Li?"
"Originally, the Emperor had assigned Prince Xuan to quell the unrest in Beihuang, but after meeting with Lady Li, General Li was sent instead. I’ve heard Prince Xuan created a rift with General Li over this."
Princess Consort De shook her head: "I don’t understand court matters, let alone those outside the court. Whether Prince Xuan and General Li seem close or not, it would only be Lady Li’s support, which benefits me not at all."
"Forget it, let’s not think about their matters." Princess Consort De glanced at the sky, curious: "It’s almost 5 p.m. now, why hasn’t my bird’s nest porridge been sent?"
Lan Qin also found it odd: "Right, I recall Lan Qi went to get it half an hour ago, why hasn’t she returned?"
As she spoke, Lan Qi came in from outside carrying a meal box.
"Lan Qi, why are you only back now; the Your Highness has been waiting anxiously?" Lan Qin went up, taking the meal box from her hands.
Lan Qi bowed respectfully to Princess Consort De, then answered: "Your Highness, you don’t know; when I went to the kitchen, the kitchen staff were rearranging the stoves, and many palace attendants fetching refreshments were anxiously waiting there."
Princess Consort De laughed: "Isn’t that curious, what happened to the stoves?"
"I asked the same; it seemed particularly curious. Unexpectedly, the curious thing wasn’t even that; just an hour ago, Lady Li stirred up a commotion in the kitchen, blowing up all the stoves. Luckily, nothing happened on the Imperial Kitchen side, or else the Emperor would have had to wait for whatever he wanted to eat!"
"My heavens, blew up, blew up the kitchen..."
Princess Consort De finished speaking, feeling her own breathing becoming labored, her body growing weak as she leaned back.
"Your Highness, are you alright! Quick, quick, summon the Imperial Physician!" Lan Qi and Lan Qin rushed forward to help regulate her breathing, fanning her.
"No, don’t summon the Imperial Physician, I am merely alarmed."
After taking several breaths, Princess Consort De finally came to her senses; she clung to Lan Qin’s hand and gritted her teeth: "No, I cannot allow Li Yuyu to go on so arrogantly, prepare my outfit, I am going to Cining Palace!"