Chapter 13: The Plot Runs Awry
What!
Bai Xiangxiu had no idea what she’d done wrong. Why was it that the supporting male character, who’d seemed so interested earlier, had now returned to where he was originally seated?
It was an old granny servant who smiled as she walked over, “As Young Master Song says, these words really are small. This old slave’s eyes being good, though, I can still see it. This poem… is interesting, really interesting.”
The old madame laughed, “Let us hear it.”
“What, what, what can be done!” After reading halfway, she stopped speaking, startling the old madame and the others. What was she trying to say ‘what can be done’ when someone was celebrating her birthday?
Even Long Heng had put down his teacup and listened intently. However, he also wasn’t angered, the corners of his lips were raised upwards instead. He felt that as a member of his own harem, her spending a bit of effort for a little something for his mother was nothing to be worked up about. Even if she used some small schemes in the process, as long as she did not hold the mentality of harming others, it was still within his boundaries.
That granny continued, “What can be done about the sun and the torrential rain? The torrential rain wishes the old madame a long life, a longevity that surpasses even the torrential rain.”
This poem was one Bai Xiangxiu had seen on the web before, having remembered it then since she found it interesting. After having come here and wanting to let the supporting male character take note of her talents, she had thought of doing something to this tea table.
Having thought for a very long time, she had finally changed this poem, so that it could be discovered and spread by others. However, she had not thought that the supporting male character himself would actually discover it. His reaction was also a little different than what she was aiming for. She remembered that from the books, upon seeing the female lead’s painting, everyone was rather moved by it. Could it be that this poem couldn’t hook his attention? Or had it been changed by her to the point of being completely different from how it had been earlier, to the point where its artistic concept had been completely warped?
Nonono, what should I do? This male supporting character is too difficult to seduce! Bai Xiangxiu was on the hook now, and was rapidly getting worried. She started to fret that her show of the little white flower today was all in vain.
A little discouraged, she intended to wait till the old madame shooed them little concubines out before brainstorming another plan. But who knew that the old madame would actually be exceptionally tolerant, as she said, “You lot can also remain. Just make sure not to forget your places.”
Hey, what are you doing, Mr. Plotline? In the novel, it’s written that the concubines were to be shooed out. Why can they stay now? Where exactly did things gone wrong?
But the other three concubines were all extremely happy, because when would typical concubines have the chance to attend such a huge banquet? This also showed the uniqueness of their positions. On the other hand, Bai Xiangxiu just felt tired. The events that had just happened had sapped her mental strength.
Don’t ask why she was so useless. In the past, she had only associated with some flowers and plants. To her, battles of wits, tests of courage and whatnot were really all too taxing on the mind.
Long Heng had been silent all along. To him, however talented a woman, having put on such a high profile performance here under such a circumstance, she definitely had done so with something in mind. However, why was she so silent now, lowering her head and seemingly very exhausted as she sat by the side. It was almost as though she wanted to disappear.
As for the dear supporting male, it wasn’t actually that Song Jiaoyue hadn’t noticed her uniqueness, just that since she was a concubine of his friend, he definitely couldn’t get too close to her. Even though he really wanted to know the entirety of that poem, it seemed like no such opportunity would arrive tonight. Each with their respective heavy thoughts, those present waited until the rest of the guests filed in, the males and females splitting up soon after they arrived.
Concubines weren’t fit for official and important occasions, but now that the other three had such a chance, they naturally tried to appear elegant and demure as they sought the recognition of the various madames and young ladies. However, their targets were all official wives and proper daughters, and even the thin veneer of civility couldn’t conceal the contempt within their eyes for these concubines.
As Bai Xiangxiu silently drank tea by the side, Xiao Shi advised her softly from the side, “Mistress Xiu, why don’t you go talk to the various madames? It would be different if you gained their recognition.”
“What would be different?” Bai Xiangxiu asked curiously. Her goal had nothing to do with those madames, ladies or whatnot, so she truly didn’t care what they thought of her. However, there was someone she did notice, and that was the female lead’s mother, a beauty whose schemes ran extremely deep.
Currently just around thirty years of age, she was graceful in her bearing, smiling winningly at everyone she saw. However, Bai Xiangxiu knew that this woman was definitely not as simple as she seemed. She had spared no efforts for her daughter’s marriage, finally having chosen the male lead Long Heng for no other reason than his potential. Her eye for people was extremely unique, it was just that she had not thought that her daughter would completely disagree to this marriage.
A mother who thought only for her family naturally had a daughter who was extremely willful in everything. To be honest, this mother-daughter pair was actually a pair of troublemakers. If the female lead had not finally been pushed down and eaten by the male lead 1, who knew the trouble that they would have otherwise caused.
When reading the novel, Bai Xiangxiu had actually not harbored any good feelings towards this madame. Seeing her now, she felt that at the very least, her appearance was very attention-drawing. She had an extremely slick personality, seemingly able to draw up a conversation with any and all of the madames. She was especially cordial towards the old madame, calling her old sister again and again, even taking out the female lead’s painting to show her.
Actually, she had secretly stolen this painting. Her daughter was completely opposed to this marriage, since she had heard various bad rumors about the male lead.
Yes, there’s no doubt. The female lead is actually a person very weak to gossip. She was also a little idiotic and a first class troublemaker who liked to act innocent after having stirred something up.
Still, she had finally seen the young ladies of the major families of olden times. They each seemed rather skilled, all of them capable of smiling without revealing their teeth.
Originally, she thought that she had already acted ladylike enough these past few days, but it was only after having seen them that she obtained some studying material. It seemed that she still had a ways to go! Why did she have to do this? It was because what the supporting male character liked was the female lead who was a little stupid, a little innocent and a little like a holy mother kind of white flower, yet also truly possessed the bearing of a lady from a major family.
Wait, the female lead’s mother should’ve presented the female lead’s gift in front of the male lead. Why has it already been presented before the male lead has made his appearance? Isn’t this scenario a little too far away from what it’s supposed to be? There’s also no reason for her to do this here!
Just as she was feeling that the situation had turned strange, the old madame received the painting and said, “This is indeed a rather good painting. Servant, summon the Prince.”
Prince Long Heng came over, along with his best buddy Song Jiaoyue.
This was only natural. The two of them had been acquainted with each other since they were young, and the supporting male character didn’t act too formal even in the prince’s complex. This had eventually backfired on him since he’d slowly been attracted to the female lead. Those future developments actually had Bai Xiangxiu feeling extremely worried for him as she remembered. Actually having the thought of stealing the male lead’s girl, what was this if not suicidal!
Fortunately, the male lead had not wanted his life in the end.
Or rather, since she hadn’t read the ending, it was only a feeling that the male lead didn’t want his life. Even still, the troublemaking female lead’s ability of stirring up trouble everywhere would also burden Song Jiaoyue to death.
Running through the list of people the female lead had offended in the novel, Bai Xiangxiu couldn’t help but hold her head, feeling it physically expand. On one hand, she felt physical pain for the male lead, and mental pain for the supporting male character. How much mental and physical strength would they need to be able to deal with such a female lead… it would have to be on the level of a saint’s.
1. Euphemism for sex