Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1170: Chapter 1172: New Year’s Eve Fright (Part 1)_1

Bai Ruozhu only understood what a calamity sprung from empty fears meant when she was taken to the Imperial Study Room. Why did she recklessly make such a comment? And it just so happened that a spy really had infiltrated Si Lefang.

But now that she thought about it, it made sense. Officials and Noble Ladies could not bring any attendants to the New Year’s Eve Feast, and those around the emperor were all trusted bodyguards and palace maids. The only opportunity to approach the emperor would be during the song and dance performances when, after three rounds of drinks, the emperor might be a bit dizzy and his vigilance somewhat lowered.

Facing the emperor’s scrutiny, Bai Ruozhu could only say that it was her own speculation. The emperor glared at her and said, ”You have not attended the palace’s New Year’s Eve Feast before, have you? You are nothing but a girl from an Agricultural Family. How could you come up with such ideas?”

Bai Ruozhu did not like the emperor using her status to talk down to her. It was not that she minded being from a farmer’s household, but that she minded the contempt in the emperor’s attitude.

”Although I have not attended the New Year’s Eve Feast before, I have attended the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet. By making connections, I came up with these ideas,” Bai Ruozhu said.

”From what you are saying, should all the palace maids who performed that night be under suspicion?” the emperor asked, raising his eyebrows.

Bai Ruozhu smiled helplessly, ”I wouldn’t know about that. There are so many in the palace, who knows which nook someone might have slipped through?”

The emperor looked at her intently for a while, then suddenly said, ”No matter how I look at you, you do not seem like a farmer’s daughter. You are hiding quite a few secrets.”

Bai Ruozhu’s heart pounded furiously, but at that moment, she could not show the slightest panic. Suppressing her heartbeat, she calmly said, ”Perhaps in my past life, I accumulated virtues, so I could encounter a fairy’s transformation. That must be considered an awakening.”

The emperor hummed dissatisfiedly, seemingly not quite convinced but not wishing to probe further.

When Bai Ruozhu left the Imperial Study Room, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief, having passed the ordeal safely. But where was her Achun now?

During the evening’s palace banquet, the Empress Dowager invited Bai Ruozhu and Lin Ping’er to join, and even Little Dengdeng was brought along. He turned out to be very well-behaved, quiet, and focused on watching the beautiful performers, occasionally giggling with laughter, prompting Bai Ruozhu to marvel that he knew to appreciate beauty at such a young age.

The palace banquet proceeded very smoothly, but to everyone’s surprise, in the middle of the feast, the emperor said, ”Every year it’s the same old song and dance performances. I’m tired of it. Let’s skip it this year and change it to a tea competition. Those of you who are adept at the art of tea, feel free to participate.”

Everyone was stunned, especially the concubines in the palace who were looking forward to showing off in front of the emperor. They had been preparing early on, and now they were suddenly told not to perform?

The Empress Dowager also showed a surprised expression, evidently unaware of the emperor’s decision to change the rules on the spot. However, some noble and ministerial families were very excited, guessing that this was the emperor seeking to scout out candidates for next year’s selection of beauties. Some ladies were even secretly signaling to their daughters, indicating that they should perform well when the time came.

The Noble Ladies of the Capital had learned arts such as music, chess, calligraphy, painting, needlework, and tea artistry from a young age. There were many who could step forward to register for the competition.

The emperor, having made up his mind, immediately ordered the palace maids to bring the necessary tools for the tea art competition, and the lively contest commenced.

”Your second brother is good at tea art; if he were here, he could participate in the competition,” Lin Ping’er said softly with a hint of emotion.

Their seats were very near to the Empress Dowager, a position of high status, and not far from them was Imperial Concubine Liu’s seat. She had been grounded, but was allowed by the emperor to attend the New Year’s Eve Feast. Her languid and seductive eyes briefly swept over Lin Ping’er, and as if talking to herself, she said, ”Only a bumpkin from the countryside would mistakenly think that the art of tea is something that even lowly people can do. How laughable.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Ping’er was so angered that her face turned green. But since the other party was an Imperial Concubine, she did not want to cause trouble for her daughter and had to pretend as if she had heard nothing.

Bai Ruozhu glanced at Imperial Concubine Liu and began to ponder how she might mute that despicable person with poison. It was one thing to cause her trouble, but to bully her mother as well was crossing the line.

Imperial Concubine Liu disdainfully swept her eyes over Bai Ruozhu and began to mutter quietly to the palace maid by her side. Because the surroundings were somewhat noisy, Bai Ruozhu couldn’t quite make out what she was saying.

The tea ceremony competition soon began, and Bai Ruozhu noticed that Leng Wanhua and Gu Xue’an were also participating. However, Gu Xue’an’s eyes kept darting towards Lin Xufei, and Lin Xufei stared back so intently he was even teased by the people next to him.

It was then that Bai Ruozhu noticed the young man sitting near Lin Xufei. He appeared to be just over twenty, with a clear-cut Baby face that made him look much younger. He happened to catch Bai Ruozhu’s gaze, turned his head towards her, and smiled politely, exhibiting great warmth.

She noticed that the young man was wearing a Python Robe, and she realized that he must also be a prince. Guessing from his age, she inferred that he was King Rui.

Yang Hongwen, who had once had a conflict with her, was King Rui’s cousin, and King Rui’s mother, Yang Fei, was from the Yang Family.

Bai Ruozhu withdrew her gaze, wondering to herself how Lin Xufei had ended up sitting with King Rui.

The tea ceremony competition was in full swing. Leng Wanhua’s tea art skills were even better than Bai Ruozhu had imagined, and she even felt that it had a few more touches of ethereal elegance than her second brother’s.

In the end, the emperor indeed declared Leng Wanhua the first prize winner, further enhancing the reputation of ”Miss Leng.”

Just then, the New Year’s bells rang out, and fireworks and firecrackers began to light up. The night sky blossomed with dazzling colors, but Bai Ruozhu was not in the mood to enjoy them, her gaze involuntarily drifting into the distance.

At that moment, a somewhat familiar silhouette entered her line of sight, but the figure flashed by and quickly disappeared at the end of the Corridor. She wanted to take a clearer look, but it was already too late.

An indescribable concern rose from the bottom of her heart. She hastily handed over the sleeping Little Dengdeng to her mother and whispered, ”Mother, take Little Dengdeng with you when the event is over and go back. You have Hao Mu and Jianqi to protect you; I need to go back to change the medicine for Concubine Le.”

”Didn’t you just change the medicine before we came out? Is there anything wrong? Should we report to the Empress Dowager?” Lin Ping’er asked with concern.

Bai Ruozhu quickly shook her head. Her inexplicable worries were not significant enough to disturb the Empress Dowager and the emperor, especially since the emperor had already assigned more people to protect Concubine Le. It was better to be cautious.

”It should be time to change the medicine again. I’ll go back early to keep an eye on it to be safe,” Bai Ruozhu hurriedly said.

After speaking, Bai Ruozhu got up and said to Hao Mu standing beside her, ”Please mention to the Empress Dowager later on.”

”Yes, Madam Jiang, please find a palace maid to carry a lantern. Be careful on your way,” Hao Mu instructed with concern.

Bai Ruozhu couldn’t afford to delay and quickly left her seat after an affirmative reply. The palace maids and eunuchs were all watching the fireworks, so Bai Ruozhu picked up a lantern herself and quickened her pace with her light-footed skills, not wanting to be slowed down if she took someone with her.

As she walked, a gust of cold wind hit her, the lantern swayed, and suddenly it went out...