The princess regretted it.

Chapter 338: Meeting Concubine Xian (Lin Qian)

Zhang Chengde's expression instantly turned serious after hearing this. He pondered for a moment and then said, "Okay! I understand. I'll have your uncle investigate this matter. Find a chance to tell your mother and tell her not to worry. We'll send someone to contact her."

Jiaoyu thought this was an agreement, so she nodded and said, "In that case, I'll return to the palace first." She bowed her head slightly, saluted, and left the study. Xiangcao, who was waiting outside, hurried to catch up. The master and servant left the Zhang residence, boarded the carriage, and drove towards the palace.

After Jiaoyu left, a maid from the inner courtyard hurried over and reported to Zhang Chengde in detail the fierce dispute that had occurred between Princess Jiaoyu and Yao.

Zhang Chengde listened quietly, without much expression changing on his gloomy face. After listening, he just waved his hand tiredly, signaling the old woman to leave.

Then Zhang Chengde turned around with a gloomy face and walked with heavy steps straight to the old master's study. In the study, he and the old master discussed for a long time behind closed doors, and did not come out until meal time.

Soon, several carrier pigeons were seen flapping their wings and flying high from the backyard of the Grand Tutor's Mansion, flying away in different directions.

Meanwhile, on a street corner not far from Zhang's residence, two groups of people had been secretly observing the movements of the Grand Tutor's residence. When they saw the carrier pigeon flying overhead, they exchanged a knowing glance, a hint of alarm in their eyes. Then, without further ado, they quietly turned and departed in the opposite direction of the pigeon's flight.

Jiaoyu was returning from outside the palace when she passed through the Imperial Garden. She saw several eunuchs carrying a sedan chair on the palace road. She looked closely and found that the person in the sedan chair was the newly arrived Consort Xian - Lin Qian.

Lin Qian was dressed in a pink, double-breasted palace gown, with a flowing, light silk gauze outer layer. The cuffs and collar were meticulously trimmed with white fur, and she wore a moon-white fox fur cape over it. She was already delicate, and this outfit made her look even more charming and lovely, like a delicate flower in full bloom in spring.

Lin Qian spotted Princess Jiaoyu and her servant and quickly and quietly ordered the sedan chair to stop. With the help of her maid, she slowly rose from the sedan chair, stepped lightly out, and after standing straight, she gracefully gathered her thick cloak around her. Then, with light lotus steps, her figure as graceful as a willow in the wind, she walked towards Jiaoyu. Then, she bowed gracefully and said in a gentle voice, "Greetings, Princess Jiaoyu!"

Jiaoyu raised the corners of her mouth slightly, revealing a sneer of disdain, and said coldly: "I was wondering who was parading around like this, it turns out to be the new concubine, Concubine Xian, whom my father just married!" This statement was very hurtful, as the emperor's women were not called "feng" but "na", which obviously meant that Lin Qian was of low status.

Lin Qian, however, did not get angry. Instead, she continued to smile sweetly and replied, "Princess, you misunderstood. I was ordered by His Majesty to go to the Health Preservation Palace. I did not expect to meet you here. I hope I did not disturb your enjoyment of the garden, did I?"

Jiaoyu's face darkened instantly. How could she not hear the deeper meaning behind Lin Qian's words? Her mother was in dire straits, yet she was said to have the leisure to stroll through the garden. If this were to get out, those staid old censors would surely use it to accuse her of being unfilial.

Jiaoyu, already feeling depressed by everything that had happened today, was immediately enraged by Lin Qian's insinuation. She couldn't help but curse, "How dare you! You're a crippled, ugly bastard, and you still have the nerve to act so pretentiously here. It's so cold, and you're dressed so extravagantly, aren't you just trying to seduce Father? You have no sense of shame!"

When the maidservant beside Lin Qian heard Jiaoyu insulting her mistress, her eyebrows immediately raised, her eyes widened, and a surge of anger rose. She was about to rush forward to argue. But just as she took a step, Lin Qian quickly reached out and grabbed her.

Lin Qian still had that seemingly gentle smile on her face, but there was a bit more forbearance and stubbornness in this smile.

She spoke slowly, her voice soft but with a firmness that should not be underestimated: "Princess, do you look down on me from the bottom of your heart? Indeed, my appearance was ruined by that heartless and unscrupulous person. But God is merciful after all, allowing me to survive this great disaster and gain this blessing today, thanks to Your Majesty's mercy. Your Majesty took pity on me for the unwarranted persecution I suffered from the treacherous person, and thus granted me some special favors, so that I can survive in this treacherous harem."

As she spoke, she lowered her head slightly, a subtle hint of hatred flashing in her eyes, but others thought she was sad because she was thinking about her own tragic experience. These words were spoken with such emotion that anyone who heard them could not help but feel pity for her.

The clever maidservant beside Lin Qian was specially chosen by Jin An for her, and she was no ordinary woman. She immediately understood the deeper meaning behind her mistress's words and knew that Princess Jiaoyu was deliberately looking for trouble.

Then, she suddenly had an idea, and with a distressed look on her face, she gently comforted Lin Qian, "Master, please don't dwell on those bad things anymore. Look, your good days have just begun. Those bad people who hurt you will sooner or later receive retribution. As the old saying goes, 'God is watching what you do.' It's not that there will be no retribution, it's just that the time has not come yet. God is watching everything from above, and none of those bad people will escape."

These words accidentally touched Lin Qian's heart. She felt so relieved and the smile on her face became more genuine.

However, upon hearing these words, Jiaoyu's expression instantly turned colder than a thousand-year-old ice. Her entire body emanated a bone-chilling chill, as if ready to freeze everything around her in the next second. She stared intently at Lin Qian and her maid, her eyes filled with anger and hatred. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, as if a violent conflict might erupt at any moment.

However, she quickly adjusted her mood and said coldly: "Lady Xian is indeed very lucky to have such a caring and loyal servant. But I have a suggestion for Lady Xian. In the harem, people's hearts are unpredictable, and the superficial glory may not last long. Some people forget their duties because of temporary favor, and make enemies everywhere. In the end, they may not even know how they died." Jiaoyu narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at Lin Qian with a smile, and her words were full of warnings.

"Thank you, Princess, for your teachings. I'll keep them in mind." Lin Qian maintained a respectful smile, responding neither servilely nor arrogantly. But she knew Jiaoyu was implying that she was being spoiled. But how could she easily show weakness? She had chosen to enter the palace with the sole intention of causing trouble for the Zhang family. She had long been prepared for the harem's intrigues and intrigues. If she couldn't handle even this little verbal exchange, then entering the palace would be a recipe for disaster.