A ray of sunlight streamed through the window lattice and landed precisely on Ling Shan's head. The sixteen gems on the begonia pearl gold hairpin sparkled brightly, extremely eye - catching.
The glistening radiance was like a series of stinging slaps, hitting Concubine Shu's face loudly yet silently.
There were no visible marks, but it hurt deeply.
Even her heart felt as if it had been stabbed severely, aching with unbearable pain.
The hairpin on her head was bestowed by the Queen Mother and was also extremely precious.
However, compared to Jun Wuyuan, who doted on Ling Shan to the core, the Queen Mother only regarded Concubine Shu as a pawn. The contrast was self - evident.
Even though Concubine Shu came from a noble family with a rich heritage, she lost in this encounter!
The hairpin given by the Queen Mother, which she chose to wear, was originally a rare treasure, but it paled in comparison to Ling Shan's.
It should have been a day for her to be in the limelight and show off her pride, but instead, Concubine Shu only felt a deep sense of humiliation!
However, the noble ladies and concubines on both sides were unaware of the rapid change in Concubine Shu's thoughts.
Hearing Ling Shan's praise and noticing the jade orchid gold hairpin inlaid with precious stones on Concubine Shu's hair, they quickly followed suit and lavished praise on her.
Knowing that Concubine Shu was the protagonist of the day, they focused on complimenting her and didn't forget to praise Ling Shan as well, aiming to please everyone.
In fact, the hairpin of Concubine Shu, bestowed by the Queen Mother, was by no means an ordinary item.
Among all the ladies in the palace, it was truly outstanding.
It was just unfortunate that she was compared with Ling Shan. Anyone with discerning eyes could tell the difference at a glance.
There was no denying that Concubine Shu was a great beauty, with a regular and beautiful face.
However, her features were not as delicate as Ling Shan's, whose every feature was perfectly proportioned, making her beauty truly heart - stealing.
This comparison immediately showed the gap!
But could these noble ladies show their true thoughts?
Of course not!
One should say appropriate things to different people.
This was the survival skill of the noble ladies from aristocratic families and royal relatives, and the diplomatic principle of the mistresses of noble families.
Concubine Shu endured her embarrassment and pretended to be gentle and proper. She tried her best not to face Ling Shan directly, and the atmosphere gradually improved.
The Queen Mother sat high on her seat, silently watching this scene. A meaningful smile slowly curled up on her lips.
Her eyes lingered on Concubine Shu and Ling Shan, and a satisfied glint flashed across her eyes.
Concubine Shu was able to keep her composure. That was good.
It was worth all the effort the Queen Mother had put into promoting her. She just hoped that Concubine Shu would live up to her expectations and help her and the Langya Wang family achieve their goals.
As for the other ungrateful girl...
The Queen Mother narrowed her eyes.
The singing of the opera paused. As noon approached, the main hall became bustling. Some people were changing clothes, some went out to get some fresh air, and some gathered to chat...
After the Queen Mother left, everyone became more relaxed.
Concubine Shu wore a smile on her face. After greeting Ling Shan, she left. A closer look would reveal that her back was extremely stiff.
The bigger the smile on Ling Shan's lips, the more leisurely she got up. She winked and walked towards the corridor.
"Shi Wei..."
At the corner of the corridor, a pleasant smile spread across Ling Shan's face.
Seeing that Yu Shi Wei was about to curtsy, she quickly reached out to support her, with a hint of affectionate dissatisfaction in her tone:
"Shi Wei, are you trying to be distant from me? It's only been a few days, and you've forgotten about me?"
Yu Shi Wei was still dressed in a water - blue palace dress. A faint smile appeared on her cold face, and she rarely teased:
"Seeing that Her Highness the Consort is in high spirits, I'm afraid Her Highness might forget about me."
"Goodness, Shi Wei, you've become naughty!"
Ling Shan didn't expect the ice - cold beauty to tease her. A faint smile involuntarily spread across her eyes.
If the occasion were right, she would surely pounce on Yu Shi Wei and tickle her to see if the ice - cold snow lotus would bloom.
Thinking that she had to endure this boring banquet for the whole day, Ling Shan restrained some of her smile.
"Be careful today. Concubine Shu and the Queen Mother won't be happy to see you stealing the limelight."
"Don't worry, Shi Wei. There are so many good shows today. I'll be careful. You've just recovered. Can you handle all these things today?"
Yu Shi Wei smiled faintly: "It's okay. We can rest this afternoon. May I invite Her Highness the Consort to the pavilion in the middle of the lake?"
Ling Shan replied: "With such a kind invitation from the beautiful Yu, of course I'll be happy to go."
After saying that, the two exchanged a meaningful smile.
The Fuqu Pavilion was very large. After lunch, the opera troupe started singing again. Before a play was finished, the Queen Mother left early. The whole afternoon was for free activities.
Ling Shan almost followed the Queen Mother's footsteps, as if she was afraid that something might catch up with her.
The noble ladies and concubines in the hall who wanted to get closer to Ling Shan only managed to see her back. They couldn't help but sigh in regret!
After passing through numerous corridors, when Ling Shan arrived, Yu Shi Wei was sitting on a small boat.
Seeing Ling Shan, a faint smile flashed across her cold eyes, and she reached out her hand to her.
Ling Shan wasn't afraid of water. Without hesitation, she placed her hand in Yu Shi Wei's.
The small boat swayed, creating ripples on the lake.
As the sound of silk and bamboo instruments drifted, the small boat quietly sailed towards the center of the lake.
"Shi Wei, I didn't expect you not only to be excellent in martial arts but also so good at rowing."
On the small boat, there were only Ling Shan and Yu Shi Wei, along with their two maids, Ban Chun and Hong Xiao.
Ling Shan's half - body was exposed through the half - opened curtain. The bright sunlight shone on her fair and delicate cheeks, making the fine fluff on her face sparkle.
Yu Shi Wei sat cross - legged casually. Her slender arms were surprisingly strong as she rowed. She turned her head and smiled:
"I knew you'd guessed. Well, don't you have anything to ask me?"
Both of them were smart people. Although they didn't say it explicitly, they both knew what this meant.
Ling Shan smiled: "Do you want to tell me, Shi Wei? If you do, I'll listen attentively. If not..."
"If not, what will you do, Shan Shan?"
Ling Shan pretended to think deeply, stroking her chin. She stared at Yu Shi Wei for a long time without saying a word.
"Then I'll have to trouble our Shi Wei to pick the most beautiful flower for me as an 'apology', okay?"
How could a concubine in the harem know martial arts?
There must be a secret behind Yu Shi Wei.
However, that day near the stable, Yu Shi Wei had exposed herself in order to save Ling Shan. Even if Ling Shan had her suspicions, how could she really force her to answer?
Everyone had their own secrets. Ling Shan didn't want to lose a rare and kindred friend.
"Her Highness the Consort is extremely beautiful. How could a single flower match her?"
The tight corners of Yu Shi Wei's lips gradually relaxed, and a faint smile appeared.
"Then I'll thank the beautiful lady in advance."
They exchanged a smile, and all was understood without words.