Chapter 267 - 114: Clash 3
’This is quite interesting. I’ll have to get one for myself later.’
Song Yunzhao placed some jujubes, pears, and hawthorn berries on the grill rack, roasting them slowly over a low flame. She heard Lu Zhixue ask, "Can you grill these too?"
"And why can’t they be grilled?" Song Yunzhao deliberately shot back with a question of her own.
Lu Zhixue was at a loss for words.
Noticing Lu Zhixue’s expression, Song Yunzhao said gleefully, "Whether or not you can grill them, we’ll know once we’ve grilled them. How can you know if you don’t try grilling them? Once they’re grilled, we’ll definitely know."
Lu Zhixue’s head was spinning.
Feng Yunjin and Han Jinyi were so amused their eyes crinkled into crescents. Now, this was the life.
Han Jinyi offered Lu Zhixue a way to save face. "I didn’t know you could grill these things either. This is the perfect chance to give it a try." Looking at Lu Zhixue, she continued, "Once we’ve tried it here at the Concubine’s residence, we can go back and get our own grills. That way, we’re sure not to make any mistakes."
Lu Zhixue thought that made sense. She picked up a jujube herself and placed it on the grill, noticing that the aroma was surprisingly pleasant.
Song Yunzhao thought it was a shame they didn’t have any oranges. ’Whether grilled oranges taste good is one thing,’ she mused, ’but the aroma is absolutely captivating.’
"I heard Consort Zhuang wanted to host a small banquet for Qin Wan Yi to celebrate her promotion. How come there’s been no news about it?" Han Jinyi asked, looking at Feng Yunjin.
Feng Yunjin lived in the West Palace, which was closer to the residences of Princess Consort Zhuang and Qin Xiyue, so she was naturally better informed than the others.
Feng Yunjin swallowed the sunflower seed in her mouth before speaking. "I hear Qin Wan Yi herself turned it down."
Lu Zhixue snorted. "Just for show. I bet deep down she’s dying for everyone in the harem to go and celebrate with her."
Song Yunzhao chimed in with a perfectly straight face, "That makes sense."
Hearing Song Yunzhao back her up, Lu Zhixue’s expression softened. She cleared her throat and added, "I heard Qin Yuanjing was recently impeached. With Grand Tutor Qin rushing about to deal with his eldest son’s affairs, how could Qin Wan Yi possibly be in the mood to celebrate for herself?"
Song Yunzhao’s eyes lit up. ’Oh? The information I leaked is already causing a stir?’
Lu Zhixue had intended to show off to Song Yunzhao how well-informed she was, but when she looked up and met those sparkling eyes, the words caught in her throat.
Song Yunzhao looked at her and urged, "Well, go on! What happened?"
Song Yunzhao’s eagerness to watch the drama unfold couldn’t have been more obvious, but Lu Zhixue loved it. Right now, there was nothing she enjoyed more than watching Qin Xiyue’s misfortune.
Han Jinyi stifled a laugh and remained silent. Feng Yunjin’s eyes were also dancing with amusement. The two of them met each other’s gaze and, as if by unspoken agreement, took a large gulp of tea to keep themselves from chiming in.
Lu Zhixue said with a hint of pride, "Qin Xiyue’s promotion to Wanyi wasn’t like your promotion to Concubine. It’s hard to find any fault with your family, but Qin Yuanjing is another matter. He has lofty ambitions but little talent. He only secured the position of Minister of the Ministry of Industry because Grand Tutor Qin was protecting him. He usually acts so arrogantly, relying on the fact that his father is the Grand Tutor. Now that he’s in trouble, who knows how many people are waiting to see her become a laughingstock."
After all that talking, she still hadn’t gotten to the main point. Song Yunzhao was so frustrated she nearly flipped the table. ’How infuriating can one person be?’
Seeing the fire in Yun Zhao’s eyes, Feng Yunjin quickly jumped in to smooth things over for Lu Zhixue. "It’s hard to say how serious Doctor Qin’s offense is. It all depends on how Your Majesty decides to rule on it. However, considering Grand Tutor Qin’s standing, the punishment probably won’t be too severe."
Song Yunzhao shot Lu Zhixue a glare. ’Look at Feng Xiaoyuan, now that’s how you talk. She knows exactly what I want to hear.’
Lu Zhixue was so angry she clamped her mouth shut!
Song Yunzhao turned to Feng Yunjin, composing herself before speaking to her slowly. "I heard Doctor Qin took bribes. The severity of the crime depends on the amount. Do you have any idea how much he took?"
Feng Yunjin nodded. "The scandal has only just broken, so there’s no conclusion yet. An impeachment has been made, but it still needs to be investigated and verified."
Han Jinyi added, "The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Justice are both busy investigating the corruption case, so there aren’t many people to spare. I’m afraid we’ll have to wait for a verdict."
"So what if we have to wait?" Lu Zhixue added, twisting the knife. "After something like this, let’s see how Qin Xiyue, who prides herself on coming from such a noble and uncorrupted family, still has the gall to parade her ’purity’ around the harem."
She had a point. The other three exchanged a look and laughed in unison.
Lu Zhixue looked at the three of them. "What’s so funny? Am I wrong?"
"You’re absolutely right," Han Jinyi quickly placated her. "Qin Wan Yi likely refused the celebratory banquet because she doesn’t want to be in the spotlight right now. If these allegations against Doctor Qin are proven true, she’ll be utterly humiliated."
Keeping a low profile now was a strategic move for the future.
A displeased look lingered on Lu Zhixue’s face. She had once trusted Qin Xiyue, only to be manipulated by her. Now, whenever she thought about it, she felt like a complete fool.