Chapter 42: The Grand Drama

Tang Chaochao grinned upon hearing this.

"Very well! I shall heed Consort Jing's command."

Seeing Tang Chaochao accept the cup and drain it in one gulp, Liu Rulan felt a surge of joy and downed her own drink as well.

Yet she failed to notice the playful glint in Tang Chaochao's eyes.

Having spent many years deep within the imperial palace, Consort Jing was well-versed in the petty tricks of these noble young ladies.

Since someone was willing to take the initiative, she was naturally inclined to fan the flames.

"Now that the dancing is done and the wine is finished, let us all step outside to admire the snow together.

This is, after all, the main theme of today's banquet. Young ladies and lords, please proceed!"

At Consort Jing's command, the crowd naturally chimed in with agreement.

Watching the people slowly file out, Tang Chaochao also rose and walked toward the exit.

As for Xie Tingyao, she was detained by Consort Jing.

"Tingyao, how many times must I tell you? The Crown Prince is not a suitable match for you."

Faced with Consort Jing's reprimand, Xie Tingyao lowered her head in silence.

Yet she had cherished an affection for Crown Prince Brother since childhood.

When Xie Tingyao entered the palace as a young child, she had once lost her way out of sheer playfulness.

It was the Crown Prince, Murong Bo, who had found her and brought her back.

At that time, they were both young, and heavy snow was falling outside just like today.

Xie Tingyao had been shivering with cold; Crown Prince Murong Bo had not only ordered dry clothes to be brought for her but had also prepared delicious pastries.

From that moment on, she had engraved Murong Bo into her heart.

Consort Jing felt a rising irritation at the sight of her attitude.

Her brother, Xie Zuo, had once remarked that it would be quite advantageous if Tingyao could catch the Crown Prince's eye.

Clearly, he intended to spread his eggs across multiple baskets.

However, Consort Jing deeply disliked Prime Minister Xie's way of doing things.

If she wanted her biological brother, the Prime Minister, to lend her his full support, she could never allow Tingyao to marry the Crown Prince.

Tang Chaochao was evidently an isolated figure; wherever she walked, both noble ladies and young lords scattered in all directions.

The young ladies feared offending Consort Jing.

The young lords, on the other hand, had been terrorized into caution.

Tang Chaochao paid them no heed. She did not wander too far from the main hall because Xie Tingyao had not yet emerged.

Just at that moment, a palace maid walked up to her and curtsied.

"This maid pays her respects to County Princess Chao'an."

Tang Chaochao raised her eyes to look at her.

"What is it?"

The palace maid replied, "Miss Liu has asked this maid to invite the County Princess over.

She said she did not apologize properly to the Princess earlier and wishes to offer her apologies in person once more."

Tang Chaochao did not miss the evasive look in the maid's eyes.

She glanced back toward the entrance of the hall before finally responding.

"Lead the way."

The maid immediately bowed and took the lead.

After winding through numerous corridors and turns, they finally stopped before the entrance of a side hall.

The palace maid turned around and said, "County Princess, Miss Liu accidentally soiled her garments earlier and is currently changing inside. You may enter directly."

Tang Chaochao curved her lips into a smile.

"Very well."

The palace maid curtsied once more.

"Then this maid shall take her leave."

The moment the maid turned around, Tang Chaochao quietly sprinkled a trace of fine powder onto her.

The maid remained oblivious, walking away swiftly and almost in a fluster.

Tang Chaochao's gaze swept across the rockery not far away, then she turned, pushed open the door to the bedchamber, and stepped inside.

Simultaneously, a figure emerged from behind the rockery.

It was none other than Liu Rulan.

At that moment, the palace maid reappeared by her side.

Liu Rulan looked at her and said, "Well done. Do not show your face here for the rest of the day."

The palace maid nodded hastily, turned, and vanished.

Yet no sooner had the maid walked away than Liu Rulan felt a sharp pain at the back of her neck, and her vision instantly faded to black.

Crown Prince Murong Bo, who had been searching all the way, happened to catch sight of the side hall door being closed.

Recalling the cup of wine Liu Rulan had given her earlier, Tang Chaochao drew a small medicine pouch from her person.

This substance had been lifted directly from the palace maid just now.

She opened the pouch and uncapped the incense burner within the side hall.

After a brief manipulation, a playful smile bloomed across Tang Chaochao's face.

An ordinary aphrodisiac powder combined with the ardent incense in the burner, seasoned further by her own hand—Liu Rulan would likely be kept quite busy until dawn.

As for the man, since the other party had drugged her, where should she find him?

Just as Tang Chaochao was pondering this, she suddenly heard a commotion at the doorway.

Without hesitation, she leaped out through the window.

Crown Prince Murong Bo had been told by an attendant that Tang Chaochao wished to meet him here; he had followed without a second thought.

The moment the aphrodisiac incense in the hall entered his nose and mouth, a wave of intense heat surged through his body.

Seeing a faintly discernible figure lying on the bed behind the screen, he strode forward uncontrollably.

The intoxicating incense in this hall had been specially prepared for men.

Meanwhile, the cup of wine laced with aphrodisiac that Tang Chaochao had consumed was meant for women.

Under such circumstances, it was akin to dry tinder meeting raging fire; disaster was inevitable.

Tang Chaochao retrieved a small porcelain jar from her robes, and shortly thereafter, a tiny bug crawled out.

Following the little insect, Tang Chaochao traced her way back to the living quarters of the palace maid from earlier.

Unbeknownst to anyone, she returned the remainder of the aphrodisiac powder to its place.

Only then did she dust off her hands and depart.

Meanwhile, Xie Tingyao had already emerged from the main hall.

At present, she sat alone in the covered corridor, lost in a daze.

Consort Jing's admonition had left her with no heart to admire the snow.

The sudden appearance of Tang Chaochao startled Xie Tingyao out of her wits.

Facing Tang Chaochao alone filled Xie Tingyao with dread.

She cast her gaze about her, yet not a single palace servant was in sight.

At that moment, she deeply regretted dismissing all her attendants.

The playful expression on Tang Chaochao's face caused Xie Tingyao to spring to her feet.

"Why have you appeared here? What do you want?"

Tang Chaochao seated herself on the railing of the corridor opposite her.

"Miss Xie, do not be afraid. I have merely come to ask a few questions today.

If you cooperate nicely, I naturally will not do anything to you.

However, if you refuse to cooperate, you know what kind of things I am capable of doing.

Besides, there is no one else around right now, is there?"

Xie Tingyao spoke instinctively, "Tang Chaochao, I am warning you, this is the imperial palace—do not act rashly."

At some point, the cloth pouch containing fine steel needles had reappeared in Tang Chaochao's hand.

Xie Tingyao's pupils constricted.

She knew how excruciatingly painful those needles were when driven into the body.

Crucially, they left no trace behind.

"What is it you want to ask?"

Tang Chaochao was satisfied with the other's sudden compliance.

"At the imperial banquet three years ago, who was it that asked you to invite my eldest sister to go flower-viewing?"

Xie Tingyao did not catch on immediately.

Tang Chaochao reminded her, "Three years ago, my eldest sister returned to the capital and attended an imperial banquet.

During that time, you invited her to view flowers with you."

After racking her brain for a long time, Xie Tingyao finally recalled such an incident.

It hadn't seemed like a matter of any importance at the time.

"Back then, Xueying said that Eldest Miss Tang had no friends in the capital and looked rather pitiful.

That was why we invited Tang Mumu to view the flowers together."

The only reason Xie Tingyao could remember it was because Tang Mumu had abruptly vanished halfway through.

She had felt that leaving without a word showed a distinct lack of respect for her.

It was precisely because of this incident that she had disliked Tang Mumu.

Having heard the origin of the matter, Tang Chaochao said nothing more and turned to leave.

Whether Xie Tingyao's words were true or false would be known once she questioned Li Xueying.

As for Xie Tingyao, still shaken by Tang Chaochao, she hurried back to where the crowds were gathered.

Seeing Tang Chaochao and Xie Tingyao return one after the other, the Third Prince, Murong Si, cast a curious glance their way.

Once Xie Tingyao had walked out of earshot, he approached Tang Chaochao and remarked,

"The living tableau prepared by the Second Miss Tang is bound to be a grand spectacle shortly."

Tang Chaochao showed not a shred of the guilt one might feel upon being caught in a malicious deed.

Instead, she retorted, "Is the Third Prince planning to denounce me?"