Chapter 57 Eating Bran and Vegetables

Tang Chaochao was naturally aware that the General's Mansion had started tightening its belt and economizing because of the two sets of headpieces.

However, just because they had to cut back on food didn't mean she had to.

She raised her eyes and looked at Zhao Mengyue.

"If cousin truly pities grandmother, why not return that set of headpieces?"

Zhao Mengyue's face turned a shade of pale and green after being rebuked.

When all was said and done, this whole affair had started because of her. Yet Song Rongzhi hadn't even blinked an eye when spending six thousand taels of silver. And now, Tang Chaochao had casually acquired another priceless, peerless treasure of unknown value.

With a family this wealthy, they were unwilling to spend a mere three thousand five hundred taels on her, and even used the opportunity to humiliate and embarrass her.

Zhao Mengyue felt that both mother and daughter were extremely petty and selfish.

Still, considering herself the female protagonist of a story, she figured such trials and tribulations were only natural. Didn't novels always portray the heroine as being ostracized by others purely out of jealousy?

Looking straight at Tang Chaochao, she retorted directly, "Cousin, you cannot put it that way. That set of jewelry might seem worthless in your eyes, but it is of great importance to me. If cousin had the money, surely you wouldn't let grandmother eat coarse bran and vegetables."

Coarse bran and vegetables?

Tang Chaochao almost laughed out loud upon hearing this description.

"What? Has grandmother reached the point of eating coarse bran and vegetables? Second Aunt, this is your failing."

Madam Zhou had always been the one managing the household affairs of the General's Mansion. If word got out that the Old Lady was eating coarse bran and vegetables, wouldn't she, as the daughter-in-law, be pointed at and cursed by others?

Madam Zhou glared fiercely at Zhao Mengyue.

"If Miss Cousin does not know how to speak properly, then keep your mouth shut. If those words of yours reach the ears of people with ulterior motives, are you trying to force me to my death?"

That was not what Zhao Mengyue had meant at all. Yet, after being twisted by Tang Chaochao, it made her sound completely tactless.

"Mengyue did not mean it that way."

Seeing her thwarted, Tang Yuntao was immensely pleased and chimed in with a sarcastic tone, "I think that is precisely what you meant. You are clearly a guest in someone else's home, yet you manage to keep the host family in constant turmoil."

Zhao Mengyue's complexion darkened even further. Knowing that staying any longer would only invite more mockery, she hurriedly made her excuses and beat a hasty, dejected retreat.

Tang Chaochao, however, called out to her retreating back, "Cousin, I almost forgot to mention—that set of headpieces was a gift from someone else, so please do not misunderstand. As for grandmother eating coarse bran and vegetables, I suppose she must simply be craving something light."

Zhao Mengyue stumbled slightly at the threshold but did not turn back.

Watching that panicked, scurrying figure, Tang Yuntao spat in disgust, "Good-for-nothing!"

Just as she turned back around, she met Tang Chaochao's half-smiling gaze.

Seeing this, Madam Zhou prepared to take her daughter and leave. She had wanted to take another look at the headpiece, but judging by Tang Chaochao's attitude, it was clear they wouldn't be allowed to look at it any further.

Yet Tang Chaochao suddenly spoke up in a meaningful tone, "Second Aunt, let me offer you a word of advice: the Crown Prince's East Palace is by no means a good omen for you."

Believing that Tang Chaochao was merely speaking out of jealousy, Tang Yuntao opened her mouth to retort. But Madam Zhou grabbed her arm and pulled her away from Tang Chaochao's courtyard.

Watching them leave, Tang Chaochao picked up her medical book once more.

After leaving, Zhao Mengyue did not immediately return to the Old Lady's side. She refused to believe Tang Chaochao's claims. Who would be so generous as to give away such precious items?

When it came down to it, her current shortcoming was simply her lack of a noble lineage. Since she lacked status, she would simply have to make money first. In any case, she had saved the silver she would have spent on jewelry, which could serve as her starting capital. Once she had money, she would have the confidence to stand on equal footing with the Tang family.

Having settled on a plan, Zhao Mengyue composed herself and returned to Shou'an Courtyard.

Meanwhile, Tang Yuntao, walking away with Madam Zhou, kicked angrily at the pebbles on the ground with an indignant look on her face.

"Mother, do you think Tang Chaochao did that on purpose? She's just jealous that His Highness the Crown Prince is fond of me, isn't she?"

Ever since the snow-viewing banquet that day, Tang Yuntao had never had the chance to see Crown Prince Murong Bo again. Her demand for the headpiece was precisely to recapture the Crown Prince's heart at the upcoming palace banquet.

Madam Zhou soothed her, "Pay her no mind. Just remember to perform well at the palace banquet, and His Highness the Crown Prince will surely change his mind."

Tang Yuntao nodded vigorously. "Mother, rest assured. Instructor Hong herself said that my whirling dance has reached perfection without a single flaw. I will surely shine brilliantly then."

Instructor Hong was the dancing master Madam Zhou had specifically hired to teach Tang Yuntao.

Hearing this, Madam Zhou nodded with a satisfied smile, and mother and daughter completely cast Tang Chaochao's well-intentioned warning to the winds.

Of course, Tang Chaochao had not spoken out of pure kindness; she simply wished to prevent their wild fantasies from constantly entangling the General's Mansion with the East Palace.

As for Crown Prince Murong Bo, he had been severely reprimarded by Emperor Kangjian on account of the incidents involving Liu Rulan and Xie Tingyao. Prompted by the palace maid Xia Zhu's testimony, Murong Bo grew to loathe Liu Rulan even more deeply. He ordered her to be locked up in the back courtyard of the East Palace, forbidding her from stepping outside even a single step.

In a fit of fury, Liu Rulan smashed everything in her room. With her hair disheveled and wild, the servants did not even dare to approach her.

In this manner, the days passed peacefully until the morning of the palace banquet.

After three consecutive days of light, plain dishes, Tang Wen lost his appetite entirely the moment he saw the watery soup on the table once more, his face as dark as the bottom of a wok.

Frowning, he looked toward Madam Zhou.

Madam Zhou felt a twinge of guilt, but fortunately, someone from the front courtyard arrived to urge them to prepare for the palace, allowing her to gloss the matter over.

It wasn't as if they were truly reduced to eating so meagerly, but Madam Zhou was reluctant to tap into her private savings. Furthermore, the Old Lady's residence was eating the same fare; if she subsidized meals to improve her own family's diet, she would have to do the same for the Old Lady, lest she be labeled unfilial.

The first branch, however, had no such scruples. When the food in the mansion became unpalatable, Song容止 (Song Rongzhi) simply used her own money to procure better provisions.

Normally one wouldn't notice, but after eating pickled vegetables for three days straight, they had become exceptionally sensitive to the fragrance of meat. It felt as if a tiny hand was reaching into their nostrils, pulling at their stomachs. Weren't they having meat porridge in the first branch this morning?!

Madam Zhou had nothing to say to that. Even if the Old Lady found out, she would at most mutter a few words about unfilial descendants.

The entire family gathered at the mansion gates.

Today, Tang Chaochao had changed into a cyan Daoist robe, which looked no different from her usual attire. Everyone was already accustomed to her style of dress. Though dissatisfied, the Old Lady ultimately swallowed her urge to scold her; after all, family scandals should not be aired in public.

Zhao Mengyue wore a red satin dress with white borders, paired with the white jade and red coral headpiece, making her look exceptionally bright and vibrant. A faint smile graced her features, and with her exquisite makeup, it made people steal a second glance.

As for Tang Yuntao, she wore goose-yellow brocade layered with a white fox-fur cloak, the pearl hairpins in her hair sparkling brilliantly in the sunlight. She, too, looked charming and lovely.

With both young women dressed so lavishly, Tang Chaochao—standing beside Madam Song—appeared starkly simple, almost out of place.

Song Rongzhi had also carefully dressed herself today, wearing an extravagant satin gown paired with her jade headpiece, lending her an air of dignity and composure. She took Tang Chaochao's hand and, ignoring the gazes of others, mother and daughter stepped into the carriage.

The Old Lady's lips twitched as if she had a fishbone stuck in her throat, but in the end, she refrained from uttering criticisms about Tang Chaochao's unseemly attire.

The procession of carriages slowly made its way toward the palace gates.

Inside the carriage, Tang Chaochao tilted her head and buried herself in her medical book, completely unaffected by the upcoming palace banquet.

Seeing this, Song Rongzhi said nothing, silently pouring her daughter a cup of warm tea.

Tang Chaochao accepted it with a wide, bright smile.

In another carriage, Zhao Mengyue suppressed the surging excitement in her heart. Today was her first step into the circle of high society, and she would undoubtedly be the most dazzling protagonist among them all.

As for Tang Chaochao, she was merely a stepping stone. The humiliations she had suffered would one day be repaid in full.

At that moment, Zhao Mengyue's eyes burned with an unprecedented ambition and desire.