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So, when everyone was looking at her, Lian Hua drank her water, not minding their gazes, and let out a refreshed sigh after finishing her drink.

Suddenly coming back to her senses, she noticed everyone looking at her, and with a puzzled expression, she raised her cup and said to the others, "Do you want a drink?"

The others quickly averted their eyes, who would covet her water?

The Noble Consort glanced over, feeling a nameless anger ignite within her—Beauty Lian was feigning ignorance again.

Lian Hua looked towards Xu Zhaoyi, perplexed if she had done something wrong, and asked with her eyes.

Xu Zhaoyi nodded with a smile, affirming that she hadn’t made any mistake.

Lian Hua thought to herself that Sister Zhaoyi was kind, unlike the others who were acting so strangely.

At this moment, Consort Liu’s coughing gradually ceased, and she turned her gaze back to Lian Hua.

Seizing the opportunity, Lian Hua said, "Consort Liu, you are so beautiful, of course I recognize you, but I just didn’t expect you to inquire about me."

After all, she and Consort Liu were not well-acquainted; they had only met once.

"Sister, do you blame me for not being there to help you that day when Lady Li falsely accused you?" Consort Liu said softly, a hint of sadness in her voice.

She glanced discreetly up the table before continuing, "It was against my will. I am often ill, unaware of affairs outside. I only learned later that Sister was framed and almost punished. If I had known, I would have risked my life to..."

The Noble Consort interrupted with evident displeasure, "Consort Liu, that matter is in the past. Lady Li deceived me and framed Beauty Lian; she has been dealt with. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival; why speak of such unlucky matters and people?"

She knew it, Liu Lingyi’s arrival was no harbinger of good tidings. As soon as she sat down, she began to stir trouble with insinuations. No one else knew the truth behind the incident, but listening to Liu Lingyi, one might think they knew, ha!

"I just feel sorry for Sister Lian," Consort Liu said with a faint smile.

Ah, Xue Wanjun, your good days are numbered. She came out today to see how the autumn grasshopper leaps, to commit to memory her "good sister’s" demeanor, to accompany her in the netherworld.

The Noble Consort sneered coldly, choosing not to engage further in the conversation.

The discussion halted, and silence returned to the hall. The two highest-ranking ladies seemed at odds, their words filled with cold mockery and veiled insults, making it difficult for others to interject casually.

Xu Zhaoyi frowned slightly; these two were using her sister as cannon fodder, going back and forth at each other. What exactly were they trying to achieve?

Consort Liu, this millennium-old white tea flower, had the gall to call her sister and act all chummy. It really irked her.

Lian Hua looked at Noble Consort Xue and then at Consort Liu. She could sense that something was amiss and felt somewhat disappointed.

Glancing towards the hall entrance, she straightened her back, intending to speak out, but soon deflated and decided to keep quiet instead.

Alas, she couldn’t understand—without knowing each other well, what was there to talk about? Now the hall was so quiet that she didn’t even feel comfortable whispering to Sister Zhaoyi, alas.

Seeing her demeanor, Xu Zhaoyi thought she was afraid and subtly pinched her hand. Unable to help herself, Lian Hua turned towards Xu Zhaoyi and revealed a shy smile.

Xu Zhaoyi also smiled and raised her hand as if to stroke her head but stopped herself; this wasn’t the time to mess up her hair, she would save it for a private moment.

Consort Liu, looking thoughtful, turned her gaze towards them and after a couple of coughs, gently parted her lips to ask, "Sister, were you about to say something just now?"

It wasn’t just Consort Liu who noticed; including Noble Consort Xue, others also observed Lian Hua’s earlier gestures. The current Favored Concubine, rumored to carry the Imperial lineage, was hard to ignore.

But at that moment, others dared not ask, and Noble Consort Xue didn’t wish to inquire. In her view, Beauty Lian was playing the fool; speaking to her was exasperating, better to hear less of what she said to avoid annoyance.

Thus only Consort Liu voiced the question.

Lian Hua blinked and hesitated for a moment, "Um... Speak now?"

It seemed not quite right, untimely, as if the matter she wanted to speak about was insignificant to others... but important to her alone...

Consort Liu smiled considerately, "Sister, please speak, don’t worry about it." Her eyes were filled with earnest expectation.

Picking up on the previous topic, Beauty Lian would surely follow her lead to mock Xue Wanjun. As long as Xue Wanjun was in a difficult position, she would be pleased.

Lady Li’s incident was not something that could be overlooked so easily. Anyone with a bit of sense knew that at that time, Xue Wanjun wanted to put Beauty Lian in a life-threatening situation. The two of them could not coexist peacefully. Even if they could, she would not allow it.

Xu Zhaoyi watched these scheming people, sneered at Consort Liu, and took Lian Hua’s hand, saying, "If sister does not wish to speak, then there’s no need to speak."

They wanted to coerce her sister? They should ask for her agreement first.

"Sister, it’s nothing." Seeing her earlier gesture draw so much attention, Lian Hua quickly patted Xu Zhaoyi’s hand in reassurance.

After thinking it over, she simply said, "The concubines were wondering whether the singing and dancing will continue? It seems the dancing girls outside have been waiting for quite a while."

She had been paying attention. If the performance was not to continue, could she pretend to be ill along with Sister Zhaoyi and go outside to watch a play?

Xu Zhaoyi couldn’t help but laugh out loud; her sister was indeed her sister. While others were fretting about whether calamity would befall them, her sister only cared about whether she could watch the entertainment.

Upon hearing that, Consort Liu’s face was expressionless for a moment, and then she lowered her head and started coughing while pinching her handkerchief.

However, Noble Consort Xue’s lips slowly curled up in a meaningful smile as she looked towards Consort Liu.

She had thought that the two of them would team up to snub her, but Beauty Lian had not taken the bait at all.

Ha, Liu Lingyi called Beauty Lian so affectionately, but for her, Beauty Lian was just so indifferent. Truly a case of a warm face against a cold backside, shameless despite knowing the distant manner in which she was addressed.

Noble Consort Xue felt a mysterious satisfaction in her heart and raised her hand, saying, "Indeed, we have delayed them too long. Let the song and dance continue."

Shortly after, the Performer Dancing Girls began their performance, and the hall became lively once again.

After several dances and musical pieces, Lian Hua watched intently, thoroughly enjoying herself, occasionally discussing with Xu Zhaoyi which dancing girl had a slender waist, which one was beautiful, and which one wore scantier clothing. In short, she watched with shaking head and appreciation.

Xu Zhaoyi saw her silly sister and couldn’t help but pinch her face, chuckling and shaking her head.

The rest of the crowd also chatted from time to time amidst the music, creating a peaceful atmosphere in the hall.

Just then, the Ceremonial Eunuch, ordered by the Emperor, came with people to distribute Palace Cakes, and everyone thanked His Majesty for his grace.