ebookland Chapter 32 Scholars Are Not to Be Trifled With
Chapter 32 Scholars Are Not to Be Trifled With
"They said the palace was a place where people ate each other. I thought they were all iron arhats and living Vajras. But it's nothing special." Peony shook her head in disappointment.
The two palace maids who came to take care of Shen Li were almost speechless with astonishment. They had been in the palace for quite some time, but this was the first time they had ever seen someone dare to roll up their sleeves with someone from Consort Zheng's palace.
"Honestly, they came without saying what they wanted. How am I supposed to explain this to them later?" Peony complained.
The two palace maids thought to themselves, "After what you just did, how could anyone dare to speak up?"
After a while, another nanny came to urge Shen Li to start painting.
"My master is resting and will not see anyone." Peony said this to everyone who came, her attitude humble but firm.
"How dare a mere maid cause trouble in the Imperial Concubine's palace! Guards, take her away!" The head eunuch arrived with a group of eunuchs, and several junior eunuchs were about to take action with ropes.
Peony glanced at the group indifferently: "Unless you kill me, no one is allowed to enter. I will not surrender easily. If you have the guts, come and try."
Even the head eunuch hesitated this time. If someone were to die, it would be difficult to handle. Neither the Shen family nor Gu Chang'an were people they could afford to offend.
If it were the Imperial Concubine herself who gave the order, he wouldn't need to be afraid. However, the Imperial Concubine had just been summoned by the Empress Dowager, and the current situation was unclear, so he really didn't dare to make a decision.
The palace maids and nannies looked at each other, unsure of what to do. They were used to roundabout methods and had never seen anyone who was willing to fight to the death right from the start.
Moreover, Peony looks like she's a trained fighter; in a fight, it's hard to say who would come out on top.
A wise man doesn't suffer a loss that's immediately apparent.
"Don't be impulsive. We can talk things over. We've already waited an hour, what's a little longer?" A nanny stepped in to smooth things over.
The head eunuch also felt that the conflict shouldn't continue, and now that there was a way out, he immediately said, "Alright, I won't argue with a little girl like you."
After the people left, Peony bowed respectfully, but in her heart she looked down on them.
Isn't this just a paper tiger that bullies the weak and fears the strong? It's still afraid of the young lady and the Shen family. On the other hand, if the young lady didn't have such a good temper, she would be a real tiger.
"Miss, you're awake?" Peony had quietly entered the inner room, only to find Shen Li sitting on the couch reading a book, having woken up quite early.
"It must be those people outside who disturbed you. If it weren't for the palace maids, they would have been silenced long ago." She realized what was happening and said angrily.
Shen Li smiled and said, "Not bad, you know how to behave."
"Miss, are you serious?" Peony's face lit up with surprise. No one had ever praised her for being sensible; they all said she was impulsive, reckless, and thoughtless.
"Of course." Shen Li said sincerely, "But next time, if you see that you can't win, you must not be stubborn. You should still run away."
She felt it was necessary to give her some advice. This child was good in every way except that he was too bold. He was the kind of person who wouldn't hesitate to assassinate the emperor.
"Oh, yes, this servant has remembered." Peony nodded earnestly, she had carefully noted down everything her mistress said.
Shen Li felt somewhat relieved.
"By the way, Miss, those people told you to go to the main hall to paint as soon as you woke up," Peony forwarded.
"Hmm." Shen Li turned a page of the book casually; it wasn't difficult for her to hear these words with her keen hearing.
"When are you going, Miss? I'll make the preparations."
"No, no need to prepare."
"Miss, don't you want to finish your painting sooner and leave sooner?" Even Peony felt that this was inappropriate.
Shen Li was like this in her previous life. In order to leave as soon as possible, she painted day and night, but she couldn't eat or sleep well and consumed a lot of energy. Not only was she exhausted, but she also didn't gain any benefits.
She will not repeat the same mistake.
"You have to calm down and paint slowly, there's no rush." Shen Li's voice was calm and even, and no one could tell that she had already made up her mind.
"Oh, I see." Peony scratched her head, seemingly understanding, and seeing her young mistress so calm, she wondered if the situation wasn't as serious as it seemed, and everyone was overthinking it.
Shen Li smiled; this was the reason she had summoned Shaoyao. If it were Lianqiao, she would surely be trying to persuade her.
After all, for most people, it's best not to offend the most favored concubine of the court and the mother of the most beloved prince.
Half an hour later, Consort Zheng returned to the palace, and Su Mei returned to the side hall with a much more assertive demeanor.
"Madam Gu, Her Highness the Imperial Concubine requests your presence in the main hall. It's time to begin your painting, isn't it?" Su Mei had come here holding her breath, and her expression turned unfriendly as soon as she entered.
Seeing this, Peony glared back angrily. How dare they give their young lady such attitude? They must be tired of living.
Shen Li remained calm and composed as she read her book, seemingly oblivious to the person who had entered. Just as Su Mei was about to speak again in anger, Shen Li turned the page and said, "I can go, but I don't have any ideas for the time being, so I can't start writing."
"What do you mean by 'no opinion'?" Su Mei seized on the implication in his words and immediately questioned, "Do you think the Imperial Concubine is not beautiful enough?"
Peony clenched her fists. How could people in the palace always accuse someone of being wrong?
"Since Miss Su Mei can say this with such certainty, it seems you are quite knowledgeable about painting?" Shen Li asked in return.
"I certainly don't understand, but..."
"I don't understand why you're making baseless assumptions?" Shen Li interrupted her, her voice already carrying a hint of coldness: "Or is it that Miss Su Mei already thinks Her Majesty isn't beautiful?"
Su Mei visibly panicked: "Madam Gu, you're distorting the truth. I didn't mean that."
"Right and wrong are not your own opinions, so how can you say that I am wronging you?" Shen Li threw down the book and leaned over to look at her standing under the couch: "It seems you are used to wronging others and not allowing others to defend themselves or offer any opinions."
"No... I didn't..." Su Mei felt completely overwhelmed, wondering how she had suddenly been accused of another crime.
"Who gave you the audacity to frame a noblewoman in this deep palace? Don't you know that this will affect the stability of the court? Do you have any wolfish ambitions and want to rebel?" Shen Li's face was unusually calm, and her voice was stern.
Su Mei was sweating profusely. She had thought that Shaoyao was unreasonable and difficult to deal with, but who knew that this reasonable one was even more difficult to deal with. If Shen Li were to tell His Majesty these words, her head might be moved ten times over.
"Madam Gu, I know I was wrong. I will go and report your thoughts to the Imperial Concubine. Farewell." She hurriedly bowed and slipped away.
She finally understood why His Majesty couldn't easily change the crown prince. These scholars were truly not to be trifled with. If she insisted on going against them, she would probably be accused of countless crimes and become a tyrant for all time.
Now, thinking back on Shen Li's words, she felt a chill. It was best not to offend this person. At most, she could go back and exaggerate her complaints to the Imperial Concubine.
She didn't believe that the Imperial Concubine couldn't handle a little girl.