Chapter 46

Chapter 46 – Envy (2)

Terribly frustrated at mending Lu Lingzhi’s wounds, Ye Zhen went back to her room for a moment of solitude.

Yet, she felt another string of frustration the moment she arrived at her doorstep. Lu Jing and Lu Fang, were sitting side by side inside her bedchambers, awaiting her arrival.

Ah! So much for wishing a moment of peace!

“There you are! Third Younger Sister, it’s really a pity that you weren’t there at that time. Wang Fei bestowed us with many things. You see, these pearls and flowers are only found in the palace and can’t be bought outside.” Lu Fang pointed at the delicate and beautiful pearl flower on her head, her face was covered with pride and joy.

“Well, they indeed look beautiful.” Ye Zhen nodded with a smile while looking at all the beautiful pearl jewelry adorning their delicate necks.

She sneered in her heart. How could she envy such jewels if it came from the person she despised? Certainly, she didn’t want anything from Lu Wushuang, not even a piece of her wealth.

Lu Jing looked askance upon seeing Ye Zhen’s eyes devoid of the envy or jealousy she expected! How odd!

She was intrigued. “I heard that Sister went hunting?”

“Mmm.” Ye Zhen nodded, she was a little confused as to why these two were here. Did they come to only show the jewels Lu Wushuang gave?

Lu Jing coughed softly, picked up a cup of tea and took a sip. “I heard that you were with Eldest Brother, so… who else was there with you?”

Ye Zhen felt that her remark was a bit strange. “Some of his friends.”

“I remember Eldest Brother’s friend is surnamed Tang. He is already the marquis at a young age. Have you… er… seen him?” Lu Jing probed again, her cheeks reddened.

“Do you mean Tang Zhen?”

After Mo Rongzhan ascended the throne, he made sure those who had helped him were given awards. He honored Lu Lingzhi as the assistant war minister and gave Tang Zhen the position of a marquis.

The Lu and Tang were the dazzling successful families in the capital that gained foothold inside the imperial palace.

“Have you met the young marquis?” Lu Jing sat up straight with her eyes fixed on Ye Zhen.

Her tone, Ye Zhen thought, sounded like a child robbed of her favorite toy!

It didn’t take her twice to understand that she was smitten by Tang Zhen.

Finding the conversation fascinating, Ye Zhen smiled and clarified some things. “If you’re talking about Tang Zhen and you’ve seen us together, it was only because we’ve had a competition. And he lost.”

Lu Jing’s big eyes looked at Ye Zhen incredulously. “What did you say? What did you compete with the young marquis? How could he lose to you?”

“He lost in the competition he instigated himself, hunting. That precious silver whip was what he lost to me. “

Anyway, the news of the competition would spread sooner or later. Instead of the fourth miss hearing it from someone else, Ye Zhen found it best to say it to her herself.

With eyes full of envy, Lu Jing stared at the silver whip hung on the wall of Ye Zhen’s bedchambers. Her face suddenly turned white as an idea hit her. The silver whip was a precious and rare gem. Even Lu Wushuang’s jewels couldn’t be at par with it!

“Third Younger Sister, I didn’t expect you to be excellent in archery! That even the marquis lost to you!”

Lu Fang looked defeated, Ye Zhen seemed to be more talented than what she had first deemed her to be.

She originally intended to make the third miss mad with envy yet she found herself in the position instead. Now, it seemed that it had already dawned upon her who must envy whom.

Tang Zhen had recently been very conspicuous in the capital and had received special attention from ladies because he remained a bachelor.

Now that he held a high position and enjoyed the trust of the emperor, Ye Zhen wondered how many girls wanted to marry him badly.

Lu Jing reluctantly smiled. “Third Sister, what do you want this silver whip for?”

“Nothing. It just looks good as an ornament,” Ye Zhen said.

“What a pity! It happens that I like it very much. Why don’t you give it to me?” With pleading eyes, Lu Jing said even though she knew that Ye Zhen would most likely refuse to give her the whip, given how badly she had treated her in the past few days.

Ye Zhen, of course, refused with a gentle shake of her head.

Lu Jing smiled reluctantly and did not insist.

“We won’t disturb our sister’s rest anymore,” said Lu Fang who found it dull to sit and listen to her sister’s romantic caprice.

She therefore took Lu Jing with her and left Ye Zhen in peace.

After sending the two girls away, Ye Zhen took the silver whip off the wall, waved it in her hand a few times and hung it back.

This was a trophy that belonged only to her.

Before going to bed at night, Ye Zhen asked people to bring her water to wash her face. She looked at the flaming phoenix tattoo on her palm and saw a drop of the red spirit spring water come out of it.

Carefully, she smeared the liquid over the pear blossom cream women used to take care of their skin. Then, she applied it all over her face and hands.

Every time she took a bath, she would always mix drops of this liquid in the water.

In the past two days, she felt her discomforts slowly disappear. It was just like… she was completely reborn, and even her sense of smell was becoming much better than usual.

However, it seemed that her sunburnt skin had not yet regained its white complexion. Perhaps she will have to keep on adding red drops of the spirit spring water to lighten her skin tone.

Patience… all she needed was patience.