Thousand Face Demonic Concubine Chapter 20.2

Chapter 20.2 - To want and not get

“Qingwu, what are you saying, can’t second mother come and see you? There’s nothing wrong but isn’t there an birthday banquet tonight? Second mother thought that you should have the chance to debut into society. So I begged your father to let you follow us into the palace. Qingwu, aren’t you happy?”

“Oh?” Enter the palace? She actually took the initiative to ask her?

As if she’d ever be so good-natured.

If this was the Qingwu from the past lifetime who didn’t understand that needles could be hidden under the most innocuous brocade, maybe she would believe the second madam’s words.

But now that she knows how vicious this mother-daughter pair can be, how could she?

At this critical moment, they’d let her go to the palace with them?

If it was father who suggested it, Ruan Zhen would definitely think of a scheme to prevent her from going by convincing her father.

But she was beating around the bush to bribe her way into Qingwu’s good graces so the person who suggested that she enter the palace definitely wasn’t someone Ruan Zhen could bully.

Therefore the person who suggested that she entered the palace would definitely someone who she wasn’t able to offend.

And the only people she couldn’t afford to offend would definitely be someone from the imperial palace.

The one name that entered mind instantly was Xiahou Liuyun.

That gossip-loving seventh prince.

Finally thinking it through, Lou Qingwu unexpectedly accepted the gifts and under the excuse of seeking calm, rejected the maidservants that Ruan Zhen tried to leave behind.

After she sent her away, then she looked at the items displayed in the lobby area.

When she got closer, her nose twitched and her eyes flashed contempt.

Tang Er soundlessly reappeared and looked at the gaudy clothes.

He confusedly asked, “Eldest miss, did second madam really give you such pretty clothes to enter the palace in?”

No matter how he looked at it, it definitely wasn’t something that the second madam would do.

After all, the second madam’s most favourite thing to do was letting her own daughter snatch the spotlight.

For that, she had spared no expense in dirtying the eldest miss’ name in front of her father.

Furthermore, this chance to enter the palace was definitely an opportunity to rise to fame.

It’s something that the second madam would never let the eldest miss participate in.

Lou Qingwu didn’t say anything, she only looked at that soft silver lily gauze gown.

She picked up a pearl hairpin next to the gown and picked at the silver threads on the gown which immediately displayed the white powder that was hiding underneath the threads.

The place that the white powder was hiding underneath was well hidden and if it weren’t for some careful inspection, there’d be no way you could find it.

Tang Er saw the powder and froze. “Eldest miss, what is that?”

The clothes looked new and definitely didn’t look old.

But what was this stuff that would hide underneath the clothes’ embroidery?

“Hysterical powder.” Qingwu’s expression was calm and indifferent as if she was just discussing the weather.

Tang Er’s face darkened immediately. “Hysterical powder? What is the second madam thinking?”

“What is she thinking?” Lou Qingwu laughed carelessly.

She turned around and didn’t face the items.

“This hysterical powder will go through the clothes and seep into the skin, in about four hours.”

According to that timeframe, it should be after she enters the palace.

In that time, she’d definitely do something embarrassing in front of all the noble folk and royalty.

Afterwards, she’d be punished under the offense of ‘offending the face of royalty’, and be beaten to death as punishment.

Even if someone came out and pleaded for her case, her hysterical reputation would be exposed and in that circumstance, she’d definitely be kicked out of the Lou residence or be sent to a far away nunnery.

Furthermore, even if she didn’t become hysterical and crazy, the fact that she wore this gown tonight would definitely result in some sort of punishment.

“ … what a poisonous scheme.”

Tang Er clenched his fists as his expression became vicious. “Eldest miss, should we tell your father?”

Tell Lou Qufeng?

Lou Qingwu laughed as she shook her head.

“He wouldn’t believe it.”

Even if he did believe it, he would never punish Ruan Zhen.

He’d only sacrifice Qingwu.

After all, Ruan Zhen had the Ruan family’s backing so how could he dare to offend them?

In the past, he had already been willinging to sacrifice her mother.

Today, she was only a legitimate daughter, he wouldn’t even hesitate to sacrifice her for his own gain.

TL note

Ruan Zhen/second madam’s double layered plot has been foiled, but is there more to come?