Chapter 86: Wager (2) (1/2)
The moment Madam Huang caught sight of Lady Yang, she gritted her teeth. Although she clearly hated Lady Yang, she had to put on a fake smile and say, “How generous of you, Lady Yang. Since you’re betting on Chu Lian being able to make better longevity peach buns, what if she fails? It wouldn’t make sense if you just take back your wager, am I right?”
Lady Yang harrumphed, “Oh? Then what do you think we should do if she fails, Madam Huang?”
Madam Huang shot a look at her daughter, Zou Yuanqin, before she removed a gold bracelet from her arm. Threaded on it were two rare pink pearls. They were shaped differently from normal pearls; instead of the usual sphere shape, they looked like water droplets. Rounded with a lustrous shine, they were quite a rare sight.
Those familiar with Madam Huang all sucked in a breath. That was Madam Huang’s favourite bracelet; it was said that her maternal grandmother had passed it on to her.
After placing the pearl bracelet on the tray, Madam Huang said slowly and surely, “Since Lady Yang wants to interfere with this matter, why don’t we do it like this? These accessories will become the wager for today. If House Jing’an’s Third Young Madam has the skills, then everything on this tray will become hers, as compensation for the shock she has suffered. If she fails to carry out her task, then she’ll have the same punishment I mentioned earlier: begging for forgiveness from my father in front of everyone in the banquet hall. Furthermore, Lady Yang, all the accessories you’ve bet will become ours.”
Lady Yang smirked. Her answer came without hesitation. “Heh! I didn’t know that Madam Huang has an interest in games like these. Why not?”
The moment she agreed to the wager, a few madams walked out from behind Madam Huang and offered up accessories of their own.
When one of the madams was about to place a gold hairpin she had plucked from her head into the tray, Imperial Princess Leyao reached out and stopped her.
Imperial Princess Leyao raised her chin proudly. She glanced secretly at Chu Lian once, and then arrogantly declared, “How could I possibly miss out on such a fun game?”
After saying so, she took off a little golden qilin statue hanging from her waist and placed it on the tray. “This is a golden statue that Mother Empress gave to me. Is this enough for the wager?”
The Empress had given her the little golden statue on her eighth birthday. Imperial Princess Leyao loved it a lot and wore it everywhere she went. The golden kirin had two bean-sized ruby eyes, and looked very realistic.
Madam Huang wanted to stop Imperial Princess Leyao, but this princess had been spoiled rotten in the palace and was used to getting her way. Furthermore, she was favoured by the Emperor. This was supposed to be a fight amongst madams, but now that an eleven-year-old princess had suddenly cut in, it seemed a little strange.
Lady Yang cast a glance at Imperial Princess Leyao; even though she was the wife of an important official and a first-rank titled noble wife, it wouldn’t be good for her to interfere with the princess’ actions.
Imperial Princess Leyao was part of the imperial family after all.
It was never a good thing to interfere in the imperial family’s matters.
Just as everyone thought that the wager had been set, Royal Princess Duanjia stepped out of the crowd.
Royal Princess Duanjia was about the same age as Chu Lian, and was the legitimate daughter of Prince Wei, the brother of the current Emperor. She was much loved by the Emperor and Empress Dowager; the moment she had been born, she had been conferred the title of royal princess.