Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 260 - 242: How Much the Master Dotes on Qianqian

Chapter 260: Chapter 242: How Much the Master Dotes on Qianqian

The eunuch’s words struck Wu Xiuniang like a bolt of lightning on a clear day. She shuddered, her face turning completely pale!

However, as she knelt on the ground in front of Tao Shiyu, Tao Shiyu could only see her back and not the panic flashing in her eyes.

Moreover, since Meng Qianqian’s voice earlier was not loud, Tao Shiyu did not hear her address of "Senior Sister."

Tao Shiyu was exceedingly pleased: "Perfect timing! Young Madam Lu, the key figure is here. Let’s see how you talk your way out of this now!"

Once more, the ladies and daughters began whispering among themselves.

No one had anticipated the situation to take such a dramatic turn.

Just now, when Meng Qianqian had argued with Tao Shiyu and said, "You’re Wu Xiuniang’s disciple? Well, I say I’m the grand-disciple of Yanyu Pavilion’s matron!"

Anyone could tell it was an exaggeration made in a moment of desperation. But who could have imagined the two she mentioned would both appear in the palace?

This was a slap in the face that couldn’t be more solid.

Never had they seen someone get humiliated so swiftly.

Meng Qianqian was truly unlucky.

Now, not only the female onlookers but even Yao Qingluan believed Meng Qianqian would have no chance to recover her standing.

That infamous Mistress Yun of Yanyu Pavilion, renowned for being unapproachable—if someone dared boast and impersonate her disciple... Even though it was mere bragging, she would likely not hesitate to expose them ruthlessly, even if Meng Qianqian had the entire Governor Mansion backing her.

Yao Qingluan recalled an incident from several years ago in the Capital City, where an embroidery shop had purchased embroidery pieces from Yanyu Pavilion and claimed the work as their own.

Upon learning of this, Mistress Yun showed up, unmasking the shop’s deception entirely, and even hired storytellers to reprimand them publicly in the Capital City for a full month.

It was evident just how terrible Meng Qianqian’s fate might be.

"Your Majesty the Empress, we’ve long heard of Mistress Yun’s great name but never had the opportunity to meet her in person."

"Indeed, Your Majesty the Empress, we too wish to have a glimpse of Mistress Yun."

You just want to watch the drama unfold!

Yao Qingluan felt a headache coming on.

It wasn’t that she wanted to shield Meng Qianqian, but humiliating Meng Qianqian wouldn’t serve her any benefit, would it?

A bunch of women eager to fan the flames of chaos—how vexing!

Being the Empress wasn’t an easy job after all.

"Mistress Yun of Yanyu Pavilion requests an audience."

Once again, the eunuch outside announced.

Generally speaking, a eunuch would only announce once.

But this second announcement made Yao Qingluan recognize the voice—it was Kang Youcheng, the trusted eunuch of Kunning Palace’s Supreme Empress.

Was Mistress Yun summoned by the Supreme Empress?

Then Yao Qingluan had no choice but to grant the audience.

Additionally, it seemed she couldn’t make any moves or apply pressure on Mistress Yun to excuse Meng Qianqian.

The situation... was utterly dreadful!

The Marquess of Changning’s wife raised her eyebrows in satisfaction. While her son may have been disappointing, her daughter was doing well.

That wretched girl—just wait to lose all face and become the court’s laughingstock!

Yao Qingluan said, "Announce her."

The eunuch beside her responded, "Announce—Mistress Yun, please enter—"

Yun Xiyao entered with composure, as if a vivid ink painting unfurled gracefully before the crowd.

In terms of features, Yun Xiyao was not breathtakingly beautiful. Yet no one who saw her would find her anything but attractive, for she carried an innate elegance that felt like a refreshing breeze.

"Yun Xiyao of Yanyu Pavilion pays her respects to Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty enjoy everlasting peace and health."

She curtsied gracefully, standing precisely beside Wu Xiuniang. "This humble one is unwell and cannot perform a full ceremonial bow. I ask for Your Majesty’s understanding."

Kang Youcheng smiled and said, "The Supreme Empress has exempted Mistress Yun from kneeling."

Yao Qingluan nodded.

Meng Qianqian thought to herself, "Unwell? Yet when the entire courtyard was chasing Bao Shu earlier, she ran faster than a rabbit."

But from this, Meng Qianqian became even more certain of one thing—Yun Xiyao’s status was anything but ordinary. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have received such favor from the Supreme Empress.

"This humble one has a gift to present to Your Majesty the Empress."

As Yun Xiyao spoke, she opened the brocade box Kang Youcheng had been holding.

A radiant five-colored glow burst forth, dazzlingly bright and eclipsing everything around it.

It was a golden phoenix shawl. Though not double-sided embroidery, the phoenixes crafted on the shawl seemed imbued with divine vitality. Just looking at it made one feel as though they could hear the soaring cry of phoenixes among the nine heavens.

Even though they wouldn’t have the chance to possess it, just witnessing it was enough to call their lives complete.

Yao Qingluan took a deep breath, suppressing her overwhelming admiration and desire for the embroidery. "Mistress Yun, your kindness is deeply appreciated. However, this shawl is far too precious—I dare not accept it."

Yun Xiyao replied, "Your Majesty, this shawl is not a matrimonial gift but rather an offering to compensate for my disciple’s misconduct in Jingren Palace."

Large beads of sweat appeared on Wu Xiuniang’s forehead, trickling down her trembling cheeks and falling to the ground with a dull thud.

The wife of the Minister of Rites thoughtfully interjected, "Mistress Yun, you are mistaken—the one who caused trouble was not your disciple!"

Tao Shiyu stood up, curtsied, and said with a smile, "Disciple Tao Shiyu greets Master! Master, you arrived at the right time. Someone has been flaunting your embroidery, falsely claiming it as their work, and even lying about being your disciple! Thankfully, my teacher was in the palace to expose her lies!"

Hearing this, Kang Youcheng glanced around.

The palace maids of Jingren Palace, keenly perceptive, immediately presented the double-sided embroidered fan.

Yun Xiyao took the fan, glanced at it indifferently, and turned to Wu Xiuniang. "Is this what you told them?"

Wu Xiuniang trembled like a leaf.

The crowd immediately noticed something wrong with her behavior.

Mistress Yun had arrived, yet even Tao Shiyu addressed her as Master. And yet Wu Xiuniang hadn’t greeted her teacher, looking instead as though she was deeply uncomfortable.

"Teacher, are you feeling unwell?"

Tao Shiyu inquired with concern.

Wu Xiuniang did not respond to her pupil. Instead, she turned on her knees toward Yun Xiyao. "Ma-Master... I only said... it was like yours..."

Yun Xiyao said coldly, "Like mine? Ten years by my side, and you still don’t know I would never embroider this way? Such skills—and you dare to present them to others? I’m speaking to YOU."

The last remark was directed fiercely at Meng Qianqian.

Meng Qianqian blinked and innocently stood up. "I just started learning. For a beginner, this isn’t so bad."

Yun Xiyao pointed at the fan. "This is your idea of ’not bad’?"

The crowd was utterly confused. What was happening?

"Master... I didn’t mean to... I didn’t know you’d also come to the palace today..."

Wu Xiuniang stammered in a panic.

Last night, her teacher had instructed her to deliver a garment to the Supreme Empress and make adjustments on-site if it didn’t fit.

She truly hadn’t expected that her teacher would also visit Kunning Palace.

Yun Xiyao’s voice turned icy. "So what you’re saying is, if you had known I was there, you wouldn’t have slandered your junior apprentice sister?"

"Junior apprentice sister?" The wife of the Minister of Rites exclaimed. "Young Madam Lu... is really Mistress Yun’s disciple?"

Tao Shiyu was thunderstruck, staring at Meng Qianqian. "Master... how could she be your..."

Was Meng Qianqian truly Yun Xiyao’s disciple? Wouldn’t that make her Tao Shiyu’s junior martial aunt?

How could this be?

After painstakingly leveraging every connection, Tao Shiyu had managed to become Wu Xiuniang’s apprentice. That alone was a monumental feat.

What virtues and talents did Meng Qianqian possess that she could directly become Yun Xiyao’s disciple?

Yun Xiyao said mercilessly, "Don’t call me Master—you’re not worthy!"

Tao Shiyu’s face flushed with embarrassment.

Yun Xiyao stated firmly, "If a child is unruly, it is the fault of the parent. If a student is unworthy, the teacher is to blame for lax discipline. To have trained a disciple like you, I bear responsibility—and so, from this day forward, I will accept no more students."

"Master!" Wu Xiuniang cried out.

Lady Xing murmured quietly, "Little Nine, the final disciple."

Yun Xiyao said to Wu Xiuniang, "Our master-disciple bond ends here. Do not address me as your teacher again."

Both Wu Xiuniang and Tao Shiyu felt as if the sky had collapsed!

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