Chapter 58: Tang the Green Tea Bitch

Seeing everyone's bewildered faces, Tang Zhao could hardly suppress the upward curve of her lips.

Satisfying!

The reason she had intentionally memorized dozens of obscure poems back in school was precisely to show off on important occasions and establish a "cultured person" persona—and to save herself the trouble of dragging bodyguards into dark alleys at midnight to sack those who called her uneducated.

Unfortunately, she had overplayed her hand and been exposed on the spot. Tang Zhao simply decided to lean into it and pivot to a "rogue" persona instead.

She was grateful that the Great Yu lacked the internet; no one knew her dark history. In this lifetime, she was determined to make her "cultured person" persona as hard as diamond.

As for plagiarism, she would get used to it after a few more times. Tang Zhao patted her own cheek: *Hmm, thicker than marble.*

Not bad, not bad at all.

"The autumn shade lingers not as frost flies late, leaving withered lotus to listen to the sound of rain," a young gentleman murmured twice. "Beautiful poetry, truly beautiful!"

Transforming into a fanboy, his face filled with admiration, "The Princess is truly a poetic talent; she could be called the number one female talent of the Northwest!"

Tang Zhao nodded with practiced reserve: *Cultured persona, check!*

Listening to the praise from those around her, Bai Rouyin’s lips turned pale, and her arms clutching the Marchioness of Zhongyong trembled slightly.

Shen Linian gritted her teeth and pulled the topic Tang Zhao had diverted back on track. "The Princess is truly magnanimous to proactively avoid letting her husband and his former fiancée reminisce about the past. But is the Princess not afraid..." She deliberately glanced at Bai Rouyin, making a blatant suggestion, "...that there might be another 'younger sister' in the courtyard in the future?"

Thinking of Gu Ci's upcoming antics, Tang Zhao shook her head sincerely. "That won't happen."

"How can you say it won't? Princess, one can know a person's face but not their heart!" Shen Linian advised earnestly. "The Princess is an open and honest person, but there are shameless women in this world whose very souls are filled with schemes and whose hearts are brimming with low cunning, focusing solely on others' husbands and using every means possible—even sacrificing their reputation—to achieve their filthy goals."

"If the Princess protects such a shameless and venomous woman, be careful not to invite trouble upon yourself."

Tang Zhao turned to look at the mother and daughter, Bai Rouyin and the Marchioness, who were huddling together.

Perhaps due to a guilty conscience, Bai Rouyin felt that Tang Zhao's gaze was filled with disdain and contempt, as if she were something filthy and disgusting. Consequently, she buried her head deep in the Marchioness's embrace, playing the ostrich.

The Marchioness of Zhongyong’s expression stiffened. As a mother, she knew better than anyone what kind of unsavory thoughts her daughter harbored. She felt overcome with shame, yet she could not bear to see her daughter's life ruined this day.

Forcing herself to speak, the Marchioness said, "Princess, Rou'er has been well-versed in books since childhood; she knows what shame and virtue are. She would never commit such petty acts."

She promised, "A woman of the Bai family will never become someone's concubine!"

Having said this, the Marchioness looked at Tang Zhao expectantly, hoping the Princess would show mercy and lend them a helping hand.

Instead, she saw the woman shake her head slightly.

The Marchioness felt as if her heart had sunk into an abyss.

"Marchioness, whether your daughter possesses good character, how she conducts herself, or even whether she will become a concubine in the future, is her own business. It has nothing to do with me."

"Princess!" the Marchioness cried out desperately.

But Tang Zhao was unwilling to listen further. She turned to the triumphant Shen Linian and said, "Fifth Miss Shen, you are mistaken."

The smile on Shen Linian's lips froze. "Mistaken? In what way am I mistaken?"

"You said this Princess is magnanimous," Tang Zhao explained. "You are mistaken, Fifth Miss Shen."

She spoke word by word. "This Princess was born without a broad mind. I am narrow-minded, petty, and vengeful. These words were made specifically for me."

The crowd gasped. What woman would describe herself this way? And what woman would dare to?

Shen Linian was dumbfounded. "What did you say?"

She was so startled she even forgot to use the formal title.

"Therefore, this Princess will not allow any other woman to share her husband, and certainly will not allow any woman to marry my husband as a concubine!"

Horrified, Shen Linian instinctively took a step back. "Then why did you allow the two of them to be alone?"

Wasn't that essentially giving them an opportunity for a secret tryst?

Abandoning her previous domineering and overbearing manner, Tang Zhao walked to Gu Ci's side. She intimately took the man's hand, interlacing their fingers in full view of everyone.

"The reason I allowed my husband to be alone with the Miss of Zhongyong is not because I have such great trust in her character, but because..." She gave a shy smile, "...I trust my husband's deep affection for me."

Gu Ci moved slightly. His right hand, hanging at his side, did not pull away; instead, it gripped her hand even tighter.

To emphasize the sentimentality, Tang Zhao even dropped the formal titles. "My husband and I are a match made in heaven. We fell in love at first sight on our wedding day. My husband treats me with profound devotion, and I, in turn, am devoted solely to him."

Gu Ci's throat moved slightly, as if he were being nauseated.

Tang Zhao turned her body to block the crowd's view and shot him a fierce glare: *If you dare ruin my act, you're dead!*

Gu Ci sighed, feeling more powerless than he had ever been in his life.

"Though we have not been married long, my husband and I treat each other with utmost respect and harmony. Our affection is as vast as the heavens and as deep as the sea. How should I describe it to you all?" Tang Zhao said, looking somewhat troubled.

The crowd was force-fed a massive bowl of "dog food" (public displays of affection), and their expressions were those of people who were overstuffed and about to vomit.

*They've already said it so mushily, and they still feel it's not enough?*

"Ah!" Tang Zhao had an inspiration. "In heaven, may we be two birds flying wing to wing; on earth, may we be two trees with branches intertwined."

Gu Ci:...

Everyone present:...

*Enough already.*

"Therefore, I trust my husband. No matter how much those enchanting harlots outside exhaust their wits and use every trick in the book, they cannot shake my position in his heart."

Shen Linian reached out a trembling finger toward Tang Zhao.

"Of course, the bond between my husband and me is something those who haven't experienced it likely cannot understand," Tang Zhao smiled at Shen Linian. "Once Fifth Miss Shen is married, perhaps you will understand."

"However, I heard that Fifth Miss Shen's fiancé is a famous rogue in the Northwest, with many 'fair acquaintances' even before the wedding. Alas," Tang Zhao added with a hint of "green tea" sarcasm, "it may be difficult for Fifth Miss Shen to possess a love as pure as mine and my husband's."

"But it's alright. After you are married, this Princess can teach you some methods of managing a husband. Perhaps there is still hope."

Shen Linian rolled her eyes in fury.

Tang Zhao gently tugged on Gu Ci's sleeve and said coquettishly, "Husband, am I right?"

Gu Ci gave Tang Zhao a warning look: *Don't go too far!*

Tang Zhao snorted inwardly, meeting his gaze without fear: *You were the one who was brainless and got schemed against. I'm the one working hard to help you cover up the lie, and you still have an issue?*

*Who gave you the courage?*

*Do you really think I have no temper?*

Gu Ci's eyes flickered. He clearly read a line of text in Tang Zhao's eyes: *If you dare say a single word of disagreement, I will slap you across the face!*

Knowing Tang Zhao, he knew she was capable of such a thing.

After a long silence, Gu Ci finally nodded. "Mhm."

Consort Han, having been forced to witness the display, knew her schemes for the day had failed, but she still asked unwillingly, "According to the Princess, the matter of the Fifth Young Master meeting privately with the Miss of Zhongyong was purely a misunderstanding?"

Tang Zhao: *Eat up this bowl of dog food!*