DTBCF Chapter 23

The consecration of the Great Buddha was scheduled for noon. In truth, they didn’t need to go to the front to observe, as it was packed with men. On the other hand, the women were seated in the meditation hall to recite sutras. Here, the matron first met Lin Qianzhi, the esteemed female lead.

In her feminine attire, she was truly a beauty, though Bai Xiangxiu touched her face and proudly thought that, in terms of looks alone, she still surpassed the heroine by more than just a little.

The matron seemed to be reasonably satisfied with Lin Qianzhi, and the two sides began exchanging pleasantries. However, the book didn’t delve into much detail here—the main story didn’t start until Lin Qianzhi attempted to escape her arranged marriage.

As for Bai Xiangxiu, despite being an unexpected element, she remained a supporting character. Her status was even lower than that of Cousin Miss Yu Xiaoshu, leaving her almost no space to stand. Trying to avoid attention, despite being a beauty, she did not attract many envious glances.

However, Yu Xiaoshu completely disdained Lin Qianzhi. Her gaze looked as though she wanted to devour her. Meanwhile, Lin Qianzhi glanced over at her, seemingly unintentionally, with an expression full of hurt. What was that about? Bai Xiangxiu hadn’t done anything to her!

Could it be that supporting female characters always end up as cannon fodder because the lead heroine envies their looks? The more she thought about it, the more it seemed possible. Bai Xiangxiu lowered her head, hiding her troublesome face.

Lin Qianzhi’s mother, Lady Lin, was also not too pleased with the way the royal family had handled things. On such a grand occasion, they had even brought along a concubine who couldn’t even show her face properly. Still, the concubine seemed well-behaved, standing quietly in the back without saying a word, seemingly soft and gentle—not like someone who would bully her daughter.

Lady Lin lightly patted her daughter’s hand, signaling for her not to worry, and gave a glance to a maid standing nearby, who then quietly left the crowd.

Lin Qianzhi, understanding her mother’s intentions, frowned and whispered, “Mother, don’t trouble her. She’s kind.” After all, the concubine had once helped her in the prince’s residence without revealing her true identity.

“Don’t worry, I’m just testing her,” Lady Lin replied with a gentle smile. But deep down, she was worried for her daughter. Her kindness would one day be her downfall. Before Lin Qianzhi married into the family, Lady Lin was determined to eliminate all her daughter’s enemies.

On the other side, although Bai Xiangxiu couldn’t hear their conversation, she had an inkling of what was going on. Lin Qianzhi’s gaze kept drifting toward her, full of sympathy, while Lady Lin’s eyes were cold and calculating, with a faint sneer on her lips.

Bai Xiangxiu knew she wasn’t even supposed to be here in the first place, so it made sense that Lady Lin was unsettled. It seemed trouble was brewing for her.

Should she resist?

No, better not. If she resisted, she might upset the two ruthless royals who were quick to punish. Besides, the second male lead favored gentle, saintly women. After all, Lin Qianzhi had gained his affection precisely because she had been bullied by the matron and the other concubines in the prince’s household, which gradually turned his sympathy into love.

Maybe it was better to just endure it?

Suddenly, she felt a nudge on her lower back. Rolling her eyes toward the sky, Bai Xiangxiu turned around. She had already noticed the object placed behind her and knew that turning her head would cause her to knock into it—it seemed to be a Buddha statue.

Who cares what it is? If they placed it there for her to bump into, she’d make sure the Lin family paid for it.

What should have been a light bump became a forceful collision. The maid holding the tray was knocked off balance, and the entire tray was tipped over. The entire hall fell silent, stunned.

Two Buddha statues, along with a crystal string of prayer beads, crashed to the ground, shattering into pieces. The jade Buddha that the maid had been prepared to throw down remained clutched in her hand, but everyone could tell that it was the least valuable of the items—the broken ones on the ground were worth at least a thousand silver taels!

Seeing that no one had reacted yet, Bai Xiangxiu quickly knelt on the ground, looking up at the matron in panic.

“Matron, I didn’t mean to! It wasn’t on purpose! I felt someone bump into me from behind, and when I turned, I didn’t expect… didn’t expect… sob, sob…”

Crying first and confessing seemed like the safest move, right? Look at her, trembling in fear—how pitiful!

The matron frowned, glancing at the broken items on the ground, then at the maid who stood frozen, staring at Lady Lin. The matron’s expression grew cold. With so many paths to take, why had the maid chosen to walk right behind Bai Xiangxiu and bump into her? It was obvious she had done it on purpose.

But was it necessary to be so petty over a mere concubine? Would her daughter not allow any other women near her son once she married him?

“How could you be so careless?” the matron asked sharply, but without too much blame in her tone.

Lady Lin, however, was seething. Hua’er, that useless maid! She’d sell her off once they got home. She couldn’t even handle such a simple task!

Sensing her mistress’s displeasure, Hua’er quickly knelt and stammered, “Lady, I… I didn’t mean to… I didn’t think she would suddenly turn around.”

“Speak clearly,” Lady Lin scolded. Hua’er composed herself and said, “It’s all her fault. If she hadn’t turned around so suddenly, I wouldn’t have broken these valuable items. Please, Lady, punish her.”

“It wasn’t me—it was an accident!” Bai Xiangxiu discreetly pinched her leg, causing tears to stream down her face as she cried even more pitifully, like a delicate flower in the rain.

Even Lin Qianzhi was moved, speaking softly, “Mother, they didn’t mean to. Why don’t we just let it go?”

Lady Lin shot her daughter a sharp look. How could she have raised such a foolish child? Those items were worth thousands of taels, and her daughter wanted to let it go? She needed to test this concubine’s strength, not let her off so easily!

Frowning, she called out, “Guards, take Hua’er away and deal with her back at the estate. As for this lady from the prince’s residence… Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

Bai Xiangxiu only continued to cry, pleading to the matron for mercy. She looked utterly terrified.

Lady Lin sneered inwardly. So, she was just a weakling after all. Had she known, she wouldn’t have bothered with the test. She had planned to sacrifice a less valuable jade Buddha, but now…

The more she looked at the shattered items, the more her heart ached. She gritted her teeth, determined to make Bai Xiangxiu pay dearly for this.

The matron remained silent, merely displaying a look of regret.

Yu Xiaoshu, who had little respect for Bai Xiangxiu’s beauty but disliked Lin Qianzhi even more, couldn’t help but smile and say, “Who’s to say it wasn’t done on purpose?”

Her words hit the mark, and the others present began casting suspicious glances toward Lin Qianzhi. Was she already trying to assert dominance over the concubines before even entering the household?

The matron finally spoke. “Enough. Lady Lin, it was Bai’s carelessness. As the elder here, I will apologize on her behalf. Our household will compensate for the loss.”

What? Would the prince’s household have to foot the bill?

That didn’t seem right—she had planned for the Lin family to suffer the loss.

Quickly, Bai Xiangxiu cried out, “It wasn’t me! I didn’t do it on purpose! Lady Lin, if you wish to punish me, then go ahead. Or, I could give you everything I own as compensation.”