As soon as Tang Yue and Lotte returned back to the royal palace, they headed straight to the Crown's private quarters.
And just as expected, two familiar figures were patiently or rather impatiently waiting for her right at the entrance of the corridor doors.
"Yue'er you are finally here." Tang Zuelo immediately flashed a big smile and hobbled over to Tang Yue.
"Greetings, sister." Tang Xi, standing behind her mother, also smiled gently and nodded.
"Oh, my dear. You look so tired. You are all skin and bones. What happened?" Tang Zuelo pulled Tang Yue closer to her and clicked her tongue in concern.
"Are these people not treating you well?"
"Please tell this mother if you are facing any difficulties child. A daughter shouldn't hide anything from her mother."
"Sorry child. The other day this mother was a bit angry at you."
"I thought that you had done something wrong and tarnished our clan's pride. That's why I mistakenly said those harsh words."
"Don't take it to heart." The woman started bombarding Tang Yue with random chatter.
With the mother fawning over her daughter and the sister smiling gently on the side, they looked picture perfect. A candid example of a sweet little family.
And Tang Yue as well silently went along with the act.
She grinned and watched the loudmouthed woman blabber as she pleased, nodding politely for all her fake affectionate concerns.
And then came the main segment of the play!
"Ah~ Yue'er, why don't we head inside first and then leisurely talk?"
"I also brought with me some of the delicacies from our cuisine. You must be missing the taste of our food here." Tang Zuelo patted Tang Yue and gently nudged her in the direction of the door.
Tang Yue chuckled lightly. She then turned towards her loving step-mother and cocked her head to a side with an innocent expression.
"But, concubine mother, you are not allowed inside?" She mumbled with subtle ridicule gleaming in her emerald eyes.
She also made sure to walk right next to the guards standing at the entrance and carried out the conversation there. This was to make sure that there were eyewitnesses to this drama.
The veins on Tang Zuelo's forehead throbbed. This trash was most definitely looking down on her!
"What nonsense are you spouting? Why is your mother not allowed to visit you?"
"Are you a slave here or what?"
"Don't give me all these excuses. Your mother and sister will stay with you for a while and then only we will leave."
"Yue'er. It's been so long since I saw you! We miss you, child."
She barked back, her saliva as usual spraying everywhere, but she did maintain to keep her anger in check and continued the loving mother act.
Tang Xi, who was standing silently till now, suddenly butted in. "Mother, please. Let's not put sister in a difficult position."
"Sorry sister. It's just that father is very worried about you these days. He feels that he hastily married you away."
"Even if it was me, I could have suffered silently here. But you…" Tang Xi hesitated. "With your body's condition, it will be difficult for you here."
"At least allow us to stay with you here and give you company these few days."
The woman's reluctant words and her gentle and kind aura, almost made Tang Yue feel the love and affection she didn't have for her.
Brrr. What a good actress! Just thinking about it gave Tang Yue goosebumps. Some people are just born manipulators!
Two can play at this game, my dear sister.
Tang Yue smiled and looked particularly aggrieved. "You two are forcing my hand here. I also miss you all."
"But I don't have the permission to invite you in. Are you calling me unfilial if I don't allow you both to stay with me?"
"How can you say something like that? So heartless. Sob. Sob." She started rubbing her eyes and whining through her fangs.
"Ah." Tang Xi covered her mouth with her hand. "When did we say like that sister?"
"Wait, Xi. Yes, I am calling you unfilial. What else would a parent call a child who doesn't even let them inside their house?"
Seeing a slight weakness that Tang Yue purposefully revealed, the mother hen finally lost her patience and started strong-arming Tang Yue.
"Ok. Sorry mother, please don't call me unfilial. It makes me want to die. Please come inside."
Tang Yue wiped the tears off her face and opened the door to step inside.
She then held it open for the mother and daughter pair to come in as well.
Both the guards standing at the door awkwardly looked at each other. Since Tang Yue herself had let the duo in, they couldn't say anything.
"See! Even if you didn't let me inside, I am still entering. Hmph."
Tang Zuelo loudly snorted and cast a condescending look at the guards who had humiliated her numerous times in these past few days and haughtily waddled in.
What a petty woman! The two guards exchanged awkward looks but remained silent.
Tang Yue smiled weakly and welcomed the two inside. "Come in. Come in. This is my chamber. Please make sure to stay only here. We are not allowed to go inside."
She showed them a small chamber right next to the entrance and blabbered a bunch of nonsensical rules that Xander had never told her.
"Quiet child, let us first take a look around." Tang Zuelo forcefully shoved her to the side and started walking here and there.
The woman's eyes bulged with greed as she gaped looking at the luxurious interiors of the different chambers and enormous central courtyard which might as well be a medicinal pond.
She ran her fingers over the rune crafted pearly grey walls that thrummed with energy and swallowed her saliva.
What lavish architecture! This trash really has it good!
Hmph. Soon, it will all be my daughter's! She silently nodded and continued loitering.
Tang Xi, however, silently went inside the chamber. Unlike her mother, she didn't look around and exploit the invitation.
She behaved like a perfect sister as if she was not interested in creating any more trouble for Tang Yue.