Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
“Sorry! I will come early next time.”
It was a fact that Xu Xiyan was late, and she couldn’t argue about it.
“What are you waiting for?” Wen Li asked. “Go do your makeup and don’t make Xinrou wait on you anymore. I hate people who have no sense of time.” She looked even more despicable than Xu Xinrou to Xu Xiyan.
Xu Xiyan said no more and went straight to Linda for her makeup. Everything seemed fine and after her makeup was done, they began shooting the third scene.
In the third scene, Meng Jinxin teaches Wei Pingting a lesson. There were character appearances from Meng Jinxin, Wei Pingting, Yao Yue, Mo Lian, some palace maidens, and some eunuchs.
Meng Jinxin was favored by the Emperor and she dominated the harem with her high rank and prestige. But recently the Emperor had accepted a new consort into the harem and he had not been to her palace for three days. She became jealous and decided to go meet the newcomer.
In the garden, Meng Jinxin, who was played by Xu Xinrou, was gorgeously dressed and was leading a retinue of palace maidens. Yao Yue, who was played by Xu Xiyan, was one of Meng Jinxin’s closest servants and she was following closely behind her mistress.
Wei Pingting, who was played by Qi Liya, was practicing her dance in the garden. She was oblivious to the group’s arrival.
When Wei Pingting was performing a chain of rotating movements in her dance, Meng Jinxin flicked her eyes towards Mo Lian who was standing by her side. Mo Lian understood her mistress’ intentions and flung a stone at Wei Pingting’s feet.
Unaware of the stone, Wei Pingting stepped onto it and slipped, falling to the ground and spraining her ankle.
While she was kneading her foot, Meng Jinxin stepped in front of her. Wei Pingting turned her gaze from the tip of her embroidered shoes up toward an unsmiling face.
“Wei Pingting, why are you still not greeting Lady Meng?” Mo Lian said to her in a hushed voice.
Though Wei Pingting had just entered the harem, she had already heard of Meng Jinxin’s prestige from the palace maidens. She endured the pain in her foot and knelt before her. “My lady.”
“No need for formalities. We are both the Emperor’s women. Just call me sister.”
Meng Jinxin moved aside and sat down at a round table nearby.
“Sister, I heard that your dancing skills are unmatched. Why don’t you dance for me and show me how good you are?” It was clear she intended to make trouble for Wei Pingting.
Wei Pingting’s ankle was injured and it was impossible for her to dance. She could only answer her truthfully. “I’ve sprained my ankle and I cannot dance for you today. I hope you will forgive me, sister.”
Meng Jinxin’s face became hard, revealing her true nature.
“How dare you, Wei Pingting!” she roared. “We all saw you dancing like a butterfly here just now. And now that I ask you to dance for me, all you have are excuses. What do you take me as?”
“Please forgive me! My ankle is really injured. I’m not lying.” Wei Pingting tried hard to explain.
“A lie is a lie and you dare to argue with me? According to the rules of the palace, the punishment for lying is one hundred slaps.”
“Yao Yue, slap her,” Meng Jinxin called out.
Upon hearing this line, Xu Xiyan knew that it was her turn to appear. According to the script, Yao Yue and Wei Pingting came from the same village.
Yao Yue had recognized Wei Pingting and could not bear to hit her, so she turned around and pleaded for Wei Pingting.
“My lady, Wei Pingting’s ankle is really hurt. Please pardon her!”
Slap!
Meng Jinxin had directly slapped Yao Yue. “You dare help her to rebel against me?”
Streaks of red appeared on Xu Xiyan’s cheeks. She stood up angrily and yelled, “Xu Xinrou, why did you just hit me?”
