The silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating.
The two etiquette instructors, their faces stiff, exchanged a glance, as if trying to determine their next course of action.
They had tried their level best and with the orders of the Empress and the other consorts, they had been told to make life exceptionally difficult for Hua Jing.
But—
It seemed a safe this damned seventh consort had other plants up her sleeve.
Hua Jing simply stood there, calm and unbothered, as if she had all the time in the world.
"Shouldn't we start with serving tea properly?"
Her voice was light, almost innocent, yet the weight of her words hung in the air like a blade poised to strike.
The first instructor—Madam Lu—cleared her throat sharply, masking her irritation behind a tight-lipped smile.
