"Greetings, Your Highness."

"No, Sister Jiang, please don't be so polite."

Even after the voices of the people in the hall had faded into the distance, Cui Yudie remained standing motionless at the entrance of the hall.

"Miss, let's go back to our room and rest for a while."

The sound of willow branches pulled Cui Yudie back to reality.

Her voice trembled slightly as she said, "Did you two hear that? Her Highness the Princess calls Yue Niang 'elder sister'."

The more confident Cui Yudie was before, the more panicked she became now.

Not only was Yue Niang stunningly beautiful, she also opened an affordable grain shop during a food shortage in the capital.

What may seem like a simple little business has benefited almost everyone in the capital.

Unwittingly, this also relieved the court of its urgent crisis.

The barbecue stalls she invented provided a livelihood for many people in the capital who had no other way to make money, which could be considered as relieving the emperor's worries.

She had also heard her father mention that the rabbit pelts Jiang Shuyue donated to the imperial court were enough to make a jacket for each soldier in the western suburban camp.

Everything she did was a good thing for the country and its people.

Her contributions were no less than those of the court officials.

Princess Yonghe respected her so much, and the Emperor treated her...

Cui Yudie grew increasingly panicked as she thought about it—a title befitting the Emperor.

One is a beautiful woman who can help the emperor stabilize the country.

What choice will the Emperor make?

“Miss, Miss Jiang is mature and composed. She doesn’t look like she’s fifteen or sixteen years old. Her Highness the Princess is about the same age as you. Calling her ‘sister’ is already giving her face.”

Seeing that her young mistress seemed to have lost her soul, Liu Zhi spoke up to explain.

Liu Xu nodded, "Judging from Miss Jiang's appearance, she must be at least eighteen years old."

Cui Yudie shook her head, "No, that's not right. How can a princess casually call someone 'sister'? That's against the rules. You're wrong."

If the two did not have a special relationship, it would be an understatement to call them princess sisters.

Jiang Shuyue was already over twenty years old; she had heard her mother mention her.

After the Emperor ordered the notice to be posted, Cui Yudie's mother, Madam Meng, went through all the potential rivals for her daughter's affections in the capital.

Jiang Shuyue, who is famous in Beijing, was naturally on her list as well.

Despite using all her connections, Meng was unable to find out Jiang Shuyue's identity.

Some matchmakers said she was twenty years old, while others said she was already engaged.

Even more absurdly, there are rumors that she resembles the daughter of the former Minister of Revenue who died suddenly.

Madam Meng specifically sent someone to inquire about her relationship with Jiang Zhengming. The person who returned reported that the two families had no connection whatsoever, but just happened to share the same surname.

Cui Yudie led the two maids back to the room, closed the door, and gave the instructions:

“I can sense that Yue Niang might be an obstacle to my entry into the palace. You two should secretly investigate her relationship with the princess.”

"Also, observe and find out when the Emperor will come to the imperial palace, and which palace he will stay in. Find out all of this for me."

Liu Zhi and Liu Xu rarely saw their young mistress so nervous and flustered.

The two nodded in unison, "We understand."

The two knew perfectly well what the crime was if they were caught trying to find out the emperor's whereabouts.

As a servant, I had no right to say no; I had to listen to whatever my master said.

...

Jiang Shuyue, Princess Yonghe, and Du Yutong chatted and laughed as they walked toward their residence.

Jiang Shuyue's eyelids twitched as she listened to Princess Yonghe calling her "Sister Jiang" repeatedly.

They noticed that people in the distance were frequently looking at them.

Jiang Shuyue said to Princess Yonghe, "Your Highness, there are many people here. If you continue to call me 'elder sister,' some people will say that I am being disrespectful."

Yonghe paused for a moment, glanced into the distance, and smiled, saying, "It's been so long since I've seen Sister Jiang. I got so excited that I forgot my manners."

"I only call you Sister Jiang when we're together. In crowded places, I call you Moon Maiden. Is that alright, Sister Jiang?"

Jiang Shuyue nodded with a smile, "This humble woman obeys."

“Your Highness, there’s no need to be shy when I’m here. You can address me however you like.” Du Yutong affectionately tugged at Yonghe’s arm.

Those in the distance saw Princess Yonghe walking between the two, and Jiang Shuyue and Du Yutong treated her as if she were her own sister.

Several maids and a group of palace maids followed behind her.

From afar, one could see everyone surrounding the princess, walking inside like stars surrounding the moon.

Yonghe accompanied Jiang Shuyue and Du Yutong to their residence.

Upon entering the room, Yonghe called in two palace maids and instructed them, "You two are responsible for taking good care of Sister Jiang and Miss Du. Make sure to replace anything that is missing in the room as soon as possible."

The two palace maids knelt and accepted the order, saying, "Please rest assured, Princess, we will serve you wholeheartedly."

"You two just go about your business. If we need anything, I'll have someone come to you."

As Jiang Shuyue spoke, she looked at Qiuju, who immediately understood what her mistress meant.

Qiuju quickly took out two purses and stuffed them into the hands of the two palace maids.

"I have troubled you two ladies a lot these past few days. Here is a small token of my appreciation. I hope you will accept it."

The two palace maids dared not accept the gift in front of the princess, and quickly stepped back, saying, "You flatter us, Miss. It is our duty to serve Your Highness's guests well."

Qiuju looked at Princess Yonghe and said, "Your Highness, please say something. How can you take back the young lady's feelings once they have been given?"

Princess Yonghe nodded to the two palace maids, "You two can accept Sister Jiang's reward without worry."

The implication is that one cannot accept tips from others indiscriminately.

The two palace maids understood that Jiang Shuyue was giving them rewards because of the princess, and that she was extending her affection to the princess's family.

If other people frequently give them tips, their motives might not be so pure.

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!