A young woman said, "Sister Cui's destiny is a match for the Emperor. This was said by the Right Chancellor. My father heard it with his own ears in the court that day."

"That's not true. Don't mention it again. My cousin might misunderstand if he hears it."

Cui Yudie felt a little guilty, as there was absolutely no hope of entering the palace, but at the same time she was also unwilling to give up.

Her father had already arranged marriages for all the newly emerging young talents he had chosen. She had always held herself in high regard, and if she were to marry just any good-for-nothing, she would rather comb her hair and go to the Peach Blossom Hermitage.

After much difficulty, she finally chose a distant cousin who had already entered officialdom. She knew him well, and although he couldn't compare to a dragon or a phoenix, he was still a handsome man. Cui Yudie wasn't entirely happy, but she was willing to listen to her mother and agree to the marriage.

One girl disagreed with Cui Yudie's words and muttered, "Master Huiyuan has the ability to foresee the future, he wouldn't talk nonsense."

"Yes, even the Emperor invites him to the palace to tell fortunes and read astrological charts. He speaks like a living Buddha. The future Empress will definitely be the one whose fate is a perfect match for him."

The words of the girls moved Cui Yudie.

No one knows her true destiny; outsiders only assume that her destiny is the one the emperor is looking for.

If the emperor cannot find a more suitable person, is there still a glimmer of hope for me?

"If the Emperor really has a son, the position of Crown Prince is already gone. Even if he enters the palace and gives birth to a prince, he will only become a stepping stone to the Crown Prince." A girl said sarcastically.

The girl's words immediately drew rebuttals from the other noble ladies.

"That's not how it works. If you give birth to a prince for the emperor, he'll at least be a prince, and you can even get a concubine's rank. You'll be guaranteed a life of wealth and honor for the rest of your life."

"I would be content if I could see His Majesty's divine appearance often, even if I only entered the palace."

A young woman couldn't help but laugh and said, "Miss Xu, you're too kind. Once you enter the palace, how many people are truly content? Aren't they all scrambling to win the emperor's favor, wishing they could monopolize his affections?"

Seeing that everyone was talking a bit too boldly, Cui Yudie raised her hand to interrupt them, "Sisters, let's admire the flowers instead. Tomorrow, let's each paint a picture and see who paints the most beautiful peach blossoms, and keep it in the nunnery as a souvenir."

A girl chimed in, "Of course, Sister Cui's paintings are the best."

It felt good to be praised, and Cui Yudie smiled modestly and said, "No, that's not true. All the sisters who came today are very talented. Please don't hold back."

Jiang Shuyue tugged at Qiu Ju's sleeve, preparing to leave.

Just then, someone mentioned her name, and Qiuju lowered her voice and said, "Miss, they're gossiping behind my back."

Jiang Shuyue stopped and heard Cui Yudie say, "I really admire Jiang Shuyue. She can run a restaurant to make money, open a clinic to heal the sick, and knows so many things that ordinary people have never seen before."

As soon as she finished speaking, a girl chimed in, "That's right, Jinxiufang on Wutong Street is incredibly popular. I had to queue up several times to buy a single bolt of cloth. I wonder what she doesn't know how to do? Sigh! It's so frustrating to compare yourself to others."

“My father said she really made the Emperor look good among the foreign envoys. I heard that the Emperor treats her differently. I don’t know what kind of seductive tricks she used, but the Empress’s position is probably hers for the taking.”

"I've heard that too. She's been brought into the palace by the Emperor's guards more than once. She must have been favored by the Emperor long ago."

"Emperor is also a person with emotions and desires. With her looks, it would be strange if Emperor did not become tempted."

Seeing that everyone was emotional, Cui Yudie comforted them at the right time.

"It's all about timing and fate. Sisters, don't be discouraged. The harem isn't just for one empress. If the emperor holds a selection of concubines, I support you all participating. No matter what, there's always a chance if you give it a shot."

With just a few words, Cui Yudie successfully ignited a fire in Jiang Shuyue's direction.

Qiu Ju was so angry that she was about to rush over to argue with them. Jiang Shuyue quickly pulled her away.

Walking too fast, I stepped on a dry branch on the ground, making a crisp "crack" sound.

The girls opposite heard the sound and looked in the direction of the sound, only to see a corner of a skirt disappear into the sea of ​​flowers in the blink of an eye.

After the two had walked away, Qiuju looked back and said, "They call themselves noble ladies from the capital, but they're all like gossipy old women, spreading rumors behind people's backs. They've completely forgotten their manners."

“Miss, Miss Cui may not have slandered you, but her words were meant to make you a target of hatred.”

Jiang Shuyue smiled faintly, "What did you just say? That the Emperor is not bad? Your young lady hasn't even done anything yet, and people are already jealous. But I don't care. Your young lady doesn't rely on them for a living. People can say whatever they want."

Having lived two lives, Jiang Shuyue naturally has a broader mind than ordinary people.

It's perfectly normal for a group of teenage girls to get together and gossip.

As for their harsh words, it can only be said that they lack manners.

Looking back on the past few days, she was indeed in the limelight, but that was not the result she wanted. Unfortunately, the bigger the tree, the more the wind blows, and she couldn't hide it no matter what.

Seeing that her young mistress was not hurt by the girls' words, Qiuju had no choice but to shut up.

When the two found Du Yutong and her servant Zhan Shuzhen, they were busy helping their two aunts pick peach blossoms in the peach grove.

Seeing Jiang Shuyue and the other woman approach, he quickly waved and called out, "Sister Jiang, come and help me out!"

"Auntie, are you making rouge or something?" Jiang Shuyue walked over, picked up a peach blossom and put it into the basket on the ground.

An aunt replied with a smile, "The deep red ones can be used to make rouge, and the pink ones can be used to make peach blossom wine."

During the conversation, Jiang Shuyue learned that, in addition to donations from everyone, the nuns in the nunnery also made cosmetics and face powder to exchange for money.

Only a very small number of aunts' families sent money.

As peach blossom wine sold for a considerable price at Juxian Pavilion, the aunts also decided to learn how to make it.

Jiang Shuyue immediately decided to go talk to the aunt in charge about the peach blossom wine that night.

Jiang Shuyue and the others helped pick peach blossoms, while Qiuju led the other two girls to get their luggage.

Gao Mu and the servant of the Du family stayed not far away. In order to let Qiu Ju find him quickly, Gao Mu settled in his room and stood at the crossroads.

Upon seeing his wife approaching, he quickly went to greet her.

"My lady, is your lodging settled?"

Gao Mu was about to reach out and pull his wife when he saw that there were other maids behind Qiu Ju, so he quickly withdrew his hand.

"Cough cough!"

Gao Mu coughed twice to cover up his embarrassed expression.

Qiuju said, "It's settled. We'll stay in the back courtyard, which is very close to the back gate. If you need to inform Miss, you can ask the maids coming and going at the back gate to pass on the message."

Gao Mu glanced at Qiu Ju's lower abdomen. "The things are heavy, I'll take you there."

"Okay, I'll show you the way."

The three followed Gao Mu into the farmhouse courtyard, picked up their bundles, and headed back.