Chapter 270 The Banquet

After Lin Changning and Mr. Gao Huan bid farewell to Princess Chaoyun while carrying a piece of blue brocade, they exchanged a glance and boarded the carriage, promising to deliver the two sets of clothes to the princess's residence before the birthday banquet.

When they returned to the clothing shop, both of them were quite happy. Mr. Gao Huan was certain that the group leader had recognized him.

The princess was clearly taken aback when the two looked at each other. Although they had only met a few times, she should have been able to recognize him.

Lin Changning tossed the fabric to the shopkeeper and instructed the embroiderers and tailors in the shop to make two sets of dresses within the next two days and rush them to be delivered to the princess's residence before the banquet. They could then use the pretext of delivering the clothes to enter the princess's residence, and if they could get in touch with the princess, they could take her away directly.

Lin Changning led Mr. Gao Huan to the main room: "I'm sure the princess will attend the banquet at the princess's residence the day after tomorrow. We need to plan our route in the next two days. The banquet starts at noon and will probably end in the evening. We also need to get her out of the capital before the city gates close, so we need to make sure everything goes smoothly. Please help me, sir."

Mr. Gao Huan nodded: "I understand. I'll take care of the troop rotation at the city gate these next two days. But how do we get the people out of the Princess's residence?"

“This is not difficult. When we came out, the commander gave me ten guards. The princess will definitely have people following her. The guards beside me will take care of the people following the princess before we leave the city, and then bring them over. It’s just that the young lady may be a little troublesome. Children don’t understand much and will inevitably cry and make a fuss. Once she makes a fuss, she may be exposed.”

Mr. Gao frowned. Changning's words made sense. It would be difficult to ensure that the young lady would not cry on the way. It would be easier to deal with a princess, but a child of a few years old was an uncontrollable factor.

"Why not give the young lady some drowsy medicine during the banquet? That way she won't cry."

Lin Changning hesitated, mainly because she was afraid that the drowsy medication might have adverse side effects on the child.

Mr. Gao Huan was naturally worried as well. However, this operation was not only related to the princess's life, but also to the prince's grand plan and the lives of the spies they had planted in the capital. If they were not careful, not only would the princess and the others be in danger, but all the people below would also be doomed.

Lin Changning sighed: "We'll explain to the princess first that if the young lady really cries and makes a fuss, then we can use the medicine."

Mr. Gao Huan nodded: "Let's find a way to get in touch with the princess first."

Princess's Residence —

A beautiful woman in a thin dress leaned back in a rocking chair, while a maidservant beside her peeled juicy grapes with her slender white fingers and fed them to the woman one by one.

The beautiful woman looked up: "Didn't A-Yun go to the Xie family's banquet today? Why hasn't she returned yet, so late?"

The maid beside her glanced at the third-class maids outside: "Are they all dead? Why don't you go down and inquire about it?"

The third-class maidservant bowed slightly and quickly retreated outside, but she encountered Princess Chaoyun who was coming into the courtyard as soon as she left the gate.

After bowing to Chaoyun, the maids thought about taking Princess Chaoyun to the Princess's courtyard.

"My mother called me? That's perfect, I have something to tell her today."

As she spoke, Chaoyun walked happily toward her mother's courtyard. Before she even reached the inner room, the princess inside heard her daughter's joyful voice.

"Mother, I'm back."

The princess sat up straight in her chair, picked up a small fan from the chair, fanned herself, and then waved with a smile toward the door: "A-Yun's back? Did you have fun today?"

Princess Chaoyun bowed to her mother, then sat down naturally under her mother's bed, smiling as she looked at her mother's beautiful face: "Of course I'm happy, and I've had quite a few gains today."

The eldest princess raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity flashing in her high-arched phoenix eyes: "Ayun, why don't you tell me what you've gained today?"

Princess Chaoyun nestled on her mother's lap, her bright face beaming with joy: "At the banquet today, I noticed that several daughters of officials were wearing stylish dresses, and they looked absolutely gorgeous."

The princess, her eyes gentle, stroked her daughter's beautiful cheek: "I thought it was something important. It's just some clothes. Can they be more novel than the dresses in the palace?"

Chao Yun shook her head: "It's a different mother. Those two dresses are really beautiful, but I've already bought them. I'll wear them with my mother. To get these two dresses, I went to the Marquis of Jing'an's mansion today and even borrowed a piece of Yun brocade from my cousin, all for my mother's birthday celebration in a couple of days."

The eldest princess frowned slightly: "Why did you have to go to the Marquis of Jing'an's residence for no reason? You've just brought bad luck upon yourself!"

A hint of disgust flashed across Chao Yun's eyes: "I really don't want to mess with that filthy family, but only the Marquis's mansion has the brocade used for this outfit. It's Mother's birthday, and I wanted to make it as perfect as possible."

The princess's brows slowly relaxed as she was amused by her daughter's words: "Alright, alright, let's go then. Have you invited Shu'er over as a guest?"

Chaoyun nodded her little head quickly: "Of course, the lady of the Marquis's mansion has already promised to bring Sister Shu and Yue'er over on Mother's birthday."

The eldest princess nodded: "Well done. The kitchen stewed two bowls of snow swallow for you. Take them back to your courtyard and try them. I also put some freshly picked grapes from the palace back in your courtyard and chilled them. But it's almost evening, so eat less."

Chaoyun nodded and snuggled into her mother's arms, saying sweetly, "I know, Mother, I'm going back now!"

The eldest princess waved and watched her daughter leave the courtyard with a smile. After her daughter left, she slowly suppressed her smile and said, "Go and investigate what happened today. What kind of clothes and fabric could the eldest princess's residence not have? Or is it only the marquis's residence that has them? This silly A-Yun, don't be used as a pawn without even knowing it. Go and investigate!"

Upon hearing the princess's words, a maidservant beside her quickly left the room.

The princess held a chilled grape in her hand, slowly crushing it with her red-painted nails. She took a handkerchief from the maid beside her and carefully wiped her hands, her expression somewhat uncertain.

As a princess who grew up in the palace, she was used to all kinds of conspiracies and intrigues from a young age. Now that she has lost her husband and only has one daughter, Chaoyun, she naturally cherishes her like a precious jewel, which has made her a bit spoiled and naive.

Ah Yun is simple-minded, but her mother is no pushover. Now that several cities on the border have fallen into the hands of her ninth brother, and it just so happens to be her birthday, she has sent her daughter to the Marquis's mansion to meet Shu'er. She doesn't believe there's nothing fishy going on.