Chapter 5 Whose guest is this in the far corner of the first month of the lunar calendar? Why not introduce them...?

In the evening, Fu Sui sat in front of her dressing table while Kou Yun helped her take off her hair. When she saw Dai Ling walk in with a shocked look on her face, she asked with a smile, "Dai Ling'er, what's wrong?"

Dai Ling had been holding it in the whole way, and finally had a chance to speak. She blurted out her words like beans: "On the way back, I actually caught a glimpse of Qin Zhongguan biting into a sugar painting. How old is he? He's still eating this kind of childish stuff. I don't eat sugar paintings anymore."

Qin An is thirty-four years old this year, which is quite old, but Dai Ling'er's words make him sound like an old man.

The originator of sugar painting felt a little guilty after Dai Ling'er said that: "What's wrong with sugar painting? Aren't sugar painting and Qin An a good match?"

Kouyun laughed along, "Your Highness has a discerning eye; they are indeed a good match. To be honest, I used to be afraid of Qin Zhongguan, but I later discovered that he wasn't so strict after all. At most, he was a bit harsh in his speech and had a childish temper, so you had to coax him and appease him."

Strict? Fu Sui had never imagined that this word could be associated with Qin An. She looked at Kou Yun: "Tell me quickly, what happened?"

Kouyun then said, “When we first entered the manor, we were all seven or eight years old. We were supposed to serve the princess, but how much could such young children do? We were just looking for playmates for the princess. Does the princess remember the time you took Dailing out through the dog hole to go to the street to buy candy? When you came back, you even gave us all some candy and told us not to tell Sister Doumiao and Qin Zhongguan about your secret trip out of the manor?”

“Yes, yes, there was a guy named Xun Song who said I shouldn’t have helped the princess cover it up, that it was deceiving the emperor, and that she wouldn’t go along with me and would report me.” Dai Ling got angry when she mentioned this incident. “I begged her for a long time, but she wouldn’t let me go. She went straight to Qin Zhongguan. I was really scared that day. I couldn’t sleep all night.”

“Hahahaha,” Fu Sui laughed so hard he was shaking. “Dai Ling’er, what are you afraid of? There are guards patrolling not far from that dog hole, and there are hidden guards within a hundred paces. Do you really think I can sneak you out of the manor without anyone noticing? Maybe Cheng Baoding or Qin An will be following us when we’re strolling around the street.”

Dai Ling exclaimed in surprise, "Qin Zhongguan knows? Then Qin Zhongguan also knows about me climbing the wall and secretly going down to the river with the princess?" Seeing that Kou Yun was not surprised, but instead lowered his head and smiled, he asked, "Kou Yun, you know too?"

Kouyun suppressed a laugh and said, "At first I didn't know, but later I saw that the princess always left the mansion safely. Sometimes she would see something she liked but didn't have enough money, and the next day Qin Zhongguan would buy it and send it to her. That's when I understood."

“This capital is a mixed bag of people. If a few young girls like us were to encounter a villain, we wouldn’t be able to escape. If no one is with us, how dare I lead you all around the city?” Seeing Dai Ling’s increasingly embarrassed expression, Fu Sui comforted her, “Don’t worry, Qin An won’t go around telling everyone. Besides, that happened so long ago, he probably doesn’t even remember it.”

Dai Ling didn't feel comforted; she only felt that she had completely lost face in front of Qin An.

After teasing Dai Ling, Fu Sui continued to ask Kou Yun, "I vaguely remember Xun Song, how was he dealt with?"

"The next day, while the princess was taking a nap, Qin Zhongguan summoned us younger ones and beat Xunsong severely in front of us. We had never seen anything like it before, and we all huddled together, too afraid to speak. I was so scared that I cried. Qin Zhongguan told us that there is only one master in this mansion, and we are servants, and so is he. We must listen to whatever the princess says, and it is wrong to criticize the princess to anyone." Kouyun mimicked Qin An's tone, "These words were delivered to my ears today, and considering it's my first offense, I can show leniency. But remember, there will be no second time like this. If you can't recognize your master and can't control your mouth, don't even think about leaving this mansion unscathed."

“After that, I never saw Xun Song again. I heard that Qin Zhongguan gave her a sum of money for treatment and then sent her away. I had nightmares about that day for several days. For a while, my legs would tremble whenever I saw Qin Zhongguan. It took a long time for me to get better.”

Fu Sui absentmindedly smoothed her hair, genuinely unaware of this past event. Qin An carefully watched over her, hoping only for her safety and happiness, which would also give him some explanation to the Prince of Jin. Fu Sui considered him her adoptive father, but Qin An actually acted like a servant. With his lazy and arrogant demeanor, he showed absolutely no awareness of being a servant.

Thinking of Qin An's spoiled and picky nature, Fu Sui would sigh that it was fortunate that Qin An was serving her father. Others would not have been so kind as to indulge him. She was also secretly glad that she was a woman, otherwise the emperor probably would not have allowed Qin An to stay in the mansion.

Three days after the Lantern Festival is Qiao Zhenzhen's birthday. Qiao Zhenzhen's mother is the Grand Princess Pingyang, and her father is the second son of the current Imperial Attendant. Every year on Qiao Zhenzhen's birthday, a banquet is held at the princess's residence to invite noble ladies from the capital.

As Qiao Zhenzhen's loyal friend, Fu Sui picked out her clothes and jewelry a day in advance and got up very early on the day of the event.

Doumiao arrived with her entourage to prepare breakfast. She was dressed in a casual jacket and skirt, her hair neatly tied up with two gold and jade hairpins, and a new string of agate beads hanging from her wrist. She lifted the curtain and entered the inner room, saying to Fu Sui, who was still yawning and rubbing her eyes, "Why did you get up so early? The Grand Princess's residence is only a few steps away from our Princess's residence. Look how sleepy you are, you can barely keep your eyes open. Why don't you sleep a little longer?"

Fu Sui shook his head repeatedly: "No, no, braiding hair takes a lot of time."

The room was warm from the underfloor heating, so Fu Sui simply wore his inner garment and casually draped a robe over his shoulders before coming to the main room to eat.

The door was closed, and the maid who had set the table had already retreated to the outer room to wait. Doumiao glanced around and saw that there was no one else in the room except Dailing and Kouyun, so she didn't say anything. As long as no one could see her, it wouldn't be considered impolite.

Breakfast was simple: a bowl of shredded chicken and bird's nest congee, four kinds of meat and vegetable side dishes to accompany the congee, a plate of fried dough sticks, a plate of shrimp buns about the size of a thumb, and a plate of creamy steamed egg cake.

Fu Sui doesn't have the habit of serving more than a dozen dishes at a meal. On a cold day, he prefers a piece of stewed meat and a bowl of hot soup to those delicate dishes made with meat and sparrows.

She ate her porridge slowly and deliberately. Dai Ling and Kou Yun had already tidied up the bed and bedroom. Doumiao gestured for the two of them to go down and eat, while she stayed behind to serve the princess.

After Fu Sui finished eating, the maid who was waiting in the outer room came in and cleared the table. Dai Ling and Kou Yun also returned.

Fu Sui, pulling Doumiao along, asked, "Has Qin An prepared my Yan Zhai carriage?"

"Everything is ready, the ceremonial guards and attendants are all complete." Doumiao pressed her into a chair, making room for Kouyun to comb her hair.

"I don't need such a complete set, a carriage will suffice." The princess's residence and the county princess's residence are close by; if it weren't for the alleyway in between, the two families could easily cross over the wall. Fu Sui's carriage is equipped according to the princess's specifications; if the entire set were laid out, one end would probably arrive at the princess's residence before the other end had even left the county princess's residence.

"Do we need to dress up properly?" Dai Ling grabbed a handful of red agate beads and handed them to Kou Yun one by one. Kou Yun then braided the beads into Fu Sui's hair.

"Get dressed! You must get dressed! I'll have Doumiao do your hair again later, and you can wear the newly made feather-woven clothes, and put on the crepe-colored rabbit fur coat you had before. Kouyun, do you have any suitable jewelry? If not, take a couple of pieces from me." As she spoke, Fu Sui reached for the various hairpins and flowers in the jewelry box.

Kouyun hurriedly stopped Fu Sui: "Don't move, be careful not to break your hair. Don't worry, Princess, Dai Ling and I have plenty of hairpins and jewelry. We'll make sure you look your best and won't embarrass you."

By the end of the morning, Fu Sui was finally satisfied with herself from head to toe, every detail reflecting her noble status as a princess. Only then did she leave, get into the carriage, and head towards the princess's residence. Half an hour later, the carriage stopped in front of the princess's residence.

Qiao Zhenzhen heard the servants guarding the gate say that the carriage from the Princess's mansion had moved, so she hurried to the gate and just happened to meet Fu Sui in front of the mansion.

She pretended to walk around the carriage, remarking, "A carriage of high rank is so exquisite and elegant."

Fu Sui retorted bluntly, "You're still pretending. It's not like this is the first time I've seen this. Your mother did it too."

After circling around, Qiao Zhenzhen walked over to Fu Sui and asked, "Where do you plan to park this car?"

"Have Wang Lingshu and Han Zhenyi arrived yet?"

"No, they live further away, it'll be a while," Qiao Zhenzhen replied.

Wang Lingshu came from the Wang clan of Hedong, and Han Zhenyi's grandfather was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) who now served as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. One was from a prominent family, and the other was a scholar-official of the "pure stream" (a term referring to the upright and honest officials), both of whom looked down on meritorious nobles and military officers without any powerful connections. Fu Sui, a member of the imperial clan, usually associated with meritorious nobles, so naturally she didn't get along with them.

Although nobles and civil officials were not in the same circle, and their children wouldn't usually hang out together, they would inevitably meet at gatherings and banquets. Wang Lingshu, confident in the prestigious status of the Wang family of Hedong and her own reputation for talent in the capital, repeatedly made veiled and overt criticisms of the nobles' descendants for their lack of learning and the military families for their vulgarity. Many aristocratic officials and civil servants shared similar sentiments, and Wang Lingshu wasn't the only woman to do so openly. However, Fu Sui harbored a deep-seated grudge against the Wang family and consistently targeted Wang Lingshu.

The Qiao family is a respectable family of scholars and poets, but Qiao Zhenzhen's mother is a princess, and the imperial family is the highest nobility. Therefore, Qiao Zhenzhen's place has become the place where the children of nobles and civil officials meet most often, and it is also the most suitable place for Fu Suixia Wang Lingshu and Han Zhen to meet.

“Just park there,” Fu Suiyi pointed to the street corner, “and have Wang Lingshu and Han Zhenyi park a block away and walk over.”

So what if someone from a prominent family looks down on members of the imperial clan? They still don't even have the right to ride alongside a princess.

Qiao Zhenzhen accompanied Fu Sui into the garden: "I invited the Hongfu Troupe to perform a variety shows. They say it's the most popular variety show troupe in the capital recently. They are good at both civil and military acrobatics, and they can also perform a simulated dance called Fish and Dragon Dance."

Fu Sui had never heard of Yu Long Manyan before: "What is that? Is it a song and dance?"

"I don't know either. It was my cousin Xu who told me. He also helped me find the troupe of acrobatics." The cousin Xu that Qiao Zhenzhen was referring to was Tian Ganyou, the only son of the Grand Princess of Linhai and Tian Yu, the magistrate of Nancheng County. His given name was Xu, and he was currently just passing through his days in the Qianniu Guard.

Hearing that it was Tian Ganyou who invited them, Fu Sui was also quite interested. By all accounts, Tian Ganyou was Fu Sui's cousin. He was mediocre in his studies and so-so in riding and archery, but he had excellent taste and was a first-rate expert in unorthodox and unconventional methods. If he had such high hopes for a troupe of acrobatics, it must have some special skills.

Qiao Zhenzhen took Fu Sui to pay their respects to Princess Pingyang. Princess Pingyang talked with Fu Sui for a long time before letting Fu Sui and Qiao Zhenzhen leave. When Fu Sui and Qiao Zhenzhen arrived at the banquet hall, they heard someone say, "Some people probably haven't even read the entire Book of Poetry, so how can they know the wonder of Xue Lang's writing?"

"Who is Wang Lingshu mocking again? Besides me, which other good-for-nothing did you invite?" Fu Sui asked Qiao Zhenzhen in confusion.

Qiao Zhenzhen was speechless for a moment. Most of the people she invited were incompetent in Wang Lingshu's eyes.

Fu Sui, eager to see the excitement, lifted her skirt and was about to go inside, but took a step and then retreated: "Who is Xue Lang? Is Wang Lingshu engaged?"

Qiao Zhenzhen was stunned for a moment when she was asked the question. Suddenly she remembered that with the Spring Examination approaching, many of the candidates would visit Prime Minister Qiao or send their essays to his residence to ask for his guidance. Although Prime Minister Qiao did not accept guests, he would collect some of the candidates' essays and give them to his grandchildren for critique.

"They must be students preparing for the imperial examinations. Yilang Bookstore collected some of their essays into a collection, and I heard it's selling very well."

Fu Sui had no interest in the imperial examination essays, and her status did not allow her to show too much interest in these future powerful ministers. However, as long as it could provoke the Wang family, she would not mind using them.

The maid at the door opened the door and lifted the curtain for Fu Sui and Qiao Zhenzhen.

Fu Sui glanced around the room; everyone inside was a familiar face.

Wang Lingshu and Han Zhenyi need not be mentioned. Qiao Zhenzhen's father and Han Zhenyi's father were classmates, so the Wang family of Hedong had to be given face.

In addition, there is Zheng Zizai, the daughter of the current Minister of Personnel; Song Nizi, the niece of the Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat; Liang Hui, the daughter of the Censor-in-Chief; and Liang Zhi.

Liang Zhi was only ten years old. His hair was tied into two small buns, each adorned with a long tassel. His round face was chubby, and he sat upright with an air of importance. The Liang family was prosperous and had just welcomed a new son before the new year. Fu Sui secretly curled his lip; Liang Zhongcheng was truly vigorous for his age.

The others were all imperial relatives, or related to Fu Sui.

"I heard about Xue Lang from afar. Who is this guest of honor? Why didn't you bring him along to meet him?" Fu Sui looked at Wang Lingshu with a forced smile.

Wang Lingshu's eyes widened in anger, and she pointed in the direction of the person who had come: "You..."

"How dare you be so disrespectful to the princess!" Kouyun scolded Wang Lingshu as soon as she finished speaking.

Zheng Zizai and Liang Hui immediately stood up and quickly stepped forward to bow with their hands clasped. Song Nizi lagged a few steps behind and also hurried forward. Liang Zhi was even slower than Song Nizi, hiding most of his body behind his sister. Han Zhenyi slowly stood up and reluctantly assumed a bowing posture on the spot.

Wang Lingshu assumed they were some arrogant and rude nobleman, never expecting them to be Fu Sui and Qiao Zhenzhen. The words she was about to say were stuck in her throat. At this moment, besides the imperial relatives, she was the only one still sitting in the room. Even if Wang Lingshu was proud and arrogant, she had to bow her head under imperial authority and could only stand up: "Your behavior has been improper."

Fu Sui loved watching Wang Lingshu's awkward demeanor. After she had put on enough of her princess-like airs, just as she was about to have them all sit down, a soft voice came from beside her, "Greetings, Princess."

She really didn't want to accept this blessing, so she turned her gaze away.

Princess Fu Miao of Yanshan County stood by the chair closest to the door, wearing a light purple jacket and skirt, with only two velvet flowers and a jade hairpin in her hair. Her simple attire made her appear even more delicate and frail.

Fu Miao is three years older than Fu Sui, and is now eighteen. Her father, Prince Peng, is the only prince among the Sage's uncles who still retains a complete princely government and military, and is also the only prince who has the power to govern the local area.

Although Prince Peng and his wife were far away in the southwest, their son Fu Sheng and daughter Fu Miao were left in the capital. Over the years, Prince Peng had worked diligently and conscientiously in his fiefdom, while Fu Sheng and Fu Miao had also been extremely cautious and timid in the capital.

For example, right now, even Consort Feng's sister is sitting comfortably, so why should a county princess like her get up?

Fu Sui waved his hand, indicating that there was no need for formalities.

"Look at me, I chatted with my mother for a few more minutes and ended up making things worse, leaving the guests sitting here idly. It's all my fault," Qiao Zhenzhen said, apologizing first. None of the guests would hold such a small matter against the Qiao family, and they all said it was no big deal, ushering Qiao Zhenzhen and Fu Sui to the head of the table.

"It's too cold by the door; no one should sit here." Qiao Zhenzhen smiled, took the hand of the Princess of Yanshan County, and led her to the head of the table.

"No need, I'll sit over there," Princess Yanshan said softly, trying to decline. Princess Yanshan knew that Qiao Zhenzhen came from the Prime Minister's family and had many connections with the wives of these aristocratic officials. She didn't want to cause Qiao Zhenzhen to dislike the women from these aristocratic families because of her, but she couldn't refuse Qiao Zhenzhen's kindness. For a moment, she stood in the hall at a loss.

Fu Sui reached out and pulled the Princess of Yanshan down onto a chair, gently patting her hand to reassure her.

Fu Sui dressed up in all her finery today just to tease Wang Lingshu. As soon as she opened her mouth, she was determined to make Wang Lingshu uncomfortable: "So, who exactly is this Xue Lang, and how does he compare to Shi An Jun?"

Yang Shi'an had a face as white as powder, and a complexion as beautiful as a spring flower. He had also written a few pleasing poems. Rumor had it that he was a courtier of the Grand Princess, a woman of exceptional beauty who had obtained his official position through favoritism. Fu Sui didn't know whether Yang Shi'an and the Grand Princess were related, but Qin An said that he was indeed related to Prince Mu. Fu Sui had heard of his uncle's womanizing ways before, but it turned out to be this kind of woman.

Although Wang Lingshu was unaware of the inside story between Yang Shi'an and Prince Mu, she knew Yang Shi'an's reputation. She admired Xue Lang's literary talent and could not tolerate Fu Sui's slander.

"Disgusting!"

Fu Sui smiled and asked, "Is Lady Wang referring to Lord Shi'an or Lord Xue?"

Wang Lingshu was so angry that her eyes were red, her lips were tightly pursed, and her teeth were clenched so hard that her cheeks were clearly visible. Liang Hui frowned slightly. Liang Zhi was still young, and the princess was always outspoken. Liang Hui was worried that the princess might say something inappropriate because of Yang Shi'an that Liang Zhi might hear. Seeing this, Zheng Zizai quickly spoke up to smooth things over: "Before the princess came, we were discussing the essays of the candidates for the imperial examination. This Xue Lang is one of the candidates for this year's spring examination. We argued a little loudly for a moment, please don't take offense, Princess."

"I also heard about the Three Hundred Poems. Which examinee is being referred to?" None of the royal relatives present were known for their scholarship, so Fu Sui really couldn't guess who Wang Lingshu was mocking today.

The ladies looked at each other, none of them answering, all pretending to be ignorant.

Feng Xiang'er didn't have many concerns. The Feng family was of humble status. Feng Xiang'er's older sister entered the palace as a maid from a respectable family. Later, she gained the emperor's favor and gave birth to a prince, which led to her being promoted to the rank of imperial concubine. As a result, the Feng family also rose in status and obtained a very minor title.

Qiao Zhenzhen invited her today because Consort Feng had gotten involved with Princess Qianjin, and Princess Qianjin's husband worked with Qiao Zhenzhen's brother.

When Feng Xiang'er was young, her older sister was still a bed-making maid. The Feng family had no spare money to teach Feng Xiang'er to read, write, and learn etiquette. The gentry looked down on the Feng family, the nobles disliked that the Feng family relied on women to obtain titles, and the imperial family would never consider the Feng family relatives. Feng Xiang'er encountered setbacks and was constantly ostracized when socializing with noble ladies in the capital. Now, seeing Fu Sui and Wang Lingshu at odds, she naturally wanted to fan the flames and watch the drama unfold: "They're saying that the Princess of Yanshan County is uneducated and can't understand literature."

Princess Yanshan's talent, while not exceptional, was certainly not inferior among women; composing poetry and playing drinking games were no problem for her. However, she rarely left her residence, and few knew of her. She could understand the candidates' essays, but those essays mostly discussed current affairs and politics, which Princess Yanshan dared not claim to fully comprehend.

Qiao Zhenzhen glanced at Princess Yanshan and saw that Princess Yanshan had her head down, her hands clasped in front of her, and she was tightly clutching a section of her skirt.

Qiao Zhenzhen knew that Yanshan was in a difficult situation and was about to help her out when she heard Fu Sui say, "I lost my father at a young age, and Prince Peng is thousands of miles away. Yanshan and I are fortunate to have been taken care of in the palace by the Emperor. Lady Wang said that Yanshan is illiterate. Could it be that she is dissatisfied with the Emperor's teachings?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present composed themselves, except for Feng Xiang'er, who kept glancing back and forth between Fu Sui and Wang Lingshu, making no attempt to hide her amusement. Han Zhenyi, who was on good terms with Wang Lingshu, wanted to defend her: "Madam Wang did not mean that, why does the Princess have to misinterpret it like that?"

"What Lady Han said makes no sense. As a county princess, Yanshan's words and actions are naturally governed by the rules of female officials. Lady Wang's statement that the county princess is contemptible is just a way of saying that the palace's upbringing is inadequate."

The noble families take pride in their centuries-old heritage and look down on the shallowness of the royal family. If the sons of these aristocratic families were truly so high-minded that they dared to speak frankly and satirize even princesses and princes, then Fu Sui would have to praise them for their "courage." But these sons of aristocratic families are used to belittling the lowly and fawning on the powerful, and only dare to make fun of the fallen members of the royal family.

Judging solely from Wang Lingshu's temperament, it's quite possible she disdained princes and nobles. Unfortunately, her father, brothers, and clan wanted to use the imperial family to showcase the high moral character of their noble lineage, while also seeking the emperor's favor to rise through the ranks. Wang Lingshu was forced to compromise her principles for the sake of her family's interests. Fortunately, Wang Lingshu had no connection with the princesses; otherwise, she would have been driven to despair.

Since two characters for "Fu" cannot be written in one stroke, Fu Sui naturally sided with the imperial family. If Wang Lingshu were to argue with the favored princesses and princes, Fu Sui might have been able to say a few words in her defense, but since she mocked Yanshan, Fu Sui would never tolerate it.

Fu Sui was determined to annoy Wang Lingshu. Before Wang Lingshu could react, he continued, "My Fu family rose to prominence through war, unlike the Wang family of Hedong who are known for their scholarship and philanthropy. The Wang family is not only highly talented and learned, but also has the power to command respect. They are sure to have a bright future."

“Princess, please be careful with your words.” Zheng Zizai was the first to react. “Madam Wang’s words were careless and offended the county princess, but she had no intention of disrespecting her.” He then urged Wang Lingshu, “Hurry up and apologize to the county princess.”

Qiao Zhenzhen also stepped in to smooth things over: "These are just jokes among young ladies. If they were disrespectful, it must have been unintentional. An apology and a token of respect will suffice."

Liang Hui echoed her words, and Han Zhenyi quietly tugged at Wang Lingshu's sleeve. Wang Lingshu angrily shook off Han Zhenyi's hand, glanced around at everyone, stood up with a death-defying air, and bowed to apologize: "I misspoke, I hope the county princess will forgive me."

Princess Yanshan wanted to get up to return the greeting, but Fu Sui stopped her, so she waved her hand and whispered, "It's alright."

Seeing that it was about time, Qiao Zhenzhen invited everyone to move over: "Some time ago, Father's friend brought some flowering trees from the south called Shanlianzhao. He said that the flowers bloom like bells and are more beautiful than peaches and plums. When Madam Zheng came last time, there were no buds, but now they are all in full bloom, truly like bells hanging from the branches. Shall we go to the pavilion, set up a brazier, and put on some charcoal fire, and enjoy the flowers while roasting meat and brewing tea?"

Several noble ladies praised it as wonderful, and Qiao Zhenzhen led them to the back pavilion. This glass pavilion in the princess's residence was specially used for banquets and entertainment. It was decorated with glass windows on all four sides, and one side faced the stage. The doors on this side were movable, and the doors could be removed to watch the performance.

Incense burners had already been set up in the pavilion, making the room warm and cozy. Maids filed in, setting out a food table and a small charcoal stove, displaying various meat dishes, as well as mutton soup pots and chicken soup pots, fruits and snacks, and three kinds of wine and drinks.

Fu Sui rolled up his sleeves to get the meat to roast, while the troupe of acrobatics began their performance.

The opera troupe that managed to establish itself in the capital in such a short time was indeed extraordinary. During their meal, the noble ladies disregarded etiquette and shouted excitedly. Among them, the "Manyan Fish and Dragon" performance was the most exquisite, with fish swimming in the air and water at times, and giant beasts appearing at others.

Fu Sui kept shaking Qiao Zhenzhen's arm and acting coquettishly: "Cousin Xu is so biased. He only told you about such a good trick. It's a disgrace that we are sworn brothers. I will definitely find him and have a good talk with him another day."

Even the Lady of Yanshan County rarely witnessed such a fantastical scene. She stared intently at the stage, her hand holding the roasted meat for a long time without taking a bite.

Only Wang Lingshu remained silent, and after finishing her meal, she hurriedly took her leave without even watching the subsequent acrobatic performances.

After the performance, Qiao Zhenzhen distributed the tips, and everyone enjoyed tea and snacks before taking their leave.

Fu Sui escorted the Princess of Yanshan to the door, looking left and right but not seeing Yanshan's carriage: "Where's your carriage?"

The county magistrate of Yanshan pointed into the distance: "Over there."

Fu Sui followed the gaze. Not only Wang Lingshu and Han Zhenyi, but even Song Nizi's carriage was parked a street away due to their social status. Qiao Zhenzhen had arranged for a sedan chair to escort the two of them. However, Yanshan's carriage was parked in a different spot than theirs; it was parked next to the Princess's residence.

The parking spot for Fu Sui was chosen specifically for Wang Lingshu.