Jiang Shuwan asked with a puzzled look, "Why are there only palace maids and no eunuchs?"

"You don't know this, but a while ago the chief eunuch by His Majesty's side was poisoned to death by a palace maid. I heard it was because he couldn't bear the humiliation."

"Unable to bear the humiliation?"

"It was the eunuch in charge who forced a palace maid to have a relationship with him and beat her day and night. In a fit of anger, the palace maid stole poison from the Imperial Hospital and killed him. When the princess heard about this, she became disgusted with eunuchs and refused to let them serve her."

"The Imperial Medical Academy also has poisons?"

A voice suddenly came from behind her. Jiang Shuwan turned around and saw that it was Jiang Yao and Liu Yunyan who had followed them.

They had come in together, but they got so engrossed in looking at the villa that they fell a few steps behind.

Upon hearing Jiang Yao's question, Yao Jinshu also looked at Jiang Yao. She recognized Jiang Yao and said, "Poisons can kill or save lives, and the Imperial Hospital certainly has them."

After speaking, she glanced at Liu Yunyan with a strange expression. She knew Liu Yunyan, after all, she was the most talented woman in the capital in the past.

Seeing that Jiang Yao and Liu Yunyan arrived together but were separated by a distance of three zhang (approximately 10 meters), it was clear that the two did not have a good relationship.

"Sister Jinshu, it's been a long time." Liu Yunyan greeted Yao Jinshu.

"..."

Yao Jinshu was startled by her calling her "sister".

Liu Yunyan used to be a noblewoman from a high-ranking family. Although her Yao family was related to the imperial family, they were the least favored and most inconspicuous members of the family, and no one looked up to them.

Liu Yunyan used to call her Miss Yao in a cold tone, but now she was truly flattered by the title "sister".

"I wouldn't dare, Miss Liu is too kind."

Yao Jinshu said coldly, and Liu Yunyan felt a little embarrassed after being rebuffed, so she lowered her head. During this time, several noble ladies and young men from prominent families were led into the room by palace maids. Many of them were familiar to her, so she greeted them and resolved the unspoken awkwardness.

On the other hand, Jiang Shuwan also noticed that Yao Jinshu and Liu Yunyan had a rather ordinary relationship.

However, she was thinking about something else entirely.

With the Grand Eunuch dead, wouldn't Eunuch Su be the old emperor's most favored servant?

Therefore, she was even less afraid of this trap.

Just then, some people came over to greet her.

Their faces wore perfectly measured smiles, elegant and gentle. Each of them was dressed in fine silks and satins, adorned with dazzling jewelry, and looked even more beautiful against the backdrop of the white snow outside the window.

These were all people Jiang Shuwan had met in social settings before, and some she wasn't familiar with. They gathered in small groups, chatting quietly, their eyes occasionally glancing at Jiang Shuwan, and then letting out strange laughs.

"They've come with ill intentions!"

Jiang Shuwan sighed inwardly, while Yao Jinshu reminded her that those noble ladies were all on good terms with the princess.

The two were talking in hushed tones when Yao Zhijie went to the opposite seat. Li Yuyan had invited about twenty young men from prominent families, and more than half of them had already arrived.

Staring at the first empty seat, Yao Zhijie sighed, "It's a pity Lao Pei isn't here."

He clearly believed that his plan would succeed, and that if Pei Yanzhi witnessed it firsthand, it would further enhance his goal.

"Master Xiao Yao."

"Greetings, Lord Yao."

Yao Zhijie knew all these scions of prominent families, but like his sister, he was treated indifferently by the other scions of prominent families because the Yao family was not well-known.

Now that the Sixth Prince has been granted the title of Prince, and Li Wan is favored, all the young men from noble families have become friendly towards him. They greet him and chat with him, completely unlike their previous coldness. They address him as Brother Yao, as if he were a brother.

Such is the fickleness of human nature.

Yao Zhijie was disdainful in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face. He chatted with them happily while secretly observing Jiang Shuwan.

After being spied on several times, Jiang Shuwan gradually noticed.

She had questions in her mind, but she couldn't guess what he was up to in the short term.

Snowflakes fell softly, and it was even colder outside, but inside it was still as warm as spring.

Some noble ladies also raised questions.

"Not a plum blossom appreciation banquet?"

Where is Mei?

Looking left and right, I couldn't see a single plum blossom.

Just then, several rows of floor-to-ceiling carved doors were suddenly pushed open, and a gust of wind swept in snowflakes.

Jiang Shuwan instinctively covered her eyes with her hand. When the wind stopped, she removed her hand and was instantly shocked by the scene before her.

A single plum grove stood proudly in the snow, stretching as far as the eye could see.

This must be several dozen acres...

This is only a corner of the villa.

Jiang Shuwan was deeply shocked. She knew that this was the capital city, where land was incredibly valuable. Although the royal villa was located in the suburbs of the capital, the land price was still extremely high.

Moreover, this land is flat, and if it were planted with grain, it would be enough to feed a thousand people.

I heard that this villa was originally built in the previous dynasty. It covers an area of ​​several hundred acres and stretches all the way to the foot of the mountain. Several courtyards were also built on the mountain for the royal children to play in.

No wonder the previous dynasty collapsed. The people couldn't even afford to eat, yet they still indulged in these luxurious and useless things.

Jiang Shuwan looked over in shock and saw that the red plum blossoms in the garden were blooming like fire, and snowflakes fell on the petals, as if they were draped with a thin veil, which was very beautiful.

The plum branches are of various shapes, some are curved and some are straight, just like a natural ink painting.

A delicate fragrance wafted through the cold wind, filling everyone's nostrils, making them feel as if they were in a pure fairyland.

With distant mountains and nearby plum blossoms, the air was filled with their fragrance. The windows were wide open, yet they didn't feel cold, which showed how well the underfloor heating in the room was burning.

Jiang Shuwan gained a new understanding of the extravagant lifestyle of Princess Nan'an.

This isn't burning earth, it's burning money!

"The snow scene and the fragrance of plum blossoms are truly a beautiful sight on earth."

"So beautiful!"

"I've long heard that the Royal Villa is unparalleled in its luxury, but now I've truly seen it for myself."

"That's right. I heard that the royal villa was once abandoned, but when His Majesty heard that the princess was going to hold a banquet here, he immediately ordered people to clean it up. The princess is truly favored."

“The princess is truly His Majesty’s apple of his eye,” Yao Jinshu remarked. “Even the ladies in the palace are cutting back on their expenses and can’t even wear embroidered robes, but the princess can spend money however she wants.”

Jiang Shuwan was seated next to Yao Jinshu. After hearing her words, she smiled and nodded, but only she knew what she was thinking.

Just then, a woman in gorgeous clothes walked in, surrounded by palace maids.

She wore a flowing, deep purple brocade dress, embroidered with intricate peony patterns in gold thread. The peonies bloomed one after another, lifelike and dazzling.

It was a garment fully embroidered!

It had been a long time since she had seen such a beautifully embroidered dress, especially one made with gold thread. It made Jiang Shuwan's eyes flicker for a moment. After all, even the Empress was frugal these days and dared not wear embroidered clothes, yet Princess Nan'an was wearing one so openly.

"Greetings, Princess!"