The carriage stopped in front of the Sixth Princess's residence, and Pei Xueqiao's attendant, Zhimo, went up to knock on the door.

Old Fang, the gatekeeper, came out and glanced at the scene. He then bowed respectfully and spoke:

"My young master is Pei Xueqiao. He sent his visiting card yesterday. Please convey my regards to him, sir."

As he spoke, Zhi Mo quietly handed over ten taels of silver, holding it in his palm so that it was not visible on his face.

Old Fang quickly pushed it away, saying, "You're too kind. It's just a formality, nothing to make a fuss about."

"Oh, please don't refuse this tea."

Knowing how to speak appropriately to different people is the most basic quality of a doorman in a prestigious residence.

Old Fang certainly understood, but he had been struggling to find an opportunity to demonstrate his abilities.

Who is Pei Xueqiao? He is the eldest son of the prime minister and a top scholar in the imperial examination. Now he has entered the Six Ministries from the Hanlin Academy. His future is limitless.

I declined a couple of times, but all I said were nice words.

But the other party insisted, so he could only reluctantly accept it. Then he told his nephew to quickly go and inform the backyard, and he ran there!

Sure enough, the message arrived shortly afterward, and the door was opened to let the person in.

Pei Xueqiao kept her eyes straight ahead, and the steward of the front yard personally led the way. After passing the front yard, it was Miss Mo Yi who took over.

"May Miss Mo be well."

"I hope you are well, Young Master Pei."

This was no ordinary maidservant, and besides, there was always some overlap in their work during disaster relief, so she greeted her.

Mo Yi's expression was indifferent, with a distant smile on his lips. He gave a brief reply and then said nothing more.

After returning from the Prime Minister's residence, Sui Mo secretly told them about the attitude of the matriarch of the Pei family.

Ah, it's only because His Highness still keeps this man around to earn money, otherwise he would definitely have said a few sarcastic remarks to Young Master Jiang Tang.

So what if he's the prime minister's eldest son? So what if he has a bright future? Why would anyone covet her prince?

Heh... tui!

If it didn't have an owner, it would have died in the flood long ago.

Upon arriving at the main hall, Pei Xueqiao stood outside the threshold and peered inside, only to be completely stunned.

The sixth princess leaned against the rosewood couch by the window in the hall, her body nestled deep in the autumn-colored brocade pouch, her demeanor languid.

The morning light shone through the window lattice, vaguely outlining her figure.

Her black hair hadn't been properly combed; it was simply loosely tied into a bun, leaning to one side, adorned with a red-gold and kingfisher feather hairpin.

The tassels are as fine as gossamer threads, adorned with pearls the size of grains of rice, and a few strands of dark hair casually fall down to the sides of the neck and cheeks.

She wore a light red silk robe, loose and thin, like smoke and rosy clouds.

A long, light, honey-colored gauze dress, barely visible underneath, lay on the couch as if it were nothing.

The folds of her skirt were perfectly defined, as if shrouded in a layer of pale golden autumn morning mist.

A plain white silk sash was loosely tied around her waist, giving her a completely unrestrained feeling.

Her face was covered with very light makeup, just a thin layer of fragrant powder, which revealed her skin's natural radiance.

A touch of light red lipstick adorned her lips, as delicate as early cherry blossoms in full bloom.

Pei Xueqiao was stunned.

Outside the window, the osmanthus trees rustled, and the newly blossoming golden buds, carried by the gentle breeze, drifted down through the half-open carved window frame.

One of the flowers was nestled precisely in a loose fold of her light gauze dress.

That touch of delicate bright yellow, tinged with the smoky honey hue, became the most casual yet vivid footnote to this languid painting.

His fingers trembled slightly; he wished he were holding a paintbrush right now, so he could capture that exquisite figure in a painting.

Zhi Mo, who was standing outside the door with his hands at his sides, quietly rolled his eyes. What kind of behavior did his young master have...?

I've seen plenty of banquets and literary gatherings, and all sorts of noble ladies and talented women, but I've never seen him act like this with anyone before.

He realized that the person opposite him was the Sixth Princess. He was about to speak up to remind her when a soft cough came from the hall.

Looking up, I saw an old woman.

She wore a dark blue round-necked, narrow-sleeved blouse, with a plain white silk undergarment peeking out from beneath the gauze outer garment.

The gilded fish-shaped pouch that held down her skirt was embroidered with the words "Si Zan," and two jade rings hung from her waist belt.

It was none other than the governess Liu Suxin, whom Suimo had specially invited.

Although the separation of men and women was much more relaxed during the Taiwei era, one was an unmarried princess and the other was the prime minister's eldest son, so they still had to be careful in their interactions.

It wouldn't be the Sixth Princess's style to leave out readily available people, so they invited the nanny over.

Liu Suxin experienced firsthand what it means to be beholden to someone who has eaten your food or accepted your gifts.

They've been treating me to good food and drinks these past few days, and even asked someone to endorse me, but I haven't shown up. That's just too inhumane.

Princess Qin Zhaoyue was cutting autumn clothes for the princess's residence. Although she said she was a bit stingy, she never skimped on expenses like this.

After the Mo Group arrived, most of the people in the household were women. Why not make a couple of new clothes while the season is changing?

Qin Zhaoyue readily agreed, knowing that with Suimo helping her with the accounts, she wouldn't let anyone else fool her.

There's plenty of material in the storeroom, including the ones His Majesty bestowed last time; everyone in the inner court received two sets.

That's not all; Liu Suxin, who was temporarily residing at the residence, was also included.

Even though she refused, she was no match for the former Qingluan Guard. He measured her size in no time, and in the end, she had no choice but to "force" him to accept it.

However, when meeting guests, Liu Suxin did not wear new clothes, but chose the same outfit she wore when leaving the palace.

Pei Xueqiao snapped out of her daze and spotted the old nanny. Her demeanor and attire clearly indicated that she came from the palace.

After coughing, Liu Suxin calmly curtsied and said, "Your Highness, this old servant has caught a cold."

"It's alright, but you should still take care of yourself."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."

At this moment, Qin Zhaoyue turned her head unintentionally and saw the person at the door. She quickly got up from the couch and said, "Young Master Pei has arrived."

Pei Xueqiao regained his composure, realizing that it was the old woman who had just warned him.

He composed himself, paid his respects, and was invited to take a seat.

The two sat as host and guest, respectively. Pei Xueqiao realized that he had given himself away earlier, so he quickly took out the test questions that he had prepared overnight.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!