The other girls also gathered around, making it difficult for Xiao Dai to put the painting away.
"My little sister is naughty. She drew what she looked like as a child, and it really does look quite like her," Xiao Dai said, glancing at her mother.
A girl looked at the painting and then at Xiao Yun, saying, "I knew it, those eyebrows and eyes looked familiar."
"The second young lady has a good memory; she even remembers what she looked like when she was a few years old."
Xiao Yun was showered with praise again. Seeing her mother's questioning look, she said guiltily, "Have you all had fun, sisters? I'll take it to my older brother for his feedback."
Taking advantage of Xiao Dai's inattention, Xiao Yun quickly grabbed the painting, smiled sweetly at everyone, and ran out of the flower hall like a happy little bird.
Xiao Dai: "..." What happened to the little shuffling steps you were promised?!
The princess picked up her teacup, her wide sleeves concealing the expression on her face.
Don't believe her!
With her carefree personality, how could her youngest daughter possibly remember what she looked like as a child?
There are no portraits of the second son in the Prince's Mansion, let alone portraits of him when he was a child.
Where did she come from?
Princess Yannan was completely bewildered.
"Miss Xiao and the Princess are going to the capital soon, right? It will be difficult for us to see each other again."
"Yes, yes, the princess will enter the palace to become the empress dowager and help the emperor manage the affairs of the harem. Miss Xiao and the second young lady will settle down in the capital. I'm afraid we will never see each other again in this lifetime."
The girls spoke of Xiao Dai leaving Yannan, their reluctance evident in their words.
Xiao Dai said to everyone, "Who said we won't see each other? Your fathers will come to the capital to report on their duties sometime, so you can come to the capital together."
"It's not that easy. My father's rank is too low, so he doesn't have the opportunity to go to the capital to report on his duties," a county magistrate's daughter said, speaking the truth.
Lin Ruyin's eyes darted around, "Who said you have to rely on your father to go to the capital? You have older brothers, right? The autumn examinations are coming up soon."
The Emperor has already issued proclamations throughout the land, allowing talented individuals to travel to the capital for the imperial examinations. If my brother passes with flying colors, can't we go along too?"
A girl sighed, "Sister Lin is so lucky. Young Master Lin is good at studying and has a chance to pass the imperial examination. My brother is so spoiled by our mother that he has no ambition. If I relied on him, I'm afraid I would starve to death."
While the girls were chatting animatedly in a circle, the princess exchanged a glance with Aunt Cai and they both slipped out of the flower hall.
In the warm pavilion not far from the flower hall, ladies gathered in groups of three or five at a table to enjoy tea and chat.
There were more than twenty women in the house, and the heated room was not heated at this time of year.
As they left the flower hall, Aunt Cai saw the princess heading towards the second young lady's courtyard and quickly followed. "Your Highness, there are still guests in the warm pavilion. It's not too late to talk about it later."
Aunt Cai watched from the sidelines and knew perfectly well that the painting was definitely not a portrait of the Second Miss as a child. The Princess was going to investigate further.
Most of the girls had seen the second young master from afar, and at first glance, he looked very much like the second young lady.
Few girls have seen the Second Young Master up close, and no girl would dare to stare at a man for too long.
Apart from Lin Ruyin, no one else present would think of the Second Young Master.
Lin Ruyin was a smart woman; even if she saw something, she wouldn't say it and put the second young lady in a difficult position.
The princess glanced towards the warm pavilion and said, "Everyone has already greeted each other. When women get together, they usually just gossip about this family or that family, so I won't listen."
The master and servant walked along the covered walkway, and just as they were about to reach the Third Miss's courtyard, they saw a maid at the gate looking slightly flustered.
"Greetings, Your Highness!" the little maidservant raised her voice and curtsied.
"You silly girl, aren't you going to come inside to serve us? Are you just standing at the gate getting chilled by the autumn wind?"
"Greetings, Aunt Cai. There are many people in the manor today. The Second Miss instructed me to stand at the courtyard gate to prevent anyone from entering and disturbing her."
Aunt Cai treated all the maids in the mansion well, and the little maid bowed to Aunt Cai again.
The princess didn't believe this explanation and stopped to ask, "When did your second young lady become so well-mannered? Please be quieter when you greet others in the future; I'm not deaf."
Seeing that the princess seemed to have seen through their little trick, the maid quickly bowed and said, "Please come in, Your Highness. I was a little nervous and my voice was a bit loud. I will be more careful in the future."
"What's there to be nervous about?" The princess didn't make things difficult for the little maid and stepped into the courtyard.
The osmanthus tree in the yard had long since lost its blossoms. It wasn't that the flowers withered early; it was just that Xiao Yun had a sweet tooth. She picked all the osmanthus blossoms from her yard and had the old woman in the kitchen make osmanthus cakes for her.
The chrysanthemums in the yard weren't in much better condition either. Whether they were dahlias or dragon claw chrysanthemums, they all showed signs of being cruelly destroyed.
The servants in the Prince's mansion served their masters very well, and the Princess would not go to check on the children's courtyards unless there was something special.
Looking at the scene in the courtyard, the princess said helplessly, "I wonder who this child took after? Why didn't she just pick all the leaves off the trees and drink them as tea?"
Whenever Aunt Cai heard the princess say that she didn't know who the second young lady took after, she would suppress her laughter.
The prince is meticulous in his work. From major military affairs to minor domestic matters, as long as the prince is at home, the princess acts as if nothing is wrong.
It's obvious who the second young lady took after, but the princess is completely unaware of it.
Just as she reached the door, Xiao Yun stood up from the table with a grin. "Mother, what brings you here? Yun'er wasn't hurt, really!"
Xiao Yun moved her arm as she spoke.
"It's good that you didn't hurt yourself. Yun'er has become more capable, and your mother is happy. That's why you've gotten through it."
Seeing her mother smiling like a cunning old fox, Xiao Yun had a bad feeling.
Aunt Cai glanced at the painting on the table and winked at Xiao Yun.
"Auntie, are your eyes not working well? Should we call the family physician to come and take a look?"
"Cough cough, no, it's nothing. The autumn winds are strong, and some sand got into my eyes. I'll just blink a few more times and it'll be fine."
Aunt Cai coughed lightly twice and blinked hard.
At this moment, Aunt Cai also began to wonder who the second young lady took after. In the past, when she covered for the princess, the princess could see through her in the blink of an eye.
"Autumn sandstorms are fierce? Do you think the royal palace is built in the desert?!"
Having been exposed by the princess, Aunt Cai smiled awkwardly and served quietly to the side without saying another word.
The princess sat down in the armchair in front of the table and said with a smile to the maid behind Xiao Yun, "Jing'er, serve the brush and ink."
Xiao Yun felt her head buzzing, and she couldn't breathe properly for a moment.
"Mother, there are many things to do in the manor today, you go ahead and do your work! I'll go ask Sister Su if she brought any new sheet music." Xiao Yun said, trying to slip away.
"Sit down! If you don't paint me an exact likeness today, you're not going to step out of this courtyard."
“Mother, this painting was not painted by me, but copied by me.”
The princess raised an eyebrow and said, "Whose painting are you copying? Tell me the truth, or I won't take you to the capital."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
