Chapter 91: Pure and unselfish?
It was not until the crimson figure stepped into the hall that the women on the corridor reluctantly withdrew their gaze and returned to the side hall.
Song Lingyi sat in the center of the long desk, silently listening to the female relatives sitting around her whispering about His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. To be more precise, they were whispering about His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's marriage.
"The Crown Prince has been regent for over half a year now, and the position of Consort in the Eastern Palace is vacant. It's time to hold a beauty pageant."
"My father told me that last month a minister petitioned His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to select a Crown Princess, but His Royal Highness the Crown Prince rejected the petition on the grounds that he was too busy with state affairs to have any interest in romance."
"Ah? His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is so pure and unselfish..."
Pure heart and few desires?
Song Lingyi's ears moved slightly, and the corners of her mouth twitched silently.
Last time in the teahouse, the man who wanted to tear her apart and eat her up, could he be considered pure and unselfish?
While my thoughts were in turmoil, a noise came from outside the curtain.
After a while, the beautifully dressed noble ladies escorted Princess Changyang into the side hall.
Song Lingyi turned her head and saw the two noble ladies beside Princess Changyang rolling their eyes at her with a look of contempt and malice.
“…”Who are these two?
"Cousin, they are the two girls who were pushed into the water by their brother." Lu Yu gossiped in a low voice.
Song Lingyi was stunned, but her mind was working fast.
Last time at the wedding banquet at the Chu Mansion, I overheard Princess Changyang acting out a sad drama in front of Pei Zhao. After Pei Zhao left, two girls began to disparage her in front of Princess Changyang.
I hadn't thought about who they were at the time, but seeing them today, I think they must be these two.
Could it be that Lu Qian pushed Princess Changyang's little follower into the water just to vent her anger?
As soon as this idea came to mind, it was quickly denied by Song Lingyi. Lu Qian should not be so kind, it must be a coincidence.
Princess Changyang sat at the head of the table, her gaze fixed on the silver-red figure, watching her chatting and laughing with the other women, feeling extremely unhappy. However, she still remembered her brother's warning, and no matter how dissatisfied she was, she would not take the initiative to cause trouble for Song Lingyi.
Zhao Chengyu and Lin Yan exchanged a glance and exclaimed, "Sister Song is different now. She's been in Kyoto for less than a year, but she's already become Pei Erlang's bride and is a huge star in Kyoto."
"Being a bride of a noble family is not easy. Pei Erlang is going to serve in the imperial court. You must be careful with your words and actions in the future and don't cause trouble for Pei Erlang again."
Song Lingyi narrowed her eyes.
Regardless of the ages of the two girls and whether it is appropriate to call her "sister", the tone of preaching is really uncomfortable.
But today is the engagement party, so she can bear it.
Song Lingyi took a deep breath, forced a smile, and forced herself not to respond to them, but Lu Yu next to her was not so good-tempered.
"You and my cousin haven't met many times, and your relationship isn't very close. Besides, my cousin didn't do anything inconsiderate today. What you're saying is really unreasonable."
"You can't say that. We have heard of Sister Song's reputation for a long time. She even offended the princess at the birthday party of the old lady of the Pei family. She is really too arrogant." Zhao Chengyu sneered.
"Sister Song is just a bit straightforward. How can it be said that she is not offended? You two are too shallow to believe everything you hear." Pei Ling said lightly.
Lin Yan rolled her eyes secretly: "After all, she is from a small place. Which noble lady in Kyoto is not well-educated, well-mannered, graceful and elegant..."
"Okay, stop talking."
Princess Changyang spoke up to stop them in time. She glanced sternly at the two Zhao Lin girls, then looked at Song Lingyi sitting across from her with a faint smile: "Today is a good day for engagement. Sister Song, don't take their words to heart."
The side hall became quiet.
Not only were the others surprised, even Song Lingyi was puzzled.
He was shouting against this marriage some time ago, why has his attitude towards her changed so much today?
Fortunately, with Princess Changyang in charge, the atmosphere in the side hall gradually became lively. The group of noble ladies were unsure of Princess Changyang's attitude and dared not speak rudely anymore.
After chatting for nearly a quarter of an hour, Song Lingyi left the table to take a breath, using the excuse of changing clothes.
It was getting dark, servants were scurrying along the corridor, and the hall was bustling with people drinking and chatting. The steward of the Pei Mansion was leading a group of men and women in theatrical costumes into the mansion.
Today is the engagement banquet. According to Dayuan customs, a troupe of actors will be invited to the mansion to perform, and the play "Dragon and Phoenix Appearing Together" will be selected.
Song Lingyi thought she had no artistic talent and was not very interested in opera, so she walked along the corridor towards the garden.
The gardens of wealthy families are all taken care of by dedicated people. Even in late autumn, the gardens do not look desolate. The flowers and trees are in full bloom, arranged in an orderly manner.
When they arrived at a pavilion, the surroundings were quiet and the candlelight in the pavilion was dim, making it seem even more deserted. As soon as Song Lingyi went in and sat down, she heard faint footsteps coming from the gravel path.
There were many guests today, but Song Lingyi didn't take this commotion to heart. She still sat on the beauty's seat and reached out to grab the flowers and leaves that were sticking out from the flower garden.
The footsteps stopped outside the pavilion. Song Lingyi realized something was wrong and slowly turned her head. Her gaze gradually moved from the crimson brocade robe to the unparalleled handsome face.
The surroundings were so quiet that you could hear a pinhole. When their eyes met, Song Lingyi was stunned: Why is it that debt collector again?
Xiao Mingyi wore a jade crown today, and stood tall and majestic. Unlike his usual austere demeanor, his crimson brocade robe gave him a more romantic and uninhibited air. When he saw Song Lingyi looking at him, his narrow, long eyes curved, his eyebrows like a sculpture, his teeth like a jade.
Song Lingyi lowered her eyes.
I made it so clear last time in the teahouse. You don’t have to pester her anymore. As the prince, do you still want to be a mistress?
Even though she thought this, she still had to maintain a respectful attitude. She gathered her composure, stood up, and bowed, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince, is well."
"No need to be so polite." Xiao Mingyi stepped forward, his aura still gentle.
Under the bright moonlight, the two looked at each other from a few steps away, one calm, the other alert.
"The guests are all in the front yard. I have to go back to greet them. Excuse me."
Song Lingyi found a respectable excuse and planned to bypass Xiao Mingyi and leave, but he actually raised his arm to block her way. Although his face contained a gentle smile, his eyes were cold.
"Walking so fast, are you afraid of me?"
Hearing this, Song Lingyi could no longer maintain her cold and polite attitude. She took a deep breath, her expression growing even colder. "Today is my engagement banquet. I thought I had made everything very clear to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince last time. What does His Royal Highness mean by this?"
Xiao Mingyi smiled nonchalantly: "Why are you so nervous? I didn't agree to draw a clear line between us last time."
Song Lingyi's dark eyes suddenly widened, not because of his words, but because of his hand holding her palm and forcefully interlocking their fingers.
Feeling the warmth in her palm, Song Lingyi looked around in panic, desperately wanting to pull her hand back. "What are you doing? What if someone sees us?!"
Xiao Mingyi had asked the eunuchs to guard the perimeter of the garden, and no one dared to come except him.
But seeing that the girl was like a frightened bird, he wanted to tease her. He held her hand tightly and said indifferently, "So what if she saw it?"
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