Chapter 19
Dancers and musicians filed in and began to play music and dance in the center of the hall, creating a peaceful and joyous atmosphere throughout the hall.
Shen Zheng was the prime minister, and his seat was very close to the front, so Shen Qingnian naturally sat next to him.
Lin Yue'er was sitting at the table next to her, looking at her with disgust.
Today, Lin Yue'er was unusually dressed not in fine clothes, but in simple and plain attire, and she didn't even wear earrings.
Shen Qingnian could smell the faint jasmine fragrance emanating from Lin Yue'er. She raised an eyebrow, finding it somewhat amusing.
During the days she stayed at home, she kept a close eye on Lin Yue'er and Song Xuan's movements.
Lin Yue'er has been quite busy these past two weeks. Whenever Song Xuan leaves the palace, he inevitably runs into Lin Yue'er. Although Song Xuan is as gentle and polite as before, he is noticeably colder.
Each time they met by chance, they parted ways after only a few words. Lin Yue'er wanted to follow, but she was just a noblewoman, and her status was far inferior to that of the Crown Prince, so she had no choice but to leave reluctantly.
Rumors about Lin Yue'er becoming the Crown Princess resurfaced in the capital, but this time they were not as intense as before and quickly subsided.
Lin Yue'er understood that if she didn't do something, her hard-won position as Crown Princess would slip away, which was why she had no choice but to come up with this plan.
She wasn't sure what kind of woman the Crown Prince liked. In the entire capital, the Crown Prince was closest to her and had no other women around. But she knew that the Crown Prince had distanced himself from her and that she had to do something. She could only think of learning from Shen Qingnian.
Tonight, she wore the same clothes as Shen Qingnian and was scented with the same perfumes. She felt utterly disgusted!
Shen Qingnian smiled calmly at Lin Yue'er. She already had striking features, and now, dressed in such fine clothes, she was even more beautiful.
She said with some surprise, "Miss Lin's attire is quite simple, yet you're using jasmine incense?"
Tonight, Lin Yue'er and she seemed to have made a pact to completely switch outfits.
Lin Yue'er was not as pretty as Shen Qingnian. Half of her usual appearance was supported by her exquisite clothes and jewelry. Today, dressed so simply, she looked much more ordinary, even less so than the maidservant serving her.
On the contrary, Shen Qingnian, who was already beautiful with skin as smooth as jade, was made even more beautiful and radiant like a pearl by wearing such gorgeous clothes.
The two sat side by side at two separate tables, yet the contrast was striking.
Upon hearing Shen Qingnian's words, Lin Yue'er could barely contain her anger.
Shen Qingnian didn't deliberately lower her voice; in fact, due to her surprised tone, her voice was even a couple of decibels louder, drawing the attention of everyone around them.
"Oh! Did you two plan this? Your clothes tonight look like you've switched places, how strange!" Madam Wang couldn't help but laugh as she looked at their attire.
Lin Yue'er immediately recognized that Shen Qingnian's outfit was a poor imitation.
Madam Wang's voice was louder than Shen Qingnian's, and everyone at the banquet turned their attention to Shen Qingnian and Lin Yue'er.
Even the Empress and Emperor, seated at the head of the table, looked over curiously.
Ye Lingzhou, the young master of the Marquis's mansion, immediately exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? Not only is Miss Lin's attire similar to Miss Shen's usual style, but she's not even wearing earrings today!"
Who doesn't know that Miss Shen has recently stopped wearing earrings? If this isn't deliberate, what is it?
Upon hearing Ye Lingzhou's words, Lin Yue'er blushed and instinctively covered her ears, trying to deceive herself.
She had copied Shen Qingnian, but being called out in public was still very embarrassing.
At this moment, Shen Qingnian spoke softly: "Tonight is His Highness the Crown Prince's birthday, and one should be dressed in formal attire. I haven't been wearing earrings lately, but since this is an important banquet, one should follow the rules."
The sarcasm in her words was obvious to everyone, but it wasn't offensive.
Are we not allowed to criticize those who are good at copying others?
Nobody likes someone copying their style of dress, especially when the relationship between the two is so delicate.
Lin Yue'er's face was both red and white, and tears welled up in her eyes. She bit her lip tightly and couldn't say a word.
She didn't dare to look up at the Crown Prince's face, feeling extremely ashamed.
Sitting next to Lin Yue'er, Lin Minxin almost crushed his wine glass. His stupid daughter was really going to drive him crazy.
The people around Lin Yue'er looked at her with utter contempt.
Everyone knows that Lin Yue'er has always targeted Shen Qingnian, and now she's even imitating her style of dress. It's truly shameful.
In the end, Shen Qingnian sighed softly and personally came to Lin Yue'er's rescue: "I have heard that dancers from a neighboring country will be performing today. May I ask when, Your Highness?"
All eyes turned to the throne, while Song Xuan looked at Shen Qingnian and said gently, "It's fine now."
After saying this, he clapped his hands, and the dancers in the hall withdrew.
"She's a soft-hearted girl," the Empress said softly, looking at Shen Qingnian.
She was angry that the other person was copying her style and made a sarcastic remark, but then she softened and became soft-hearted. She's a good girl.
Song Xuan nodded and added, "She's always been like this, simple and soft-hearted, and not one to hold grudges. Even though that Miss Lin targeted her many times, she didn't take the opportunity to retaliate."
"From this perspective, Miss Lin is indeed unsuitable to be the Crown Princess," the Empress frowned.
The selection of the Crown Princess should be kind and benevolent. If she is as calculating as Lin Yue'er, how can she maintain her position in the harem in the future?
At this moment, the emperor spoke up: "I have already repaid the kindness that Lin Hai has shown to our royal family through Lin Minxin. Xuan'er, you don't need to think too much. The Crown Princess should be chosen from among those you admire."
The Empress nodded as well.
She preferred Miss Shen; the Lin family had given them a chance, but they were all incompetent.
Soon, dancers from the neighboring country entered and began to sing and dance, and the atmosphere in the hall became lively again. No one paid any more attention to Lin Yue'er.
Lin Yue'er sat at the table, her head lowered, her eyes filled with an inscrutable expression.
Palace maids and eunuchs filed in and began serving fruits, snacks, and wine. After drinking, everyone started chatting quietly.
As night deepened, many people presented Song Xuan with their congratulatory gifts, and Lin Yue'er's expression returned to normal.
She looked excited and asked Shen Qingnian beside her, "I wonder what gift Miss Shen has prepared for His Highness the Crown Prince?"
She didn't believe that Shen Qingnian's preparations could be better than hers!
Shen Qingnian smiled and said softly, "They're just some tokens of my feelings."
Lin Yue'er said smugly, "The gift I'm giving is very precious. Miss Shen, why don't you present yours first? If I present my gift first, I'm afraid His Highness the Crown Prince will not even notice yours."
After saying that, she covered her mouth and giggled.
She and her father had put a lot of thought into preparing this gift for His Highness the Crown Prince.
Lin Yue'er's arrogance caused Lin Minxin, who was standing nearby, to frown and couldn't help but speak up in a low voice:
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