Chu Caiwei spent the entire morning in Queen Li Qianwan's Kunning Palace, chatting and laughing with Li Qianwan. At noon, after the two of them had a sumptuous lunch together, Chu Caiwei slowly stood up, said goodbye to Li Qianwan, and left.
After leaving Kunning Palace, she walked lightly towards the Clothing Department. The sun shone brightly, and the breeze blew gently on her face, yet Chu Caiwei felt a heavy burden weighing on her heart. Soon, she arrived at the Clothing Department and found the maid who was in charge of the dancers' dresses.
Chu Caiwei politely explained her purpose to the nanny, saying she needed some dresses for a banquet dancer. The nanny didn't hesitate and quickly pulled out several exquisite dance dresses from the closet and handed them to her. The moment she took the dresses, Chu Caiwei's eyes fell on the jade bracelet on her wrist.
This jade bracelet was crystal clear, smooth, and incredibly valuable. It had originally belonged to Empress Li Qianwan in her boudoir, but now it rested on Chu Caiwei's wrist. Chu Caiwei gazed at the bracelet quietly, her eyes filled with an indescribable complex emotion.
In the past, receiving such a precious gift would have undoubtedly filled her with joy and profound emotion. Yet, now, faced with this jade bracelet and the profound meaning behind it, she felt only a stillness. Having seen the sea, all other waters are but puddles; all other clouds are but wisps. Having experienced so much, Chu Caiwei has long since seen the vicissitudes of life, understanding that so-called wealth and glory are but fleeting clouds.
"Haha!" Chu Caiwei suddenly laughed softly, a laugh tinged with self-mockery and helplessness. How could these material possessions warm a heart that had long been dead? They were nothing but illusions, ultimately vanishing with the passage of time.
Chu Caiwei walked into the East Palace with light steps. As soon as she entered, she saw Li Jingshu sitting upright on a chair. She hurried forward, performed a standard court greeting, and shouted, "Crown Princess!"
Li Jingshu, who had been deep in thought, suddenly looked up at the voice, a hint of surprise on her face. However, she quickly regained her composure, her lips curled slightly, and she said with a hint of arrogance, "Oh? It's the Eighth Princess. How come you have time to come to my place today?"
Chu Caiwei lowered her head and replied softly, "Crown Princess, I heard that the peonies in the East Palace garden are in full bloom, so I came here specially to see them."
Li Jingshu sneered, thinking: This Chu Caiwei really doesn't take me seriously, she actually dared to come to the Eastern Palace casually. However, since she said so, it's not easy to just kick her out. After all, we are all members of the royal family, and we still have to save face.
So, Li Jingshu stood up pretending to be enthusiastic, and said to Chu Caiwei with a smile: "In that case, I will take you to the garden. Speaking of which, we sisters haven't enjoyed flowers and chatted together for a long time." After that, she turned and walked towards the door, motioning Chu Caiwei to follow.
In the East Palace's garden, hundreds of flowers vie for beauty, a scene beyond measure. But at the moment, no one seems to be in the mood to appreciate the scene. Chu Caiwei stands quietly among the flowers. Facing Li Jingshu's slight and disdain, she shows no sign of discontent or anger, but instead displays an unusual calm and composure.
Chu Caiwei smiled slightly and said softly, "What happened in the past was due to my ignorance, frivolity and willfulness when I was young. Now I have realized what is right and wrong. Only when my brother Crown Prince ascends to the supreme position, can my mother, the Li family and I truly break free from the shackles of others and regain our freedom." Her words revealed firm determination and maturity.
Li Jingshu stared with wide eyes, astonishment filling her face as she stared at the once arrogant and domineering woman before her, unable to believe she could utter such words. However, before she could recover, Chu Caiwei lowered her voice again and continued, "The Crown Princess's most urgent task is to establish a positive image with the Emperor and win his favor. Only then can you help the Crown Prince and achieve great things together!" Her gaze was sincere and earnest, without a trace of pretense.
Li Jingshu's eyes flickered slightly, as if something was stirring within her. She took a deep breath, then slowly let go of her long-held prejudice and estrangement towards Chu Caiwei. In a gentle yet firm voice, she asked, "Eighth Princess, did you come to me today to discuss something important?"
Chu Caiwei smiled and waved her hand, signaling her maid Meixiang to present several gorgeous dancer's dresses to Li Jingshu. Meixiang carefully picked up the exquisite clothes and walked over to Li Jingshu to show them to her.
Chu Caiwei continued, "These are the dresses that the dancers will wear at the palace banquet. The Queen Mother has specifically ordered you to come and select two suitable dresses."
Li Jingshu raised her eyebrows and asked with a hint of doubt, "It's just the dancer's dress. It won't have much impact on the entire banquet, right?"
Chu Caiwei's lips curled up slightly, a sly smile playing on her face. "Crown Princess, you don't know this, but this time, when the Emperor hosted a banquet for the courtiers, most of them praised the dancers' performances. If their dresses were a little more colorful, even if it's a minor detail, if someone spread the word, praising the Crown Princess for her discerning eye, outstanding aesthetic sense, and ability to assist the Empress in managing palace affairs, wouldn't that be a great story?"
Li Jingshu listened to Chu Caiwei's words and agreed with them, then began carefully selecting a dance dress. She reached out and gently picked up a dazzling purple dress, her eyes flashing with amazement as she exclaimed, "This dress is unique in style, and the cut is ingenious! I've never seen such a work of art in Shangjing before!"
Seeing this, Meixiang on the side hurriedly stepped forward and said with a flattering face: "The Crown Princess has really good taste! This is the latest model this year!" Her words were full of flattery and ingratiation.
Li Jingshu smiled slightly, saying nothing more as she continued to select. A moment later, her eyes were drawn to another piece of clothing: a tight-fitting military uniform top paired with a pair of green silk trousers with flowing waistbands. Li Jingshu took it in her hands, examining it carefully, then turned to Chu Caiwei and said, "This one's also nice!"
Chu Caiwei's eyebrows furrowed slightly upon hearing this, but it faded in an instant, replaced by a faint smile. She softly praised, "The Crown Princess truly has excellent taste! These two dresses are so different in style, yet each has its own unique charm. They will surely enhance the dancers' beauty and make them shine brightly on stage!"
Li Jingshu looked at the two dresses in front of her with confused eyes, and murmured to herself: "These two dresses seem to have been seen in a dream!" Her voice seemed to come from the underworld, with a hint of ethereality and weirdness.
After Chu Caiwei returned to the princess's residence, night fell and the entire mansion was shrouded in darkness. However, at this moment, under the eaves of the princess's gate, an exquisite lotus lantern suddenly lit up, hanging high in the air. The lotus lantern emitted a faint but warm light, like a dazzling pearl, illuminating the surrounding space.
As the lotus lantern lit up, a mysterious atmosphere permeated the air. A gentle breeze rustled the petals of the lotus lantern, creating a soft rustling sound. The quiet night seemed to be no longer peaceful because of the appearance of this lotus lantern...
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