"Oh dear, I'm so sorry, it was my carelessness that I dirtied your dress, miss! I'm so sorry!"
The prominent ladies of Yuezhou continued to congratulate Xie Yuan, but a minor conflict arose among the maids serving outside.
"It's alright!"
Zhao Jinxiu lowered her head and saw that her newly made pomegranate skirt had been splattered with vegetable soup. She cursed inwardly, but put on a tolerant and magnanimous expression.
"The young lady is indeed beautiful inside and out! No wonder she serves the Princess Consort."
The little maid who "accidentally" spilled the soup on Zhao Jinxiu was very clever, and every word she uttered was a compliment to Zhao Jinxiu.
"However, it was my fault after all. My mistress just gave me a brand new dress, which is very similar to the one you are wearing."
The maid looked apologetic. "If you don't mind, Miss, why don't you come with me to change your dress?"
"Will I wash this one clean and then send it to the Prince's residence?"
Seeing that the maid spoke sincerely and thoughtfully, Zhao Jinxiu said something to the maid who was with her, and then left the flower hall with the maid.
On the way, the young maidservant asked very eagerly, "Miss, were you a daughter of an official in the past?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Jinxiu's expression turned somewhat unpleasant.
She subconsciously raised her hand to brush away the stray hairs on her forehead, where a dark blue character was tattooed on the right side of her forehead.
This is the mark of exiled prisoners and their families—tattoos.
Zhao Jinxiu was very beautiful, with fair skin and delicate features. In particular, her delicate and timid temperament made her especially endearing.
Before her exile, when she was being escorted by the executioner to get her tattooed, the minor official probably felt a rare pity for Zhao Jinxiu because she looked so pitiful.
The official did not deliberately brand his cheek or other obvious places, but instead lightly branded his forehead.
This spot isn't very noticeable; if you cover it with your hair, you can hardly see it.
Thus, although Zhao Jinxiu was tattooed, she was not disfigured and remained the same beautiful and delicate young girl.
While tattoos can cover up imperfections, hair is not a panacea.
A gust of wind, or an accidental mess of her hair, would reveal the tattoo, thus exposing her identity as an "outsider."
The maidservant in the governor's mansion spoke rather tactfully, not directly saying that she was the descendant of a disgraced official, but rather that she "used to be a daughter of an official."
Despite her embarrassment, Zhao Jinxiu felt a sense of relief—she was once a daughter of an official! Not a lowly exile! Nor a mere maidservant to a princess!
"Um!"
Recalling her former prestige, Zhao Jinxiu responded with a reserved tone.
"I was right! I could tell just now that you have an extraordinary air about you and a noble demeanor, no less than the young ladies of our governor's mansion!"
"That's why I mustered up the courage to ask. I never expected that you really are from an official family!"
"Oh dear, I'm not being nosy, but someone of your appearance and character would be treated like a master in our governor's mansion. We wouldn't even let you serve anyone!"
The young maidservant was very quick-witted and rattled off a whole bunch of words.
On the surface, she was praising and flattering Zhao Jinxiu.
In reality, she was just instigating things.
Zhao Jinxiu was initially flattered by the praise, but little did she know that the maid's words had served as a reminder—
yes!
Unlike those maids who sold themselves into servitude, I am a daughter of an official.
Even if my father worked for Princess Xie, he was in charge, not a servant.
Then I, being the daughter of the manager, am far more noble than a servant or anything like that.
I am not the same as that wretched girl Zhao Jinse. She is an illegitimate daughter and learned accounting, a lowly skill, from her mother, who was the daughter of a merchant. That's why Princess Xie took me in as a maid.
I am the eldest daughter of the Zhao family.
Most importantly, I am good-looking and multi-talented.
Even if I am the descendant of a disgraced official, and cannot be the principal wife of a "good family," I can still be a favored concubine.
The "good person" in Zhao Jinxiu's mind was none other than the King of Yue.
Putting aside the King of Yue's appearance, his status as a prince was enough to make Zhao Jinxiu's heart flutter.
Unfortunately, her father only knew how to follow Xie to run the candy shop, and never thought of using Prince Yue's "guilt" towards the Zhao family to help her achieve something.
“My father is willingly degrading himself to become a ‘manager’! But I don’t want to!”
Zhao Jinxiu raised her head, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes filled with ambition and eagerness to "embark on the road to success".
Seeing Zhao Jinxiu's expression, a smug glint flashed in the maid's eyes: Heh! Madam's plan has succeeded.
...
The banquet lasted until evening, when Helian Jue, "drunk," was helped away from the main hall by Duofu.
"I'm not drunk! I... I can drink more!"
"Governor Cui, don't forget the wine you promised me! Haha, what can dispel sorrow? Only wine!"
"Yes! It's Dukang! Twenty jars, not a single one less!"
Helian Jue was unsteady on his feet, his steps were unsteady, and he was babbling incoherently.
Seeing his dejected appearance, Cui Boyong felt even more disgusted: a drunkard, truly wasting such a good-looking body!
"Your Highness!"
Helian Chen stood guard outside and was not surprised to see his prince drunk; he seemed to be used to it.
On the other side, Xie Yuan, surrounded by noblewomen, left the flower hall.
The male and female guests met at the entrance. Xie Yuan saw that Helian Jue was "drunk" and quickly showed a concerned expression, "Your Highness, are you alright?"
As he spoke, Xie Yuan was about to walk to Helian Jue's side.
But a slender figure rushed forward even faster than her.
"Your Highness! Watch your step!"
Zhao Jinxiu grabbed Helian Jue's other arm.
Helian Jue instinctively resisted, but he was already "drunk" and unconscious. In order to continue the act, he, being a germaphobe, could only suppress his disgust for the strange woman and did not immediately throw Zhao Jinxiu away.
Who are these people?!
Should we immediately help him up?
Not only was she ugly, but she was also pretentious and affected, which made Helian Jue feel disgusted.
Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, Helian Jue gave Xie Yuan a look.
Xie Yuan understood immediately and quickly took a few steps. Just as she was about to speak, Zhao Jinxiu interrupted her, saying, "Your Majesty, please don't misunderstand!"
"I was just worried about Your Highness, and in my haste I forgot the rules!"
Xie Yuan was taken aback.
Huh?
That tone sounds somewhat familiar.
It has a strong green tea flavor.
"Your Majesty, this servant will take his leave now!"
Zhao Jinxiu was still performing when she deliberately rubbed against Helian Jue.
Her hair happened to get tangled with Helian Jue's long, loose hair.
Is this what "tying the hair" means?
"Oh dear, I deserve to die! I have offended Your Highness! I will... I will untie my hair right now!"
"Your Majesty, please don't be angry!"
Zhao Jinxiu feigned a flustered attempt to untangle her tangled hair, preoccupied with her performance in front of Xie Yuan, ignoring Helian Jue who was pretending to be drunk with his head down. A flash of murderous intent crossed her eyes...
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