Thus, under Su Rong’s whimsical idea, the two of them, including Duanhua, were strolling on the bustling streets of Capital City.
The carriage and the guards were trailing behind them.
Duanhua was initially uncomfortable, but upon witnessing Su Rong’s casual and relaxed demeanor as strangers passed by without her showing any sign of discomfort; she found herself gradually becoming at ease, carrying on a conversation with Su Rong as they walked.
After walking two streets, Duanhua paused, realising she had walked quite a lot. She told Su Rong: "I’m too tired to walk."
"Then let’s go back!" Su Rong also felt that they had strolled enough.
Duanhua nodded.
The three of them got into the carriage, which was headed towards the Princess Residence.
The Princess Residence was located in West City, centered around the Imperial City, just like the residences of Rui’an King and the Duke Residence, only it wasn’t on the same street.
Duanhua asked Su Rong, "Do you know where the Duke Residence is?"
Su Rong shook her head, "I don’t."
Duanhua pulled aside the curtains and pointed, "From here, through two streets, it’s the Duke Residence."
Su Rong acknowledged with an "Oh."
Duanhua lowered the curtains, initially she thought Su Rong was bluffing her but after spending half a day with her, she felt that Su Rong genuinely didn’t seem to harbor any ill intentions or romantic feelings for Zhou Gu. She didn’t behave like someone betrothed at all.
Although Su Rong could be described as cunning, she appeared to be very straightforward.
Duanhua had never met anyone like Su Rong before.
Once the carriage returned to the Princess Residence and the three of them alighted, the housekeeper greeted them, "Your Grace, you’ve returned? Are these two the esteemed guests you’ve mentioned who will stay over at our residence?"
No one had ever been asked to stay over at the Princess Residence by the princess before, so who could they be if not esteemed guests? Once the princess heard about their arrival, she was startled and asked several times for an audience with the visitors. She was curious as to who these individuals were, who deserved to be invited by Duanhua to stay over.
The princess was even surprised to discover that she had prepared rooms within her own courtyard, rather than arranging accommodation in the guest quarters.
Duanhua hummed in acknowledgement, "Are the rooms ready?"
"They are ready."
Duanhua nodded, leading Su Rong and Fen Ling into the Residence.
The housekeeper hastily followed, calling after them at a half step. "Her Highness heard about you inviting guests to stay over and has requested to see your guests when you return."
Duanhua paused her steps for a moment, somewhat hesitant. She turned to Su Rong and Zhou Gu, asking them, "Are you tired?"
This question was asked rather subtly; it wasn’t about whether they were tired, but rather if they were afraid of meeting her mother.
Su Rong of course wasn’t afraid. If she was, she wouldn’t have come in the first place. She chuckled and shook her head, "We’re not tired, as guests staying at the Princess Residence, we should pay our respects to the princess."
Fen Ling also nodded, "I’ve heard that the princess is very kind and noble, I’ve never seen a real princess before."
Duanhua’s lip twitched; her mother, kind? That was something she herself would not dare to say.
Accordingly, Duanhua led them to meet Princess Qingping.
Princess Qingping had a teatime appointment scheduled for that afternoon, however, as she was about to head out, she heard about her daughter asking the servants to prepare rooms in her courtyard for guests. She immediately cancelled her plans and waited in the residence for her daughter to return with the guests.
This wasn’t her exaggerating, it’s just that her daughter, Duanhua, wasn’t the type to casually invite people over to stay.
Duanhua, who was spoilt from childhood, was brought up to be willful and insolent. Among girls of her age from noble families, she had a few good friends, but none whom she was close enough to invite over to her residence.
Therefore, Princess Qingping was extremely curious.
When she asked the guards who returned to the residence, even they couldn’t give a clear account. All they could say was that their princess quarreled with a man and woman on the street, before suddenly becoming chummy as though they were old friends. They even planned to have a meal together and further invited the pair to stay over at the residence.
With nothing left to do, Princess Qingping could only wait at home for their return. Unexpectedly, she ended up waiting for half a day. She sent people out several times to inquire about them, only to learn they were having a meal at Zuixian Building or strolling around the city. As she was waiting impatiently, she got news that her daughter was returning with the guests, causing her to straighten up immediately.
As Su Rong walked deeper into the Princess Residence, she thought about how wealthy it was. With its opulent and grand architecture, it was truly deserving of the highly favored Princess Qingping’s Residence. It was a testament to his Majesty’s well-known affection for his sister.
Duanhua brought Su Rong to Princess Qingping’s quarters, once inside, she called out "Mother," moving aside to introduce her guests. "This is Su Rong, this is Fen Ling. They recently arrived in the Capital City and have nowhere to stay, they will be staying at our Princess Residence for a short time."
"Su Rong pays her respects to the Princess!"
"Fen Ling pays her respects to the Princess!"
Su Rong and Fen Ling formally greeted Princess Qingping.
Princess Qingping was seated upright, when she saw Su Rong, her eyes widened, and she raised her voice, "Su Rong? The little...from Jiangning County?"
"Mother!" Although Duanhua used to call Su Rong "the little illegitimate daughter" frequently, now that she had spent half a day with Su Rong, she could not say it anymore. Not only that, hearing Princess Qingping say it made her feel uncomfortable, and she quickly stopped her.
Qingping stopped in astonishment and turned to Duanhua, "You, why did you call me? Is she not?"
"I am." Su Rong smiled and replied, "Su Xu, the former Governor of Jiangning, is my father, and he is now appointed as the Inspector of Jiangzhou. I am the Su Rong you know."
Qingping: "..."
She was stunned. She didn’t expect the person her daughter brought back to be Su Rong. Su Rong wasn’t brought back by force but as a guest.
What happened?
She was too shocked, and almost lost her composure, unable to say a word, she looked at Duanhua with questions in her eyes.
Duanhua also felt embarrassed and dizzy. She just brought the person home for a short stay. She still somewhat suspected that she was bewitched, but since she had brought the person back, it was naturally impossible to regret it and drive her away. She simply couldn’t do such a thing.
So, she said somewhat unnaturally to Qingping: "Mother, she, she is very good. I, I felt a bond with her at first sight, yes, a bond at first sight."
She used the phrase that Su Rong had used with her, seemingly finding the right adjective.
If it wasn’t because of the bond at first sight, why would she bring her back?
Qingping: "..."
She looked at Duanhua in a daze, then at Su Rong, suspecting that her daughter had been switched. Who was Duanhua? She was nearly mad for Zhou Gu, and she couldn’t stop advising her. This not only annoyed her towards Zhou Gu, but also towards his fiancée Su Rong. Secretly thinking that one day, when she sees Su Rong, she won’t give her a good time.
But now, who can tell her what is going on? Without a fight, how did Su Rong became a guest at Duanhua’s home?
"Well, mother, you’ve met her. I’ll take them to my courtyard first, and I’ll come back to talk to you later." Duanhua thought it would be best to allow her mother to digest the news.
Qingping opened her mouth, wanting to say that she had not spoken to Su Rong yet, and naturally had to ask her whether she was the real Su Rong, or a fake one. How did she end up at her Princess Residence? But Duanhua had already grabbed Su Rong’s arm and pulled her away.
She could only watch as her normally unaffectionate daughter voluntarily led someone away. And the handsome young man also followed closely behind.
Qingping was in a daze.
Actually, Su Rong wanted to say a few more words to Princess Qingping. At the very least, she would be a guest at her home for a while, eating and drinking and living at her expense. It was only polite to say a few flattering words. But before she could, Duanhua had dragged her away.
She had a belly full of words for Princess Qingping, but she was able to unleash them all on Duanhua: "Princess, the princess is so beautiful."
"You don’t look like a mother and daughter, but more like sisters."
"What a pair of beautiful sisters."
"Don’t you both enjoy looking at each other every day? Just as expected from a mother and daughter, both are great beauties."
"What about your father? Does he cherish you both a lot? A big and a small cotton-padded jacket, both close to the body and intimate, does he wake up laughing from his dreams?"
Duanhua: "..."
She was a bit embarrassed, her face turning red with praise. She whispered, "Enough, stop praising. You just want to eat the hibiscus cake made by the cook, right? You don’t have to try this hard. You’re staying here now, I wouldn’t be so stingy as to deny you a few pieces of hibiscus cake."
Su Rong: "..."
Oh no, she had made a mistake, she used too much force and was seen through.
Su Rong laughed, unabashed, "Princess, you are the best!"
Duanhua gave her a look, "I’m not the best, the hibiscus cake is the best, just shut up!"
Su Rong obediently closed her mouth.
Besides the main courtyard where Princess Qingping lived, the best courtyard in the Princess Residence was the Cangjiao Pavilion, which was exquisitely and luxuriously built by Princess Qingping for her daughter.
When Su Rong entered, she exclaimed, "Princess, your courtyard is too rich."
Duanhua glared at her, what does "rich" mean? Shouldn’t she be praising it as beautiful?
Su Rong did not care whether it was beautiful or not, in her eyes, the courtyard was full of money.
Fen Ling also agreed wholeheartedly, nodding heavily, "Lots of money."
Duanhua: "..."
These two vulgarians, is it too late to kick them out?
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