Just as she was immersed in her own thoughts, a clear voice suddenly rang in her ears: "What's your name? Which family are you from?"
Meng Zhao snapped out of her daze and turned around to see that two more women had entered the pavilion. The one who spoke was the one standing in front, who was about fifteen or sixteen years old. Her face still had a touch of childishness, and her figure was slightly plump. Compared with the slender noble ladies she had seen along the way, she seemed quite different.
Even the maid behind her was made of expensive fabric, leading Meng Zhao to guess that this person was probably not simple, so she replied respectfully.
"My name is Meng Zhao. I've come to the capital to visit relatives. My godmother just happened to receive an invitation from the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence, so she asked me to come along and see what's going on. Would this young lady like to enjoy the view from the pavilion in the middle of the lake? Then I won't disturb you any longer." With that, she bowed slightly, preparing to take her leave.
However, she had only taken one step when the maidservant reached out to stop her. "Stop! Did I say you could leave?"
Meng Zhao frowned and asked, "What do you mean by this, Miss?"
The plump young lady snorted coldly, her tone laced with sarcasm: "You, a merchant's daughter, dare to come and watch the spectacle at the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence? What do you take this villa for?"
Meng Zhao's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't mentioned that she was a merchant, which meant it wasn't a chance encounter. She quickly racked her brains to see if she had unknowingly offended anyone. At the same time, she maintained a polite smile. "Miss, I was a little nervous just now and misspoke. My godmother heard that Qingxi Villa had a beautiful environment, so she brought me here to broaden my horizons. Please forgive me if I have offended anyone."
The young lady was clearly taken aback by Meng Zhao's flexibility and was momentarily speechless, unsure how to react. She bit her lip and suddenly asked, "What is your relationship with Young Master Hua Zhang?"
Meng Zhao thought to herself, "I've never heard of this name before!" So she answered frankly, "Miss, may I ask if you have mistaken me for someone else? I do not know Young Master Hua Zhang."
Upon hearing this, the young woman's face immediately turned ugly. She thought to herself, "How can this woman lie through her teeth? She's clearly already staying at someone's house, yet she still claims not to know them! What goddaughter? She's just like those cousins who pretend to be visiting relatives but are actually looking for a blind date—they all have ulterior motives!"
Seeing her unfriendly expression, Meng Zhao became alert and said, "Miss, my godmother hasn't seen me for a long time and must be getting impatient. I'll take my leave now." With that, she turned to leave.
However, the young lady was relentless and grabbed Meng Zhao's shoulder. Meng Zhao was not one to be bullied, and with a flick of his hand, the young lady stumbled and lost her balance, reaching out to grab the handrail next to the pavilion in the middle of the lake.
Unexpectedly, the handrail, which had been in disrepair for years, snapped in two with a loud "plop." The once arrogant young lady was now thrashing about in the lake, screaming, "Help! Help!"
Meng Zhao looked down. It was autumn, and the lake wasn't very deep. Just as she was about to say something, the little maid beside her screamed in panic, "Ah! Princess, are you alright? What should we do!"
The moment the word "Princess" was uttered, Meng Zhao's legs went weak. She reached out to grab the handrail, but then remembered what had just happened and quickly withdrew her hand.
She originally thought this young lady was just the daughter of some wealthy family, but she didn't expect her to be a princess! Although she might not have royal blood, even if she was just an ordinary princess, she would still be in trouble. She couldn't help but complain, these people really are something. They know their lives are precious, can't they be a little more careful?
Seeing the anxious maidservant beside him, Meng Zhao immediately shouted, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go call someone over."
The maidservant then realized what was happening and hurriedly ran off to call for help. On the lake, the princess was struggling so hard that she was splashing water all over her body, like dumplings being dropped into a pot. Meng Zhao waited for a moment, then took off her jacket and shoes, and jumped in with a splash.
As soon as she entered the water, Meng Zhao understood why the princess was struggling so fiercely. Damn it, the sun was shining brightly today, so why was the lake water still so cold? She was shivered as soon as she entered the water, but she couldn't care less at the moment because the princess next to her had already started bubbling away.
Although Meng Zhao had never learned how to rescue people in the water, she was a good swimmer. She held her breath, dived into the water, and swam towards the princess. Underwater visibility was blurry, and she didn't judge the distance well. She was caught in the princess's arms.
Wearing a long skirt already made it inconvenient to move her legs, and with someone wrapped around her, Meng Zhao was anxious. She pushed a few times with all her might, but fortunately the princess had been in the water for a while and didn't have much strength. After pushing her away, Meng Zhao went around behind her, reached out and supported her under the armpits, and lifted her out of the water.
The princess had barely taken a breath of fresh air when she began to struggle and scream, "Help! Help!"
Meng Zhao was getting a headache from her shouting, but because of her status, he could only grit his teeth and say, "Stop yelling! Don't move, relax, and use the water's force to float! Do you think all that fat on your body is just for nothing?"
The princess wouldn't listen to reason until Meng Zhao called her several times before she gradually calmed down and tried to relax her body, lying on her back. Meng Zhao took the opportunity to lead her to the pillar exposed by the drop in water level under the pavilion in the middle of the lake, and had her hug the wooden pillar.
They were in the middle of the lake, and Meng Zhao couldn't guarantee that he could drag them to the shore. The pillars were slippery, and they couldn't climb up them. At this point, clinging to the pillars and waiting for rescue was the best option.
After the princess hugged the pillar, her face wet with what looked like tears or lake water, she choked out, "Did you just say I was fat?"
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