relief
It's unclear whether "they" had nothing better to do, but Jiang Yan had only left the palace the night before, and the next day, "they" came looking for her.
Wu Lanyu was the first to come to Jiang Yan.
She was still dressed seductively and acted coy.
Jiang Yan had just gotten up and hadn't even washed or dressed yet, so she was asking and answering herself in the courtyard.
"What did you do last night, sister? You're so tired. Oh, I know, you must have gone outside the manor yesterday, right? I forgot to tell you, yesterday was the 'Welcoming Summer Festival,' and the streets and alleys of the capital were filled with celebrations."
Jiang Yan ignored her and was busy with her own things.
She added, "Did you run into the Prince, sister? He also left the palace yesterday evening. Since he loves excitement so much, he must have been enjoying the scenery there."
Jiang Yan didn't think much of what she said.
The places she went to were packed with people, and the stench of sweat was unbearable.
The places Shangguan Zeyu frequents are definitely places of comfort and elegance, with enticing fragrances and beautiful surroundings, such as taverns, restaurants, brothels, and so on.
They are absolutely, positively impossible to encounter!!!
"Sister, yesterday the Princess asked if you were going to pay your respects to her today. Although the Princess has exempted all the sisters from the daily greetings, it's not appropriate that you haven't gone even once."
Jiang Yan then heard this in her heart and asked Huang Ying in a low voice.
"Do you really have to pay your respects every day?"
"Yes, not only the Princess Consort, but also the Prince. But I heard from Steward Cui that the Prince and Princess Consort have canceled their daily greetings. My lord, there's nothing wrong, don't listen to Madam Wu's nonsense."
"Well, what she said makes some sense. We should still pay our respects, for example, by paying our respects to the Prince."
She paid her respects to Shangguan Zeyu and went to great lengths to win his favor; she was sure he would side with her in everything.
Shangguan Zeyu is a lecherous man who lusts after women; where is there any fairness or justice in him?
But, alas, the thought of his lecherous behavior made her want to back out.
Wu Lanyu kept talking in the courtyard, repeating the same old things, which were quite boring.
Jiang Yan didn't hear a word she said. She washed up, dressed, and then came out.
"Sister Wu, I am so sorry to have kept you waiting."
Wu Lanyu smiled dismissively: "Your Highness is used to getting up late; it's just that I arrived too early."
Huang Ying brought out a chair with a backrest, and Jiang Yan plopped down in it.
Wu Lanyu sat in the chair that Huang Ying often sat in, and Jiang Yan sat to her side and slightly in front of her.
Wu Lanyu pretended to be tidying up her clothes, but Jiang Yan knew at a glance that she was just showing her the fabric she was wearing, so she went along with her.
"Little sister, is this shimmering brocade? It looks so beautiful on you."
Wu Lanyu immediately said smugly, "Of course, this is a gift from the Prince. Do you know how difficult it is to obtain the Floating Light Brocade? The Prince has only given it to Madam Shen and my younger sister before."
Upon hearing this, a voice suddenly echoed in Jiang Yan's mind:
Could it be that she's going to follow in Shen Qianqian's footsteps?
But then she felt ashamed of her shameful thoughts!
Although she disliked Wu Lanyu, she didn't have the habit of cursing people behind their backs!
"Yes, that's enough to prove that Your Highness truly loves your sister!"
"Hmph." Wu Lanyu snorted with her delicate nose and then went to stroke her skirt.
Jiang Yan felt a little sorry for her, but also a little confused.
Logically speaking, with a vice minister as her father, she lacked nothing. Why would she lower herself to do such unseemly things?
Is it merely to compete for favor?
Did she ever consider that if Shangguan Zeyu truly cared about her, he wouldn't have made her compete for his favor all this time?
"Sister Wu, why are you so determined to win the Prince's favor? Do you like sacrificing your self-respect and dignity for the sake of favor?"
Jiang Yan was simply expressing his feelings.
Because in her world, love, whether it's familial love, friendship, or romantic love, should be reciprocal.
If someone lowers their dignity, abandons their personality, and gives up what they've always cherished in order to please the other person for the sake of love, then that's not love.
Love without dignity can destroy a person.
But Wu Lanyu looked at her as if she were a fool after hearing this.
"Sister, are you advising your younger sister not to compete with you for your affection? You think too highly of yourself!"
Jiang Yan belatedly realized that she had been too talkative.
It's like telling a patient with prickly heat that they must not take a cold shower, as it will only make the condition worse.
But he felt that you were harming him, because heat rash is caused by heat, and since it's caused by heat, you should wash it with cool water, and the more you wash, the cooler it will feel and the faster it will heal.
If someone lacks awareness or understanding at the level of consciousness and thought, even if you tell them that doing so will cost them their life, they will still do it without hesitation.
Jiang Yan didn't know whether to be angry or amused. Feeling helpless, she sighed and fell silent.
Seeing her like this, Wu Lanyu said again, "Sister Concubine, if you want to win the Prince's favor, then work hard and find your own way. Don't resort to these crooked methods! Don't think that just because I'm here to visit you, I'll let you do whatever you want with me! Humph!!" She left angrily.
Huang Ying waited until she left the courtyard, then, feeling uneasy, said to Jiang Yan.
“Master, why tell Madam Wu all this? Madam Wu is different from you.”
Jiang Yan was both amused and exasperated, but felt mostly sorrow.
"Sigh, I just felt it! I know I was wrong! Let alone her, even I, a modern woman who upholds independence and has an independent personality, still have to rely on men in this era, don't I? I have no right to say she's wrong!"
"My lady, please don't overthink it. Just do what you think is right, and I will always support you."
Jiang Yan felt a warmth in her heart upon hearing this and gave her a knowing smile: "Hey, pack up. From today onwards, I will go to pay my respects to the Prince and Princess every day."
"Alright, I'll go prepare right away."
Jiang Yan first took Huang Ying to pay her respects to Xiao Yiqing, because she thought that if she went to pay her respects to Shangguan Zeyu first, Xiao Yiqing's spies would definitely tell her everything they saw, and if she went to pay her respects to her then, she would definitely run into trouble.
Xiao Yiqing was quite content, sitting under a peach tree in the courtyard, eyes closed, like a lazy cat, listening to a maid playing the pipa.
Jiang Yan straightened her posture, tidied her appearance, and prepared to pay her respects. At this moment, Chunhua, who was standing to the side, saw her, made a shushing gesture to her, glanced at Xiao Yiqing, and hurriedly walked towards her, leading her to a corner in the distance.
"Chunhua greets Consort Jiang." She bowed respectfully to Jiang Yan.
"No need for formalities." Jiang Yan glanced at her meaningfully, then at Xiao Yiqing.
Chunhua immediately understood what she meant and apologized profusely.
"Your Highness has been worried about the Prince's leg problems lately and is exhausted. I was afraid to wake Your Highness. Please forgive me, Consort."
This couldn't have come at the worst possible time!
Could it be an act?
Did you just get up early this morning and then go back to sleep?
But she couldn't ask that question directly, so she just smiled and said nonchalantly, "It's alright, I'll just wait here. Your Highness, please rest more and take care of yourself."
Chunhua bowed to her again and then stepped back to Xiao Yiqing's side.
Jiang Yan had never heard the tune the maid was playing before, but it was gentle and melodious, making people feel relaxed and drowsy in no time.
Jiang Yan couldn't help but yawn. Seeing this, Huang Ying hurriedly gave her a wink. Jiang Yan belatedly realized what was happening and quickly straightened up.
The little maid played one tune after another; I wondered if her hands hurt, but her bottom must have been very sore. The chair was so hard, and she was so thin.
Jiang Yan stood obediently in place, staring intently at Xiao Yiqing, trying to see if she was pretending to be asleep.
It's been at least an hour. Even if she's tired and sleepy, she wouldn't be sleeping so soundly in the rocking chair, would she?
However, after about an hour, she still showed no signs of waking up.
Jiang Yan noticed that her legs were starting to go numb and didn't want to wait any longer, so she wanted to leave.
But then she thought about it again and felt it was a waste. She had waited for so long, and if she just left like this, wouldn't she have stood there for nothing?
Reluctantly, he moved his legs, intending to continue waiting.
The sun had already reached the top of the peach tree. Xiao Yiqing's rocking chair was now getting some sun, and she refused to believe she'd stand in the June sun all day!
Chunhua was already sweating profusely from the heat, but she was still stubbornly holding on.
Jiang Yan guessed that Xiao Yiqing must also be holding on desperately. Suddenly, the strength in his heart was full, and he no longer felt hot or tired.
Just as Jiang Yan was filled with excitement, feeling that she was about to defeat Xiao Yiqing, Shangguan Zeyu suddenly appeared.
He really came at the perfect time, even though he was late!
"Your Highness." Jiang Yan was very unhappy, because if he had arrived earlier, she wouldn't have had to stand for so long.
"Why are you standing here, my beloved? Are you so hot?" Shangguan Zeyu said with a look of tenderness, taking out his beige handkerchief from his waist and gently wiping the sweat from her face and forehead.
"Ouch~ Ouch~" Just as Jiang Yan was reluctantly meeting Shangguan Zeyu's gaze, Xiao Yiqing, who was sleeping soundly in the rocking chair, suddenly let out a sharp cry of pain.
Jiang Yan and Shangguan Zeyu looked over at the same time.
Before Jiang Yan could figure it out, Shangguan Zeyu had already walked over.
"Your Highness? Your Highness, what's wrong?"
His voice was filled with heartache, as if he couldn't live without Xiao Yiqing!
Jiang Yan didn't hold back and gave him a hard glare: Hypocrite!!!
"Ouch~ It's Your Highness~ My legs... seem to be numb." As she spoke, Xiao Yiqing looked pitifully at Shangguan Zeyu.
Shangguan Zeyu's hands were already stroking one of her calves, pressing gently as he softly asked, "Does it hurt?"
Does it hurt?
I don't think it hurts, do I? It's you who's worried about me, isn't it?
Jiang Yan felt nauseous, as if she wanted to vomit a whole bunch of stuff at the two of them!
"Your Highness, the pain is gone, it's just numb." Her eyes welled up with tears; she could win an Oscar for that.
Jiang Yan couldn't help but roll her eyes at them again before preparing to go back.
Huang Ying pulled her aside, glanced at them, and gave her a "no" look.
Jiang Yan was speechless and didn't want to watch their uninhibited display of affection in front of her anymore, so she turned her back.
"Your Highness, I will carry you inside." Shangguan Zeyu scooped up Xiao Yiqing and carried her towards the main hall.
Xiao Yiqing was so shy and happy!
She glanced triumphantly at Jiang Yan, who had turned away, and then looked at Shangguan Zeyu with tender affection.
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