Chapter 36 Flower Viewing Banquet
It was a sunny day on the day of the flower viewing banquet.
Shen Yuning took Li Ma's letter early in the morning, frowning and concentrating.
He had been reluctant to join in the fun, but Nanny Li had repeatedly emphasized in the letter that her son had been distressed recently by Chu Ruyan's postponement of his marriage. If Pei Yanzhou saw Chu Ruyan and the Crown Prince flirting at the flower viewing banquet, he was afraid he would be so angry that he would injure himself.
In the letter, Nanny Li pleaded with Shen Yuning to attend the banquet, saying that there were many people and many things to do. Even if she did not participate in the dance competition and did not meet the princes and nobles, she could just sit there as a female doctor to prevent any accidents.
Shen Yuning pondered for a while before putting on the apricot-colored chiffon skirt that Nanny Li had sent her earlier.
This is the uniform attire for all women at this flower viewing banquet.
Crown Prince Xiao Yihan has always preferred simple and elegant clothing and is most disgusted by women wearing heavy makeup. Therefore, he specially ordered people to quickly make a batch of plain dresses and required all women attending the banquet to wear them.
When the graceful plain gauze skirt was put on Shen Yuning, the maid Xingzhi's eyes widened instantly.
Her skin is as white as cream, her eyebrows are as red as ink, her face is as rosy as lotus, and she is graceful and charming.
The dress, which was not revealing to begin with, immediately changed its appearance when it was put on Shen Yuning - her waist was slender, and could be held in one hand. Her plump parts were too graceful, which aroused endless reverie.
Xingzhi's face flushed red as she murmured, "Young lady, with such a figure, even a woman like me can't take my eyes off, let alone the gentlemen at the flower viewing banquet."
Shen Yuning lowered her head to glance at her plumpness, and the tips of her ears turned red involuntarily.
She had prominent curves, which she usually covered with loose robes. But now, at the flower viewing party, women were wearing the same uniform, and they could no longer hide them.
"I'm attending the banquet today because I used to be a doctor. If I don't stand in front of the stage, no one will notice me."
Xingzhi shook her head and took out her makeup box to put on her makeup. "Young lady, you are as beautiful as a fairy. It's hard for others not to notice you."
"I really don't know what General Pei is thinking? He would rather marry a fairy like you than a Hedong lion like Chu Ruyan. He is so blind!"
Shen Yuning lowered her eyes, and when she mentioned the sad things, she was touched again.
"After all, I am the one who has let the Pei family down. Don't mention him in front of me from now on."
Xingzhi felt distressed and quickly changed the subject, "I'm sorry for talking too much. Come, Miss, I'll braid a flowing cloud bun for you today."
In less than a moment, under Xingzhi's skillful hands, the already stunning Shen Yuning became even more charming.
She knew what the young lady wanted, so she didn't wear heavy makeup or put on a hairpin on her forehead. She just lightly applied some pink rouge on the corners of her eyes and cheeks, which was pure and sexy, and particularly moving.
"Alright," Xingzhi said with a smile, holding the bronze mirror. "Light makeup, as low-key as possible!"
Shen Yuning tapped her forehead lightly: "You are the only one who understands me. Let's go, it's time to go to the banquet."
She was always beautiful but unaware of it, and she slowly walked out of the porch holding the apricot branch.
The morning light stretched the girl's figure into a slender shape. On the blue brick ground, her plain gauze skirt fluttered in the wind.
——
At the same time, in the West Garden of Prime Minister Chu’s Mansion, in Chu Ruyan’s boudoir.
Chu Ruyan got up very early today.
The nanny and maidservants were busy all around her.
She washed her face with rice water, tied her face with a thin rope, applied bright lip balm on her lips over and over again, and finally painted an exquisite peach blossom hairpin on her forehead.
Chu Ruyan's heart was beating like a drum. She had been practicing dancing and playing the piano at home these days, and she was very well prepared, just to show up in front of Xiao Yihan.
"Everything is ready, but this apricot-colored tulle is too plain!"
A hint of disdain flashed across her thin face. "I've always liked bright colors, but this dress doesn't really bring out my beauty!"
Hong Gu brought a box of rouge with a smile and applied it to her collarbone:
"My daughter is as beautiful as a fairy. Although this dress is simple, with a little makeup, she will be absolutely stunning!"
Although Hong Gu was old, she had very skillful hands and in no time she dressed Chu Ruyan up to look pretty.
Her eyes were twice as big, and the makeup on her face was applied very evenly, making her fair and flawless, and with the pink rouge, she really had a unique charm.
"I am not exaggerating. Looking at your appearance today, even the Fairy of Yaochi cannot compare to you!"
Chu Ruyan covered her mouth and laughed secretly, "Nurse always makes fun of me, how can Yan'er be so beautiful?"
"Miss, don't be too modest. You are both talented and beautiful, and you have an outstanding personality!"
Hong Gu leaned over to Chu Ruyan's ear and whispered, "The candidate for the Crown Princess must be Miss..."
Chu Ruyan paused when she heard this. "Madam, this flower viewing banquet is extraordinary. You must go with Yan'er. I feel more at ease with you by my side."
"If I can really win over Xiao Yihan, when I marry into the Eastern Palace, Yan'er will definitely bring her wet nurse with her!"
"Hey, hey, okay!" Hong Gu's old eyes turned red and she wanted to cry again.
Chu Ruyan said, "I don't know why, but my heart is beating really fast today. It's so fast, and I feel like something bad is going to happen."
"How big of a deal could it be?" Hong Gu comforted her. "The young lady has prepared the dance, practiced the music, and even prepared for horseback riding and archery. What bad thing could possibly happen?"
"I'm worried about Pei Yanzhou..." Chu Ruyan frowned, "He happens to be on leave today..."
"General Pei is not on the list for the flower viewing banquet. I have confirmed this repeatedly. He cannot go today!"
Hong Gu smiled and said, "Even if the general is on leave, he will go to the training ground to practice martial arts. Miss, don't worry!"
"What about Shen Yuning..." Chu Ruyan was still a little worried, "If she goes, she will always be better than me!"
"Chen Yuning won't even receive an invitation!" Hong Gu patted her chest and said, "She and General Pei are the same type of people. They're so busy that they never leave their feet. How can they have time to delve into elegant things?"
Chu Ruyan then laughed out loud, her heart at ease.
"That's right, even if she goes, she may not be able to win me over!"
"Chen Yuning only knows how to wield swords and spears, and play with silver needles. How can she understand music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, singing, and dancing?"
He stretched out his hand, which was covered with perfume, and gently placed it on Hong Gu's wrist:
"Nurse, please follow me. It's getting late, and we can't keep His Royal Highness waiting!"
——The East Garden of Wu’an Marquis’ Mansion, Pei Yanzhou’s bedroom.
Today is a flower viewing banquet, and Pei Yanzhou just casually chose a black brocade robe to wear.
He had already packed everything, but when it came time to leave, he thought about it for a long time and was reluctant to leave.
Firstly, he didn't like such lively occasions; secondly, he was very nervous and always felt that something bad was going to happen.
Pei Yanzhou didn't understand. His cousin used to hate crowds, but recently he always held banquets.
He had heard rumors about his cousin and Chu Ruyan, but he felt that those gossiping were misjudging their identities. In his mind, Yan'er would never have anything to do with his cousin.
But what if those rumors are true?
Pei Yanzhou retracted his foot as he was about to step out of the door, "If I run into Ruyan at the flower viewing banquet, I really don't know how to respond..."
The woman he had pampered carefully for many years, obeying her in everything, and even breaking the engagement personally granted by the emperor for her...
Pei Yanzhou felt that he was unwilling to face that kind of scene.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
