Inside the main courtyard.
As the Fujin listened to Lingxiu's report, she trimmed the holly bushes in her hands. Since the two new people arrived, she hadn't felt any sadness; on the contrary, she was filled with anticipation. Judging from the Fourth Prince's attention to Lady Nian, it seemed that this Lady Nian might very well steal away Niohuru's favor. How could she not be happy about this?
"You said Lady Nian brought four maids and six large trunks?" The Fujin couldn't help but ask in surprise when she heard this.
"Yes, as soon as Lady Nian entered the room, she changed the names of Jinzhi and that little servant girl, and ordered them to serve outside. Mistress, this Lady Nian seems to be quite formidable," Lingxiu said. It turned out that one of the two maids assigned to Lady Nian was Jinzhi, the maid who had served Yan Yu and ultimately betrayed her. This time, the Fujin (Lady Nian's wife) deliberately found a reason to put this maid back into Lady Nian's room.
"Powerful? Powerful is good, it's perfect for competing with Niu Shi. If it's a spineless coward, I won't even like it. What about Yehe Shi?" The princess thought to herself that Nian Shi was only born into the Han Banner Army, and no matter how much favor she received, she couldn't be favored to the extreme.
"Princess Ye is quite amiable. Tao Hua said she even let them bring in two maids," Ling Xiu said. This time, the Fujin (principal wife) had put in a lot of effort. She had won over Jinzhi (now called Hongling) from the Nian family and Tao Hua from the Yehe family.
"Come over later and observe them first. Have the rewards for the two of them been prepared?" The princess put down the silver scissors in her hand.
“Everything is ready, Master, please rest assured. For Princess Nian, there are five bolts of Shu satin and five bolts of Suzhou satin, as well as a pair of jadeite-inlaid gold bracelets. For Princess Ye, there are five bolts of Shu satin and five bolts of Suzhou satin, as well as a pair of white jade-inlaid gold bracelets,” Lingxiu said.
"Yes, go and check how the banquet preparations are going. There can't be the slightest mistake. It's a joyous occasion that the Prince has taken in two such beauties," the Princess said, touching the tortoiseshell and gemstone-inlaid nail guards she wore.
An hour later, the Fujin sent someone to invite the Fourth Prince.
The Song family, the Wu family, and the Geng family all arrived one after another, but the two new princesses have not yet arrived.
"Greetings to the Princess Consort!" the three men said, bowing to her.
"My sisters, please rise. Today is a special day for others. We are all the same, so please sit down." The Fujin changed her clothes. Although it wasn't her special day, she still wore a bright red qipao embroidered with peonies in gold thread, and a complete set of gilded red coral hairpins on her head. She looked elegant and noble, with the full air of a primary Fujin.
"Thank you, Madam!" Everyone stood up and sat down as was their custom.
Song was still dressed in a light blue cheongsam, her hair styled in a simple soft bun, adorned with a gold hairpin with three violet flowers and a few jade beads, a simple and elegant look, typical of a leisurely woman.
Wu wore a royal blue qipao embroidered with white hydrangea flowers, which was completely different from her usual preference for wearing rose red. She also wore gold hairpins and red carnelian pearl flowers, which were appropriate for a princess, and she looked quite dignified and suitable.
Lady Geng wore a moon-white qipao embroidered with plum blossoms, and her headdress was more elaborate than usual. It is said that the last time she specially sent her father, Geng Dezhong, to visit her at the mansion, the Fourth Prince also bestowed many gifts upon Lady Geng, which can be regarded as a gesture of goodwill towards Geng Dezhong.
"I wonder what the two new princesses are like, and whether they are easy to get along with. It's a pity that the concubine is not here today, so we are missing one person." Seeing that everyone was silent for a moment, Madam Song spoke up.
Upon hearing this, the Fujin frowned slightly and glanced at Song several times, probably harboring resentment towards her.
Madam Song knew that the Fujin (principal wife) had long considered her a thorn in her side, but she couldn't find any fault to use against her. In addition, she could see that the master was neglecting the main wife, so she wouldn't do anything for the time being.
Just then, a greeting sounded from outside; Yehe Clan had arrived.
Everyone turned their heads to look at the doorway, and they heard the sound of a flowerpot bottom hitting the ground.
A beautiful young woman in a light blue cheongsam appeared at the door. She wore several white jade hairpins covered with gold, as well as a few gold pearl flowers. She also wore a set of white magnolia earrings. The outfit was elegant and refined, complementing her blue attire.
The princess glanced at Yehe Shi a few times, and saw her walking towards her with incredibly elegant steps.
Yehe raised the handkerchief in her hand and bowed properly, saying, "This concubine greets the Fujin and all the elder sisters."
The princess consort concealed the discomfort in her eyes and smiled, "Sister Ye, please get up. You are the bride today. Come, sit here with me."
When Lady Yehe saw that the Fujin (principal wife) had offered her a seat, she said somewhat embarrassedly, "I have just arrived, how can I sit in the head seat? It's fine to sit here."
When Madam Song saw that the Fujin (wife of the princess) was deliberately trying to make Yehe sit in the first seat on the left that originally belonged to Lanqin, her heart tightened. But when Yehe refused, she immediately felt more favorably toward Yehe.
The princess consort was surprised that Yehe Shi would disrespect her in front of everyone on their first meeting. However, she naturally wouldn't reveal her true feelings over such a small matter, so she quickly smiled and said, "Sister Ye is a very polite person, and we will definitely get along well in the future."
Just then, the sound of something hitting the bottom of a flowerpot rang out again, and everyone knew it must be Lady Nian arriving. The Fujin, in particular, sat upright, looking towards the doorway.
A figure in a light pink dress immediately caught the eye; it was Nian Shilan. Her hair was styled in a soft, updo, adorned with a pink pearl headdress that complemented her dress. Her slender shoulders and waist were delicate, and every movement she made was incredibly graceful and alluring—a sight that would captivate any woman, and would likely be irresistible to any man. Her features were striking: delicate, arched eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, a high, elegant nose, and a small, cherry-like mouth. Her face was as white as snow; she was truly a beauty that could topple kingdoms and cities.
Upon seeing Nian Shi, the princesses all showed varying degrees of surprise, both in their hearts and on their faces, each with their own mixed feelings. Looking at Nian Shilan's stunning beauty, it seemed the inner quarters would soon be hers to rule.
Looking at such a bright and beautiful person, even this talented woman who always prided herself on being noble and dignified couldn't help but nervously twist the handkerchief in her hands.
Looking at this woman who was more charming and beautiful than herself, Wu Shi secretly lamented that she was no longer the most beautiful woman in the inner quarters.
Song and Geng were not as uneasy as the others, but they were also amazed by Nian Shilan's beauty and wondered: would the Fourth Prince favor her, and would this Nian Shi steal Lanqin's favor?
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