Chapter 33 033 Still Wanting More
Lin Wan glanced at the seemingly endless princess procession in the crowd, angrily tugging at the handkerchief in her hand, and whispered, "How do you know that the princess's return to the capital is definitely for the prince? Couldn't it be for something else?"
A passerby glanced at Lin Wan, looking her up and down, and laughed, "Miss, you're not from the capital, are you? How come you don't even know about this?"
“I know, I know,” another passerby quickly added. “Five years ago, on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the palace set up an ambush to catch a thief. The thief was very bold and actually hid in the princess’s palace, attempting to kidnap the princess and escape. Fortunately, the prince had made preparations in advance. Although he successfully caught the thief, he injured the princess.”
"You must be talking nonsense. How could we possibly know about things in the palace?"
The passerby said with certainty, "What I said is true. I heard that the thief who ran into the palace was the same thief who escaped from prison that year. There was supposed to be a Mid-Autumn Festival lantern banquet that day, but it was canceled because of this. I was looking forward to the Mid-Autumn Festival lantern banquet, and that's how I found out about this."
She added, "I wonder if the Mid-Autumn Festival lantern banquet will be held again this year. I heard that Princess Zhaoyi loved all kinds of lanterns and held a lantern banquet every year before the incident. I haven't seen it for many years."
Shi Liu, who was standing to the side, listened to the passersby's words and looked at Lin Wan's face with a serious expression. She said softly, "These are just hearsay and we can't be sure for a while. You shouldn't take them to heart, Miss."
The crowd was silent, with only the sound of the procession passing by.
"..."
After a while.
Under Shi Liu's expectant gaze, Lin Wan finally said slowly, "It's nothing."
This wasn't Lin Wan feigning or trying to cover it up; rather, so many years had passed. If there really was some ambiguous relationship back then, it should have faded considerably over time.
She is indeed a good judge of character. She wouldn't have dared to say it before, but after spending time with the prince several times recently, she is certain that the way he looks at her is not innocent.
But then a princess suddenly appeared who had a entanglement with him, and she couldn't help but feel like she had been fooled and played. At this moment, she couldn't stay a moment longer. If he really was hiding his feelings for the princess and deceiving her, then she couldn't let him off so easily.
Lin Wan loosened the handkerchief she was holding tightly. Through the soft white gauze, she recalled what happened last night. When she touched and teased him, the sensations she felt were undeniable. If he had truly been playing her, it wouldn't have been as superficial as last night!
As the princess's procession finally reached its end, the armored soldiers blocking the road put away their weapons and quickly caught up with the procession. The crowd of onlookers also loosened up and gradually moved away, and the market returned to its lively state, with vendors' shouts rising and falling. However, after this incident, Lin Wan lost her interest in shopping and decided to return home.
The Su residence was quiet. Apart from her maternal grandmother who was resting at the moment, no one else was in the residence. Even on the path she walked to the courtyard, she rarely encountered any maids or servants. It was rare to see such peace and quiet.
As they approached the moon gate of the covered walkway, they suddenly heard faint, hushed voices.
Outside the moon gate was a fishpond and artificial hill. Two maids stood by the fishpond, gently sprinkling fish food into it, which amused the fish to leap up and grab the food.
One of the slightly taller men looked displeased and said in a low, sarcastic voice, "It's no wonder that young lady is so eager to cause trouble, going out to join in the fun at a time like this."
"Judging from her smug look, she seems unaware of this matter."
"It's good that you don't know. Look at Miss Biao, she's only been in the capital for a short time, but she's already frequently provoking the young master. Fortunately, the young master is a gentleman and no other unpleasant rumors have spread. Otherwise, Princess Zhaoyi would probably have sent someone to punish her before she even returned to the capital. Even the person that Her Highness the Princess has taken a liking to is coveted."
The maids, unaware of Lin Wan's presence, continued their gossip: "But this young lady is truly beautiful. If I were a man, I would also be attracted to her. It's just that her behavior is too intriguing. I've seen her get off the young master's carriage several times, without the slightest bit of modesty."
The wall of the moon gate couldn't stop the two maids from whispering, and their soft, mocking voices reached Lin Wan's ears. She glared at them angrily, but she suppressed her displeasure and didn't go forward to reprimand them. After all, this wasn't her home; she was just a cousin temporarily staying at the manor.
Lin Wan stood frozen for a moment, not wanting to listen anymore, and was about to turn around and walk back.
"Oh ho ho, you two are really lawless. How dare you speak so recklessly about Miss Biao. You have absolutely no manners. Even if Miss Biao is a guest, she is still a master you are supposed to serve. It is not your place to talk about her. Go find the steward and be punished. If I hear any more gossip, watch out for your skins."
Immediately afterwards, two pale-faced maids emerged from the moon gate and immediately spotted Lin Wan, who had been standing there for quite some time.
The two maids were startled and stopped in their tracks, then gave a sheepish chuckle and said, "Greetings, Miss."
"..."
Su Furong and Meng Shi had just returned from the banquet. Su Furong had intended to look for Lin Wan in the courtyard, but she found no one there. Instead, she overheard the two maids talking about Lin Wan behind her back. To her surprise, Lin Wan was standing right there and knew everything.
Lin Wan suppressed her displeasure, put on a smile, walked past the two maids, and slowly walked to her side, saying, "So you're back. Grandmother was saying that I should go and find you to play. If I had known you were back so early, I wouldn't have gone out to join the fun."
Su Furong watched the two maids hurry away, then asked in surprise, "You went to the street?"
"Yes, the streets are really lively today, there are too many people and it's too crowded."
Su Furong observed her expression, trying to detect any displeasure, and hesitantly asked, "...Is this Princess Zhaoyi's entourage? I heard they just returned to the capital today."
Lin Wan didn't really want to talk about what she saw on the street anymore. She just glanced at her and nodded in response.
“Actually, I only learned that the princess was returning to the capital today when I went to the banquet with my mother,” Su Furong explained. “But it’s just returning to the capital. Besides, given that the young master is such an ethereal person, there are quite a few people in the capital who secretly admire him, but none of them have caused as much of a stir as Princess Zhaoyi did back then. Even if she is a princess, so what? If the young master doesn’t like her, no one can force him…”
Su Furong's reassuring expression froze on her face. Sunlight streamed in, highlighting her graceful figure and radiant beauty. She stopped speaking, suddenly realizing that her words of comfort might be useless.
Indeed, the Crown Prince, always aloof and distant, had never been able to get close to even the most noble princess in the capital. Yet Lin Wan had repeatedly broken through his boundaries. Perhaps…
“Although some things at home might hold you back,” Su Furong said with a smile as she stepped forward, hooking her arm around Lin Wan’s, her eyes crinkling with laughter, “I suddenly feel that if you can get what you want, it’s not impossible.”
Lin Wan stared at her in disbelief, surprised by her change. It seemed that ever since returning from Princess Li's residence, she no longer disliked her getting close to the young master as before, and even seemed to have a hidden intention to help.
It wasn't until nightfall, during dinner at the Su residence, that things changed.
When Su Shaohua and Su Xuanhuai returned home together from the palace, Madam Meng teased, "You two have served in the same court for many years, and this is the only time you've returned home together. What good news is there today, sir? You look so happy."
The steward led the maids and servants to carefully place the fragrant dishes, cups, chopsticks and wine vessels on the large round pear blossom dining table. In the blink of an eye, the table was filled with delicious dishes and delicacies.
While keeping an eye on the dining table, Madam Meng gestured to the maid to hand the two women handkerchiefs for wiping their faces.
After wiping the towel onto the maid's tray, Su Shaohua picked up the wine bowl on the table, took a small sip, and said slowly, "There is good news. The Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, which has been postponed for many years, will be held again."
Lin Wan usually came to dine with them. When she heard this, her chopsticks trembled slightly, and the food on them slipped into her bowl. Fortunately, no one at the table noticed.
Meng asked in surprise, "Really?"
Su Shaohua: "The Emperor is also holding a banquet in the palace, inviting us officials from the capital to bring our female family members to the banquet."
"It is said that the Emperor understands that Princess Zhaoyi has been away from the capital for many years and does not know many of the female relatives and friends in the capital, so he intends to take this banquet as an opportunity to get to know them."
Su Shaohua placed the empty wine bowl he had just finished drinking back on the table and then asked, "Lin Wan, would you like to come along? It's rare for the palace to host a banquet; we don't usually have the chance. Do you want to go?"
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Before Lin Wan could speak, Su Furong beside her asked with a smile, "Father, should I go too?"
"Of course."
Even so, Su Shaohua glanced at the well-behaved and quiet Lin Wan and recalled that before leaving the palace, a eunuch from the princess's palace was waiting for him at the palace passageway, just to remind him that his daughter, Lin, should also go to the palace for the banquet.
Princess Zhaoyi, who had just returned to the capital, insisted that Lin Wan must enter the palace. Something was amiss, but though he harbored suspicions, he showed no outward sign. Looking at her with loving kindness, he patiently said, "If you don't want to..."
Lin Wan gently put down her bowl and chopsticks: "Uncle, how can we disappoint the Emperor's kindness with such a rare opportunity to attend the banquet in the palace? I'll go too."
Why not go? She wants to see what the legendary Princess Zhaoyi is like.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the capital, deep within the heavily guarded imperial palace.
In the most magnificent princess's palace, the bright candlelight illuminated the room as if it were daytime.
A woman in splendid attire leaned against a soft cushion, letting a palace maid remove the kingfisher feather hair ornaments from her head. She opened her languid eyes, as if just waking from a good sleep, and coldly asked, "Have you delivered the message?"
A eunuch knelt down in the hall, respectfully saying, "Your Highness, this servant has already instructed Lord Su, and there will be no mistakes."
Princess Zhaoyi rose from the cushions of the dressing stool, looked at the kneeling eunuch who was answering her question, nodded to the maid beside her, and said, "Not bad, reward him."
-
The Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was held in the Imperial Garden of the Imperial Palace.
The palace was naturally more bustling than ever before, with carriages from various prefectures in the capital arriving one after another, some exquisite and luxurious, others simple and elegant, all showcasing the status and position of the people inside.
Guided by guards, the carriages of the group arrived at Donghua Gate. Accompanied by eunuchs, the women from various households dismounted and gracefully walked towards the banquet area in the Imperial Garden.
Lin Wan entered the palace for the first time, following closely behind Meng Shi and Su Furong as they walked slowly with the others. Golden sunlight shone down, casting a faint halo on the glazed tiles of the palace walls. They walked lightly on the smooth bluestone path, following the winding corridors, and soon arrived at the banquet in the Imperial Garden.
The Imperial Garden was lush with green trees and blooming flowers. Ancient trees reached for the sky in the depths of the courtyard, and various exquisite and unique lanterns were hung along the winding corridors on both sides, which added a touch of elegance to the garden.
After arriving at the Imperial Garden, Meng was invited away by a familiar lady, leaving Su Furong and Lin Wan standing among the exotic flowers and plants.
"I didn't expect you to be invited to the banquet too?" Before she could even admire the beautiful scenery in the garden, Princess Li walked over from not far away. Her face was covered with exquisite makeup, and she looked elegant and refined. However, when she saw Lin Wan, her expression was not good, and she even showed some undisguised disgust.
The commotion was quite loud, and the nearby women heard it too. They all turned to look at her with mixed expressions. Many of them recognized Lin Wan as the Miss Lin from the Su family, who was rumored to be having an affair with the prince in the capital. They all whispered among themselves.
She still harbored resentment over being pulled into the water by Lin Wan, and looked her up and down with disdain, saying, "You don't think that just because you came here from the Su family, you can dress up so seductively to curry favor with the young master, do you?"
Before Lin Wan could speak, Su Furong retorted angrily, "Princess Li, can you please stop being so unreasonable and domineering? Besides, this is the Imperial Garden of the capital, not your backyard. It's none of your business if we come here."
"Hmph, that's none of my business," Princess Li said fiercely, glancing into the distance before stepping forward and lowering her voice, "However, now that someone who can control this has arrived, if I can't have it, neither can you!"
Suddenly, a commotion arose ahead, and a eunuch shouted in a shrill voice, "Her Majesty the Empress has arrived—Princess Zhaoyi has arrived—"
The women in the garden bowed and paid their respects. Some of them would secretly look up after they finished bowing. It is no exaggeration to say that they were all captivated by the Empress's majesty and the beauty of Princess Zhaoyi.
Lin Wan did not. From the moment she greeted the emperor until she stood up, she did not look up or steal a glance, for palace etiquette must not be disregarded.
However, everyone's attention turned to Lin Wan as the dignitary moved on.
"I heard that a beautiful young lady has come to Lord Su's house. Is that you?"
The scene quieted down considerably as soon as the Empress arrived, exuding an air of imperial authority. Lin Wan lowered her eyes, not daring to look directly at her, and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, may you be blessed with good health. I am concerned about my elderly grandmother and have come to the capital to trouble my uncle."
"It is very good that you have such filial piety. Raise your head and let me see you."
Lin Wan was standing in an inconspicuous position, but at this moment she was the focus of everyone's attention, and they had to look up at the person in front of them.
But to others, her bright eyes, with their flowing light like spring water just beginning to melt, and the slight upturn at the corners of her eyes, exuded a captivating charm that bewitched people.
Not far away, a woman in splendid attire reflected that alluring face in her eyes. Her brows furrowed slightly, a swift flash of ruthless killing intent crossing her face. Then, she raised her eyes with a half-smile...
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