“Indeed, Pei Yanzhi and I were classmates and are now colleagues in charge of commercial taxes. However, I entered officialdom six years earlier than him, which is a full six years. How come he climbed to the same position as me after only two or three months in office?”
"We're both geniuses. I could accept being overshadowed by him back in the Imperial Academy, but now, am I really inferior to him in officialdom? I refuse to accept this!"
Hearing these words, Li Yuyan still kept a cold face.
"Ha, you know perfectly well that I'm in love with him, aren't you afraid I'll turn around and sell you out?"
As she spoke, the glint in Li Yuyan's eyes intensified. "I could even kill you right now to prevent future troubles."
"That's absolutely unacceptable."
Yao Zhijie was so frightened that he quickly begged for mercy, "Princess, I am indeed not convinced by Pei Yanzhi, but I am not stupid. If I can't beat him, I will join him."
“Once Jiang Shuwan and Brother Pei divorce, the princess can achieve a perfect marriage with Brother Pei, a union that will be admired by all. At that time, I will have done a good job for the princess, so how could the princess not benefit from my actions?”
"So that's what you were planning. No wonder you were willing to help me." Li Yuyan sneered, pointing outside. "Get lost! This is none of your business!"
"Yes, Your Majesty, I shall take my leave."
Yao Zhijie quickly left, rubbing his arms in the cold as he mentally complained, "All you ever talk about is fighting and killing. No one would dare marry you. And you're always lusting after Pei Yanzhi. If you and Pei Yanzhi were to get together, it would rain blood from the sky."
After saying that, she happily ran out and saw her own warm carriage nearby. She quickly jogged over to it.
Suddenly, his foot slipped, and he fell hard on his bottom onto the ground, which was as cold as iron. With a loud "bang," he was in so much pain that tears streamed down his face. His buttocks felt as if they had been split into four pieces by the hard ground, and half of his body was numb.
"Oh my god—it hurts so much—"
Yao Zhijie screamed in pain.
His servant rushed to help him up, and seeing how difficult it was for him to get up, he asked him questions as he helped him.
"Young Master, you're so badly injured, are you still going to attend the plum blossom viewing banquet tomorrow?"
"Of course I'm participating! It was my scheme... Ouch, my butt..."
With the help of a servant, Yao Zhijie limped onto the carriage.
On the other side, the Earl's Mansion.
Jiang Yao was overjoyed when she saw the invitation sent by Princess Nan'an.
Her maid was not so happy. "Miss, although the banquet of Princess Nan'an is grand and has invited not only noble ladies from all over the capital, but also scions of prominent families, you know the situation of our Earl's Mansion. The Earl's wife has been locked at home recently and dares not go out to socialize. If we go to Princess Nan'an's plum blossom viewing banquet, we are afraid that people will laugh at us."
“What do you know? The more they look down on me, the more I will strive to prove myself. Besides, I’ve already come up with a way to make a name for myself.”
As Jiang Yao spoke, she looked outside.
Princess Nan'an's original snow-viewing banquet has now been changed to a plum blossom viewing banquet, and there are also several plum trees outside her courtyard.
For so many years she hadn't thought of it, but now, when she thought about it, the poem "Several plum blossoms in the corner of the wall" immediately came to mind.
She truly is the chosen one.
At the critical moment, her lost memories saved her.
"This time, I will once again make a name for myself in Dajing. What kind of trash is Liu Yunyan, a mere chicken or a dog? She dares to compare herself to me. It's best if she doesn't come. If she dares to come, I will make her look like she's been shoved into the mud."
As she spoke, Jiang Yao's gaze became increasingly resolute.
They looked like they were about to go to war.
After all, the Earl's family has recently had a bad reputation, and she has to salvage the situation for them.
Furthermore, ever since Liu Yunyan returned, many people have compared her to Liu Yunyan, saying that both are the most talented women in the capital, and that although her previous poem "Spring Dawn" made her famous.
But her subsequent works were mediocre, and people said she got lucky or that she had someone else write for her. In any case, they all smeared her, saying she was not as good as Liu Yunyan.
"Now is the time for me to get my revenge!"
Looking at the few meager plum blossoms in her yard, Jiang Yao revealed a determined expression.
The next day, she dressed up and left the Marquis's residence, but she did not go alone; instead, she waited for Jiang Shuwan to go with her.
When Jiang Shuwan saw Jiang Yao, she was quite surprised. She hadn't seen Jiang Yao so spirited and imposing in a long time. She was much more energetic than when she was arguing with Pei Lingyu every day.
Looking at Liu Yunyan next to her, she had been feigning illness, but now that she had received Li Yuyan's invitation, all her ailments had vanished. She wore a light blue silk dress, her face was thin, but her delicate features were still undeniable.
Her eyebrows were like distant mountains, and her eyes, like autumn water, were brimming with tears. She was indeed a beauty.
In addition, her lips were pale, her body was thin, and she was trembling slightly, like a petal about to wither in the cold wind, making people feel pity at first glance.
"Pah, what a pretentious charlatan!"
"You can't stand not pretending to be a green tea bitch for a day, huh!"
Suddenly, Jiang Yao's cursing voice came from the side. Jiang Shuwan looked over, but Jiang Yao had already turned her head away and acted as if nothing had happened, as if she wasn't the one who had just been cursing.
Pretending not to hear, Jiang Shuwan beckoned Jiang Yao to get into the carriage.
"I'm not going to ride in the same car as her," Jiang Yao said with a look of disgust.
She couldn't stand Liu Yunyan and didn't want to share a carriage with her, so they just stared at each other.
Pei Yanzhi was on leave today, and Princess Nan'an invited him to the party.
Logically, Jiang Shuwan and Pei Yanzhi should ride in one carriage, while Jiang Yao and Liu Yunyan should ride in the other. However, Jiang Yao's refusal has made the arrangement difficult.
Liu Yunyan's expression was also unpleasant. She glared at Jiang Yao: What did I do to offend you? Why are you targeting me at every turn...?
She stared at Jiang Yao with an unfriendly look, feeling that she was incompatible with the women of the Jiang family.
The next second, she became happy again, bowed gracefully to Jiang Shuwan, and spoke softly.
"Sister-in-law, perhaps Sister Jiang Yao is not familiar with me and is not used to riding in the same carriage with me. Why don't you come with us too?"
This means Jiang Shuwan won't be able to ride in the carriage with her cousin anymore.
Thinking about it, Liu Yunyan couldn't help but chuckle to herself.
Jiang Shuwan knew exactly what she was planning, and it wasn't that she couldn't grant her wish, since she didn't want Jiang Yao and Liu Yunyan to fight in the carriage.
So she got into the carriage, and the three of them rode together. The carriage in the Marquis's residence was spacious and not cramped at all.
Pei Yanzhi, however, was taken aback when he saw that Jiang Shuwan had gotten into the carriage without coming over.
A glint flashed in Yin Quan's eyes, and he deliberately asked, "Young Master, shall we call the young mistress over?"
"Too talkative."
Even after being scolded, Yin Quan chuckled and said, "I was just asking, why is Your Highness angry?"
He then jumped onto the carriage, becoming the coachman, and the carriage clattered forward.
It's the dead of winter, and the Lunar New Year is just half a month away.
During the season of heavy snowfall, the entire capital city seemed to be enveloped in a silvery-white world.
In the streets and alleys, the snow was piled up like mountains.
The bluestone path was already covered by heavy snow, leaving only shallow ruts.
Suddenly, Pei Yanzhi's voice came from behind.
"Is the fourth brother coming?"
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