Chapter 7 As she drew nearer, the crowd finally saw her clearly…
For half a month, Ling Zhenli diligently studied royal etiquette, pretending to be a well-behaved, sensible, gentle, and virtuous young lady in front of the Prime Minister and his wife.
When Ling Zhenli got up to do her hair in the morning, she was still half asleep, letting the maids dress her with her eyes closed.
Xue Run originally had three personal maids: Yingchun, Taoxia, and Tangqiu.
The three of them had grown up with Xue Yingyue since childhood and were extremely loyal. Xue Yingyue knew what kind of person her father was, and she also knew that after she left, her father would definitely say that she was dead in order to protect the glory of the Xue family, and then take in an adopted daughter to marry in her place.
Or simply find someone to replace her. Xue Yingyue specifically instructed that the next "Xue Yingyue" should be as loyal as she was to her.
If the Prime Minister is not prepared to tell the next person that she is still alive, then the three of them should not tell the next person either. She fears that if that person becomes Empress in the future and learns that she is still alive, she will worry that she will threaten her position and will find her and kill her to prevent future troubles.
So the three of them kept Xue Yingyue's secret of being alive, and apart from that, they treated Ling Zhenli extremely well.
After finishing her hair and makeup, she greeted the Prime Minister and his wife and then returned to her room to continue practicing etiquette.
When the Prime Minister's wife praised her for playing the pipa well yesterday, she lowered her eyes and smiled faintly, her fingertips digging into her palms.
Her mother taught her to play the pipa. Although she is now the daughter of the Prime Minister's wife, the Prime Minister's wife can hardly be considered her mother.
In the past two weeks, Xue Haoting had repeatedly entered and exited her boudoir and violated her. She had tried to subtly inquire with the Prime Minister's wife, but the disgust in the Prime Minister's wife's eyes and the hand that was shaken off when she begged told Ling Zhenli that the Prime Minister's wife probably already knew what Xue Haoting had done to her in her boudoir, but simply chose to ignore it.
And so, during the day, she practiced walking posture, moving with light, graceful steps, striving to keep her skirt from disturbing the dust.
Her tone of voice was sweet and clear, with a slight upward inflection at the end, carrying the unique pride of a noblewoman.
Even when dining, one must maintain an elegant demeanor, taking no more than three bites of food at a time and drinking soup without making a sound.
When the Prime Minister and his wife were satisfied, they would look at her with a smile, but through her face, they were looking at their runaway daughter, Xue Yingyue.
When night fell, Xue Haoting dismissed all the servants, pushed open the door and entered, and all the pretense of harmony during the day became a joke.
As always, he approached without lighting a lamp, relying only on the faint moonlight streaming through the window.
Ling Zhenli trembles and stiffens whenever she hears his voice.
Xue Haoting walked to the bedside, grabbed Ling Zhenli who was pretending to be asleep, and without any pity, pinched her chin with his icy fingers, forcing her to look up.
“Smile for me,” he whispered.
To prevent further abuse from him, Ling Zhenli had no choice but to smile, her dimples shallow and her eyes slightly drooping, mimicking Xue Yingyue's usual appearance as described by Xue Haoting.
Xue Haoting stared at her, his eyes deep and dark, before finally letting out a sneer: "It's been so long, and you still can't learn it."
As the bed curtains fell, he slowly and deliberately untied her clothes, as if he were dismantling something that already belonged to him. Ling Zhenli closed her eyes, counting the number of times she felt pain, over and over again.
Until he pressed himself against her again, his hot breath burning against her ear, repeating his humiliation: "A fake is always a fake, it can never compare to the real thing."
She dug her fingertips into the brocade quilt, forcing her tears back into her heart. In order to reduce the insults and abuse she suffered, she repeatedly agreed, but she didn't know what she had done to anger Xue Haoting, and he began to torment her fiercely again.
The rain pattered outside the window, like the tears flowing from Lingzhenli's heart. The long night stretched on, and she didn't know how she would get through it.
*
Rain dripped down the gray eaves, and Ling Zhenli had been kneeling on the stone slab outside Xue Wenmian's study for an hour.
The cold weather made it feel like the day her home was ransacked. Her knees were numb, and her thin clothes were soaked through by the splashing rain, but she dared not move an inch.
After another half incense stick's time, the authoritative voice finally came from the study, beckoning her to come in.
Ling Zhenli had been kneeling for too long, and it was raining and cold outside. She struggled to stand up, her legs numb and unresponsive.
She walked over tremblingly and pushed open the wooden door to the study.
The study was filled with the scent of sandalwood. Xue Wenmian stood by the window with his back to her, his shadowy figure making Ling Zhenli feel somewhat intimidated.
"Do you know why I punished you by making you kneel?" Xue Wenmian did not turn around.
Ling Zhenli lowered her head, her wet hair sticking to her pale cheeks: "I didn't get enough rest last night, so I was exhausted. That's why my walking posture kept slipping down this morning... I went to bed late last night because Young Master Che... talked to me about Sister Run for too long. I kept thinking about what kind of person Sister Run is and how I can learn well, which is why I couldn't fall asleep."
Xue Wenmian knew his son better than anyone else, and he could guess what Xue Haoting was doing at Ling Zhenli's place. However, Xue Haoting was his proudest son and the future head of the Xue family, so he couldn't afford any mistakes. Therefore, he made sure everyone kept quiet about the matter, including Ling Zhenli.
“Haoting’s absurdity has disturbed your rest, and I will discipline him.” Xue Wenmian suddenly turned around, his eyes sharp as knives. “But do you know that you will marry the Crown Prince in a month and a half? You cannot have any faults in your every move, otherwise, not only will you not be able to avenge your parents, but the entire Prime Minister’s mansion will also be ruined because of you.”
Ling Zhenli slowly raised her head and met those unfathomable eyes.
After leaving the study, she was placed in solitary confinement.
If you don't train well, you're not allowed to eat or drink.
Ling Zhenli couldn't help but wonder, was this being treated like this to a rich young lady or a prisoner? Was it only being treated this way to her, or had Xue Yingyue also been treated this way?
"That's how it was for all the young ladies. The Prime Minister is very strict. Not only were they confined, but they were also beaten."
"Yes, actually, Miss is very pitiful. There are only the three of us in the whole mansion who can talk to her. Master doesn't even allow the servants outside the house to see Miss."
"The young lady's weak health was probably caused by this kind of repression, which ultimately led to her death from depression."
Hearing the half-truth and half-lies, Ling Zhenli felt pity for Xue Yingyue.
Xue Yingyue lived in such a state of constant anxiety for sixteen years. Her pain and resentment vanished with her death.
At least she's still alive, and at least she still has a chance for revenge.
...
Everything has its advantages and disadvantages. Although studying was tough, Xue Haoting couldn't see her anymore, and Ling Zhenli no longer had to worry and sleep poorly every night.
When you sleep soundly, your learning efficiency will naturally be higher. In less than half a month, her manners and speech were impeccable.
When he greeted the Prime Minister and his wife at dawn, his very presence was so striking that anyone who saw him would praise him as exceptionally independent.
The Prime Minister's wife was very satisfied after seeing it and immediately decided to hold a banquet for Ling Zhenli. In April, the peonies in Chang'an were in full bloom. She invited noble ladies from prominent families in the capital to come to the Jinyun Garden of the Prime Minister's residence to admire the peonies. Ling Zhenli would also have the opportunity to make an appearance at the banquet and let the nobles of the capital get to know her as the future Crown Princess.
*
Before dawn, when Chang'an was still shrouded in morning mist, Ling Zhenli got up to dress and do her hair.
The flower-viewing banquet held at the Prime Minister's residence not only invited noble ladies from the capital, but also young men from various families. As requested by the Prime Minister's wife, Ling Zhenli, who was appearing today as Xue Run, had to dress in the most elegant and luxurious way possible in order to outshine all the other beauties.
Ling Zhenli knelt in front of the bronze mirror, watching the dressing nanny tie her black hair into a high bun and then put on headdresses.
The old woman opened the white jade box, took out the rouge inside, dipped her fingertip in it, and then blended it onto Lingzhen's pear-shaped lips, creating a color like peach blossoms in March.
"Miss is already beautiful, and with today's makeup, even the peonies at the banquet would pale in comparison to you."
"Our young lady is so beautiful, His Highness the Crown Prince will surely like you when he sees you."
"Glib-tongued".
Having been enslaved by Xue Haoting for so long, Ling Zhenli longed for her wedding day to arrive sooner. She wanted to marry the Crown Prince as soon as possible and escape the misery of the Prime Minister's mansion.
Listening to the maids' praise, Ling Zhenli looked at herself in the mirror, standing tall and graceful, with beautiful eyes and exquisite makeup.
There's no need to worry that the Crown Prince won't like her in the future.
Today, the gates of the Prime Minister's residence were opened early, and servants dressed in neat blue cloth robes respectfully greeted guests at the gate.
A pergola was erected in the center of the garden, with light gauze curtains hanging around it, which both blocked the wind and allowed people to enjoy the flowers.
Just after 9:00 AM, the distinguished guests began to arrive one after another.
The first to arrive was Lu Xin, the daughter of Minister Lu. She wore a light purple silk skirt and her accessories were mostly silver and jade, simple yet dignified.
Following them were the women from the Cui family, the maternal family of the Prime Minister's wife. Several young women came together and paid their respects to their aunt, Cui Yuerong.
...
There were many distinguished guests today, including Princess Xiao Yuzhen, daughter of Princess Wuyang, who has always disagreed with the Prime Minister. From the moment she stepped out of her sedan chair, her eyes were constantly searching for Xue Haoting, and she almost didn't see the other noble ladies bowing and greeting her.
Guided by the maids, everyone took their seats and exchanged pleasantries.
The laughter and chatter were not loud, but it enlivened the entire garden. Occasionally, a musician would play, and the music would be interspersed among the conversation, adding to the relaxed atmosphere.
The noble ladies gathered in twos and threes, admiring the flowers or chatting, their laughter ringing out like silver bells from time to time.
The young gentlemen, on the other hand, kept a proper distance, enjoying the flowers in the garden from a slightly further distance, occasionally glancing over in their direction.
The maids carried snacks back and forth, their movements light and silent.
Cui Yuerong sat in the main seat, smiling as she looked at the guests in the room.
"Today we're enjoying the flowers, so please don't stand on ceremony." She gestured, and the maids brought out the dishes.
Princess Yongtai, sitting in the chief seat for the women on the east side, barely ate any snacks, her mind focused entirely on finding Xue Haoting. However, she hadn't forgotten her mother's instructions to find out what kind of person the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's family was.
So she took the initiative to speak: "Greetings, Madam. I heard that Miss Xue will also be attending the banquet today. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of her beauty, but are you feeling unwell? Why haven't you appeared yet?"
Upon hearing this, the noble ladies present began to whisper among themselves. They had never seen this legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's family before and were all very curious. Moreover, this woman was the designated Crown Princess and would most likely become the future Empress. Who wouldn't want to catch a glimpse of the future Empress's beautiful face?
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. My daughter is feeling a little unwell today and will be a little late. Please understand." After saying this, Cui Yuerong gave a slight curtsy.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuzhen did not press the matter further and sipped the wine on the table.
When noble ladies from the capital gathered together, they inevitably talked about topics related to women's affairs, with the daughter of the Duke of Qi taking the lead.
"Will there be a chance to meet Young Master Xie today?"
"I wonder if Young Master Xie will come. I really want to exchange a few words with him."
"I heard that Young Master Xie prefers simplicity and elegance, so I specially wore light celadon with stone blue today."
Seeing everyone praising General Chen's stepson Xie Daojian, Xiao Yuzhen couldn't bear to let anyone overshadow Xue Haoting, so she couldn't help but retort: "Young Master Xie is indeed handsome, but in my opinion, Young Master Xue is the one with exceptional talent. I'd like to see him in person again."
"The last time I saw Young Master Xue was at the birthday banquet of the Dowager Lady of Pingchang..."
"Young Master Xue is a man of great talent and appearance. Whoever marries him will be truly blessed."
Hearing everyone talking about Xue Haoting, Xiao Yuzhen became extremely jealous and used the excuse of changing clothes to leave the table.
No sooner had Xiao Yuzhen left than Ling Zhenli arrived.
A commotion first broke out at the entrance of the garden, and then Ling Zhenli made her entrance, surrounded by a group of maids.
In an instant, the laughter and chatter in the garden came to an abrupt halt.
All eyes were drawn to the dawdling beauty, and even the maids walking among them stopped in their tracks.
Ling Zhenli wore a cloisonné long robe with wide sleeves, embroidered with gold thread cloud patterns and adorned with tiny pearls, which shimmered softly in the sunlight. Her orange-red bodice was adorned with pearl necklaces, making her skin appear even whiter than snow. Her gardenia-yellow skirt was embroidered with a hundred butterflies among flowers in silver thread. The butterflies on it swayed with her steps, as if they were alive and dancing.
This outfit features a color scheme that is neither overly vibrant nor lacking in elegance.
When she came closer, everyone could see her face clearly.
Her peach blossom eyes were slightly upturned, like spring water; her nose was high and straight but not sharp; her cheeks were lightly powdered; her lips were as red as cherries; and there was a hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth.
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