Chapter 9: Plum Blossom
Bai Qinghuan looked her up and down: "The Third Prince must like a sister like this."
A flash of pride flashed across Bai Qingyou's eyes. Everyone in the capital knew that the Third Prince liked her.
Bai Qinghuan, don't think you can compete with her just by changing your clothes.
The snow on the streets of the capital had been cleared and the carriages were moving smoothly.
Prince Yu's palace was near the imperial city, and the prime minister's residence was also owned by the powerful and not too far away, so it only took half an hour to get there.
When we arrived at the gate of Prince Yu's Palace, there was a lot of traffic and it was very lively. We had to queue up to enter the palace.
Yes, King Yu is the emperor's uncle. The Snow Viewing Banquet has always been a party for young men and women to meet each other, and the powerful and wealthy have been scrambling to get in.
By the time we entered the mansion, another half an hour had passed.
Bai Qinghuan was wearing warm clothes and holding a hand warmer, so she didn't feel very cold.
In order to maintain her image as the most talented woman, Bai Qingyou didn't like to wear bulky clothes, and her face turned pale due to the cold.
"Is my sister okay?"
Bai Qinghuan accidentally touched her clothes.
Bai Qingyou took a step back: "Don't bother, sister."
I saw a girl I knew and went in together.
Bai Qinghuan flicked her fingernails and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
A large area of red plum blossoms are blooming in the garden of Prince Yu's Mansion, truly blooming proudly in the snow.
This patch of plum blossoms is well-known in the capital. Even the plum forest in the Princess's Mansion is not as big as this.
It’s just that there are a few green plum trees in the Princess’s Mansion, so the two families can be said to be equally matched.
The pavilion was covered with bamboo curtains on all sides, and there was a charcoal fire inside. There were laughter and chatter, and the atmosphere was warm and cozy. The only things they talked about were jewelry and clothes.
After Bai Qinghuan stepped in, the conversation inside stopped and everyone looked her up and down.
Of course, there are more mocking looks.
"Some people knew that the Third Prince was coming, and they couldn't wait to follow him."
"How shameless! So what if they have an engagement? The Third Prince still disdains her."
"There will be a talent show later. Qingyou is the most talented woman in the capital and she will definitely win first place. Some people will be embarrassed later. Don't say you are Qingyou's sister."
"Idiot, waste."
The only thing left was to smear these four words on her face.
Some of these people came to vent their anger on Bai Qingyou, while others were jealous of her engagement with the Third Prince. Now that there were no elders present, they spoke rudely.
Bai Qinghuan didn't want to argue with them.
How can a human being be as narrow-minded as a mad dog? It's just a waste of saliva.
"Let's all be more polite."
"Qinghuan, come and sit here."
Bai Qinghuan looked carefully and recognized that this was the eldest princess's youngest daughter, Princess Changle.
"Meet the princess."
"No need to be polite, please take a seat."
Since the princess had spoken, no one else dared to say anything.
Bai Qingyou twisted her handkerchief. Damn it, when did Bai Qinghuan get close to Princess Changle?
You have to know that Princess Changle is a treasure held in the palms of the hands of the Queen Mother, the Emperor, the Regent and the Princess.
Just one word from her can change the emperor's mind.
Just as she was about to say something provocative, a maid came in and said, "Princess, ladies, the banquet is about to begin."
Princess Changle stood up and pulled Bai Qinghuan: "Let's go."
The other ladies followed.
The snow-viewing banquet was naturally not held outside in the cold, but was held inside the palace.
The boys and girls sat down according to their fathers' official positions. Bai Qinghuan's father was the prime minister, so apart from the royal relatives, she sat at the front.
Of course, I also sat with Bai Qingyou.
Princess Yu came with the eldest princess and sat at the top. Princess Yu was already sixty years old, but she had taken good care of herself and looked almost fifty years old.
The eldest princess was sitting at the bottom. As soon as she sat down, she glanced at Bai Qinghuan with surprise in her eyes. She thought, this girl is so pretty. No wonder Chi Ming looked at her twice more.
Among the girls in the room, she was the most eye-catching one as she sat still.
But didn't he promise to come? Why haven't you come yet?
You're not going to regret it, are you?
Not only the eldest princess, but also the third prince and other young masters were looking at Bai Qinghuan.
She has a fair complexion and a naturally charming face.
You wouldn't say it's gaudy, but that's not the case. She exudes confidence and elegance from the inside out, and every move she makes is intoxicating.
Everyone couldn't help but wonder: Is this the same useless idiot from before?
The third prince's heart suddenly moved. She didn't look that bad.
Bai Qinghuan was not afraid of other people's eyes. She just sat there by herself, very calm.
Princess Yu was in a good mood. Seeing the young people in the room was like seeing herself back then: "The red plum blossoms dyed red by the snow are so beautiful. I invite you all to enjoy them together."
"Thank you, Princess."
"Don't be shy, these tangerines were sent here from the south at full speed, come and have a taste."
Tangerines are tributes, and for the rich and powerful to get a few of them is already a gift from the emperor.
Prince Yu’s palace was actually used to entertain guests, which shows that there were a lot of tangerines.
If one wanted to get extra tribute, one had to spend manpower and resources to transport it from the south. This shows the wealth of Prince Yu's palace.
Bai Qinghuan peeled one and it tasted sweet and sour. If you tasted it carefully, you would find that the sour taste was stronger, far inferior to the varieties cultivated in her previous life.
But in ancient times, it was considered top-grade.
Before she put the second petal into her mouth, she heard someone stand up and suggest, "Princess, I would like to play a song to entertain you."
"Okay, I will wait and see. You all should also get ready. Whoever wins the first prize today will get my colorful butterfly glass hairpin as the prize."
The eldest princess next to her also took out a pair of mutton-fat white jade bracelets as a prize.
The girl who was going to play the piano was Chen Qingrui, the daughter of the Minister of Personnel. She sat in front of the piano table and plucked the strings with her slender hands.
The melodious sound of the piano rang out, and Bai Qinghuan was also intoxicated by it. What a talented girl! She was only in her teens, but she could play so well.
After the song was over, Chen Qingrui knelt down and bowed: "I have performed my humble piano piece to inspire others. Please give me your guidance."
Princess Yu came back to her senses from the sound of the zither:
"If this is considered bad, then there is no good piano. Qingrui is being modest."
"Thank you for the compliment, Princess. Qingrui is unworthy of it."
She said that she was unworthy of the honor, but her eyes were secretly looking at the Third Prince. One could see through the girl's thoughts at a glance.
The Third Prince was naturally generous with his smile, and the Minister of Personnel was also someone he wanted to win over.
He doesn't mind giving her the position of concubine.
The other girls who wanted to perform the piano glared at Chen Qingrui resentfully. Their music was slightly inferior, but what could they do?
My mind was racing, wondering how I could avoid embarrassing myself.
Some of the smarter ones took notice of Bai Qinghuan.
If this idiot shows up, even if they can't take the lead, at least they'll have someone to serve as a foil and it won't be shameful.
After several performances, it was Bai Qingyou's turn.
"I am not a talented person, but I would like to recite a poem."
There are a few plum blossoms in the corner, blooming alone in the cold.
I know it is not snow from afar because of the faint fragrance.
"good!"
"As expected, you are the most talented woman in the capital!"
"The plum blossom blooms alone in the cold, doesn't it describe the purity of the plum blossom?"
"The subtle fragrance of plum blossoms, the personification of plum blossoms, the fact that they bloom alone in the cold weather, their character is noble, and I, Wu, admire them!"
The gentlemen sitting on the left clapped and cheered.
A look of pride flashed across Bai Qingyou's face. This poem was absolutely overwhelming.
She secretly glanced at the Third Prince, whose face was full of approval.
Bai Qingyou was very happy because the first place was hers.
You see, only a remarkable woman like her is worthy of the Third Prince.
He even looked at Bai Qinghuan in a demonstrative manner.
Of course Bai Qinghuan knew what she was going to say, so he took the initiative.
"Sister, this poem is so good, it's unprecedented. Wouldn't it be a pity if I didn't write it down?"
She turned and bowed to Princess Yu: "Please allow me to write it down so that we can all enjoy it together."
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