Before long, dozens of boats finally arrived at the Lotus Pavilion.
With the help of their maids, the young ladies slowly disembarked from the boat and entered the lotus pavilion, where they chatted and laughed.
The Seventh Princess and Shen Jinshu also disembarked. As soon as they entered the Lotus Pavilion, they were surrounded by a group of noble ladies who showered them with respectful and flattering words, making the Seventh Princess very happy.
"Your Highness and Miss Shen have finally arrived! We were just talking about you. And here you are, just as we finished talking about you."
"Ever since I heard Miss Shen play the zither at the lakeside banquet, I have been hoping to witness it again. I wonder if I will have that honor today?"
Shen Jinshu smiled calmly, her every move exuding the grace of a well-bred lady. "Miss Ming is too kind. It is Jinshu's honor that her music has reached everyone's ears."
"Sister Jinshu is too modest. In my opinion, no one in the capital can compare with Sister Jinshu's zither skills." The Seventh Princess raised her head with pride. In her heart, Shen Jinshu would marry into the Li Prince's Mansion sooner or later and become her sister-in-law.
Therefore, Shen Jinshu naturally felt proud to have stood out at the lake banquet and received praise from everyone.
"I will do my best and will not disappoint the princess." Shen Jinshu nodded slightly, her gentle voice carrying a hint of compromise.
As soon as she finished speaking, Mingzhu, the daughter of the Minister of Revenue, smiled slyly and teased, "With the princess and Miss Shen getting along so well, I suppose His Highness Prince Li can rest assured."
"Of course." The Seventh Princess nodded seriously, not finding anything wrong with what she said, since she only recognized Shen Jinshu as her sister-in-law.
Upon hearing this, a blush suddenly crept onto Shen Jinshu's fair and delicate face, and her voice softened, "Please don't make fun of me."
Seeing this, what else could they not understand?
The relationship between Prince Li and Shen Jinshu can be described as a match made in heaven, with the goddess being devoted to the prince and the prince in love with her.
The few noble ladies who were still interested in Prince Li lowered their heads in disappointment. With Shen Jinshu around, they could forget about becoming Prince Li's consort.
They gave up on that idea and turned their attention to the scions of other prominent families.
Pei Qingyan, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and a favorite of His Majesty, is a good choice. He has taken this position at a young age and can be said to have a bright future.
More importantly, this Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was not only exceptionally talented and learned, but also impeccably handsome, dignified, and gentle.
Marrying such a gentle man would be wonderful.
Hearing that Lord Pei would also be attending the lakeside banquet today, Mingzhu lowered her head, glanced at her clothes, and smiled with satisfaction.
It's a pity that His Highness the Crown Prince has no interest in women, otherwise they would have definitely fought for him.
After a short while, the group found a new topic of conversation and started chatting and laughing.
Just then, a sharp-eyed noblewoman in the crowd spotted the boat slowly approaching them from the center of the lake.
"Oh, someone else is coming. I wonder which noble lady is on board?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a pair of slender, jade-like fingers reached out and gently lifted the curtain.
Song Zhiyu leisurely disembarked from the boat, ignoring the astonished expressions of the crowd, and walked straight into the lotus pavilion.
"Song Zhiyu? I didn't expect her to come to the lake banquet too?" Mingzhu looked puzzled. Although Song Zhiyu was the real daughter of the Marquis of Chengen, she grew up in the countryside and was uncouth. She had no desire to associate with such a person.
Shen Jinshu greeted Song Zhiyu with a gentle smile, appearing as if they were sisters. "Second sister has only recently returned to the manor and does not yet fully understand many things in the capital."
This lakeside banquet will also provide an opportunity for you to get to know the noble ladies of the capital; you'll inevitably have to interact with them in the future.
Song Zhiyu gave a forced smile, her words carrying a hidden meaning: "No need to trouble you, big sister. You should focus on preparing for your next performance and not get distracted."
Shen Jinshu wanted to show her sisterly affection, but she also needed to see if Shen Jinshu was willing.
"Alright, then I won't bother you any longer, Second Sister." Shen Jinshu's face stiffened. She hadn't expected Song Zhiyu to be so inconsiderate of the occasion and unwilling to put on any pretense.
But then she thought again that Song Zhiyu's unlikable personality was undoubtedly digging her own grave.
Perhaps she won't even need to lift a finger; Song Zhiyu will bring about his own demise.
"You're really asking for it." The Seventh Princess frowned, unable to bear seeing Shen Jinshu so humbly trying to please Song Zhiyu, yet she showed no appreciation whatsoever.
Jinshu's sister kindly wanted to help her integrate into the circle of noble ladies in the capital, so that her future path would be easier, but who would have thought that her good intentions would be so ingratitude.
The Seventh Princess was about to lash out, but then she remembered what she had to do next, so she had to suppress her resentment and sit back down.
The atmosphere froze for only a moment before it became lively again.
Song Zhiyu sat in the seat closest to the lake, her indifferent gaze fixed on the rippling surface of the lake, lost in thought.
Beneath the calm surface lies a turbulent undercurrent and countless conspiracies and schemes.
It's truly baffling that the Seventh Princess didn't retaliate against her or make things difficult for her today.
Song Zhiyu became wary and subconsciously squeezed the sachet tied to her waist.
*
In the bamboo pavilion on the other side.
Dozens of men dressed in brocade robes and wearing jade crowns were reciting poems, playing the zither and flute with great interest, enjoying themselves immensely.
"Your Highness's flute playing is becoming more and more beautiful; we are truly humbled by your skill." The man in black smiled obsequiously, his words full of respect and flattery.
"The young master is skilled in the xiao (vertical flute), and Miss Shen is skilled in the qin (zither). If I could hear them play together in harmony during my lifetime, I would die without regrets." The others were not to be outdone and chimed in with their compliments.
Only Shen Yanxi, standing in the crowd, looked impatient and disliked the Prince's heir.
A good-for-nothing spoiled brat with no talent or virtue dares to covet books!
As he was inwardly grumbling, he heard someone call his name.
"Young Master Shen, I've heard you have a younger sister. Since you're sisters, I wonder how her musical skills compare to Miss Shen's?"
The speaker had an unfriendly expression, and his words carried a hint of malice, making it hard for Shen Yanxi not to suspect that he was being targeted.
Seeing this, everyone's eyes turned to Shen Yanxi, all of them very curious.
They originally thought Song Zhiyu was just a crude and uncouth country girl with no remarkable skills.
But who would have thought that once he made a move, he would amaze everyone by saving three powerful and influential people and gaining their respect?
Shen Yanxi snapped out of his daze, his face displeased. In a moment of impulsiveness, he blurted out, "Song Zhiyu isn't even worthy of carrying Shu'er's shoes. Comparing the two of them is an insult to Shu'er."
"Click~"
The sound of a teacup shattering followed the last note of Shen Yanxi's voice, faint yet crisp.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Pei Qingyan, who was sitting quietly to one side, casually tossing away the broken teacup in his hand, taking the handkerchief handed to him by the servant, and slowly wiping it clean.
He had a smile on his lips and his face was as gentle as ever, yet it inexplicably sent chills down one's spine, as if one were being watched by a venomous snake.
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