Chapter 34 A Small Banquet for Noble Ladies, Princess Guangling
The Xiushui Lake is serene and elegant during the day, with lotus leaves in full bloom, their pink and white hues intermingling, and the fragrance of lotus blossoms spreading far and wide.
On the south side of the lake, there are two small pavilions connected by a wooden corridor, only a few dozen steps apart. In each pavilion, there are twenty brocade mats and tables, and on each table are two plates of pastries, a box of freshly cut fruit, and a cup of fruit juice.
Several brightly dressed young women were leaning against the pavilion railing in twos and threes, laughing and playing together. Huiyin and He Jiaying had just stepped into the pavilion when they were stopped by a familiar voice.
The two turned around and saw a figure emerge from the pavilion opposite. She was dressed in a deep crimson blouse with a light, thin white gauze overlay, adorned with gold and jade, exuding an air of wealth and nobility.
Liu Tong glanced at Huiyin and He Jiaying with disdain, her fingers, adorned with cinnabar, lightly stroking the South Sea pearl earrings on her earlobes, and said sarcastically, "I thought they were maids from some family who had wandered into this place by mistake. It turns out they are the impoverished family of the Pei family and their lowly concubines who cannot be brought to the table."
With her taking the lead, the other girls also gathered around Liu Tong, echoing her sentiments with their own words.
He Jiaying was quite angry. She had recently taken a liking to simple and comfortable outfits and disliked those complicated and fussy clothes. Huiyin was low-key and, due to her status, also disliked bright colors, so her attire was rather plain and elegant, naturally not as dazzling as Liu Tong's.
Just as she was about to step forward and argue, Huiyin stopped her in time, smiling and saying, "Lady Liu comes from a noble family; we can't compare to her."
Liu Tong looked smug. Being the daughter of the Liu family of Hedong was her proudest identity. Wherever she went, she was always treated with great respect and treated as the leader.
Seeing that she had shifted her attention, Huiyin pulled He Jiaying to sit down in a corner. Many of the girls here had brothers that Madam Pei was considering. She was here to look after He Jiaying on Madam Pei's orders, so she naturally couldn't let her have a conflict with Liu Tong.
He Jiaying sat down next to Huiyin angrily. She hated Liu Tong the most, and every time they met, she would be ridiculed.
Huiyin moved the plate of sliced fruit in front of her, subtly observing the women who were peeking at them. Madam Pei had sent He Jiaying to make an appearance, which must mean that the other party was also interested and had sent one of their maids to find out more.
Huiyin diverted He Jiaying's attention by pulling her aside to chat with the young woman in blue beside her, "Young lady, the carving technique on this sandalwood hairpin is exquisite. May I ask where you bought it?"
He Jiaying's attention was successfully diverted, and she huddled with the woman in blue next to her, whispering and discussing jewelry. Her anger from before vanished instantly.
The purpose of today's banquet was to get to know each other, and before long, the ladies in the two pavilions began to chat and move around.
Huiyin had no interest in any of that. Her task today was to help He Jiaying integrate quickly and keep an eye on her to prevent her from losing her composure. With nothing else to do, she leisurely leaned against the wooden corridor, closing her eyes to feel the tranquility in the wind.
However, someone was unwilling to let her go. The tinkling of her jade pendants grew louder and louder until they finally stopped in front of her desk.
Huiyin opened her eyes, and Liu Tong looked at her with a smug expression, his nostrils flaring upwards.
"Is there something you need, Miss Liu?"
Liu Tong still remembered the grudge of snatching the hairpin in the Linlang Pavilion. She crossed her arms, kicked Huiyin's leg, and said with full malice, "Song Huiyin, I heard you play the zither quite well. Why don't you play a tune for everyone to liven things up?"
He Jiaying noticed the commotion and was about to get up to help Huiyin out of the predicament, but Huiyin stopped her with a look and she obediently sat back down.
Huiyin knelt down and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Miss Liu, I haven't played for many days, and my skills are rusty. I'm afraid I'll disappoint you."
Liu Tong didn't care about anything. She kicked over the table in front of Huiyin and shouted, "What if I insist that you play?"
Huiyin stood up, patted the corner of her clothes that Liu Tong had kicked, and said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes: "Miss Liu, I'm sorry."
Since she had finished what Madam Pei had asked her to do, Huiyin didn't want to waste any more time here. She walked past Liu Tong and left the pavilion.
Liu Tong waved her hand, and two unfamiliar young women immediately stepped forward to block Huiyin's path, spreading their arms to prevent her from passing.
Huiyin frowned and looked back. Liu Tong walked slowly to the pavilion entrance, raised her eyebrows, and parted her red lips slightly: "If you don't talk, don't even think about leaving."
Liu Tong stepped forward and stood face to face with Huiyin. She stared at Huiyin's face, which was bare yet still captivating, and felt a pang of jealousy.
"What, you can't play without Wang Langjun?"
"So it was all for Wang Huan." Huiyin chuckled. Although she and Liu Tong had a grudge, it didn't warrant such a difficult situation from her. If Liu Tong was in love with Wang Huan, then everything would make sense.
Liu Tong heard Huiyin chuckle softly, and seeing the meaningful expression on her face, she was extremely annoyed. She was in love with Wang Huan and had even humbled herself to go to him, but Wang Huan had never given her a second glance!
Enraged, she raised her hand and swung it down.
"Smack—"
Huiyin was caught off guard by her sudden attack and took the hit squarely, leaving a red mark on her fair face.
He Jiaying could no longer sit still. She pushed Liu Tong aside, ran to Huiyin's side to support her, and shouted angrily at Liu Tong, "You've gone too far! How could you hit someone like that?"
Liu Tong said arrogantly, "She's just a lowly servant girl. I can hit her if I want. You don't even have the right to yell at me."
“You…” He Jiaying was furious and was about to step forward to argue.
Huiyin held her down and pulled her behind her. She walked forward expressionlessly, while Liu Tong stared at her left cheek with amusement.
“Princess Suiyang.” Huiyin looked past Liu Tong and looked behind her, speaking softly.
Liu Tong's eyes flashed, and she quickly turned around to look, but she didn't see a single person. She realized that she had been tricked by Huiyin, and angrily turned back to scold her.
She had just turned her head when a gust of wind blew towards her, and a crisp sound rang out.
"Smack—"
The surrounding crowd gasped in surprise, and He Jiaying was also stunned, not expecting Huiyin to act so swiftly.
Liu Tong covered her face and took two steps back in disbelief. "You dare hit me?"
Huiyin slowly took out a handkerchief to wipe her hands, glanced at her with her eyelids, and said casually, "I'll return what I just said to you."
She's just a lowly servant girl; I can hit her without a second thought.
Liu Tong's face was contorted with rage. She had never been hit before, let alone slapped in front of so many people.
"Song Huiyin!" Liu Tong gritted her teeth in hatred and raised her hand to strike back.
He Jiaying looked at Liu Tong's raised hand, steeled her heart, closed her eyes, and stepped forward to block it. The expected pain did not come; instead, she heard Liu Tong's furious cursing.
He Jiaying opened her eyes. Liu Tong's raised hand was firmly grasped by Huiyin. A gust of wind blew by, and Huiyin's hair fluttered in the wind, tickling her face and carrying a light fragrance.
Huiyin released Liu Tong's hand and took a step closer. "No matter what my status was before, now I am a member of the Pei family. If you want to bully me at will, you'll have to see if the Empress and the Pei family agree."
Liu Tong clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms. She stared at the face in front of her, wishing she could scratch it raw. He had taken her elder sister's place and shamelessly used the Pei family as a shield.
Seeing that she was intimidated, Huiyin pulled He Jiaying and turned to leave. Liu Tong had an impulsive personality, and if provoked, she might do something rash. She could threaten her with the Empress once, but she couldn't intimidate her a second time.
"Song Huiyin, you and your short-lived mother are both utterly detestable. You two are truly mother and daughter, both shameless enough to steal other women's husbands!"
Liu Tong's voice was shrill, and everyone present heard her words, whispering among themselves as they looked in the direction of the two.
Huiyin stopped, released He Jiaying's hand, turned around and stared at Liu Tong expressionlessly: "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll tear your mouth apart."
"I'm talking nonsense?" Liu Tong seemed to vomit, raising her voice, "Before your mother married your father, she shamelessly tried to climb the social ladder and seduce my father. My mother found out and gave her a severe beating. What? Didn't she tell you?"
"shut up!"
Huiyin would never allow anyone to insult her deceased parents. Her last bit of patience ran out, and she stepped forward to warn them in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Without the Liu family of Hedong, what are you? In your father's eyes, you and your elder sister are nothing more than pawns paving the way for the family."
Liu Tong squinted, displeased, and said, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"It has only been three months since Pei Yu was mistakenly reported dead, but your father was unwilling to wait even three months and married your elder sister off to the Dong family for a political alliance. Dong Wushang is frail and sickly, and the doctor predicted that she would not live past twenty. The Dong family of Qingzhou is a prominent family with strict etiquette. How could they allow a widow to remarry?"
“He knew this marriage was a trap, yet he still pushed your sister into it. If Pei Yu hadn’t returned and hadn’t become so powerful, do you think the Dong family of Qingzhou would have agreed to let your sister observe three years of mourning before returning home?”
“First it was your older sister, and next it will be you. Instead of getting entangled with irrelevant people here, you should go back and think about how to make your life more comfortable in the future.”
Liu Tong's face turned pale as she recalled many past events: her elder sister's tears before her marriage, her mother's helpless lament, and her father's cold and heartless face.
She covered her ears and screamed, "No way, you're lying to me!"
Huiyin was too lazy to explain further and coldly said, "Fool."
Liu Tong stood still, ignoring the commotion around her. She remembered that her mother had been looking at her with tears in her eyes lately. When she asked her mother about it, her mother just shook her head and said nothing.
Furthermore, her father and brother frequently took her to visit Lord Zhang's residence at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Were they trying to pair her up with Zhang Xun?
No, that's absolutely impossible! Zhang Xun is a womanizer, spending his days in brothels and nightclubs. How could she marry him! She has to go back and find out!
Liu Tong glared at Huiyin, then turned and ran away, lifting her skirt. Everyone stared at Liu Tong, bewildered. Just moments before she had been so arrogant, ready to reveal old secrets, and now she was gone in the blink of an eye.
Huiyin led He Jiaying forward, and just as they stepped off the wooden bridge, they bumped into Princess Guangling, who had arrived late.
She lowered her head and pulled He Jiaying to bow. If it weren't for Liu Tong delaying them, she would have left with He Jiaying long ago and wouldn't have run into this arrogant princess.
Princess Guangling bore a striking resemblance to Consort Zheng, especially their fox-like eyes; even the curves at the corners of their eyes were identical. Her gold dress embroidered with butterflies shimmered in the light, and she was followed by eight palace maids in green robes and four eunuchs.
Princess Guangling entered the pavilion, and everyone bowed and greeted her, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness Guangling."
Guangling glanced listlessly at the woman in the pavilion, then sat down with little interest. "Get up, everyone. Where's Liutong?"
A young woman stepped forward and said with a smile, "Your Highness, Miss Liu was angered and ran away just now."
"Who is it?" Princess Guangling asked, straightening up with interest.
The young woman pointed at Huiyin and said, "That's her, Song Huiyin."
Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, Huiyin led He Jiaying back into the pavilion, stopped in front of Princess Guangling, and respectfully said, "Your Highness, may you be well."
Liu Tong is a paper tiger, nothing to fear. Princess Guangling is different. Huiyin had dealt with her a few times before. She was truly ruthless and treated human life as nothing. Every year, several palace maids who had been tortured to death would be carried out of her palace.
Guangling propped his head up with one hand, grinning smugly, "How did you get out?"
Huiyin met her scrutinizing gaze and smiled, "Your Highness is kind-hearted and left a door open for me."
Guangling's smile faded, and his eyes turned fierce: "This is the first time someone has said I have a kind heart."
Those around them, unaware of the riddle the two were exchanging, gathered around upon hearing this, praising Princess Guangling for her kind heart and compassionate nature.
Taking the opportunity, Huiyin stepped back and looked up at He Jiaying, noticing that she kept her head down and her shoulders trembling. She took He Jiaying's slightly cool hand, touched her cheek, and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
He Jiaying's face was pale, and her hands and feet were trembling uncontrollably. She shook her head and hid behind Huiyin, saying, "I'm fine."
She dared not look up at Princess Guangling; the painful memories Princess Guangling had brought her still lingered in her body, making her tremble.
Huiyin noticed He Jiaying's unusual behavior and began to suspect something. The Pei and Zheng families were mortal enemies, and the Empress and Consort Zheng were vying for power in the palace. It wasn't surprising that Princess Guangling, as Consort Zheng's daughter, would be competing with He Jiaying.
Guangling was surrounded by a group of women, and their chattering made her irritable. It would have been fine if they had said other things, but their constant use of the word "kind-hearted" was a mockery of her.
"Shut up!" she slammed her hand on the table, her voice trembling with impatience. "If you make another sound, this princess will cut out your tongues!"
These were all young ladies raised in seclusion, and many of them, who were trying to curry favor with Princess Guangling for the first time, had never seen such a scene before. They were all too frightened to speak, and the pavilion fell silent instantly.
After Princess Guangling had some peace and quiet, she stood up with the help of the palace maids behind her, walked up to Huiyin, and stared at He Jiaying behind Huiyin with amusement, saying, "It's you. You actually dare to come up in front of me."
He Jiaying trembled all over, clutching Huiyin's clothes tightly with both hands, wishing she could bury her head in the ground.
Huiyin frowned. This was the first time she had seen He Jiaying so frightened. What had Princess Guangling done to her?
"Your Highness, your hairpin is askew."
Princess Guangling's attention was drawn back to Huiyin. She casually pulled the lifelike golden butterfly hairpin from her hair and handed it to the palace maid behind her, saying with a smile, "Let's have some fun. With this hairpin as the prize, whoever can get Song Huiyin's belt first will be rewarded with this hairpin by Your Highness, and I will also grant her a wish."
The breathing inside the pavilion paused for a moment, and everyone lowered their heads and remained silent, their belts loosened and their clothes disheveled. What if someone saw them?
Guangling turned to look at the noble ladies who looked frightened and said unhappily, "Those who don't make a move will be the next ones to be targeted!"
Of all the ladies present today, Liu Tong is the most distinguished. If she were still here, Guangling might be more wary of her.
She smiled at the noble ladies and began calling out names: "You, come over."
The noblewoman looked at Guangling's vicious smile and couldn't bring herself to refuse. Fearfully, she got up and walked towards Huiyin. With her taking the lead, the others also began to act under Guangling's coercion.
He Jiaying looked terrified and tugged at Huiyin's sleeve, "Go, go quickly."
Huiyin understood that Guangling had made everyone involved in the matter, so that even if the Empress He Pei's family wanted to investigate afterward, they would be powerless to do anything about it, given the large number of officials' families involved. They would have no choice but to swallow their anger.
As she watched the crowd gather, she protected He Jiaying and led her step by step out of the pavilion. The people behind them also surrounded them, trapping the two of them on the connecting wooden corridor.
Guangling stood in the pavilion, watching Huiyin with great interest, not missing a single expression on her face. What she liked most was the fear on people's faces, which excited her immensely.
He Jiaying broke down in tears: "I don't want to... I don't want to be stripped naked again. Save me, Huiyin, save me!"
Hearing her cries and pleas, Huiyin's anger reached its peak. She pursed her lips, turned around, and hugged He Jiaying in her arms, blocking her view.
Judging by the time, it should be time.
Just as the first person was about to touch Huiyin's belt, a majestic voice rang out: "Stop! How dare you act so presumptuously in the Ganquan Palace!"
A group of figures appeared on the shore of Xiushui Lake. The one in the lead was dressed in a pink and white flowing robe. She held a bunch of lotus buds in her arms and smiled sweetly, like a fairy from the lotus pond. The one who spoke was an old woman with a serious face beside her.
While others were unaware, Guangling recognized the old woman. She was the Empress's tutor, and after Princess Suiyang was born, the Empress assigned her to Suiyang to take care of her daily life.
Suiyang slowly stepped forward, holding the lotus flowers, and bowed to Guangling: "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Guangling smiled insincerely and said, "Your timing is perfect."
Suiyang picked up the lotus flower in his arms and lowered his head to fiddle with it: "I went to pick some lotus flowers, so I'm a little late, but it shouldn't be too late."
She walked onto the wooden corridor, and the others dispersed to pay their respects. Suiyang, with a smile on her face, called out to Huiyin, "Sister Huiyin, what were you all playing just now?"
The young woman closest to Huiyin was sweating profusely and knelt down, begging for mercy: "Your Highness Suiyang, spare my life, I..."
"Let's exchange a few words, Your Highness, please go into the pavilion first." Huiyin pulled He Jiaying aside.
The girl who had knelt down to beg for mercy was stunned, staring blankly at Huiyin. She hadn't expected Huiyin to speak up and help her out.
Suiyang nodded, stepped into the pavilion, and as she passed Huiyin, she noticed He Jiaying weeping behind her. She looked puzzled and asked, "Why are you crying? Who bullied you?"
He Jiaying refused to speak and hid behind Huiyin.
Huiyin spoke up for her: "She got wind in her eyes."
Suiyang wasn't completely clueless; she could tell that Guangling had been making things difficult for Huiyin and the other woman. Huiyin didn't want to say more, so she didn't ask.
She entered the pavilion and found Guangling staring at her with displeasure.
Sui Yang wasn't afraid of her. She picked a seat and sat down, then turned back in confusion to ask, "Aren't you coming in?"
Seeing that He Jiaying had composed herself, Huiyin led her into the pavilion to sit down. The others also sat according to the factions their fathers and brothers belonged to, with half sitting on the Suiyang side and half on the Guangling side, clearly divided.
The lotus appreciation banquet has only just officially begun.
After sitting down, Suiyang chatted with Huiyin and fiddled with the newly picked lotus flowers in her arms. She didn't like this kind of occasion. If Huiyin hadn't asked someone to pass on a message to her today, she would still be nestled in Qingliang Palace, playing with the sunflowers she had just acquired.
Guangling was displeased: "You've come but haven't said a word, what's the meaning of this?"
Sui Yang blinked. "Here, the Empress is the most powerful, so naturally the Empress speaks."
"What's so fun about just admiring the lotus flowers? Why not have a contest?" Guangling toyed with the wine cup in his hand, his meaning unclear.
"How about we split into two teams of three, best two out of three?"
Suiyang had no objection: "Okay."
Guangling clapped his hands with a smile, and two eunuchs carried two lacquer pots with bird and cloud patterns to the center of the pavilion. The palace maids behind Guangling stepped forward to pour wine.
On the lacquered wooden table, there were two rows of wine cups, ten on each side, with the aroma of wine lingering in the air.
Guangling rose and walked to the table, her long dress trailing on the ground. She picked up a cup of wine and said to Suiyang, "For this first round, it's a drinking contest. This princess will personally participate. Suiyang, would you like to join?"
Sui Yang shook her head; she didn't drink alcohol.
Guangling slowly finished a cup of wine, his narrow eyes squinting. "I've heard that Madam Pei is one of the best drinkers among the women. As her niece, He Jiaying, you're the one to drink."
He Jiaying clenched her fists and mustered her courage to stand up.
A hand pressed her down from behind, and He Jun stood up with a smile: "Your Highness, my father and brothers and I have followed General Pei in battle since childhood, and we enjoy drinking in the army. I dare to ask, let me play this round."
He Jiaying grabbed He Jun's hand, trying to stop her. He Jun's family were officials who were affiliated with the Pei family. She had met He Jun a few times and didn't want her to offend Guangling because of her.
He Jun shook her head slightly, signaling He Jiaying to relax. Her brother's life had been saved by the young general, and the whole family was deeply grateful for his kindness.
She was powerless to stop Princess Guangling from bullying Huiyin and He Jiaying earlier, but now that Guangling is clearly going to make things difficult for He Jiaying, she cannot stand idly by.
He Jun stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Guangling, "Your Highness Guangling, please go first."
Guangling squinted at the woman in front of her; she was someone she'd never seen before, yet she seemed unafraid of death. She wasn't interested in calling He Jiaying out, so she quickly finished her drink and returned to her seat.
He Jun had just picked up a cup of wine when she sensed something was wrong. The wine was spicy and had a strong, pungent smell, completely different from the wine in Princess Guangling's cup earlier.
If the wine in Princess Guangling's cup was a fruit wine suitable for women, then this must be a strong liquor, which would be difficult for an ordinary woman to finish.
Guangling seemed annoyed by her dawdling and asked impatiently, "Are you going to drink or not?"
He Jun dared not delay any longer, tilted her head back and swallowed. As soon as the wine went down, she felt as if her stomach was on fire and her throat was burning.
Despite her discomfort, she reached for the second cup and swallowed it with her eyes closed. She had a good tolerance for alcohol and managed to finish five cups, her face flushed, her stomach churning, and she felt like vomiting.
Guangling kept urging them on. He Jun, unable to stand steadily, knelt on the ground and reached for the wine.
“Your Highness, we have lost this round.” Huiyin took the wine cup from He Jun’s hand, helped him up, and handed him to the palace maid behind her.
Guangling twirled his hair with one hand and said disdainfully, "I thought they were so powerful, but the Pei family army is nothing special."
Huiyin picked up the wine cup and sniffed it lightly, casually saying, "Quanlie wine, extremely strong. It has always been supplied to the border guards to get through the cold winter. I did not expect that Your Highness Guangling has such a good capacity for alcohol. You can drink ten cups without changing color. You are truly a heroine among women."
Guangling's eyes darkened, and he waved for the wine to be taken away. Suiyang also sensed something was wrong. She had originally intended to stay out of it, but Guangling's deliberate harassment and mockery of the Pei family army made her unable to tolerate it.
Suiyang tilted her head and smiled, "Elder sister, you decide the first round, so let your younger sister decide the second round."
Guangling snorted coldly: "Whatever."
Suiyang ordered someone to bring two pieces of silk gauze as light as cicada wings. He gently ran his fingers across the gauze and pondered, "Let's see who can throw this gauze the farthest. It's not limited to one person; we can discuss it."
Guangling nodded, took the silk gauze, and handed it to the person behind her. She wasn't interested in this round. She stared intently at Huiyin; she was interested in the third round.
A quarter of an hour later, a noblewoman from Guangling picked up a pebble, tied a piece of silk to it, and had the strongest person throw it. The pebble landed in the center of the lake, creating ripples.
After seeing that they had finished, Suiyang stood up. A eunuch came running from a distance, holding a chirping little bird in his hands.
Suiyang gently tied the gauze to the little bird's leg and then had it released. The bird, now free, flapped its wings and took off quickly, disappearing into the horizon in just a few breaths.
The noble ladies behind Guangling exchanged bewildered glances, while those behind Suiyang laughed and cheered. Suiyang won the second round.
Guangling hadn't said a word since the start of the second round. She impatiently slammed her hand on the table and said, "Can we start the third round now?"
Suiyang smiled and said, "Okay."
Guangling stared at Huiyin, a smile playing on his lips. "To avoid you saying it's unfair, for the third round, how about we choose something everyone's good at—a dance?"
Sui Yang turned around and looked behind him, asking, "Can you dance?"
All the women shook their heads; even if they could dance, they wouldn't dare to show off here.
Guangling called out to those behind him, "Xiuniang."
A woman emerged from behind her, her waist slender and her steps light. Zheng Xiu had a small face, but her eyes were exceptionally large and watery. She said softly, "I have been learning to dance since I was a child, so I will take the lead this time."
Suiyang and Huiyin overheard the conversation behind them. Zheng Xiu was the illegitimate daughter of the Marquis of Pingyang. Her mother was a famous dancer in Chang'an. She inherited her mother's talent and had a remarkable figure and exceptional dancing skills at a young age.
Suiyang leaned closer to Huiyin and whispered, "Sister Huiyin, I see that the Empress has been watching you closely. Perhaps she will let you play. If you don't want to, we can just forfeit."
Before Huiyin could answer, Guangling launched an attack, "Song Huiyin, all of you here are noble ladies. How can you be used for amusement? Looking around, only you are the most suitable."
Her words not only insulted Huiyin, but also Zheng Xiu. When Huiyin looked up, Zheng Xiu still had that gentle demeanor, completely unaffected by the words from Guangling.
Suiyang tried to speak up to help, but Huiyin stopped her.
Huiyin: "I am willing to compare, but it seems we have both forgotten one thing."
Guangling: "What?"
Huiyin smiled and said, "The prize is for the best of three games. What's the prize for the winner?"
"What do you want?" Guangling asked. As long as Huiyin agreed to the dance competition, she was willing to give her a small prize.
Huiyin: "I want Your Highness to apologize to me and He Jiaying in person for the humiliation you just caused."
The smile vanished from Guangling's face, and she stared at Huiyin expressionlessly. "Has no one ever dared to make such a request of this princess?"
Huiyin lowered her head slightly, "If Your Highness is unwilling, then so be it."
“Wait,” Guangling stood up, clasped her hands in front of her abdomen, exuding an imposing aura, “This princess agrees to your request, but if you lose, I will continue what I was doing earlier.”
Huiyin agreed.
Because the dance required more elaborate costumes and makeup, Guangling gave them half an hour to go back and change.
On the way back to Yingfeng Pavilion, He Jiaying stopped her and whispered, "Are you sure you're confident?"
Huiyin shook her head; she could dance, but not as well as play music. Zheng Xiu was clearly an expert; she wasn't confident.
Sui Yang turned back worriedly, "If we lose, I'll go to my mother for help."
Huiyin comforted the two, saying, "A dance competition isn't just about skill; many factors influence it. If you can't beat them in skill, work on other aspects. Besides, there will be a vote later, and I've calculated that it will be a tie."
He Jiaying looked confused: "Why was it a draw?"
"The commotion we caused at Xiushui Lake today is now known throughout the entire palace. This is no longer just a gambling game between young ladies; it's a power struggle between the Zheng and Pei families. I'm afraid the young ladies from each household have already received instructions from their families."
Huiyin's prediction was correct. Apart from Pei Yu, the Crown Prince, the Prince of Wu, and others who had gone hunting in the mountains, everyone else in the palace had received the news. Even His Majesty and the Empress in the inner palace had heard about it, and His Majesty and the Empress even placed a bet on who would win.
As soon as they returned to Yingfeng Pavilion, they saw Madam Pei waiting at the door, with twelve maids behind her, each carrying a lacquered tray filled with clothes and jewelry.
Upon seeing Huiyin and the others return, she stepped forward to greet Suiyang and then instructed the maid behind her to take Huiyin away to do her hair and makeup.
He Jiaying asked, "Auntie, what is this...?"
Madam Pei waved her hand, "I know the whole story. With Huiyin's face, she could win just by standing there."
"Auntie, aren't you angry with us for causing this mess?" He Jiaying was uneasy on the way back, worried about being scolded.
Madam Pei laughed and said, "Why are you scolding us? Her Majesty the Empress said that the Zheng family has been going too far lately. It's not appropriate to teach them a lesson openly, so this is the perfect opportunity. Guangling has bullied you several times, so this time we must vent our anger."
"Why are your eyes swollen?" Madam Pei noticed that He Jiaying's mood was off and her eyes were very swollen.
He Jiaying's eyes welled up with tears. She lowered her head and affectionately took Madam Pei's arm, whispering, "It's just the wind getting in my eyes."
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