Ye Qiu looked at Shang Wenjun, who seed ethereal and delicate as if untouched by earthly affairs, and truly admired the woman’s patience. Without any explicit promises, she dared to wait.
She dared to wait for Tong Yingxin, this Commandery Princess, to fall out of favor, dared to wait for herself, the Crown Princess Consort, to be abandoned, and even more dared to wait for the Crown Prince’s true feelings.
In this life, if she wanted to wait, let her wait. Anyway, she would no longer get involved.
"Miss Ye, please follow inside. The Commandery Princess and others have already arrived; they are waiting for you," Shang Wenjun smiled at her and said, carrying a certain refined air, inexplicably sowhat resembling the Crown Prince—truly worthy of being the sa kind of people.
"Oh? It seems I’m late, but I rember the invitation said the Si hour, right? According to the two hours, I’m not late," Ye Qiu said nonchalantly. As a First-rank Marquis now, she scorned these inner house squabbles; her future battlefield was not here, so let people gossip as they will!
Shang Wenjun hadn’t expected her to be so blunt. After all, in gatherings like theirs, who else would really co exactly on ti like her?
"Of course, Miss Ye did not arrive late; everyone, to show face, ca early,"
Was she implying Ye Qiu didn’t give Shang Wenjun face?
Ye Qiu chuckled softly, "I rarely attend gatherings and didn’t know your rules. It turns out face is given by arriving early. Today has truly opened my eyes, I’ve learned sothing new. No wonder the ancients often said live and learn, going out more makes your experience unique, today I’ve understood these truths."
"Pfft..." Seeing her nod knowingly, the Crown Prince couldn’t help but laugh out loud, while Shang Wenjun turned pale.
She miscalculated; seeing the Crown Prince walking with Ye Qiu made her sowhat jealous, yet didn’t anticipate Ye Qiu to play outside the norm, unexpectedly causing her to lose face in front of the Crown Prince.
"Did I say sothing wrong?" Ye Qiu appeared quite embarrassed, "I’m sorry, I usually study only military tactics and martial arts, familiar only with court etiquette, if I have been discourteous, I beg your pardon."
"No, Miss Ye has not been discourteous, it’s my sister accustod to interacting with her girlfriends, so she’s having trouble adapting today," the Pri Minister’s son quickly stepped forward to defend his sister, "The weather is cold, Wenjun, quickly lead Miss Ye inside."
"Yes, Miss Ye, please follow this way."
"Then I shall excuse myself first."
The journey was silent, Ye Qiu felt not the least bit uneasy, appreciating the scenery of the Pri Minister’s Mansion, and truly had to admit that as a key figure in the court, the Pri Minister’s residence was in no way inferior to the Prince Mansion.
While ahead Shang Wenjun, seeing her leisurely, felt sowhat stifled, secretly complaining about how this person knew neither embarrassnt nor sha. How could soone so senseless actually capture a city?
Shang Wenjun recalled her friend Yu Rou’s slander against Ye Qiu, originally in disbelief, now felt compelled to suspect if Ye Qiu’s military achievents truly ca through other ans?
Shang Wenjun greatly envied Ye Qiu’s duke rank, yet upon thinking of others’ evaluation of Ye Qiu, calling her coarse and rude, ugly and graceless, felt her heart gradually beco balanced.
What counts having a duke rank? Would she not have to live in this circle in the capital? Who would be willing to truly connect with Ye Qiu and not end up marginalized due to her peculiarity?
"Oh, our General Ye finally arrived?" The speaker was Yu Rou, whose father was the imperial tutor who recently criticized Ye Qiu’s lack of decorum at the palace banquet.
"Do you girlfriends usually speak like this? Why do I feel like it carries a sense of blaming ? I already said at the door, I’m not late, even the Crown Prince didn’t bla ; those unaware might think you’re all specifically targeting !" Ye Qiu said frankly.
Then turned to ask Shang Wenjun, "Lady Shang, am I misunderstanding this?"
"Apologies for not explaining this clearly to Miss Ye earlier," Shang Wenjun glared at Yu Rou, spoke with an apologetic tone.
"Oh, so you truly have the habit of arriving early. Then it should have been made clear to ; today it makes seem ill-mannered," Ye Qiu’s words nearly directly criticized Shang Wenjun’s lack of thoroughness, leaving everyone embarrassed, who knew she would bluntly counter?
"Humph, no wonder she’s General, First-rank Marquis, such prestige."
Although the voice was low, Ye Qiu’s hearing was excellent, she imdiately looked towards the muttering lady, "I am indeed the First-rank Marquis bestowed by Your Majesty; in the capital, few officials rank higher, right? Seems quite prestigious, don’t you agree?"
Shang Wenjun’s face was nearly stiff, never expected today’s situation, how co Ye Qiu played so unpredictably?
"You!" That girl glared at Ye Qiu angrily, clearly infuriated.
"You haven’t even answered . Does the First-rank Marquis bestowed by Your Majesty seem unworthy to you?"
Upon hearing, the girl beca more infuriated, if she claid such today, wouldn’t she offend all First-rank officials? If the First-rank Marquis was unworthy, were others even worse?
The girl’s face froze, in the others’ mocking laughter, she bowed her head and apologized, "I’m sorry, I didn’t an it."
"I reckon you wouldn’t dare an it either. Whose household are you from? What does your father do?" Ye Qiu pursued.
The girl felt more ashad, stamringly unable to answer, yet another girl, usually unfriendly with her, loudly revealed, "Her father? Her father is an Imperial Academy Student, only Sixth-rank!"
"Pfft..."
"How co she’s here? Truly lowering our standards."
"One so lacking herself dares mock others."
Amidst waves of laughs, feeling the crowd’s peculiar gaze, this girl was almost in tears.
It was Shang Wenjun, the hostess, who couldn’t bear it, holding her hand saying, "I see your shoes are wet, I’ll let the maid lead you to dry them."
The girl imdiately looked gratefully towards Shang Wenjun, "Thank you, Lady Shang."
Subsequently, Ye Qiu noticed this supposedly wet-shoed girl left and never returned.
She sipped tea thoughtfully, was Shang Wenjun afraid of lowering her banquet’s standards due to the guest’s status, or did she feel the girl made her lose face?
"Lady Shang, the Plum Blossoms blooming in this courtyard are splendid. In this icy world, for them to bloom so brilliantly, if we don’t compose poems to praise them, aren’t we letting down their spirit?" A lady felt inspired by the Plum Blossoms and spoke.
Upon her words, another young lady agreed, "Indeed, why don’t we limit it to thirty minutes, see who composes best? My hairpin, while not rare, is no mortal item; if soone wins, I’ll offer it as a prize, it would be quite an event."
Ye Qiu observed their varied expressions, thinking, it’s finally starting!
User Comments
0 comments from readers