Little Gongzi's mouth dropped open. The thoughts of adults were truly beyond the comprehension of servants like them!
****
An Xin looked at herself in the mirror, paused slightly, and then frowned.
Dewdrop exclaimed in delight, "Wow! Miss is so beautiful!"
Aunt Ming also smiled and said, "The young lady is naturally beautiful; with just a little makeup, she becomes so gorgeous!"
An Xin raised her hand and flicked the beaded pendant on her shoulder, saying indifferently, "Too flashy."
Dewdrop hurriedly said, "Miss, I don't think it's beautiful at all. If Madam sees it, she will be very happy. You didn't look this good when you got married..." Dewdrop swallowed the rest of her words.
An Xin looked at herself in the mirror, feeling slightly unfamiliar. She was used to being aloof, and suddenly wearing such glamorous makeup naturally felt contradictory. This thought only lasted a moment; she naturally didn't want to sit there being bothered any longer, so she stood up and smiled, "Thank you, Aunt Ming, Dewdrop..."
An Xin glanced at Lu Zhu, who hurriedly took out the silver she had prepared beforehand and stuffed it into Aunt Ming's hand.
Aunt Ming smiled slightly and said, "You must be careful in everything you do at this banquet, Miss." Aunt Ming stopped there and said no more. "I still need to go back to the palace to take care of my master. Miss An, please pack your things and prepare to leave."
An Xin smiled faintly. Aunt Ming sighed inwardly. Everyone says that clothes make the man and makeup make the woman beautiful. I've never heard of An's daughter being particularly outstanding. How come she becomes so eye-catching after putting on makeup?
The fabric wasn't particularly fine, the rouge and powder were just ordinary, and the hairpins and jade ornaments were of average quality, yet this girl managed to wear such common items with an extraordinary air... Ultimately, it wasn't that her features were exceptionally beautiful, but rather that her aura was extraordinary...
As soon as Aunt Ming left, An Youwei rushed over. Upon seeing An Xin, he was overjoyed and said, "Your mother is all packed. The carriage is waiting outside the mansion. Let's go quickly."
An Xin glanced at Xu Hai and said, "Those death row inmates are chained up. I'll deal with them when I get back."
Xu Hai hurriedly replied, "Yes, Miss."
An Xin then called Lu Zhu and walked outside.
The carriage traveled smoothly into the palace, where it was already bustling with activity. Most of the officials and their families had arrived, and the luxurious carriages formed a long line. The noble ladies and young women were chatting and laughing in small groups.
Xu Ruolan looked nervous. The last banquet was a nightmare to recall, and now she was attending a grand banquet in the palace. Naturally, she was even more uneasy and kept asking An Xin, "Is there anything wrong with Mother today?"
An Xin took her hand and smiled, "Mother, don't be afraid, I'm here for you."
Looking at An Xin's beautiful face, Xu Ruolan felt a slight easing of her tension and chuckled softly, "My Xin'er is so beautiful."
An Xin rarely received such praise from her mother, and her ears turned slightly red as she smiled and said, "Mother is teasing me again."
Dewdrop lifted the carriage curtain and glanced outside, saying, "Madam, Miss, we've arrived."
An Xin helped Xu Ruolan up and said, "Mother, let's go." With that, she lifted the curtain and jumped down first. Xu Ruolan couldn't help but scold, "You child, you should act like a girl and be more reserved."
An Xin chuckled awkwardly and said, "Daughter knows, Mother really loves to nag."
Xu Ruolan was both annoyed and amused, and then she grabbed An Xin's hand and got off the carriage.
Everyone's eyes turned to look in this direction. After all, An Xin was currently very popular. Even those who had never seen An Xin before knew her just by gesturing towards her.
The once bustling crowd suddenly fell silent.
"That's An Xin? She's not all that great..." A mocking voice came from behind.
"No wonder he comes from a poor family; the fabric of his clothes, his cosmetics, and his jewelry all exude an air of shabby poverty..."
"In the end, he's nothing but a lowly person..."
"Shh! You're out of your mind. The Right Chancellor has clearly stated that anyone who mentions those two words again will be executed without mercy!"
"..."
...
"Why did the Right Chancellor take a fancy to her? What do I lack compared to her?! Looks, status, or talent, can she compare?! So what if she solved a few cases!" A pretty woman glanced at An Xin and spoke resentfully.
"Miss Mingjiao, if you could solve the case in Fengxian Village, the adults would look at you differently. It's a pity you missed the best opportunity!"
“What’s so difficult about that!” The woman named Mingjiao raised her chin. “I have my own way of winning your heart!” Mingjiao said smugly. Everyone asked her questions out of curiosity, but she kept them a secret.
Xu Ruolan awkwardly tugged at An Xin's sleeve and said, "Xin'er..."
An Xin smiled and glanced at Ming Jiao. Ming Jiao was talking enthusiastically when she felt a cool look from someone. She subconsciously turned around and saw An Xin smiling and talking to Madam An. She couldn't help but frown.
An Youwei was surrounded by officials. Song Zhao kept calling him "Brother Wei," which made An Youwei tremble. Although Song Li had not been released from prison, he had not been sentenced for some reason, as if they were in some kind of strange stalemate.
Thinking of Song Li's case, An Xin's eyes flashed. It was necessary to investigate that case. Since it involved both the left and right factions, if the truth was not uncovered, it would definitely be used by others and fanned the flames. As the saying goes, a single spark can start a prairie fire. What seemed like a small detail might actually cause a huge mess!
"hope Yao!" A tender, melancholic call rang out, and everyone's eyes lit up instantly, sparks of gossip flying. Ling Xi Yao had arrived! But how would they describe their meeting with An Xin?
As soon as Ling Xiyao stepped off the carriage, his gaze paused for a moment before landing on An Xin. His eyes were filled with lush greenery and vibrant flowers, but only one figure caught his eye. It was the first time he had seen her dressed like this, and she was so beautiful!
An Xin raised her eyelashes and glanced at the figure rushing towards Ling Xiyao. Seeing Fu Ruyue's agile figure, and the fact that the chicks and ducklings didn't seem to be making much noise, she suddenly felt that she should have sent a few cages of rats or snakes back then...
"Your Highness is truly bold. Ling Xiyao's legal wife is here. If Your Highness wants to enter the household, you should at least pay your respects." Mingjiao covered her mouth and smiled, half seriously and half jokingly.
The relationship between An Xin and Ling Xiyao is an old story, but it was brought up again by Ming Jiao. Because of An Xin's recent popularity, it was immediately dug up by everyone.
Fu Ruyue's expression changed slightly, and then she glared at An Xin with resentment and said indifferently, "Mingjiao, now that you mention it, An Xin seems a little unhappy."
Mingjiao feigned surprise and covered her mouth, saying, "Ah, I seem to have misspoke. An Xin was divorced, so naturally she's not Ling Xiyao's legal wife anymore, hehe..."
Everyone immediately turned their attention to An Xin with great interest, thinking that An Xin's expression would probably change drastically now. On one hand, she was involved in rumors with the Right Prime Minister, and on the other hand, she had the stigma of being divorced. You should know how many women wanted to win the Right Prime Minister's favor... An Xin alone would naturally arouse the anger of the crowd.
Dewdrop said indignantly, "That Mingjiao is so awful! Every time the Grand Tutor appears, Miss has to suffer!"
Xu Ruolan said in a low voice, "Xin'er, let's go first and not pay any attention to them." As her mother, she felt bad enough hearing this, let alone An Xin, who had once been wholeheartedly in love with Xi Yao.