Shen Lixue smiled and said, "My wife has always been frugal!"
“Frugality has to be appropriate! How can you be frugal with a carriage? If I hadn’t smashed the carriage just now, the three of you would have been crushed to death inside!” Dongfang Yu’er said indignantly. That Prime Minister’s wife, she’s supposed to be the eldest daughter of the Grand Commandant’s family, yet she’s so insidious and vicious.
"Thank you for saving my life, Princess!" Shen Lixue said with a light smile. After breaking the wheels, she originally planned to smash the carriage herself so that everyone could see her, Qiuhe, and Yanyue's miserable state, but Dongfang Yu'er beat her to it.
"Sister, sister!" Shen Yingxue rushed over in a panic, her beautiful eyes filled with worry and fear, as if she was still in shock: "Is sister alright?!" That bitch, she's so lucky, the car was wrecked, but she's completely unharmed.
"It's nothing!" Shen Lixue replied indifferently.
"Shen Lixue, didn't you say that the Prime Minister's wife is frugal?" Dongfang Yu'er glanced at Shen Yingxue's luxurious carriage. The decorations on the outside of the carriage could buy several of Shen Lixue's carriages. The interior must be even more luxurious. "You're only frugal with you!"
Shen Lixue didn't speak, but the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, forming a bitter smile. Seeing the eyes of the other young ladies, she tacitly acknowledged the Lei family's harsh treatment, though she had no way of speaking out.
Shen Yingxue gritted her teeth in anger. "You bitch, you're ruining my and my mother's reputation again!" she thought. "My sister and I were riding in the same carriage, and we must be almost at Xiangguo Temple now. You insisted on riding in this unfinished carriage and almost got into an accident. Luckily, the princess came to our rescue. Otherwise, how could I explain this to my father and mother?"
“Outside the Prime Minister’s residence, my sister stopped me from getting into your luxurious carriage, so I had no choice but to ride in this rough carriage!” Shen Lixue replied calmly, a clear light flashing in her eyes.
Shen Yingxue's face stiffened. That bitch, actually using such a trivial matter to refute her: "I was just joking, why did you take it seriously, sister..."
"If you were really joking, you should have taken her to ride in your carriage before it set off, instead of waiting until she was on the verge of death before coming here to feign concern!" Dongfang Yu'er glared at Shen Yingxue, then pulled Shen Lixue's arm and walked forward: "Ride in my carriage. The carriage isn't big, but it'll be fine with the three of you!"
"Thank you, Princess!" Shen Lixue looked back at Qiuhe and Yanyue, who were sitting blankly in the dilapidated carriage: "Qiuhe, Yanyue, get in the carriage!"
"Yes!" Qiu He and Yan Yue were experiencing this scene for the first time, and they were still in shock. It took them a long time to react. They stood up tremblingly and helped each other walk toward Dongfang Yu'er's carriage.
"That Prime Minister's wife is really biased..."
"He dotes on his own daughter endlessly, yet he's so harsh on the daughter of someone else's first wife. Is that dilapidated carriage even fit for a human to ride in...?"
"She's a genuine legitimate daughter, her status is far higher than that of these stepmothers and their legitimate daughters..."
"That's right..."
The young ladies were all talking amongst themselves. They were all legitimate daughters born to the first wife and disliked the legitimate daughters born to the second wife or concubines who were promoted to the position of principal wife. In particular, Shen Yingxue had an absolutely stunningly beautiful face and often showed it off in front of them, which made them even more disgusted. They glanced at Shen Yingxue with mocking and disdainful eyes, lowered the carriage curtain, and headed to Xiangguo Temple.
Shen Yingxue trembled with rage, glaring fiercely at Shen Lixue's back. Her beautiful eyes were so angry they seemed to be spitting fire. She had been tricked by this bitch again!
Dongfang Yu'er was a notoriously fiery princess with a bad temper. She invited Shen Lixue to get into the carriage, and Shen Yingxue didn't dare to stop her. She glared at Shen Lixue hatefully, then turned and got into the carriage. She would let her be smug for a few days, and once she and Zhuang Kexin had figured out a plan, they would make her wish she were dead.
Dongfang Yu'er's carriage was very spacious. Although it wasn't luxuriously decorated, it was exquisite and dignified, making people feel very comfortable. Qiu He and Yan Yue sat at the back of the carriage, while Dongfang Yu'er pulled Shen Lixue to the table to drink tea: "Your carriage has nothing. You must be thirsty after sitting for so long. This is Snow Mountain Cloud Mist, which my cousin Xun specially gave to me!"
"Thank you, Princess!" When she got into the dilapidated carriage, Shen Lixue thought about destroying it and even considered taking someone else's carriage to Xiangguo Temple, but she never expected to get into Dongfang Yu'er's carriage.
Shen Lixue took a sip of tea, the familiar, faint aroma filling her mouth, instantly calming her mind. Snow-capped mountains and misty clouds—Dongfang Heng seemed to really enjoy drinking it.
Dongfang Yu'er smiled and winked at Shen Lixue: "You are my future cousin-in-law, we are family, no need to thank me!"
Shen Lixue paused in her tea-drinking motion, a faint blush creeping onto her beautiful face: "Dongfang Heng and I are only engaged in name..."
"You two were betrothed since childhood, everyone in Qingyan knows it, it's only a matter of time before you get married!" Dongfang Yu'er said dismissively. Seeing that Shen Lixue's cup was empty, she quickly filled it with tea: "Isn't this tea delicious? It was specially planted by my cousin Heng..."
"Dongfang Heng can also grow tea?" A thoughtful look flashed across Shen Lixue's cool eyes. Why had she never heard him mention it before?
"My cousin Heng knows a lot of things. You'll gradually learn more after you get married!" Dongfang Yu'er gently put down the teapot, and the golden bell in her hair jingled.
Dongfang Yu'er kept bringing up her marriage to Dongfang Heng, unaware that Dongfang Heng only had three months to live. Shen Lixue rubbed her forehead and changed the subject: "Why didn't the princess bring any maids?"
As Princess Qingyan, Shen Lixue thought that Dongfang Yu'er would at least bring four maids with her like Shen Yingxue. However, she never expected that she would be alone in the carriage without a single maid.
"The maids are all so delicate and frail, as if a gust of wind could blow them away. If they get sick while I'm out here, it won't be them serving me, but me serving them!" Dongfang Yu'er said indignantly when talking about the maids.
Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow. Dongfang Yu'er had practiced martial arts since childhood. The maids were all ordinary people, so their bodies were naturally not as strong as hers, but they weren't as bad as she said: "If you don't bring a maid, who will help you change your clothes and do your hair?"
Ancient clothes had many knots and buttons that were difficult to fasten. It took Shen Lixue a long time to dress herself, and her hairstyle was even more complicated. She didn't know how to do it at all, otherwise she wouldn't have brought a maid.
Dongfang Yu'er chuckled mischievously, "My clothes were custom-made with few knots and buttons, making them very easy to wear. As for my hair, I simply combed it, gathered it together, and then put on a bell..."
Shen Lixue carefully examined Dongfang Yu'er's hair bun. It was simply combed up with a comb and then a bell was placed on it. At first glance, it was indeed a hair bun, but upon closer inspection, one could see the clues. Sure enough, lazy people have their own lazy ways.
"Princess, Miss Shen, we've arrived at Xiangguo Temple!" The coachman's gentle voice came as the carriage came to a stop. Dongfang Yu'er stepped forward, lifted the curtain, jumped off the carriage, and took a deep breath: "Finally, I don't have to be cooped up in the carriage anymore!"
Shen Lixue then stepped down from the carriage: "If you don't want to ride in a carriage, you can ride a horse!" Shen Lixue had witnessed Dongfang Yu'er's horse riding skills when they were at Luoye Mountain, and they were quite superb.
Dongfang Yu'er shook her head: "How can you sit and drink tea and eat snacks while riding a horse!"
Shen Lixue: "..." She really knows how to enjoy life!
Not far away, Shen Yingxue also got off the carriage. The young ladies chatted quietly in small groups, ignoring her. Zhuang Kexin was nearby, and without thinking, Shen Yingxue hurried over: "Kexin!"
Zhuang Kexin looked at Shen Yingxue. Her beautiful clothes accentuated her beauty, and bathed in sunlight, she looked like a fairy descending to earth. However, there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. She chuckled and said, "Yingxue, why are you looking so downcast?"
"Don't even mention it! It's all because of my dear older sister, she's always making things difficult for me!" Shen Yingxue pointed to Shen Lixue and Dongfang Yu'er chatting happily not far away, and said with a sneer, "She used me as a stepping stone to curry favor with Dongfang Yu'er..."
"Really?" Zhuang Kexin looked at Shen Lixue, who happened to be looking over as well. Shen Lixue smiled at her, her eyes flashing with a cold light like a sharp blade, as if she could see right through her. Zhuang Kexin shivered and hurriedly lowered her head: "She looks fine!"
"My eldest sister may seem gentle and noble on the surface, but she's actually quite cunning and scheming. You'd better be careful lest you fall into her trap." Shen Yingxue rebuked Shen Lixue for her faults, and the young ladies from prominent families nearby all turned to look.
Zhuang Kexin wasn't as thick-skinned as her, and coughed a few times awkwardly: "Yingxue, it's getting late, let's go to the main hall to offer incense and draw lots!"
March is a time of bright sunshine, birdsong, and fragrant flowers, making it an auspicious time for offering incense, making wishes, and drawing lots to predict one's marriage. Master Yan Hui is a renowned Buddhist master, and after his sermons, Xiangguo Temple became a popular place of worship, and his divination slips were said to be very accurate. It is said that many wealthy young men and women from prominent families had their most auspicious divination slips come true after his sermons.
A hint of resentment flashed in Shen Yingxue's beautiful eyes: "I dare say that my eldest sister is also here to draw lots. She already has a fiancé, yet she still comes here to draw lots for marriage. She clearly doesn't respect Prince An!"
Zhuang Kexin glanced at Shen Yingxue. You're always thinking about stealing her fiancé, so it's not strange that she came to draw lots to determine her marriage.
The young ladies were unaware that Shen Yingxue was vying for Prince An's affections. Upon hearing that Shen Lixue had come to seek a marriage fortune, they were quite displeased. Her marriage had been arranged long ago, with the most outstanding man in Qingyan. What was there for her to be dissatisfied with that she would come to seek a marriage fortune?
Seeing the reproachful looks from the other young ladies towards Shen Lixue, Shen Yingxue was quite pleased with herself. She walked gracefully to Shen Lixue and, as if afraid that she would refuse, pulled on Shen Lixue's sleeve and said, "Sister, it's getting late. Let's go to the main hall together!" She wanted to show all the noble ladies of Qingyan how shameless she, a sister from the countryside, could be.