However, his gaze remained fixed on Mingwei.
Rong Zhen only emerged from his hiding place after the crowd surrounding Mingwei had gradually disappeared.
Those people failed to outmaneuver him last time, so this time they want to take advantage of the flower-viewing banquet to make a scene in the palace! A sinister glint suddenly flashed in Rong Zhen's gentle and calm eyes. He clenched his fist and made up his mind.
He will absolutely not let their plot succeed!
Just as Rong Zhen was about to turn and leave, he noticed a flickering light in the bushes where Ming Wei had just passed.
Rong Zhen walked over and parted the grass, finding a delicate gold hairpin. The South Sea pearl in her hair was slightly worn, and the hairpin felt heavy in her hand. Rong Zhen tightened her grip, feeling as if the warmth of her palm still lingered on the hairpin.
She probably dropped it in her panic, and she probably still doesn't know she's lost her hairpin.
Thinking this, Rong Zhen carefully put the gold hairpin into her sleeve and quickly left.
I'll return it to her next time we meet! For those of you reading this, you can search for "" to find our site immediately.
Chapter 99
Since Princess Hexin had spoken so politely, Mingwei and Suxuan had no choice but to accept. They quickly smiled and said, "We couldn't be happier."
This is an anti-piracy chapter, so if any readers accidentally purchased it, don't worry, it will be replaced around 8 AM tomorrow. The word count will increase after the replacement.
This article is exclusively published on Jinjiang Literature City; all other versions are pirated. The author works hard to update daily, please support the original work, thank you! The two truly had no idea what this Princess Hexin was up to.
The three of them simply sat in the waterside pavilion chatting idly. Princess Hexin seemed quite interested in embroidery and even asked Mingwei to teach her on the spot. She stared enviously at the purse at Mingwei's waist, her tone gentle and sincere, making it impossible for anyone to refuse.
"Sister Mingqi's needlework is so good, it's truly enviable. If you could teach me, that would be wonderful!"
Mingwei was stunned.
As the only daughter of Princess Deguang, what good things hadn't Princess Hexin seen? Mingwei was well aware of her own limitations.
Mingwei smiled restrainedly, "It's just a trivial skill, I wouldn't dare to show it off in front of the princess." Fearing that she might offend Princess Hexin and cause her to make things difficult for them, she could only try to salvage the situation by saying, "If the princess finds it pleasing, I will embroider a purse and send it to the princess's residence another day. I hope the princess will not find it offensive."
Leave a way out for others, so you can meet again in the future.
Mingwei understood this principle, so she did not immediately refuse Princess Hexin.
Sure enough, Princess Xin's displeasure vanished, and a smile bloomed on her face.
"Princess and your two sisters are in high spirits!" The girl's clear voice came from afar. When Mingwei and the others looked up, they saw that it was the sisters Yang Ciniang and Yang Huiniang coming together.
Yang Ciniang and Yang Huiniang both wore very friendly and gentle expressions, as if yesterday's confrontation had never happened. Yang Ciniang even took the initiative to reconcile, smiling and saying, "Please don't take those two words of quarrel at Zhenbaozhai yesterday to heart, my two sisters."
Yang Huiniang, who was standing to the side, also apologized.
Su Xuan's eyes widened in surprise.
The contrast between her previous arrogance and subsequent obsequiousness was too great! Mingwei couldn't help but wonder. The last time Yang Huiniang deliberately got close to Su Xuan, it was to help Rong Hao ruin Su Xuan's reputation.
Mingwei suddenly had a bad feeling. Could it be that Rong Hao was still after Su Xuan?
"It's because you two sisters are so magnanimous and don't hold it against us!" Mingwei spoke first, smiling broadly as she greeted them, and said softly, "Please forgive us for any mistakes Ah Xuan and I made!"
Su Xuan also sensed something was amiss and quickly stood up, echoing Mingwei's words. "You two are very kind-hearted people. I'm truly sorry that you had to give up your favorites yesterday. I'll choose something better another day and personally deliver it to your residence."
After all, this was in the palace, so Su Xuan and the other person were both extra cautious.
Princess Hexin chuckled. "Since we're all calling each other sisters, why be so polite?"
“Your Highness is right,” Yang Ciniang readily agreed. “If you don’t mind, you can all call me Second Sister, just like Hui Niang.”
"Second sister, third sister!" Mingwei and Suxuan had no choice but to acknowledge these two unrelated and scheming older sisters.
Yang Ciniang and Yang Huiniang appeared very happy.
“Let’s not just sit here idly. The young ladies from the Duke of Wei’s and Duke of Ying’s mansions are feeding the koi over there. Let’s go take a look!” Princess Hexin suggested enthusiastically.
Of the five, Princess Hexin held the highest position, and the other four naturally followed her lead.
Princess Hexin had just stood up and hadn't even taken a step when everyone heard a sudden sound of tearing cloth.
Looking in the direction of the sound, one could see that Princess Hexin's brand-new lotus-colored gold-embroidered sixteen-panel Xiang skirt had been torn open with a large rip, and the culprit was the protruding pattern on the drum stool, which had snagged and ruined her skirt.
Upon seeing this, the palace maids serving in the waterside pavilion hurriedly knelt down, trembling and begging for mercy.
"It's nothing, why are you all so scared!" Princess Hexin showed no anger on her face, but instead smiled gently to comfort the serving maids. "Get up, all of you, don't make a fuss, I'll just go and get another one."
Princess Hexin's magnanimity relieved the four palace maids serving in the waterside pavilion, and their eyes were filled with gratitude.
"Who will come with me to change into a dress?" Princess Hexin asked with a smile, turning her head to look at Mingwei and the other three.
Mingwei's eyebrows twitched, but she remained silent.
Her skirt was torn, but she didn't make a fuss; she simply went to change into another one, which would have only made Princess Hexin appear magnanimous. It wouldn't have been strange if Princess Hexin had asked for either Yang Ciniang or Yang Huiniang, since they were relatives. But Princess Hexin asked about all four of them… What's even more suspicious is that Princess Hexin mentioned "who," implying that she only wanted one person to accompany her!
This is clearly aimed at her and Su Xuan!
"Ah Xuan, didn't Lady Huan'an just say you should go there sooner?" Mingwei thought of Rong Hao, who had always coveted Su Xuan, and how he had failed at the Huan'an Marquis's residence and instead been outmaneuvered, probably harboring resentment. If Princess Hexin changed her dress, she would definitely go to Consort Shu's palace… Su Xuan absolutely couldn't be left alone!
Mingwei knew her words were abrupt, and although she knew there was a trap involved, she had no choice but to fall into it. "If the princess doesn't mind, may I accompany her?"
Before she could finish speaking, Yang Huiniang and the other two looked at her thoughtfully, while Su Xuan's face showed disapproval.
"Very well, then thank you very much, sister!" Princess Hexin smiled slightly, her beautiful eyes revealing a profound and unfathomable look. She carefully instructed Yang Huiniang and the other girl: "...If anyone asks, just say that I saw that Sister Mingqi's purse looked very nice, so I asked her to draw it for me."
Mingwei's heart sank. She had even prepared her explanation, but Princess Xin was probably already prepared!