Chapter 185: Before The Banquet
“Wei Jiao!”
“A Jiao!”
Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong, as usual, had no qualification to walk together with the Empress, Princess Pingcheng, and the Prince of Donghai; like the ministers who had come to attend the banquet, they entered separately ahead of time.
While sitting bored at her seat, she saw Wei Jiao walk in and immediately lit up with joy.
But as before, Wei Jiao acted as if he hadn’t seen them or heard their voices, lazily turning to speak with the people behind him.
The people behind were Duke Ding’an and his wife.
“What is Wei Jiao saying to them?” Princess Wuyang asked curiously.
Duke Ding’an and his wife looked rather displeased.
“It’s not to them, it’s to Yang Luo.” Princess Nangong said softly, her gaze turning toward the young girl who was faintly visible behind Duke Ding’an.
The Disciple of the Libationer Yang Luo had come.
Yang Hui was not beside Duke Ding’an and his wife; the companion reader young ladies had separate seats and had all gone to Princess Pingcheng’s hall, not yet arrived.
Yang Luo was no longer a companion reader, so she also had no qualification to go to the princess hall.
Wei Jiao was actually following Yang Luo; it shouldn’t be a chance encounter.
Princess Nangong’s eyes flickered as she whispered to Princess Wuyang: “Call Miss Yang over.”
Princess Wuyang then looked toward Yang Luo, with some disgust; what was she calling her for?
She hated her the most.
Mother Consort was always concerned about this Yang Luo and even wanted her to befriend her; on what basis! What was she!
“Wei Jiao will follow her.” Princess Nangong whispered in her ear.
How could that be? Princess Wuyang frowned, but after a moment’s hesitation, she signaled the palace maid beside her to go.
The palace maid went as instructed; this was not the academy now, and as a subject, she naturally had to obey the princess’s orders. Sure enough, after the palace maid whispered something, that Miss Yang said something to Duke Ding’an and his wife, left her maidservant behind, and walked this way.
Wei Jiao, who had been lazily speaking with Duke Ding’an, also followed over.
To think!
Princess Wuyang didn’t know for a moment whether to be overjoyed or angry, but as Wei Jiao approached step by step, she couldn’t think too much about it.
“A Jiao, sit here.” Princess Wuyang hurriedly beckoned.
Princess Nangong had already pushed over the cushion: “A Jiao, you still have an injury; sit on this one with the pillow.”
Wei Jiao sat down without ceremony.
As for Miss Yang, with no one paying attention to her, she took the initiative to sit at the lower seat beside the princesses.
“A Jiao, how is your injury?”
“I heard you were badly injured.”
“Fortunately, your face wasn’t hurt.”
Wei Jiao lazily said nothing, but the two princesses didn’t let the conversation lag; each spoke animatedly.
Amid the lively chatter, footsteps sounded again; Princess Pingcheng was coming this way with the companion reader young ladies.
The two princesses hurriedly stood; Miss Yang also stood and paid respects to Princess Pingcheng.
Princess Pingcheng ignored them and looked toward Wei Jiao, who was still lazily sitting.
Wei Jiao also looked at her and broke into a smile.
“Princess.” He raised his hand in greeting.
Princess Pingcheng glanced at him: “How is the injury?”
“Much better.” Wei Jiao said with a sigh, “But I still need to rest it properly.” He smiled at the princess again, “Princess, send me some more nourishing treasures.”
Although she had received the gifts without responding, she still remembered; Princess Pingcheng smiled and said: “I’ll ask the imperial physician if you can take them before sending them over.”
Wei Jiao pouted: “Pay attention to them? I won’t eat them; just having them to look at makes me happy.”
Princess Pingcheng laughed again, walked to her seat, and signaled Wei Jiao to come over; Wei Jiao indeed came and sat as instructed.
Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong pulled long faces, displeased.
Suddenly, Princess Nangong’s eyes sparkled as she whispered something to Princess Wuyang, who let out a “ha.”
This drew a glance from Princess Pingcheng.
Princess Wuyang coughed lightly, didn’t look at Princess Pingcheng, and turned to Miss Yang sitting at the lower seat.
“Yang Luo, you can go back now.” She said, “You’re no longer a companion reader young lady; we won’t keep you here.”
Miss Yang lowered her head obediently and responded yes as she stood, but under the flickering gazes of Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong, she didn’t turn and leave; instead, she looked toward Princess Pingcheng.
She was probably going to bid her farewell; Princess Pingcheng had actually caught it with the corner of her eye but pretended not to see.
Of course, if Yang Luo paid respects, she would nod in response.
But initiating speech was another matter.
She had no interest in dealing with her further.
Because Mother Empress disliked her, she naturally disliked this Miss Yang too.
As the thought flashed, Yang Luo’s voice came to her ears.
“Senior Brother, let’s go.” She said.
Princess Pingcheng stiffened; Wei Jiao, who had been listening to her, abruptly stood up.
“Sure.” Wei Jiao said, turning toward Miss Yang.
Princess Pingcheng looked at Miss Yang.
Miss Yang met her gaze and curtsied.
“Princess.” She said softly, “Senior Brother’s injury hasn’t healed yet. His Majesty instructed me to look after him; to avoid his injury condition recurring, I need to keep an eye on him at all times. Please forgive me, Princess.”
With that, she looked at Wei Jiao again.
“Senior Brother, let’s go.”
Wei Jiao looked at Princess Pingcheng and smiled: “Alas, no choice; imperial orders are hard to defy. I have to listen to her now.”
Miss Yang curtsied again to the several princesses and the companion reader young ladies standing around, then turned and left.
Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong looked stunned; although they had deliberately driven Yang Luo away hoping to see Wei Jiao follow her, they hadn’t expected the reality to be even more impressive than they imagined.
It wasn’t Wei Jiao actively chasing after this Miss Yang; it was this Miss Yang who actively called Wei Jiao away.
How dare she?
She actually dared?
And Princess Pingcheng had been smiling and talking to Wei Jiao at that moment.
It was abruptly interrupted just like that.
This was undoubtedly snatching food from Princess Pingcheng’s mouth.
Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong stiffly turned their gazes to Princess Pingcheng; the mocking words they had prepared couldn’t even be spoken.
Because Princess Pingcheng’s expression was uglier than they had ever seen.
So scary.
Princess Pingcheng was scary, and this Yang Luo was scary too.
……
……
“You’ve angered the princess.”
Wei Jiao said “aiya aiya” behind Miss Yang.
Mo Zheng let out an “aiya” in response: “Senior Brother, would I be afraid of angering the princess?”
When Princess Wuyang called her over and Wei Jiao followed, she knew this dog thing had no good intentions.
With Princess Pingcheng right there, Princess Wuyang drove her away; Wei Jiao would definitely follow her and then hypocritically say some provocative words.
The beautiful man who had originally only followed Princess Pingcheng now followed her instead; the proud princess would inevitably be angry.
So boring.
Might as well say it for him.
She slightly turned to look at Wei Jiao, raised her brow with a smile: “The princess has it, so I want it too. Captain, just follow me.”
This dog thing; Wei Jiao’s eyes lit up, unable to hold back his laughter.
Did the Emperor know his precious daughter was a madwoman?
……
……
“I don’t care what methods you use.”
Princess Pingcheng sat at her seat, smiling through gritted teeth as she said word by word softly to the palace maid beside her.
“I don’t want to see this Yang Luo appear at tonight’s banquet again.”
The palace maid softly acknowledged and withdrew.
She didn’t welcome such a detestable guest.
Moreover, such an arrogant and unruly thing might even disobey her Mother Empress later.
Father Emperor and Mother Empress had just reconciled; she didn’t want to see them argue again over this Miss Yang.
This… cheap maidservant shouldn’t be here at all.
Not just here.
From the beginning, this Yang Luo shouldn’t have appeared.
Appearing in the academy, she had no choice, but this was the Imperial City; she was the master of the Imperial City. She absolutely wouldn’t allow it, absolutely not!
Princess Pingcheng picked up the fruit wine cup in front of her and smilingly raised it to the companion reader young ladies sitting at the lower seats.
“Come, let’s taste it first.”
The originally quiet companion reader young ladies saw the princess smile and hurriedly smiled too, raising their wine cups.
“Princess, please.”
……
……
“Marquis!”
“May the Marquis be as blessed as the East Sea and live as long as the Southern Mountains.”
As Marquis Yichun entered the Imperial City, the guests along the way all paid respects and offered congratulations.
Marquis Yichun smiled and returned the courtesies.
“Go see His Majesty and the Empress first.” He said again.
The guests then tactfully stopped approaching to chat or block the way.
However, when a young master came forward to pay respects, Marquis Yichun paused his steps.
“Young Lord Zhu.” He said, nodding, “Your father didn’t come?”
Zhu Yunxiao said: “My father feels he failed in teaching his son and is embarrassed to see the Marquis.”
Marquis Yichun laughed heartily: “Duke Yongwu is showing off; the student surpasses the master, so he can enjoy leisure from now on.”
Zhu Yunxiao paid respects again: “Thank you, Marquis.”
The people around watching this scene confirmed their guess; sure enough, Zhu Yunxiao had reconciled with Marquis Yichun.
Marquis Yichun nodded and signaled him to follow: “A small matter, all in the past.” Then he glanced at Zhu Yunxiao, “The Heir is prepared, right?”
Zhu Yunxiao said softly: “Marquis, rest assured.”
He had prepared everything he needed to, well, not entirely; there was an accident—Jiang Rui had come.
But this wasn’t too big a surprise; he had his own ways to placate Jiang Rui’s side, and it wouldn’t affect his matters with Miss Yang.
As Marquis Yichun was about to say something, clamor suddenly erupted from the hall; eunuchs and palace maids surged in and out.
“What’s going on?” Marquis Yichun frowned.
An eunuch saw him and hurriedly came over: “Marquis, it’s nothing; a palace maid accidentally spilled tea on Miss Yang of Duke Ding’an’s Mansion.”
Duke Ding’an’s Mansion, Miss Yang?
Marquis Yichun and Zhu Yunxiao immediately looked toward the hall and saw people surging out.
“…You were going to scald my young lady’s face! I want to see His Majesty—”
“…It didn’t scald, it just spilled on the clothes—”
“…That’s because the tea splashed on my face first! I want to see His Majesty—”
“…Senior Brother, check the injury first; quickly summon the imperial physician—”
“…Miss Yang, quickly, this way please—”
Marquis Yichun watched as eunuchs and palace maids clustered around a young lady, a maidservant, and an Embroidered Uniform Guard in a chaotic group heading to the Side Hall.
What was going on? Who had made the move?
Too early, wasn’t it?
