Chapter 72: Joy And Sorrow
One night passed.
Princess Pingcheng got up on time and smoothly met Mother Empress this time, greeting her good morning.
When they arrived in front of the city gate, Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong had also obediently arrived on time.
Everything proceeded smoothly just as before.
But Princess Pingcheng felt that everything was different from before again.
For example, although Princess Wuyang appeared respectful, her eyes and brows were more provocative than before.
Even Princess Nangong, who always pretended to be weak, no longer deliberately hunched her shoulders when looking at her.
“Get in the carriage quickly; there are many people on the road,” Princess Wuyang said, lifting her chin. “You’re moving slowly.”
The so-called many people on the road naturally meant that today, waiting roadside for the princesses were not just Miss Yang as one lady-in-waiting.
Princess Pingcheng had no interest in responding to her affected posturing and looked up to see Wei Jiao walking over from ahead.
This time, behind him besides the Embroidered Uniform Guard, there was also an unfamiliar man.
“Princess.”
Wei Jiao also saw her, left the man behind, urged his horse, and galloped over.
Princess Pingcheng smiled at him and also saw that the man behind him seemed to want to follow but was stopped by the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
“Do you have official business so early?” Princess Pingcheng asked.
Wei Jiao curled his lip: “My Seventh Uncle; His Majesty wants to see him.”
Princess Pingcheng said “oh”: “Good, let Father Emperor vent his anger; it’ll make things easier for you.”
The Emperor was displeased with Wei Cui; Princess Pingcheng naturally knew this and did not avoid the topic in front of Wei Jiao.
Wei Jiao showed no fear upon hearing this and laughed heartily: “Exactly, that’s why I’m here.”
Involving political matters, Princess Pingcheng said no more and asked him: “Are you still going to the National Academy to read?”
Wei Jiao did not answer and raised his brow at Princess Pingcheng: “I advise the princess not to go reading anymore; it’s only been a few days, and your brows can’t even relax.”
Is that so? Princess Pingcheng smiled and said: “Reading was never meant to be leisurely.”
While the two were talking, Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong had quietly come over.
“Yes, yes, reading is indeed hard work,” Princess Nangong said, looking at Wei Jiao with a shy expression. “Father Emperor specially assigned us ladies-in-waiting.”
Not wanting to fall behind, Princess Wuyang hurriedly said beside her: “Actually, I don’t think it’s that hard; Father Emperor really pampers us too much.”
In the past, upon seeing the two princesses, Wei Jiao would immediately avoid them, too lazy to speak, especially when Princess Pingcheng was present.
Go ahead with your business, Princess Pingcheng’s words were already on the tip of her tongue, but Wei Jiao did not turn and flit away like a butterfly; his gaze still turned toward Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong.
“They stuffed ladies-in-waiting on you too,” he said, raising his brow, then clicking his tongue twice. “Being a princess is really hard work.”
Although it sounded odd, it didn’t matter; this was Wei Jiao initiating conversation with them, even saying they had it hard!!
Princess Nangong and Princess Wuyang were instantly overjoyed, even trying to push past Princess Pingcheng.
“Yes, yes.”
“A Jiao, you also go to the National Academy, so you know the hardship of reading, right.”
“Next time…”
But this time Wei Jiao did not continue talking, bowed and turned away in one motion: “I have something to attend to first; I’m leaving.”
Accompanying the words, the person was already a few steps away.
Princess Nangong and Princess Wuyang instinctively called out “hey hey” a few times to stop him…
“Don’t keep your ladies-in-waiting waiting too long,” Princess Pingcheng said, then turned and boarded the carriage.
Princess Nangong and Princess Wuyang could only reluctantly withdraw their gazes; although they hated Princess Pingcheng’s control, today was already satisfying enough, and they happily boarded their own carriages.
“So A Jiao likes hearing about reading.”
“Next time we see him, we’ll talk about this again.”
……
…..
Yang Hui sat inside the carriage, showing none of the earlier excitement from waiting for the princesses’ imperial carriage.
The carriage curtain she had deliberately lifted to let the roadside people see her was now tightly lowered.
The inside of the carriage became very stuffy.
Yet voices kept rising incessantly.
“A Sheng… no, A Luo… so now I’m A Sheng.”
“Right, you are A Sheng; A Sheng will temporarily continue using your name.”
“I am A Sheng; A Sheng is A Luo; A Sheng is still Liu Chan.”
“Yes, we are all now Miss Yang; have you remembered clearly?”
“I’ve remembered clearly.”
“Miss Yang, have you remembered clearly?”
“Miss Yang? Miss Yang…”
A calling voice rose, and someone poked her shoulder.
Yang Hui turned her head in anger: “What!”
She glared hatefully at the two squeezed inside the carriage.
She was sitting in Mother’s imperial carriage; this carriage had been granted by the Emperor to Grandfather back then, but Grandfather passed away the year His Majesty ascended to the throne and never had the chance to use it, so it went to Mother.
This carriage was gorgeously decorated outside and spacious and comfortable inside; if she hadn’t become a lady-in-waiting for the princess, Mother wouldn’t have been willing to let her use it.
But at this moment, with three people inside the carriage, even if spacious, it felt cramped, let alone comfortable.
Thinking of this arrangement made Yang Hui’s face flush red with anger.
The family wasn’t short of carriages.
But Father and Mother insisted everyone squeeze into one: “It’s not something glorious; don’t make a big show of it.”
If it’s not glorious, then they shouldn’t have come as ladies-in-waiting at all!
They should have been arrested, all arrested and thrown into prison!
Yang Hui glared hatefully at these two faces; although they had only met the night before, just like that fake Liu Chan, she had already deeply memorized this so-called cousin’s face.
Not only did she not stop her from disciplining the maidservant, she even dared to hit her, hit her, and Mother didn’t scold her but instead spoke kindly to this cousin.
Thinking of this, Yang Hui’s eyes, which had cried all night last night, reddened even more.
And this real Liu Chan wasn’t any good either! Aiding a vicious person, shameless!
Now the two were chattering nonstop and even poking her with their hands.
They were worthy of it!
She should slap each of them with both hands.
But Yang Hui’s fists clenched with creaking sounds; she still couldn’t strike.
Last night, Father and Mother had persuaded her all evening.
They couldn’t make a scene; the Emperor already knew; if it really blew up, Duke Ding’an’s Mansion would be in trouble, and she couldn’t follow the princess anymore.
Endure it, just endure it.
Father said the Emperor had already arranged with the National Academy; soon there would be an exam to kick all three out.
“Have you remembered our three identities?” Mo Zheng looked at Yang Hui and asked again. “Miss Yang.”
Miss Yang, Miss Yang, and three messy swapped identities; Yang Hui felt dizzy just listening.
“You mustn’t make a mistake,” Mo Zheng said; her voice was gentle, but her eyes carried a warning. “If you do, you’ll harm your whole family.”
Now it was her harming the family! Truly turning aggression around; clearly they were the ones harming her family! Yang Hui’s teeth ground with creaking sounds.
“I can’t remember,” she said through gritted teeth. “If anyone asks me anything, I’ll say I don’t know! Anyway, I’m not close to you!”
Liu Chan glanced at her with slight disdain, then looked at Mo Zheng and asked worriedly: “Will this work?”
This Miss Yang didn’t seem very smart.
Mo Zheng smiled faintly: “It’ll work; we’re like poor relatives mooching off you; the cousin dislikes us, scorns us, doesn’t mention us to others; such a reaction is normal and fits the cousin’s arrogant temperament perfectly.”
Why did these words sound so unpleasant? What did she mean by her arrogant temperament? How was she arrogant? Yang Hui glared at her hatefully.
“Young ladies…”
The servant woman’s anxious voice came from outside, slightly lifting the carriage curtain.
“Should we still follow directly behind Princess Pingcheng’s imperial carriage?”
The servant woman asked cautiously, her gaze sweeping over the two women behind Yang Hui…
Previously, flying the flag of being Princess Pingcheng’s lady-in-waiting, Yang Hui had boldly joined the procession and even passed Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong, closely following behind Princess Pingcheng’s carriage.
Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong didn’t dare say anything.
But now with these other two in the carriage, who were Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong’s ladies-in-waiting, they naturally couldn’t follow directly behind Princess Pingcheng’s carriage anymore.
Otherwise, Princess Wuyang and Princess Nangong would have an excuse to throw a tantrum.
Truly infuriating! Yang Hui flung the carriage curtain down hard.
“Follow at the end of the princesses’ imperial carriages!”
