Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The moment Li Lingling saw Xie Yun, she only had three words in her heart: It was over.
Both courtiers and His Majesty wanted Xie Yun to be the crown princess. Li Lingling and some noble girls still had the hope that Xie Yun was ugly.
They felt that if Xie Yun was ugly, she would definitely not be loved by His Royal Highness.
But when they saw her today, they found that no girl in Chang’an was prettier than Xie Yun.
Li Lingling said, “Just because there are many talents in Lin’an doesn’t mean Miss Qiao is literate. Miss Xie, do you know Miss Qiao?”
Xie Yun said, “Miss Qiao and I have known each other for more than ten years. We grew up together.”
Qiao Jinniang glanced at Xie Yun in surprise. In fact, they were not so close. She just sent cakes to Xie Yun every now and then.
However, since Xie Yun had said this, the noble ladies in Chang’an who looked down on her wouldn’t dare to despise her again.
Li Lingling glanced at Qiao Jinniang and said, “How come Miss Qiao never said that she knows you?”
Fulu came over and said, “Why does she have to tell you? Miss Xie is just someone Jinniang knows, not Jinniang’s great aunt or aunt who can be mentioned every day…”
Li Lingling pointed at Fulu angrily and said, “How dare you! How dare you be disrespectful to the Empress Dowager and Consort Xian?!”
Li Lingling mentioned the Empress Dowager and Consort Xian every day, reminding people that her great aunt was the Empress Dowager, and her aunt was Consort Xian.
Fulu snorted. “Yes, I am, so what? If you have what it takes, you can complain to my grandmother!”
Li Lingling didn’t dare to offend Fulu. After all, she was the Empress Dowager’s favorite granddaughter.
Fulu walked to Qiao Jinniang and said, “Now I know you didn’t lie to me. Miss Xie is really stunningly beautiful. No wonder she didn’t show her face that day. Otherwise, countless men would have been fascinated by her!”
Xie Yun said, “I’m flattered, princess.”
Li Lingling was furious, but as the host, she had to force a smile and guide them in.
Earl Cheng’en’s Mansion was the smallest mansion that Qiao Jinniang had seen since she came to Chang’an. The so-called lotus poetry party was held in a small pond…
And they even wanted to play the “Winding Water and Poem Making” game in this pond that had a weird smell. With the strange smell of the pond water, even the liquor they drank on the small wooden boat was inevitably contaminated with a strange smell.
Without any shelter, the scorching sun almost peeled off a layer of skin of the girls.
Li Lingling already felt embarrassed, and the noble ladies could only endure it in order not to offend her.
But Fulu said straightforwardly, “Li Lingling, what are you up to? You know that the crown prince’s consort selection banquet is approaching, but you made these candidate girls bask in the scorching sun. Your skin is rough and thick so you’re not afraid of the sun, but don’t get Miss Xie sunburned.”
Qiao Jinniang looked helplessly at Fulu who was holding an umbrella for Xie Yun.
Xie Yun just smiled at Fulu and said, “Thank you, Princess Fulu. I really can’t sunbathe… The sun is really scorching. I haven’t tasted the dishes of Myriad Taste for a long time. I heard that a new Myriad Taste was opened in Chang’an, right?”
Fulu said, “It’s called the Tasty Pavilion. Why don’t we go to the Tasty Pavilion? I heard that there are several famous southern-style summer snacks in the Tasty Pavilion? I haven’t tried them yet.”
Xie Yun looked at Qiao Jinniang and said, “Why not go together?”
Qiao Jinniang nodded and followed Fulu and Xie Yun to leave Earl Cheng’en’s Mansion with Qiao Ruoyi.
Seeing them leave, Li Lingling smashed a cup in rage!
She could tolerate Fulu and Xie Yun because one of them was the daughter of an old distinguished family admired by literati, and the other was the only daughter of a princess.
But how dare Qiao Jinniang and Qiao Ruoyi leave like this?
The venue of the poetry party was not far from the Tasty Pavilion, so the four of them walked away side by side, and Fulu kept asking Xie Yun how she could be so beautiful along the way.
Xie Yun had a good temper and answered her patiently.
Qiao Ruoyi couldn’t help but slow down, and Qiao Jinniang looked back at Qiao Ruoyi. “What’s wrong? Why are you walking so slowly?”
Qiao Ruoyi sighed. “Second sister, the temperament, family background and appearance of Miss Xie are all above yours, and she was raised with the standard of a future crown princess. I’m afraid that she will be the crown princess, but then what about you?…”
Qiao Jinniang frowned and said, “I have nothing to do with Lu Chen.”
Talk of the devil. He came.
When the four of them arrived at the Tasty Pavilion, they saw Lu Chen, Junior Duke Rong, Zhou Siming, and Lin Mo who were here for lunch.
At the door, seeing Lu Chen coming, Huixiang hurriedly put the sign that “Lu Chen and dogs were not admitted” outside the door.
When Junior Duke Rong saw the sign, he almost couldn’t hold back his laughter.
Zhou Siming and Lin Mo looked at each other and pretended not to see the sign.
However, Fulu came over and read loudly, “Lu Chen and dogs were not admitted. Jinniang, who is Lu Chen? Lu is the imperial family’s surname, and the word ‘Chen’ also means emperor. Who would dare to take such a name in Chang’an?”
Qiao Ruoyi hurriedly said, “I’m afraid that some illiterate servant wrote it wrong. This means that dogs are not admitted at Chen Hours.”
This explanation was far-fetched, but it was better than her second sister being punished by His Royal Highness!
Qiao Jinniang said, “No, they didn’t write it wrong. It means that Lu Chen and dogs were not admitted. Your Royal Highness, please leave. You’re not welcomed here.”
Fulu was shocked. “So Lu Chen is the name of my imperial cousin!”
“Does this mean that the Crown Prince and the dog are not admitted?”
Outside the door were all nobles and officials. Hearing Fulu’s loud shout, many customers who were having dinner here looked over.
Junior Duke Rong covered Fulu’s mouth. “Quiet! Why do you have to shout so loudly?”
When everyone thought that Lu Chen was going to get angry, he just looked at the sign and said, “Let’s go, go to the Guest-welcoming Building next door.”
Everyone was shocked.
Qiao Jinniang snorted. The jerk only deserved to eat the dishes made by scum.
Junior Duke Rong almost burst into tears and said, “Although the chefs in the Guest-welcoming Building were all from the Tasty Pavilion, the food they made is getting worse and worse, and I don’t even know why? I would rather go back home than eat there!”
Inside, the Duke hurriedly came out and said, “Your Royal Highness, please wait a minute. I’m sorry for the offense. Jinniang, apologize to His Royal Highness!”
Qiao Jinniang didn’t expect Duke Anyuan to be here today.
Lu Chen said, “Your Excellency, you don’t have to blame Miss Qiao. I offended her, so it’s okay for her to hate me.”
The Duke glared at Qiao Jinniang and continued, “No, Your Royal Highness, no matter how you treat her, it is her blessing.
“My daughter has never learned etiquette. If there is any offense, please forgive her!
“Jinniang, come here, invite His Royal Highness in.”
Qiao Jinniang thought helplessly, ‘Did her father obtain his high official position by licking boots?’
Look how fawning he looked!
Lu Chen said, “Your Excellency, don’t you want to know how I offended Second Miss Qiao?”
Qiao Jinniang gnashed her teeth and glared at Lu Chen, afraid that he would say improper words to the Duke, so she could only grit her teeth and say, “Please come in, Your Royal Highness!”
