"Your Highness, Wei Rulan has gone to Linlang Yuan!"
The moment Wei Rulan stepped into Linlang Yuan, Nan Shiying received the news.
"I know!"
Nan Shiying was not particularly concerned. She assumed that Princess Huian, being intelligent, would not do anything foolish. However, compared to the scheming Wei Rulan, Bai Xinxin had been remarkably quiet lately. It was said she spent her days embroidering behind closed doors, her needlework becoming increasingly exquisite.
Nan Shiying pondered for a moment, then rose and walked to her desk to write a note for Huian.
"Xuanyi!"
She called out towards the door.
Xuanyi was hanging from the eaves, one hand gripping the roof edge, the other pushing open the window to peer inside.
Nan Shiying folded the note in half, then in half again, until it was the size of half a palm. She handed it to Xuanyi, concisely instructing, "Give this to Huian."
Xuanyi took the note, saying, "Yes!"
He leaped into the air and vanished from Xingyuan Pavilion in the blink of an eye!
...
"Ding-dong~"
"Ding-dong~"
A knock echoed in the quiet room. The sound didn't come from the main door but from the window on the west wall of the inner chamber.
Huian rose and walked to the window.
The figure outside made no attempt to conceal their presence.
She opened the window to find a man in fitted clothing, clearly skilled in martial arts, standing outside. m..oΓg
Xuanyi bowed to Huian before directly handing her the note, "Your Highness asked me to deliver this to the Princess!"
In the mansion, only Nan Shiying could be referred to as "Your Highness."
But what was the meaning of this gesture?
Huian was somewhat puzzled but reached out and took the note.
"Then I shall take my leave!"
Seeing that Huian had accepted the note, Xuanyi leaped away and disappeared from Linlang Yuan.
Huian closed the window and opened the note. She read its contents at a glance, then stood up and retrieved a fire starter from a cabinet.
...
Three days later, in the royal mansion's back garden!
Sunlight fell upon the frozen lake, its reflection illuminating the pavilion. Wine was being warmed on the stone table within the pavilion, wisps of steam rising gently.
Nan Shiying and Huian sat on opposite sides, while dancers on ice skates performed gracefully on the ice.
Suddenly, the sound of a cup being thrown echoed from the pavilion.
Following it, Nan Shiying's furious curses: "Heh, Princess Huian is so eager to marry? A princess of a nation actually volunteers to become someone's concubine? Yu Qinglan, you think by moving into my mansion, you can marry into it? Heh, what a fool's dream!"
The mansion's servants, upon hearing the Consort's curses, instinctively flinched. The dancers, who had been performing on the ice, slowly stopped. Unsure whether to stay or leave, they could only stand with bowed heads on the ice, praying that the Consort would not be overly angered and vent her fury upon them.
Baolan and Luyuan, who were guarding outside, heard the commotion and hurried into the pavilion.
Baolan shielded Huian, glaring at Nan Shiying.
Luyuan glared back, unwilling to be outdone.
Facing the enraged Nan Shiying, Huian calmly set down her wine cup. As she looked up at Nan Shiying, a hint of disdain and mockery flickered in the slightly upturned corners of her eyes: "Consort Nan Shiying, you are merely a庶女 from the Prime Minister's mansion. If not for using such schemes to marry the Regent, would you dare to be so presumptuous before me? Becoming a concubine is giving you face. If you refuse to accept it gracefully, do not blame me."
"As a princess of Dali, can I not hold the position of the main consort?"
"Princess of Dali? You, the Princess of Dali, have fallen so low as to come for a marriage alliance, yet you still cling to your princess status? Our Lin Yuan Dynasty respects you, and you are the Princess of Dali. Disrespect you, and you are merely an object sent for a marriage alliance. An object dares to talk of status with me? You are not worthy!"
"Luyuan, teach Princess Huian the rules of Lin Yuan on my behalf!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Luyuan rolled up her sleeves and walked towards Huian.
"How dare you!"
Baolan spread her arms to shield Huian behind her, shouting with feigned ferocity, "What a noble status my princess holds, how can you people dare to insult her? If you dare to lay a hand on my princess today, I will make you, and your Highness, pay!"
Nan Shiying applauded, "Well said, well said, a loyal maid. Guards!"
At Nan Shiying's command, the mansion's servants immediately surrounded the entire pavilion. Jia Huan led a group of guards into the pavilion, drawing his waist saber with a 'swish.'
"To dare threaten the Consort, your crime is punishable by death!"