Song Xue picked up a piece of pastry and handed it to her, saying, "Try it. Eldest cousin's pastries are delicious."
Xue Xingyue took it and took a bite. It was indeed made very well.
"Who is this? How can she sit with us?"
Xue Xingyue looked up to see a young girl looking at her haughtily.
She stood up and bowed slightly, saying, "Miss Lin, important people have poor memories. Didn't Miss Lin see this humble girl at the Royal Villa before?"
"I... I have never seen you," Lin Ziyuan said.
"Is that so? This humble girl went with Her Highness the Ninth Princess. Doesn't Miss Lin even remember Her Highness the Ninth Princess?"
"Of course I remember Her Highness the Ninth Princess, but who are you? I don't remember you," Lin Ziyuan said haughtily.
"Lin..."
"Ziyuan, today is my birthday. All who can come are my friends, so please bear with her." Zhao Xiuzhu suddenly spoke.
Upon hearing Zhao Xiuzhu's words, Lin Ziyuan pouted and sat down, saying nothing more. The Ninth Princess, however, glanced at Zhao Xiuzhu's face upon hearing this, her expression subtly displeased.
"Eldest cousin is clashing with the Ninth Princess for you," Song Xue couldn't help but say when she saw the situation.
Xue Xingyue looked up at Zhao Xiuzhu. Zhao Xiuzhu seemed to have inherited all the advantages of the Zhao family, even surpassing Zhao Xuan and Zhao Han. She was not enchantingly beautiful, nor strikingly gorgeous, but she was captivating.
Her eyebrows were like paintings, and her posture was like a willow. Even standing in a crowd, people would notice her at first glance and never forget her.
This was why she had the title of the most beautiful woman in the Yin Kingdom.
Zhao Xiuzhu seemed to sense her gaze and looked towards her. She smiled faintly, a smile that could topple cities and kingdoms. Even as a woman, Xue Xingyue was captivated.
"Cousin, I heard that the lotuses in the manor have bloomed. Could you let everyone feast their eyes?" Song Minghui suddenly asked Zhao Xiuzhu.
Zhao Xiuzhu bowed slightly to the Ninth Princess and said, "Please, Your Highness the Ninth Princess, grace us with your presence in the garden."
"Very well, then this princess will gratefully accept your invitation." The Ninth Princess stood up and, surrounded by a group of young ladies, walked towards the south.
"Miss Xue, let's go too!" Song Xue said.
Xue Xingyue nodded but did not miss Song Minghui standing there. She guessed that Song Minghui must be extremely awkward now. It was she who had proposed this, yet Zhao Xiuzhu had not answered her question at all.
Zhao Xiuzhu, a trace of阴鸷 flashed across Song Minghui's eyes.
Upon arriving at the lakeside mentioned by Song Minghui, they saw an octagonal pavilion. Above the pavilion were three strong and vigorous characters: Xiuxin Pavilion.
Most of the lakeside was covered by lotuses. The pink and white lotuses intertwined, creating a quiet and elegant place.
The Ninth Princess and the young ladies were already seated in the pavilion. Xue Xingyue did not want to join the crowd, as she felt that things would not be so simple. Thus, she found a flat stone and sat on it.
"Ninth Princess, look. Such vulgar people are still vulgar people. Even if they enter a noble household, they cannot change their original nature." After being stopped by Zhao Xiuzhu, Lin Ziyuan finally found another outlet for her frustration.
The Ninth Princess looked at Xue Xingyue, who was sitting on the stone, and asked, "What do you mean by this?"
Xue Xingyue stood up and bowed to the Ninth Princess, replying, "Your Highness the Ninth Princess, this humble girl feels that this place is more elegant."
"Elegant? But this princess does not think so."
The Ninth Princess suddenly smiled coldly, her smile somewhat wicked. "Are you afraid that this princess will harm you?"
Everyone was shocked. Xue Xingyue frowned. She really hadn't expected the Ninth Princess to say it so openly. "Your Highness the Ninth Princess truly misunderstands this humble girl. This humble girl has no such intention."
"What do you mean by 'no such intention'? Are you really afraid that this princess will harm you?" The Ninth Princess's voice grew colder.
"This humble girl believes that with Your Highness the Ninth Princess's noble status, you would certainly not bother with someone like this humble girl," Xue Xingyue said.
"Naturally," the Ninth Princess replied.
With the Ninth Princess's assurance, Xue Xingyue stood up and walked towards the pavilion. It seemed she could not avoid this confrontation.
"Miss Xue, I advise you not to go over." Song Xue behind her also sensed something unusual and couldn't help but whisper to stop her.
Xue Xingyue looked at Song Xue and smiled, "But if I don't go, wouldn't I offend the Ninth Princess?"
"But..."
"It's alright. Not going will offend the Ninth Princess, but going might offer a sliver of hope." This is not the imperial palace; surely anything she does here is not considered excessive?
Upon reaching the center of the pavilion, the young ladies had already moved far away from her. She was quite satisfied with this result, at least she could see clearly what anyone was doing.
Suddenly, a man's voice was heard from not far away. Everyone was surprised, as men were not supposed to be here.
"Zhao Xiuzhu, how did an outsider man get here?" Lin Ziyuan asked Zhao Xiuzhu.
Zhao Xiuzhu was also taken aback. She summoned a maidservant and said a few words, and the maidservant left first.
"Your Highness the Ninth Princess, this is this subject's oversight. Please rest assured, this subject will not allow any outsider men to enter here," Zhao Xiuzhu said.
"Zhao Xiuzhu, the voices have already reached this side. What use is your promise now? Let me tell you, if..."
"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince, His Highness the Fourth Prince, the King of Min Nan, the Prime Minister..." As voices sounded from outside, everyone turned their gaze in that direction.
The Ninth Princess stood up and saw several figures approaching from not far away.
Leading them was a man dressed in a purple brocade robe, his collar embroidered with Zhao silk, his head adorned with a jade coronet. He was gentle, refined, and exceptionally handsome.
"It's His Highness the Crown Prince." Someone among the young ladies exclaimed this.
Following him was a young man in a black brocade robe, with a rather cold demeanor.