The girl was pretty and charming, her large, blinking eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation.
She was Ban Ruoxuan, the daughter of the Ban family.
Around fourteen or fifteen years old, she was slender and had not yet fully grown. Her eyes still held a clear, naive innocence.
This girl had been very well protected.
Perhaps being the youngest legitimate daughter, her family had no need for her to be on the front lines. She was simply doted upon and raised, destined to marry into a family with simple relations. She wouldn't have to manage the household and could live a happy life.
However, who would have thought that with Wei Yu's incident, the Ban family, being in-laws with the Wei family, could not stand idly by. Imperial Consort Wei had taken a liking to Ban Ruoxuan, and Madam Ban could only tearfully send her to the banquet. She prayed incessantly that the Empress Dowager would take a liking to someone else and spare her daughter, Xuan'er.
Wang Qingyao feigned surprise, "Who is this young lady?"
Imperial Consort Wei introduced, "This is the legitimate youngest granddaughter of Lord Ban, the Minister of the Grand Court of Judicial Review."
Ban Ruoxuan rose to pay her respects to Wang Qingyao. Wang Qingyao generously removed a golden hairpin from her own head and presented it to her as a meeting gift.
The hairpin was designed by Wang Qingyao herself. Made with gold filigree, it resembled a stalk of wheat, novel and interesting. There wasn't another like it in the capital.
Ban Ruoxuan's face lit up with joy. She made no attempt to hide her emotions, happily weighing it in her hand and admiring it for a long time.
"It's so beautiful!"
Her straightforward praise and overflowing joy didn't make her seem like a bumpkin who had never seen the world. Instead, it highlighted her innocence, purity, and genuine enthusiasm.
The Empress Dowager glanced over and was also attracted by the hairpin, "Let this Empress see it."
Ban Ruoxuan actually showed a hesitant, reluctant expression.
Wang Qingyao chuckled, "Your Majesty, the young lady is afraid you won't give it back to her after seeing it!"
The Empress Dowager, perhaps for the first time being doubted in her character, marveled at Ban Ruoxuan's boldness and simplicity.
Imperial Consort Wei quickly added, "Xuan'er is wondering if she should give it to Your Majesty..."
The Empress Dowager smiled, "How can this Empress snatch something from a child?"
In the end, Ban Ruoxuan handed the hairpin to the Empress Dowager, who looked at it for two glances before returning it.
Ban Ruoxuan, still pondering the whispered conversation between Wang Qingyao and the Empress Dowager, carefully put away the hairpin and asked again.
Wang Qingyao said seriously, "It's a secret, I can't tell you."
Ban Ruoxuan looked disappointed but truly did not press further.
Besides Ban Ruoxuan, there were the two daughters of the Kang family, the Minister of Rites, in the hall. Wang Qingyao had met them once before.
If Fang Yuan had not already been betrothed, she would have been eligible to attend this flower appreciation banquet.
As for the other young ladies, Wang Qingyao had not seen them much.
The Empress Dowager quietly told her, "That one is the youngest daughter of the Governor-General of Liangguang, and that one is the eldest granddaughter of the Jiangnan Imperial Textile Manufacturer. They have both specially rushed back to the capital from afar to compete for the position of Crown Princess."
The others were legitimate daughters from families of officials ranked third rank or higher.
Wang Qingyao had read ancient novels before, where every dynasty had various princes, commanderies, princesses, and ladies.
These powerful families formed the basis of novels filled with conflict and intrigue, like harem struggles and court battles.
However, Da Sheng had none of that.
The only two princes Wang Qingyao had ever seen were both of different surnames.
It turned out that besides Prince Ming, the late emperor had no other full brothers. Those cousins had mostly died in wars. Even those who survived and were enfeoffed as princes after the founding of the dynasty had their lineages dwindle over time for various reasons. It was difficult to request the enfeoffment of heirs, and thus they lost their titles.
The only Grand Princess was not the late emperor's own sister but his cousin. Unfortunately, the Gu family was incompetent. They failed to cherish the Grand Princess's honor. For two generations, the family heads were lecherous men, which had already displeased the Emperor. Their family members dared not confront true nobles head-on.
As for Prince Ming, he was framed for rebellion. His entire lineage was implicated and annihilated, leaving no one behind.
Considering all this, Nan Ge County Princess's status was indeed the most noble among them.
At this moment, she sat beside Wang Qingyao and suddenly asked the Empress Dowager, "Your Majesty, are the palace maids guarding the entrance of Cishou Palace from your palace?"
Imperial Consort Wei's expression tensed.
The Empress Dowager was surprised, "Naturally."
How could the palace maids of Cishou Palace be from another palace?
She keenly sensed something was amiss, "What is it? Did they offend you?"
Feng Jiangduo did not hesitate to complain, "Just now, as I was entering, I heard them say that Princess Ding'an was jealous of me and intentionally advised Your Majesty not to choose me as the Crown Princess."
Wang Qingyao raised her eyebrows in surprise.
The Empress Dowager's face darkened. Having spent many years in the harem, she immediately recognized this as someone deliberately sowing discord.
She glanced at the female official beside her, who immediately dispatched someone to bring in the two palace maids guarding the entrance.
The two palace maids, unaware of what was happening, knelt on the ground in confusion.
The Empress Dowager asked, "Is it these two?"
Feng Jiangduo nodded.
The Empress Dowager's sharp gaze swept over the faces of the two women and she said concisely, "Speak, who instructed you to sow discord in front of Nan Ge County Princess?"
The faces of the two women changed drastically. They never expected that Nan Ge County Princess, after hearing their divisive words, would not resent Princess Ding'an but would directly complain to the Empress Dowager!