At the main gate of the Li family, Mrs. Guo, the wife of the vice-minister of the Ministry of Personnel, walked in with her daughter, Guo Xinyue.
Mrs. Guo admonished her daughter, "Although the official rank of the Li family is not high, both of their sons - in - law come from prominent families. You must put away your haughty nature today and don't underestimate them."
Guo Xinyue replied softly, "Yes."
There was still little expression on her face, only a faint look of impatience.
After entering the door, Mrs. Guo first went to pay her respects to Mrs. Li. Guo Xinyue was too lazy to deal with the formalities, so she excused herself by saying that she felt stuffy after a long carriage ride and wanted to take a stroll in the garden.
The Li family's garden was not very large, and the pavilions, flowers, and trees were all rather ordinary, which made her feel even more disdainful.
If she hadn't heard that Pei Yanqi was coming today, she wouldn't have come at all!
After the flower - throwing incident on the long street last time, she heard that the top - scorer Pei hadn't kept any token from the women and hadn't visited any family afterwards.
This made her both annoyed and a little suspicious: Could it be that the top - scorer Pei already had someone in his heart?
Could it be... this Li Wanming?
No way!
The more she thought about it, the more suspicious she became. She decided to come and see for herself whether there was any improper relationship between them!
Sun Miaoqing was quite happy to see Guo Xinyue coming.
First, she stood up and quickly tidied her dress. Then she looked behind Guo Xinyue. When she saw that Guo Xinyue was really alone, she felt a little disappointed.
"Didn't Young Master Guo come?" Sun Miaoqing bit her lip, and a blush appeared on her cheeks.
Guo Xinyue saw her performance and only found it laughable.
A daughter of a seventh - rank official dared to dream of forming a marriage alliance with their family?
It was just a joking remark from an elder in her family after drinking some time ago, but she actually took it seriously?
Didn't she even look at herself in the mirror to see if she was worthy!
Guo Xinyue said impatiently, "My cousin came to the capital yesterday. She and my elder brother grew up together. Of course, my elder brother has to accompany her at home."
Sun Miaoqing's face turned a little pale. "Your cousin... Young Master Guo..."
"Yes. My cousin is beautiful and good at calligraphy and painting. Her father is the prefect of Ruyang County... Our whole family likes her very much." She said deliberately.
Every word of hers was like a stab in Sun Miaoqing's heart.
The more panicked Sun Miaoqing looked, the happier she felt.
If it weren't for General Li's sake, she wouldn't even bother to talk to her.
But this stupid woman was so unself - aware, always clinging to her like a lapdog and couldn't be shaken off!
After venting her anger, Guo Xinyue wanted to go to the front yard to find her mother when she heard a commotion outside the main gate.
The doorman who was greeting guests outside seemed to have seen someone extremely incredible and let out a trembling scream:
"Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Chengping, has arrived!"
Everyone in the yard, whether they were drinking, socializing, enjoying the flowers, or chatting, was instantly stunned. Everyone's face showed a shocked expression.
The Princess of Chengping!
The widow of General Huo, the younger sister of the Prince of Ning, and the first - rank imperial lady of the Great Sheng Dynasty...
Why would she come to the Li family?
Li Rusong and Yuan Jinqiu exchanged a look, and they both saw disbelief, surprise, and doubt in each other's eyes.
They had never had any contact with the Princess of Chengping - mainly because their family status was too low to be on equal footing with her... Why did the princess come today?
But there was no time to think more. The two immediately went out to greet her.
Outside the main gate was a complete set of the princess's magnificent and colorful ceremonial guard!
At the very front was a large red umbrella decorated with gold and cloud - like patterns, covering half of the street. The vermilion color was like a splash of ink, gorgeous and unrestrained. Behind it were two red staves, two upright melons, and two bone - shaped weapons. There were also six maids holding red silk fans embroidered with peacocks, standing solemnly.
Actually, the Princess of Chengping was not of royal blood but the younger sister of the Prince of Ning, a feudal lord with a different surname.
But in an early battle in the southern border, her husband and son both died on the battlefield. The Emperor Shizong pitied her loneliness and took her as his adopted daughter, bestowing on her the title of the first - rank imperial lady.
Thus, the Princess of Chengping became the nominal elder sister of the late emperor, the nominal elder sister - in - law of the current empress dowager, and the aunt of the emperor in terms of etiquette...
In the current Great Sheng Dynasty, she was the most noble woman after the empress dowager.
And today, this noble woman came to their family's birthday banquet with the highest - level ceremonial guard.
Yuan Jinqiu was even more puzzled.
Today's birthday banquet for Mrs. Li was a private one, not a grand occasion. Why did the Princess of Chengping come in such a grand manner?
This... this didn't seem like coming to congratulate on a birthday but rather like coming to show off her power...
Her heart skipped a beat.
Could it be that the couple had accidentally offended the princess somewhere?
It couldn't be...
An official as insignificant as Li Rusong was so common in the capital that a falling signboard could hit three of them. Usually, they couldn't even reach the princess's little toe. What could have made the princess come to their door personally to seek accountability?
"Let me see... let me see!"
When Mrs. Li heard that the princess had come, she immediately leaned on her walking stick and panted as she rushed out from the inner hall.
Because she was in such a hurry, she tripped over the threshold when going out of the main gate and almost fell flat on her face.
"This is Her Royal Highness the princess... She's so beautiful... And this umbrella is so big. Are the embroideries on it all made of gold thread..."
The ceremonial guard decorated with gold and phoenixes blocked out the sky. The dazzling golden and red colors made Mrs. Li's head dizzy. All she could see was boundless wealth.
A female official scolded sharply, "Bold woman! How dare you be so disrespectful when you see the princess!"
The princess's bodyguards also quickly drew out their bright swords and almost laid them across Mrs. Li's neck.
Frightened, Mrs. Li immediately sobered up. She knelt on the ground with a thud and kept begging for mercy. "I dare not! I dare not..."
A slightly low - pitched female voice came from above. "Be excused."
This time, Mrs. Li was smart enough not to raise her head.
A pair of light - blue Shu brocade shoes with tassels and pearl pendants slowly walked past her. The pearl pendants as small as a thumbnail swayed in front of her eyes, like the terrifying power that made people tremble with fear.
The princess slowly walked into the yard.
In the yard, there was already a sea of people kneeling. Li Wanming also knelt down with the others and didn't dare to move.
The Princess of Chengping... was probably the most powerful official she would ever meet in her life. Maybe a single word from her could lead to the execution of her whole family.
No matter how naughty she was, she wouldn't act recklessly at this moment.
...
"Wanming!"
"Little sister!"
Suddenly, she heard familiar voices from above.
Li Wanming looked up sharply and saw two people emerging from behind the gorgeously - dressed princess. They were actually Li Wanxin and Li Wanmo!
"Elder sister, second elder sister? How... how did you come?"
Li Wanming was both surprised and happy. She could hardly believe her eyes.
Li Wanmo, the second elder sister, took her hand. "You may not even believe it. It was the Princess of Chengping who ordered us to come to grandmother's birthday banquet!"
Li Wanming instinctively looked over and saw that the Princess of Chengping was also sizing her up.
However, the princess's gaze was very complicated, full of scrutiny, suspicion, examination, and assessment, as if a mother - in - law was looking at her future daughter - in - law... No! Even her real mother - in - law had never looked at her like this.
Li Wanming felt a little surprised.