Xiao Bao'er stood up, nodded and replied to the Sixteenth Princess, who was smiling at her, "Yes, this subject's daughter thanks the princess."
Seeing that Xiao Bao'er accepted her kindness generously, the Sixteenth Princess happily pulled Xiao Bao'er's hand and sat her down in the seat originally occupied by the Princess of Lin'an. Lifting her little face proudly, she said, "All of you may rise, except for the one who showed disrespect to the eldest sister."
Everyone knew exactly who the one who showed disrespect to the eldest sister was. So, the enthusiasm for watching the drama among the crowd was reignited. It was really worth coming to this flower - viewing banquet today. What a show it was!
Seeing someone else come to Xiao Bao'er's rescue again, Xiao Jinghui felt a bit numb inside. She really wanted to ask the heavens why Xiao Bao'er was so lucky today. Every time, someone would come to her aid just in time.
Although Xiao Bao'er also wanted to see Xiao Jinghui embarrassed, out of consideration for the face of the Xiao Mansion, she still said to the Sixteenth Princess, "Your Highness, my third younger sister is not feeling well today, so she acted rashly. Please, for the sake of the Princess of Lin'an, don't take it to heart."
The Sixteenth Princess turned to look at Xiao Jinghui kneeling on the ground. Pouting her lips aggrievedly, she said, "Sister Bao'er, this nursery rhyme is from my mother - concubine's hometown. Mother - concubine likes to hum it to me when I go to sleep. She actually said this tune was not presentable. Isn't that saying that mother - concubine and I are not presentable?"
Xiao Jinghui really wanted to refute. It was clearly the Princess of Lin'an who said the tune was not presentable. How could it be her now?
The Princess of Lin'an awkwardly averted her gaze and remained silent.
Seeing the Sixteenth Princess's little face wrinkled with grievance, Xiao Bao'er's heart softened. She thought for a while, then took out a candy from her sleeve and gave it to the Sixteenth Princess.
The Sixteenth Princess looked at the candy in Xiao Bao'er's hand in surprise. After taking it, she observed it carefully, then said excitedly, "Sister Xiao, your candy is in the shape of a little dog. It's so cute!"
"If the princess likes it, this subject's daughter will give this candy to the princess. After the princess eats something sweet, don't be unhappy. This subject's daughter also likes the tune from Concubine Hui's hometown. I believe Concubine Hui must be a very gentle person. Please forgive my younger sister's unintentional mistake."
"Um... let me think," the Sixteenth Princess felt better after receiving the cute candy. After thinking for a moment, a hint of cunning flashed in her eyes. "I heard that just now, Miss Xiao the Third damaged the painting that Cousin Lin'an was going to present to the imperial grandmother. Then this princess will punish you to paint eighty paintings in the style of Lady Wei."
After saying that, she turned around and shook Xiao Bao'er's sleeve, coquettishly asking, "Sister Bao'er, is this okay?"
Eighty paintings. It would probably break Xiao Jinghui's hands. But Xiao Bao'er would never plead for Xiao Jinghui. So she nodded and said, "The Sixteenth Princess's punishment is very appropriate. This subject's daughter thanks the princess on behalf of her third younger sister."
The Sixteenth Princess smiled contentedly. Turning to the crowd, she said, "This princess is also here to attend the flower - viewing banquet of the Prince of Xiangyang's Mansion. Just now, you were showing your talents, but I interrupted you suddenly. To show my apology, after the banquet, this princess will give each of you a bolt of satin tribute from Lingzhou."
Everyone happily thanked the princess. They got to watch the drama and receive gifts. How could they not be happy?
Then everyone continued to show their talents in the same order as before.
The Sixteenth Princess wasn't very interested in these. She just pulled Xiao Bao'er and talked to her.
The Princess of Lin'an and Xiao Jinghui beside them could hardly maintain their smiles. The handkerchief under the Princess of Lin'an's sleeve was almost torn to pieces. Clearly, she and the Sixteenth Princess were cousins, so why was the Sixteenth Princess closer to Xiao Bao'er?
Xiao Jinghui was so angry that her chest was about to explode. She vaguely felt that things shouldn't have developed like this. The plan she and the Princess of Lin'an had made was supposed to be foolproof. Why did someone always show up to disrupt their plan?
The Princess of Lin'an and Xiao Jinghui glanced at each other and saw the same expression in each other's eyes.
Xiao Jinghui lowered her voice and whispered in the Princess of Lin'an's ear, "Your Highness, aren't you curious about the appearance under my eldest sister's veil?"
The Princess of Lin'an replied in surprise, "I saw your eldest sister many years ago. Although she wasn't stunningly beautiful, she was quite a comely girl. Why? Has the appearance under her veil changed?"
"To be honest with Your Highness, since my eldest sister got a strange illness four years ago, she has been wearing a veil every day. Even us sisters in the family have never seen the appearance under her veil..."
The Princess of Lin'an leaned over and couldn't help but stare at Xiao Bao'er's veil. "Xiao Bao'er said she was still ill and her face was haggard, so she wore a veil. But looking at her eyes now, she doesn't seem haggard. Could it be that Xiao Bao'er is disfigured?"
As soon as this thought popped up, the Princess of Lin'an couldn't sit still.
Xiao Jinghui sneered, and the malice in her eyes seemed almost tangible. "If Your Highness wants to know, why not..."
"Will this work? Our plans today have never succeeded. If it weren't for your father's usefulness to my father, I wouldn't help you like this. If this fails again, watch out for your puny body."
Facing the skeptical look from the princess, Xiao Jinghui's eyes were firm. "Your Highness, please rest assured. This plan will surely be foolproof."
While talking to the Sixteenth Princess, Xiao Bao'er also noticed what was going on with Xiao Jinghui. When she saw their looks of plotting something bad, she knew that the next scheme was coming.
It didn't matter. Except for the matter of choosing the painting, she had experienced everything else in her previous life. Without even thinking, she knew that they wanted to see the real appearance under her veil. They would arrange for a maid to pour water on her later, and then break into the guest - room when she went there to change clothes.
These were the same old tricks. She just needed to face them head - on. Xiao Bao'er shifted her gaze back to the Sixteenth Princess.
After all, her most important goal at this flower - viewing banquet was the Sixteenth Princess. In her previous life, when the flower - viewing banquet was almost over, the Sixteenth Princess accidentally fell into the lake. For some reason, none of her maids were around. The Sixteenth Princess was in the lake for who knows how long before being rescued. She almost lost her life.
And the one who rescued the Sixteenth Princess was her fourth younger sister, Xiao Jingwan.
Xiao Jingwan became the princess's savior. Not only Concubine Hui but also the emperor bestowed countless treasures. But what bothered Xiao Bao'er was not these. It was that Xiao Jingwan used the name of the princess's savior to lord it over others and even committed murder.
She had a hunch that no matter what, she couldn't let Xiao Jingwan be the one who rescued the Sixteenth Princess this time. As long as she stayed by the princess's side every step of the way, the princess wouldn't fall into the lake, and Xiao Jingwan would have nothing to do with it.
Xiao Bao'er had a good plan, but she didn't know that fate was not so easy to change.