Jiang Jinyue and Concubine Yao were both immersed in surprise. However, Zhu Xiao and Han Fen, who were following behind, exchanged a glance and saw sympathy in each other's eyes.
This cousin girl... is really seeking her own doom!
In the Yan region of the Great Ye and several nearby fiefs, there is a grand god - welcoming festival on the New Year's Day.
The so - called god - welcoming means taking the statue of the god out of the temple, carrying it in a sedan chair through the streets, patrolling the villages, and accepting the worship of the common people, which means the descent of the god.
Early in the morning on New Year's Day, Jiang Jinyue dressed up in full regalia and walked out of the Evening Fragrance Hall.
The news that the prince had invited the cousin girl to watch the festival on New Year's Day had spread like wildfire in the mansion last night, and everyone's expressions were extremely colorful.
This was the first time the prince had invited a girl to go out for a stroll since his house arrest, or rather, since history began!
Even Concubine Lü, the former white moonlight in the prince's heart and the side consort of the crown prince, had never been actively invited!
And Miss Caiyu in the mansion. The last time the prince took her for a ride to inspect his properties was already a rare occasion.
Unexpectedly, the cousin girl outdid them all and was going out for a stroll with the prince!
For a while, there were rumors that the cousin girl was going to become the future mistress of the Yan Prince's Mansion.
Those who were on good terms with Caiyu were worried about her future.
Those who had grudges against Caiyu felt delighted.
Caiyu's injuries were not yet fully healed, and she had been busy running around for days. Last night, she went back to the side hall and fell into a deep sleep. She was only woken up by the chattering sounds outside the hall.
Bailu, who had been depressed for a long time, appeared in the Lotus Sound Pavilion with a sneering look on her face.
"Can she still sleep? The cousin girl is going out on the street with the prince. Maybe they'll get engaged soon. When the cousin girl becomes the mistress of our mansion, I don't think she'll be able to survive in the mansion!"
"Not to mention staying in the Lotus Sound Pavilion. Even a job like emptying the night - soil buckets, the cousin girl won't let her do it well! She's finished, haha!"
Xiangye angrily put her hands on her hips and blocked the entrance of the hall. "Sister Bailu, without the master's permission, no other servants in the mansion are allowed to enter or leave the Lotus Sound Pavilion at will. You're no longer a servant of the Lotus Sound Pavilion. Please leave!"
"Ungrateful thing!" Bailu scolded fiercely. "You used to be just a follower of mine. What? Now that Caiyu has promoted you to be a senior maid, you treat her like the Holy Mother?!"
"I advise you to be sensible and leave Caiyu as soon as possible. Make good relations with the cousin girl early. Otherwise, once the cousin girl becomes the mistress, none of the servants in the Lotus Sound Pavilion will end up well!"
Bailu's words made the faces of all the servants in the Lotus Sound Pavilion turn gloomy. They wished they could drive her out immediately!
But Bailu was a servant of the Evening Fragrance Hall and also a senior maid. If there was internal strife in the Yan Prince's Mansion, they might be punished by Song Yinghuai.
So everyone glared at her angrily but didn't take action.
Seeing that everyone only dared to glare at her but didn't dare to drive her away, Bailu became complacent.
Last night, the cousin girl had promised her that if she became the mistress in the future, Bailu would be a concubine.
So last night, she had spread the news of the prince's invitation to the cousin girl everywhere as the cousin girl had instructed. Early this morning, she had come to the Lotus Sound Pavilion specifically to pick a fight.
It was all to annoy Caiyu and make her heart - broken.
At this moment, Caiyu's leisurely voice came from inside the hall.
"It's still too early to tell whether we'll end up well or not, but you won't end up well right now!"
Bailu looked at Caiyu in surprise as she walked out.
She was still wrapped in the black fox cloak that Song Yinghuai had given her when she came back yesterday, as if to show off to Bailu that no matter how much the cousin girl jumped around, the prince was still hers!
"You..." Bailu looked at Caiyu jealously.
Her proud posture and charming figure blended together, making her look like a queen who combined dignity and charm. She was truly so beautiful that she didn't seem to be of this world.
"Don't be so smug!" Bailu said, trying to look calm despite her fear. "When the cousin girl becomes..."
"Wait until she becomes the mistress and you become a concubine. Then you two can come and show off in front of me." Caiyu coldly interrupted her. "You're so eager to show off in the Lotus Sound Pavilion before anything is settled. Repeating the same old words over and over again. You're really stupid!"
Bailu was so angry that her nose was crooked. "Lan Caiyu, don't be so arrogant..."
"I will be arrogant!" Caiyu interrupted her again and said to Xiangye, "There's a mad dog in the pavilion. Why don't you drive it away?"
"If you're afraid of being bitten by the mad dog, go and call Brother Liu and the others. They're most skilled at catching dogs."
Xiangye's eyes immediately lit up. She felt full of confidence and immediately replied, "I'll go and call someone to close the door and beat the dog!"
Seeing that things were going badly, Bailu immediately turned around and ran away.
While quickly leaving, she continued to shout stubbornly, "You wait! Soon I'll move back into the Lotus Sound Pavilion! The cousin girl will surely send you all to do the hardest and most tiring chores!"
Xiangye looked at Bailu's retreating figure and asked worriedly,
"Sister Caiyu, the prince really invited the cousin girl to go out on the street. You went to bed early last night, and we didn't dare to wake you up."
Caiyu stood in front of the hall door. Her slender fingers were clutching the collar of the black fox cloak. The contrast between the white and black colors created an extreme visual impact. The eaves cast a shadow on her face, making it hard to tell the emotion in her eyes.
Suddenly, Caiyu smiled and said, "Xiangye, go and ask Brother Liu to prepare the carriage for me. I'll take you out on the street. There's a god - welcoming festival on the street today. I should also go and receive the blessings of the gods for the two shops that I manage for the prince!"
Xiangye's eyes lit up.
She could go out on the street to watch the excitement and also go to find the prince.
It was obvious that Sister Caiyu was going to annoy the cousin girl.
How could she miss such a good thing.
Ah, Han Fen must also be following the prince. That guy promised to treat her to a meal last time but hasn't fulfilled his promise yet!
The honey - roasted pigeons, fried yellow sparrows, pickled vegetables, and plum - ginger in the Bai Niang Lou were all very good.
"I'll go and call someone right away!" Xiangye ran away in a flash.
---
On Fucheng Street on New Year's Day.
The surging crowd was endless. People were shoulder to shoulder. The noble families were chatting and laughing in the high - rise buildings. The common people lined the streets to watch this grand annual god - welcoming festival, waiting to worship the statue of the god when it passed by and praying for peace and the elimination of disasters in the new year.
Red brocade carpets were spread all over the main street and the Forbidden City. They stretched as far as the eye could see. The scouts in black and white clothes in the distance were scouting the way for the god. The long line that stretched from the beginning to the end of the street scattered petals everywhere as it passed. The melodious music came from the golden carriage. On the high platform, the handsome and solemn Crown Prince of Guanghua sat.
"Cousin, the Crown Prince of Guanghua is about to patrol here." Jiang Jinyue held the bridge railing, feeling the envious looks of the women under the bridge, and shyly smiled at Song Yinghuai.
It was sunny today. On the Jin'ao Yudong Bridge, much of the ice on the surface of the Taiye Pond had melted. There was only a thin layer left, which reflected the dazzling light in the sun.
Song Yinghuai casually looked at the gradually approaching crowd and the procession. The distant music drifted through the air. He playfully curled his lips, and the smile on his lips grew stronger. For a moment, even the approaching statue of the Crown Prince of Guanghua was overshadowed by him.
Jiang Jinyue's eyes were fixed on his face. She felt as if she was in a different world. The feeling of unrequited love rushed towards her like a fierce flood. Even the feeling of a hundred claws scratching her heart was not enough to express her emotions at this moment.
"Cousin..." Jiang Jinyue approached him with a pounding heart, wanting to be as bold and clingy as Caiyu.
A look of disgust flashed in Song Yinghuai's eyes. Suddenly, he changed the topic. "Cousin, have you ever heard the story of the Buddha sacrificing himself to feed the tiger?"
Jiang Jinyue was stunned for a moment and stopped approaching. She said, "I've heard of it. Why did cousin mention this story?"
Song Yinghuai: "It's good that you've heard of it. Otherwise, I'd have to waste my breath telling you the story again."
Jiang Jinyue:??
Song Yinghuai was very patient today and even explained it to her. "I've always wanted to know how deep the water in the Taiye Pond is. The Buddha was willing to sacrifice himself to feed the tiger and save the tiger family. Since cousin is so infatuated with me, I'm sure it's not difficult for you to jump into the Taiye Pond to measure the depth of the water for me."
Jiang Jinyue's face suddenly turned deathly pale, without a trace of blood, just like the ice and snow on the Taiye Pond, pale and cold.