Song Yihuan wasn't surprised to run into Cui Ying'er here. After all, the Qionglimei troupe was very popular in the capital. Many well-off families liked to go to the theater to support the famous actress Cui Ying'er.
Cui Ying'er seemed to have not noticed Song Yihuan. Her soulful eyes were fixed on Song Nanxin as she smiled and said, "It's been a long time, Princess Consort. How have you been?"
Unlike Song Yihuan, Song Nanxin tensed up instinctively and her smile faded a little. She said, "So it's you, Miss Cui. It's indeed been a long time."
Others might not know, but Song Yihuan knew Song Nanxin very well. She could tell that Song Nanxin was a bit nervous at the moment.
Why was her elder sister nervous at the sight of Miss Cui?
Song Yihuan knew that her elder sister liked to listen to operas. When she was most enthusiastic, she would go to the theater three or four times a month. At the very least, she would go once a month.
The Qionglimei troupe was her elder sister's favorite theater troupe. As such, she was very familiar with the lead actress of the troupe, Cui Ying'er.
Back then, to successfully impersonate her elder sister in the Imperial College, her elder sister specially invited Miss Cui to teach her ventriloquism. Only then could she imitate her elder sister's voice and intonation to take classes for her in the Imperial College without being detected.
Actresses were considered the lowest of the low. Her elder sister was the Princess Consort of Prince Ning and the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's residence. Why was she afraid of the other party?
Just as she was thinking this, she heard Cui Ying'er say, "Princess Consort, you haven't come to listen to the Qionglimei troupe for some time. I thought you had grown tired of us. After some asking around, I heard that it's because the Prince has returned to the capital. You must be living harmoniously with the Prince these days."
Cui Ying'er said with a smile as she reached out to fiddle with the pearls of Song Nanxin's hairpin.
"I've recently staged a new opera. The story is very exciting. Does Princess Consort have the interest to come to the Qionglimei troupe to have a look?"
Song Nanxin said with a smile, "It's probably not possible today. We have other things to attend to and can't afford to delay. I'll go to the Qionglimei troupe another day to support Miss Cui. I must see what wonderful opera Miss Cui has staged."
Hearing this, Cui Ying'er smiled and her eyes curved up: "Princess Consort, don't be in such a hurry to leave. Although you don't have the time to go to the Qionglimei troupe to listen to me sing, it's still okay to sit down with me for a cup of tea, right?"
"I would like to discuss something with Princess Consort regarding March this year..."
Song Nanxin interrupted the other party in a hurry: "I can't listen to the opera, but it's okay to drink tea. Xiyang Tower is right in front. Miss Cui, please."
March? What happened in March?
Song Yihuan's heart skipped a beat. She was just about to follow up to continue to inquire when Song Nanxin, after being reminded by Bai Zhi, remembered that she was still following behind. She turned around and said,
"Yihuan, I'll go sit with Miss Cui in Xiyang Tower for a while. You can take a stroll outside and see if there's anything else you want to buy. Remember, don't go too far. Wait for me to return to the residence together."
Saying that, she secretly gave Song Yihuan a warning look.
Being stared at like this by her elder sister, Song Yihuan could only stop in her tracks and nod her head slightly: "Okay."
She watched her elder sister enter Xiyang Tower with the enchanting Cui Ying'er. Bai Zhi also followed them in, keeping a vigilant lookout all the way. Song Yihuan retracted her gaze. She stood there for a while before walking out to stroll around the stalls on both sides of the road.
In a private room in Xiyang Tower, Cui Ying'er retracted her gaze from Song Yihuan and laughed at Song Nanxin, who was standing behind her with a blank expression: "The married elder sister is accompanied by her unmarried younger sister. I didn't expect Princess Consort to be better at acting than me."
"Princess Consort, your courage is truly great. Aren't you afraid of being discovered?"
Song Nanxin glared angrily at the other party and said through gritted teeth, "This is my matter. You don't need to worry about it."
Cui Ying'er walked to Song Nanxin's side and bent down. She whispered in Song Nanxin's ear, "Princess Consort, do you really think your plan is flawless?"
"Even I can tell that something's wrong. Do you think with the Prince of Ning's awareness, how long can you conceal your tricks? Hmm?"
Song Nanxin stiffened up after hearing this. She looked up at the other party in fear.
That's right. Some days ago, Ji Lingchuan had suddenly come to her and asked her many things related to the Imperial College. He had also asked her to write a few words. She had managed to conceal it because she had been prepared in advance. This meant that he had suspected her of getting someone else to accompany him to bed.
Once he had suspicions in his heart, he would only pay more attention in the future. Exposure was only a matter of time.
After being reminded by Cui Ying'er, she immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
Seeing Song Nanxin's face change, Cui Ying'er knew that her words had taken effect. She continued, "Moreover, how can you be certain that your half-sister will always help you?"
Coming back to her senses, Song Nanxin said, "You don't need to worry about this. Even the smartest people have their weaknesses. I naturally have a way to control her and make her wholeheartedly do things for me."
"As for you, if I'm discovered one day, you won't be able to escape either. Miss Cui, if you want to live, you must help me think of a way to conceal it from the Prince and the Prince of Ning's residence."
Song Nanxin narrowed her eyes and looked at the other party. Her words were filled with threats.
Since she had been discovered by the other party, she would pull the other party into the water. Only then would she have an extra bargaining chip.
Cui Ying'er reached out to stroke Song Nanxin's face and said with a smile, "That's natural. Princess Consort, don't forget that I've always been on your side."
Song Nanxin calmed down and asked, "What method have you thought of to conceal it? Quickly tell me."
Cui Ying'er whispered something in her ear. The more Song Nanxin listened, the happier she became. She held the other party's hand and said,
"I'm really glad to have you. Otherwise, I really wouldn't have thought of this. When shall we start? Why don't you follow me back now!"
Pressing down on her hand, Cui Ying'er said with a smile, "Don't be in such a hurry, Princess Consort. I'm a member of the Qionglimei troupe. If I were to follow you back like this, it would be even more suspicious."
"This matter still has to be planned for separately."
...
"Selling preserved fruits! Fresh preserved fruits! Big and sweet! Guaranteed to make you think about it after a single bite!"
"Sir, come and take a look at the fruits. These are grapes planted in our own courtyard. They're very sweet."
In the marketplace, the cries of the peddlers came one after another. It was extremely lively.
Song Yihuan couldn't find out what Song Nanxin and Cui Ying'er were talking about. She could only stroll around the stalls selling small items on the street.
Hearing the cries of the peddler selling preserved fruits, her heart skipped a beat. She remembered that there was a dessert shop nearby. She turned and walked in that direction.
Song Yixuan liked to eat the osmanthus cakes and jujube paste cakes from 'Tasteful Restaurant'. However, he suffered from a heart condition and couldn't eat too many sweets. As such, he could only eat them once in a long while.
Since she was out this time, she would go buy some pastries for Xuan'er. He would surely be very happy to know.
She walked through a small alley. Just as she could see the signboard of Tasteful Restaurant, she heard a flurry of hurried horse hoofbeats and cries of surprise from the pedestrians.
Song Yihuan held on to her hat and looked in the direction of the sound. She saw a horse that had broken loose running amok in the marketplace. It was charging in her direction. Not far in front of her, a four-year-old child was scared stiff by the sight.
The scene was extremely dangerous. Just as the horse was about to hit the child, she rushed forward at the last moment to protect the child in her arms and closed her eyes tightly.
At the same time, she heard Ji Lingchuan's extremely familiar voice ring in her ear:
"Watch out!"