In the arena of martial arts, as long as Ji Lingchuan wished, no one could detect his presence.
He didn't show up to disturb Song Yihuan. He also took care to prevent anyone else from bothering her. Anyone who got close to this bamboo grove was somehow driven away by him.
Song Yihuan had no idea that Ji Lingchuan was not far behind her. She had a good cry here, venting all the pent - up emotions in her heart. By the time she stopped crying, her mood had completely returned to calm.
Wiping away her tears expressionlessly, Song Yihuan tidied up her hair and clothes. Then she took a step and left this serene bamboo grove, heading towards the area of the flowing - water banquet.
She had merely shown her photographic memory in front of the Princess of Ningqin. Yet, her elder sister had the Meng family spread the story about her step - mother, causing the Princess of Ningqin to distance herself from her and making the nobles in the capital look down on her and despise her.
It didn't matter. The sky hadn't fallen yet. This setback couldn't defeat her.
She even had to thank her elder sister for staging such a wonderful show today, which allowed her to have no more scruples in her heart.
She was determined to find out why her elder sister couldn't conceive and what secret she was hiding!
On her way back, Song Yihuan still held her back straight. Every step she took was extremely steady, and there was no trace of vulnerability in her expression.
Ji Lingchuan silently followed in the shadows, clearly seeing all her changes.
At this moment, looking at her like this, Ji Lingchuan actually wanted to use the phrase "unyielding backbone" to describe this sister - in - law who made his emotions complex.
He couldn't help but recall a tree branch he had accidentally seen in a violent storm. No matter how strong the wind and rain were, it always tried to stretch its branches and leaves upwards.
She was such a person.
Before long, Song Yihuan returned to the garden where the flowing - water banquet was being held.
She hadn't been away for long. When she got back to the banquet, she met Song Nanxin's searching gaze. Seeing her, Song Nanxin showed a dignified and proper smile on her face and waved at her:
"Yihuan, you're finally back!"
When Song Nanxin called out, many eyes immediately turned towards Song Yihuan.
Because of the Old Madam Jiang, there was a lot of inquisitiveness and scrutiny in these gazes.
Song Yihuan also showed an impeccable smile and stepped forward to stand with Song Nanxin.
"Sister, did you look for me for something urgent?" Song Yihuan asked.
Song Nanxin took her hand and pointed at the noble ladies standing beside them, smiling:
"They were just saying they wanted to play the Flying Flower Rhyme game. But no matter how they counted, there was one person missing. And that person was you! Now that you're back, we can finally start."
Song Yihuan sneered silently in her heart.
Saying they were one person short, her elder sister was probably afraid that without her, there would be no one to give her prompts during the Flying Flower Rhyme game, which might expose her true level.
Song Yihuan said, "The Flying Flower Rhyme game? Sure, it's been a long time since I last played this game."
The young ladies on the scene were a bit reluctant to have Song Yihuan join the Flying Flower Rhyme game. A girl sneered:
"You? I don't remember seeing you at the Imperial College. How many poems can you recite? Can you even compose poems?"
The young lady from the Qiao family on the side also laughed, "Yeah, don't spoil our fun by not being able to answer later."
Song Yihuan smiled and said, "Although I haven't studied at the Imperial College, my elder sister has excellent academic performance there. She always teaches me what she has learned at the Imperial College when she gets home. I've learned a lot from her. Sister, am I right?"
After she finished speaking, she looked at Song Nanxin beside her.
Song Nanxin smiled imperceptibly, "Of course. Don't underestimate my younger sister. She's very smart."
Song Yihuan sat beside Song Nanxin. The two were very close, looking like a pair of loving sisters. No one would have guessed the real reason why they were sitting so close.
On the men's side, Gu Yunzheng returned earlier than Song Yihuan. Although he had said those words to Song Yihuan just now, he still cared about her very much. Seeing that she only had slightly red - rimmed eyes and no sign of sadness on her face after coming back, he couldn't help but sigh at her mental toughness.
However, he didn't dare to look at her anymore. After making sure she was okay, he withdrew his gaze.
Before long, the laughter and noise of the young ladies playing the Flying Flower Rhyme game filled the courtyard and drifted far away.
Ji Lingchuan didn't go back to the garden like Song Yihuan. He stood outside quietly for a while, then moved on to another place.
After walking for a while, Ji Lingchuan's sharp ears caught the words "Marquis of Ding'an's Mansion" and "illegitimate daughter".
He stopped in his tracks and walked towards the direction from which the sound came.
As he got closer, he found that two wealthy young men were drinking in a pavilion by the lake, and the words coming out of their mouths were getting more and more vulgar.
"Tsk tsk, look at her face and figure. She's like a spirit in the mountains, so alluring. Just thinking about her looking at me with those eyes makes my heart burn."
The other one said, "If she took off her clothes and lay in bed, calling me 'Young Master', my bones would turn to jelly."
"Brother Wang, when you succeed and take Miss Song Si as your concubine, don't forget about me. Let me have a taste then..."
The two looked at each other and showed disgusting smiles.
Ji Lingchuan was filled with boundless anger. The killing intent in his eyes was palpable. The two men felt as if they were being stared at by a fierce bird of prey. Goosebumps rose all over their bodies, and their legs couldn't help but tremble.
Before they could turn around, a strong wind blew from behind. The next moment, with two "plops", they were kicked into the water.
Inside the garden, the young ladies were in the middle of a heated Flying Flower Rhyme game.
In this round of the Flying Flower Rhyme game, they were using the method of counting numbers to respond. That is to say, the person who started would recite a poem with the character "flower" in it. The position of the character "flower" in the poem would determine who, counting clockwise from that person, would be the one to respond.
The fun of this game was that you never knew which position the character "flower" would be in the poem recited by the other person. But Song Yihuan had a photographic memory. With Song Yihuan around, Song Nanxin hardly had to speak. Song Yihuan had blocked all the responses for her.
The others didn't know the secret. They just thought that Song Nanxin was really lucky and never got her turn.
Hearing the others praise Song Nanxin, Song Yihuan smiled and echoed, "Yes, elder sister is the luckiest one in our Marquis of Ding'an's Mansion."
Her lowered eyelids covered the depth of meaning in her eyes.
In the next round, the legitimate daughter of the Qiao family recited a poem with a smile, "In leisure, cassia flowers fall; at night, the spring mountain is empty. Princess Consort, it's your turn."
The character "flower" in this poem was in the fourth position. Coincidentally, counting clockwise, it was Song Nanxin's turn to respond.
After several rounds without Song Nanxin being selected, everyone was extremely curious about her. For a moment, everyone's eyes were on Song Nanxin.