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Generally speaking, unmarried princesses reside in the palace, but Yun Nishang was different. Favored by the emperor and unwilling to be bound by palace rules, she had made an exception and established a Princess Mansion, which stood alongside General Xuanyuan Rui's residence, drawing much attention in the capital.
However, Yun Nishang had always maintained a low profile. It was nearly impossible for anyone to meet her; she preferred to live her life as she pleased without concerning herself with anything else.
Because of her low profile—so low that people often forgot about her—when she suddenly reappeared, it was hard for others to accept.
With guests arriving for a banquet, the previously quiet Princess Mansion was adorned anew. Only those with invitations could enter, so the entrance, usually tranquil, was now bustling with noise. Young ladies were competing to see who could dress more splendidly, each one more proud than the last.
Qing Luan and Sister Yun kept a low profile as well; their carriage was simple and unadorned. As they lifted the curtain and saw the colorful peacocks around them, disdain flickered in their eyes. If it weren't absolutely necessary, they would not want to step into such childish rivalry. However, for Azure Phoenix's sake, they had no choice but to take this step. She also wanted to use this opportunity to declare that she was back—and with considerable ambition.
Some familiar young ladies spotted each other and began calling one another "sister" and "little sister," exchanging compliments without any intention of entering the mansion.
"How lively!" Qing Luan remarked as she observed the crowd of giggling young ladies who seemed to be discussing something trivial. She then led Sister Yun down from the carriage, accompanied only by the coachman.
"Hey? Who is she?" Someone caught sight of Sister Yun, noting her plain blue attire and lack of accessories. Yet her delicate features were accentuated by this simplicity, giving her an ethereal quality that sparked jealousy among the women present. Without thinking, one exclaimed, "Stop! This is Princess Mansion; people like you can't just enter freely!"
They had finally managed to connect with the emperor's most favored little princess and could not allow her to ruin the atmosphere today. Thus, those haughty young ladies could no longer contain themselves and began attacking her out of jealousy.
Qing Luan found herself at a loss as she faced this group of women acting as if they were defending their territory.
"Miss, may I ask if you have an invitation?" The attendant at the entrance did not underestimate Sister Yun because of her attire. The princess had instructed that anyone with an invitation was considered a guest and should not be offended.
"..." Words caught in Sister Yun's throat before she could respond when someone sharply interrupted her.
"How could she possibly have an invitation?" A newcomer raised her beautiful face arrogantly and declared, "The princess invites only distinguished guests; does she even qualify?" Hmph! Associating with someone like her would be beneath their dignity.
"Haha, Lian'er, you are right; she indeed does not qualify," came a light laugh from behind them. Everyone turned to see who had arrived. It was Chen Yan'er, meticulously dressed for the occasion. To achieve a flawless look, she had caked on layers of powder on her face and adorned herself with gold hairpins that jingled as she moved. Her hands were laden with bracelets and rings, leaving no trace of her once delicate beauty.
Seeing Chen Yan'er like that, Qing Luan thought of something, a smile curling at the corners of her mouth, joy flashing in her eyes.
"Chen Yan'er?" Zhou Lian'er caught sight of her, a flicker of disgust crossing her face, though she masked it well. A gentle smile graced her lips as she softly said, "Oh, it's Aunt Chen. Hehe, I didn't expect you to receive an invitation from the princess as well. How surprising!" As a mere concubine in the Zhou family, what right did she have to enter the Princess Mansion alongside her?
Chen Yan'er bit her teeth in secret at her address, wishing she could devour Zhou Lian'er. However, in such a situation, there was no room for her to act recklessly; she could only vent her anger on those behind her.
"Sister, you should get off the carriage now," she thought bitterly. It was all Chen Qingyuan's fault. If she hadn't run away from the marriage, how could she be referred to as Aunt Huang? She should be proudly raising her head and selecting her man with a discerning eye.
Chen Qingyuan slowly descended from the carriage, revealing a delicate little face among the crowd. To highlight her own status, Chen Yan'er had not allowed Chen Qingyuan to wear any expensive jewelry, so all she had was a dull jade hairpin on her head, which made her light makeup appear even more pitiful.
"Is that Chen Qingyuan?" Lin Ya asked in surprise upon seeing her. "Yan'er, when did she come back?"
The Young Marquis and Chen Xiaode each had their own plans and had not made a big announcement about finding Chen Qingyuan. So when Lin Ya saw her this time, it was only natural for her to be surprised.
"She has been back for several days," Chen Yan'er said disdainfully, pursing her lips as she glared at Chen Qingyuan. "Aren't you going to take out the invitation? Do you want the guard brother to wait forever?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the young ladies nearby covered their mouths and giggled.
If Chen Qingyuan were to present the invitation, it would mean she was reduced to a maid; being belittled by Chen Yan'er made it all the more satisfying to watch.
"Sister," Qing Luan called out actively upon seeing Chen Yaner's actions.
" Luan'er?" The previously gloomy expression on Chen Qingyuan's face turned into shock upon seeing her, joy flashing in her eyes. "What are you doing here?" She had never expected Qing Luan to be here. She had been willing to attend this princess banquet but feared that Chen Yan'er would seize the opportunity to humiliate her.
"Hmph, how shameless of you to come here! Do you know where this place is?" Lin Ya's eyes turned fierce upon seeing Chen Qingluan. After giving her a harsh glare, she mocked, "This is the Princess Mansion! What do you intend to do sneaking in here? Someone! Capture her! She intends harm against the princess!"
Last time, she had embarrassed herself completely and was scolded by her father. Now, having finally come out with the princess's invitation, how could she swallow her pride?
The guards, after hearing her words, did not step forward but looked at her with expressions that clearly said she was foolish.
"Wow, Miss Lin really has some nerve, commanding the guards of the Princess Mansion. Truly impressive!" Qing Luan murmured while shaking her head. She then took out the invitation from her sleeve and handed it to the guard at the entrance, saying, "Thank you for your hard work!"
"Miss Zhu..." Upon seeing the name on the invitation, the guard realized his mission for the day was complete. "Please, the princess has instructed us that once Miss Zhu arrives, we must personally escort her inside..."
"Uh!" Hearing this, Qing Luan was taken aback. Did Yun Nishang think she wasn't being conspicuous enough? Was she trying to get her killed?
She felt frustrated; those young ladies were probably seething inside. A person who had shown up out of nowhere was receiving such attention from the princess—how could that not drive them crazy?
"Brother guard, are you mistaken?" Lin Ya exclaimed, forgetting her earlier embarrassment as she reminded him, "She is not some noble lady but a lowly Merchant's Daughter. Don't be fooled by her."
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