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墨書 Inktalez
The words struck a chord, hitting the uncertainty in everyone's hearts, and suddenly, their interest in the Banquet waned.
"Misses, the Banquet is about to begin. Those who wish to participate, please proceed inside. Those who do not wish to, please turn around and leave," the guard said, his disdain flashing through his mind as he noticed the chatter at the entrance. His expression showed impatience. How could these ladies, who were supposed to be esteemed guests of his master, regard such an occasion as beneath them? It was simply foolish.
Hmph, seeing their worried and fearful expressions was quite enjoyable. After all, they were all so proud and used to strutting around.
Led by the matron, Qing Luan and her companions entered first, while those who followed were left to be entertained in the garden. Although these ladies had seen the world and came from respectable families, they soon realized that what they had experienced paled in comparison to the grandeur of Princess Mansion; everything they had known was merely child's play.
In the vast garden, flowers bloomed vibrantly, reds and pinks set against lush greens and dazzling yellows, creating a scene reminiscent of a fairyland. Though these young ladies were cherished at home, they had no right to enter the palace. Upon witnessing the opulence of Princess Mansion, envy flickered in their eyes as they marveled at its splendor.
"Please wait a moment, ladies. The princess is still changing. Feel free to explore the garden for a bit," the matron and maids greeted them with grace, neither belittling anyone nor elevating anyone above others. They simply fulfilled their duties impeccably, leaving no room for complaints.
As they heard this, groups of young ladies clustered together with familiar faces, discussing everything about Princess Mansion.
"Look! That's a Green Peony! My father said it's very expensive and that the Queen loves it. I can't believe we see it here," one sharp-eyed girl exclaimed upon spotting a cluster of flowers being specially tended to in the garden.
"Wow, it's beautiful!" others gasped in admiration and envy.
"I heard from my father that the Emperor dotes on this little princess. I didn't think it was true until now; even the Queen's favorite has been brought here." Their knowledge was limited; most of what they knew came from snippets overheard during their parents' conversations.
After several observations, those proud young ladies suddenly realized that many things here were unfamiliar to them—things they had never seen before but which appeared in Princess Mansion must surely be rare and expensive.
They chattered away excitedly, completely forgetting that they were currently in Princess Mansion.
"Can I not be like this?" Qing Luan sighed in frustration; she had been tricked into coming here by the matron. It wasn't that the princess hadn't dressed up; it was she who had been coerced into being groomed.
"No way," Yun Nishang replied as she looked at the stunningly elegant woman before her in white attire. Satisfied, she nodded and said, "Just look! I knew once you dressed up you would be breathtakingly beautiful. You thought you could fool me? Not a chance!"
Qing Luan fell silent after being fussed over for so long. Her simple hairstyle had been expertly styled into an elegant updo by the matron. With her forehead smooth and unadorned by bangs due to its fullness, she now exuded an air of nobility and elegance that made her seem like someone of high status—impossible to overlook.
"Miss, this outfit really suits you," Sister Yun said, looking pleased.
Originally, they had planned to dress up extravagantly, but after some thought, the young lady decided that those other girls would surely be flaunting their finery at this time. It was better not to join the fray and risk becoming a laughingstock, so they opted for a simpler look. Little did they expect the princess to intervene, giving the young lady a complete makeover that nearly left even her unrecognizable.
"Yes, Luan'er, this looks truly wonderful!" Azure Phoenix chimed in, especially since it was the princess's idea. Who knew what might happen if they offended her?
Gazing at the stunning woman in the mirror, Qing Luan was momentarily taken aback. Her lightly made-up fair face paired with her glass-like dazzling Black Eyes created an enchanting image. Her meticulously styled hair was adorned with a headpiece featuring red gemstones freshly polished from Jade Pavilion. The blood-red gems hung down on her fair forehead, making her even more radiant.
"Let's go; if we don't hurry, those young ladies will tear my garden apart," Yun Nishang said with no fondness for those people. If it weren't for helping Qing Luan get back at them, she wouldn't bother letting them make a scene.
"Let's go!" The thought of the old maid insisting on applying powder to her face earlier made her feel depressed. She didn't want to end up like Chen Yan'er, whose face looked as if it had been coated in flour—one word from her and it seemed like a layer would fall off. She couldn't fathom how Chen Yan'er managed to eat anything. Fortunately, due to her insistence, the old maid had relented; otherwise, she wouldn't have stepped out today even if it meant being forced.
In the garden, the young ladies were sipping tea and enjoying snacks while chatting merrily, completely oblivious to their host's future.
"The princess has arrived!" A commanding voice interrupted the contented young ladies, who all stood up to watch the beautiful and noble princess approach in her palace attire.
"Long live the princess!" everyone knelt down to pay their respects.
"Rise," Yun Nishang said at that moment as if wearing a mask; she was nothing like the lively person Qing Luan knew. She was elegant and gentle to the point that Qing Luan almost thought she had mistaken her for someone else. "This isn't the palace; there's no need to be formal. Feel free to enjoy yourselves here; I invited you all because I was bored. Just treat this place like home and relax!"
Though she said that, who would dare?
The young ladies who had just been giggling and chattering like a flock of birds now seemed as if they had taken a sedative; each one smiled without showing their teeth and looked at Yun Nishang with exaggerated flattery, leaving Qing Luan utterly speechless.
This was the charm of status!
If she were standing there saying those words today, those young ladies would surely bombard her with scornful remarks.
"You... you are Qing Luan?" Chen Yan'er, upon seeing Chen Qingyuan and Sister Yun but not finding Chen Qingluan, felt puzzled. She scrutinized the ethereal figure standing beside the princess and blurted out her question.
The young ladies, who had been cautious and reserved, turned their attention to Chen Yan'er’s startled inquiry. They recognized her as the one who had clashed with them at the entrance, their eyes widening in disbelief.
"Heh heh, sorry to startle you," Qing Luan said with a mischievous smile, her gaze provocatively challenging Chen Yan'er.
In the Chen Family, she had been arrogant and ruthless, even framing her own sister without a hint of remorse. But here in the Princess Mansion, she found herself unable to act so brazenly.
"How did you end up like this?" Lin Ya exclaimed in disbelief. "You actually wore the princess's clothes?" Her audacity was truly remarkable; she dared to do such a thing.
To maintain her elegant demeanor, Qing Luan suppressed the urge to roll her eyes but was nonetheless taken aback by Lin Ya's boldness. "That was the princess's intention; I was forced into it!" She spoke the truth, yet it left others dumbfounded.
The young lady was truly taking advantage of the situation while pretending to be innocent. Did she not see how those ladies were eyeing her like hawks, ready to strip her of her garments? Sister Yun silently scoffed at the young lady's cunningness, utterly speechless at her scheming nature.
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