"Sister Xiao, what's going on?" A gentle and melodious voice came. Bai Di didn't know when she had stood at the door, looking at the mess on the ground with a hint of panic.
Seeing Bai Di, Yun Zhu, who had been hiding in a corner, finally came to her senses. She rushed forward and hugged the furious Su Muxiao, saying, "Miss, please calm down! Cousin has come to see you."
At this moment, Su Muxiao was holding a jewelry box and was about to throw it on the ground. Hearing Yun Zhu's voice, she looked up at the door. She saw Bai Di lifting her foot carefully to avoid the fragments on the ground and had taken two steps closer to the room.
Su Muxiao suddenly remembered what Bai Zheng had said to her that day: "Why is it always her who suffers?"
Yes, why is it always her who suffers?
If it weren't for Bai Di's sighs during the auction, saying that it seemed Bai Zheng really liked papermaking and then describing how overbearing Bai Zheng had been when she pushed her, how could she have impulsively picked up the number plate and bid?
Thinking of this, a hint of hatred flashed in Su Muxiao's eyes. She raised her hand and threw the jewelry box at Bai Di.
The jewelry box landed with a thud at Bai Di's feet.
Bai Di stopped in her tracks, and her face instantly turned cold.
Su Muxiao didn't look at her. She just sat back in her chair and said indifferently, "Cousin made a slip of the hand just now. Did it hurt you, Di'er?"
The coldness in Bai Di's eyes disappeared in an instant. Her face remained gentle as ever. "Di'er knows what cousin is angry about. But Zheng'er is our younger sister after all. Cousin, don't be so petty with her."
"That bitch almost got me sent to the family temple by father!" Su Muxiao suddenly stood up. Her high - pitched voice was full of annoyance.
"Now she is extremely glorious. Even my cousin, the Fourth Prince, has the intention of marrying her."
Feng Jingyang, the Fourth Prince, was the son of Bai Di's aunt, Concubine Zhao.
Su Muxiao widened her eyes. "It's impossible! Miss Zheng will definitely not agree!"
As the only son of Concubine Zhao and the future hope of the Grand Tutor's Mansion, Feng Jingyang had been strictly taught to learn poetry, calligraphy, archery, and horsemanship since childhood.
When he was young, Feng Jingyang was highly regarded by Feng Linche because he was the most talented among the princes. However, during an autumn hunt when he was twelve, he was accidentally hit by stray arrows and barely survived. Since then, Feng Jingyang seemed to have changed into a different person. He was no longer the erudite and resourceful young man he used to be. Instead, he became a dissolute young master who only knew how to haunt brothels all day long.
But Concubine Zhao was not willing to accept this huge change. She still had high hopes for her son. As her son was about to reach adulthood, she carefully selected a woman with a powerful background who would be of great help to her son in the fight for the throne.
That woman was Zheng Yan, the daughter of the Marquis of Gaoping and the only beloved daughter of the Marquis of Gaochang and Princess Pingyang.
Although the Marquis of Gaochang was not as meritorious as the Marquis of Dingyuan, he was also a capable general who could hold his own in the court. He had a great influence in the court and commanded 300,000 troops under his command.
Princess Pingyang, as Feng Linche's older sister, had provided all - out support when Feng Linche fought for the throne. She was always highly respected by Feng Linche.
These two people, whose every move could affect the situation of the Great Zhou Dynasty, didn't have a daughter until they were thirty. They doted on Zheng Yan so much and indulged her, which made her an overbearing and arrogant girl.
Since the two of them were engaged, Feng Jingyang's carefree days were over. Every time he just entered a brothel and touched a girl's delicate hand, a woman would come in with a whip and make a big scene.
If Feng Jingyang dared to have the intention of marrying Bai Zheng under such circumstances, wouldn't Zheng Yan devour Bai Zheng alive?
"Although there are many people who want to marry Zheng'er now, Zheng'er has never met any of them. Only my cousin has met Zheng'er a few times because of me since childhood. My cousin is also very handsome. It's not surprising if Zheng'er falls in love with him."
Bai Di sighed and continued as if regretting. "Moreover, my future cousin - in - law is so overbearing. My cousin has been suffering. Now, taking advantage of the imperial edict for the marriage, if he marries Zheng'er instead, it will be like getting out of the sea of bitterness for him."
Su Muxiao's eyes slowly narrowed. "If Miss Zheng finds out, I'm afraid my cousin..."
"We must never let her know!" Bai Di quickly shouted. "With her personality, she might even kill Zheng'er!"
"Yes, she might even kill that bitch!" Su Muxiao clenched her fists tightly, and a fierce look appeared on her face.
But suddenly she thought of something, and her eyes dimmed. "It's a pity that father has ordered me to stay in my room and think about my mistakes. He won't allow me to take a single step out of the room."
Bai Di said with a smiling face, "Cousin is here exactly for this matter. After all, cousin was sitting with us at that time. So Di'er also asked father to compensate Uncle with 5,000 taels of silver. Uncle has already agreed to let Sister Xiao go out to relax."
Su Muxiao looked up. "Really?! Why are you being so kind?"
Bai Di looked innocent. "What are you saying, cousin? It seems as if Di'er has ever had any bad intentions."
Su Muxiao lowered her eyes guiltily. "Cousin said the wrong thing. But how do you know that the Fourth Prince also wants to marry that bitch?"
"Cousin came to me and asked me to find a way to invite Zheng'er out so that he could have a chance to talk to her alone and express his intention of marriage. But Di'er is too timid. I'm afraid that Miss Zheng won't let me off if she knows about this, so I didn't dare to agree to cousin..."
"You're so useless! As long as this matter is done flawlessly, Miss Zheng naturally won't be able to find out about you." Su Muxiao looked at Bai Di as if she was disappointed with iron that couldn't be turned into steel.
Bai Di lowered her head. "Sister Xiao is right. Cousin even came up with a method, but Di'er really doesn't dare..."
"If you don't dare, I will! What's the method?" Su Muxiao asked anxiously.
Bai Di looked around as if she was not at ease about something. After making sure that no one could hear them, she walked to Su Muxiao's side and whispered in her ear.
The sunlight shone through the gauze window on Bai Di's face, making her look extremely beautiful. But no one noticed the flash of mockery in her long and bright eyes.
The next day, Bai Zheng received an invitation from Princess Pingyang of the Gaochang Marquis's Mansion.
"I heard that this banquet is specially held to choose a husband for you, miss," Zhuling said excitedly.
Bai Zheng casually threw the invitation on the table. "The princess is really considerate."
"Since the emperor has decreed that the marriage is up to you, miss, this banquet is a good chance to meet all kinds of young masters. Maybe you can really find someone you like!"
Looking at the excited Zhuling, although Bai Zheng didn't have the heart to pour cold water on her, she still decided to let the little girl see the truth. "Do you know who Princess Pingyang is?"
Zhuling asked in confusion, "The princess? The princess only has one daughter. The Gaochang Marquis's Mansion is one of the few mansions in Yongding that haven't asked the emperor for your hand in marriage. It's most appropriate for the princess to hold this banquet."
Bai Zheng sneered. "It's really appropriate. The princess is also the future mother - in - law of the Fourth Prince. Calculated in this way, I can even claim a distant relative relationship with her."
"The Fourth Prince? Isn't he the second miss's..." Zhuling understood and said in disbelief.
Bai Zheng hooked her index finger and tapped on the invitation on the table. Her tone was cold. "Yes, I'm afraid this is a feast with malicious intent..."