Princess Yunxi was instantly so frightened that she buried her head even lower, only sticking out both hands and waving them repeatedly. "It's okay, it's okay."
The owner of the voice, seeing her startled, spoke even more gently. "I can tell from your attire that you come from a wealthy family. It's quite inconvenient for you to be standing here at the crossroads like this. If you don't mind, my carriage is right over there. You can go and take shelter in it first."
Hearing this, Princess Yunxi realized that the woman in front of her wasn't here to gloat over her misfortune and make fun of her.
On the contrary, she was here to offer her a helping hand.
She tilted her head slightly and lifted one eye. She found a extremely beautiful woman standing in front of her.
The woman was wearing a long cyan dress with a light blue cloak over it.
She had bright, appealing eyes, cherry-like lips and white teeth, and was smiling kindly at her.
In sharp contrast to the kindness of this woman, the passers-by around, when they saw Princess Yunxi, would cover their noses and walk far around her, looking at her with disgust and scrutiny.
Seeing her hesitating, the cyan-clad woman thought for a moment and then took off her cloak. "If you're afraid of attracting attention on the way, you might as well put on my cloak."
Saying so, she handed the cloak to her.
At the sight of the cloak, Princess Yunxi couldn't help her eyes turning red.
All the grievances that had built up along the way since she was accused, spat on, and chased away by the common people for littering until she fled here in a hurry suddenly welled up.
As the youngest and most beloved daughter of the Emperor of Xiliang, she had been raised in luxury and pampering since childhood.
Her father had originally arranged a honest, reliable and well - born son - in - law for her, and planned to marry the Second Princess to the Great Zhou. If it weren't for her own stubborn determination to resist to the death and snatch the Second Princess's marriage,
How could she have come here and suffered such great humiliation?
In the few days since she came to Yongding, although everyone had been polite to her, because they knew the purpose of her trip, there was always a bit of mockery and disdain in that politeness.
Just now, she was chased away by a group of common people.
In the fourteen years of her life, when had she ever suffered such humiliation?
And now, she suddenly felt the warmth and kindness from a stranger.
The smile on the face of the woman holding the cloak was just like the smiles that everyone around her would give her in the Xiliang Imperial Palace.
And the cloak was exactly what she needed most at the moment.
Her forced pretense was broken. Her nose twitched and big tears welled up in her eyes. "Th... thank you."
Seeing her suddenly burst into tears, the cyan - clad woman was a bit panicked. She quickly took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears. "Don't cry, don't cry. Put on the cloak quickly and get into the carriage."
Saying so, she put the cloak on her, and regardless of her dirty clothes, while comforting her, she helped her to the carriage.
There was also a pink - clad woman standing beside the carriage. She looked somewhat similar to the cyan - clad woman who had helped Princess Yunxi. Seeing the two of them coming, she quickly told the servants to bring a footstool. After the two of them got into the carriage, she also followed them in.
"Don't cry, girl. Your parents will surely be worried if you're like this. Where do you live? We'll take you home." The cyan - clad woman comforted Princess Yunxi gently for a long time. Seeing that she finally stopped crying gradually, she then spoke.
"I'll ask first." Princess Yunxi said and opened a corner of the carriage curtain. She looked outside and saw that her maid and guards were standing outside the carriage.
Seeing her lift the curtain, the maid quickly stepped forward.
Princess Yunxi asked in a low voice, "Have you found the carriage?"
The maid replied in a hushed voice, "The guard who was sent out just now sent back a message. It should be coming soon."
Hearing this, Princess Yunxi turned her head and replied, "They said my carriage has been found. I won't trouble you two ladies anymore."
For some reason, perhaps because she was still a bit afraid after being scolded by the people in Yongding just now, at this moment, facing these two women who had offered her a helping hand, Princess Yunxi didn't dare to reveal her identity to them for a while.
Although she knew that the incident she had caused would surely spread throughout Yongding along with her name sooner or later.
But at this moment, she still didn't dare to say it clearly.
Naturally, she didn't dare to reveal where she lived either.
Hearing this, the cyan - clad woman didn't stop her. She nodded and said, "Then we'll stay with you and wait for your carriage."
"Thank you two ladies." Princess Yunxi thanked them sincerely. "I don't know your names. I'll let my brother reward... send some gifts to thank you two later."
Hearing this, the two women looked at each other and smiled. The pink - clad woman spoke.
"There's no need for gifts. We just want to make friends with you. I'm the second daughter in my family and my surname is Bai. This is my elder sister."
"Surname Bai?" Princess Yunxi's face changed.
"What's wrong with you, girl?"
Princess Yunxi lowered her eyes and mumbled for a long time before asking, "I... I don't know what relation the future wife of the Marquis of Dingyuan, Miss Bai Zheng, the third daughter of the Bai family, has with you two ladies?"
"She's our cousin." The cyan - clad woman, or rather Bai Sheng now, replied with a faint smile.
Hearing this, Princess Yunxi thought it was bad. She thought they were sent by Bai Zheng. Just as she was about to get up and jump out of the carriage, she heard Bai Di, the pink - clad woman on the other side, speak leisurely.
"What cousin? She's climbed onto a high branch now. I'm afraid she doesn't recognize us poor relatives long ago!"
Hearing the resentment in Bai Di's words, a strange feeling welled up in Princess Yunxi's heart. She suppressed the thought of getting up and just quietly watched them.
Bai Sheng raised her eyes and glanced at Bai Di. She said calmly, "Di'er, don't be rude."
"Sister!" Bai Di looked indignant. "She's made our grandmother ill. Why are you still protecting her in front of outsiders?"
"Judging from your words, there seems to be some conflict between you two ladies and that third miss?" Princess Yunxi couldn't help asking.
Bai Di nodded repeatedly and rushed to say, "It's more than just a conflict. My cousin has been arrogant and domineering and has done all kinds of evil since she was a child.
Grandfather had originally arranged a marriage for her. Some time ago, for some reason, she climbed onto the Marquis of Dingyuan. Then she poured a basin of dirty water on me and said that I was seducing her future husband. She insisted on breaking off the engagement.
That's how she got the position of the wife of the Marquis of Dingyuan."
"Di'er." Bai Sheng stopped her after she had said everything she wanted to say. "I know you've been wronged, but family scandals should not be made public..."
By this time, even if Princess Yunxi was naive, she could already be sure that the two women in front of her were not on the same side as Bai Zheng.
"That Bai Zheng is really a born bitch!" Princess Yunxi couldn't help spitting. She turned to look at Bai Sheng and said, "Eldest miss is just too kind - hearted! But if you tolerate and shield her like this, if one day she causes a great disaster, I'm afraid it will even drag your Bai family into eternal damnation."
Hearing this, Bai Sheng's face changed slightly. After a long while, she sighed leisurely and said, "If that's really the case, we'll just have to accept it."
"But I don't want to die, sister!" Bai Di said sharply. "Not only me, but also father, mother, grandmother and elder brother. They all love us so much. How can they be dragged down by that bitch Bai Zheng!"
"Of course I know, but what can we do?" Bai Sheng said coldly. "Don't forget, now she's the definite wife of the Marquis of Dingyuan."
"Hehe." Princess Yunxi smiled faintly.
Bai Sheng and Bai Di instantly looked at her strangely.
They saw her eyes cold and her cherry - like lips slightly parted. She said word by word.
"Who says a definite thing can't be changed?"