"As the saying goes, you learn a horse's strength on a long journey, but time doesn't always reveal a person's true nature. However, the subtler the details, the more likely you are to discover the truth," Bai Zheng said meaningfully.
"You learn a horse's strength on a long journey, but time doesn't always reveal a person's true nature..." Zhu Ling lowered her eyes, as if savoring Bai Zheng's words carefully. After a long while, she looked up at Bai Zheng with admiration on her face. "Yes! Miss, what you said is so..."
"Miss, we're here," the coachman's voice interrupted Zhu Ling before she could finish her flattery.
Bai Zheng smiled faintly and nodded.
Understanding her intention, Zhu Ling quickly lifted the curtain and nimbly jumped off the carriage. Then she turned back and reached out her hand to Bai Zheng.
With Zhu Ling's support, Bai Zheng gracefully stepped down from the carriage.
Looking around, the palace gate today was far from the bustling scene when Bai Di was betrothed to the Third Prince Feng Jingxuan. There were only seven or eight carriages parked in the vast square in front of the palace gate.
Bai Zheng couldn't help but sigh.
Princess Mingzhao was, after all, the beloved youngest daughter of Concubine Zhao and Feng Linche. Back then, just knowing that she was in the burning study of the Grand Tutor's Mansion had scared the Fifth Prince Feng Jingyi badly.
For her sake, even the usually polite and well - behaved Feng Jingyi had used his royal status to force the troops of the Capital Magistrate's Office to come and put out the fire, making the whole city aware of it.
Now, due to her elder brother's incident, a perfectly good birthday banquet was held so shabbily.
She wondered if the spoiled Princess Mingzhao would lose her temper with her mother.
However, regardless of how Concubine Zhao and her entourage felt, at least in the current situation, there were no trouble - makers at the palace gate, and no looks of either admiration or jealousy. At least, Bai Zheng felt quite comfortable on the way in.
Bai Zheng thought to herself, but showed nothing on her face. She followed the leading palace servant and walked along the winding paths.
When they finally reached the outside of the Wenrui Hall where Concubine Zhao was, it was completely dark.
The night sky was overly cloudy today, and there wasn't a single star in the sky. The heavy sky was utterly dark.
Bai Zheng looked up. Although the door of the Wenrui Hall was closed, one could still clearly see the flickering lights inside from the outside.
This bright area formed a sharp contrast with the gloomy sky above.
It made this light seem even more terrifying and eerie.
Tonight was bound to be a thrilling night.
The door creaked open, and Bai Zheng was led inside by the palace servant.
As soon as she stepped into the hall, Bai Zheng couldn't help but let out a sigh in her heart.
Concubine Zhao truly lived up to her status as the only noble concubine in Feng Linche's harem!
Even when her son was seriously ill and she had little interest, the small banquet she casually held for her daughter was extremely luxurious.
The floor of the hall was covered with a thick and soft velvet carpet inlaid with gold threads. The beams on the ceiling were hung with exquisite and variously - shaped palace lanterns. Long red silk ribbons were tied to those lanterns, fluttering up and down in the gentle breeze, making one dizzy.
In every corner of the hall, there were carved silver candelabras. The red candles were mixed with spices. As the candles burned, the whole hall was filled with a pungent fragrance.
Bai Zheng took a breath, then slightly frowned and casually covered her nose with her hand.
This artificially - made fragrance was too strong and pungent compared to the fresh fragrance of the blooming flowers outside.
It took Bai Zheng a long time to get used to the smell inside. Just as she was about to find her seat, she suddenly felt a sharp look.
Bai Zheng looked up and saw Bai Di sitting next to the Third Prince Feng Jingxuan.
She was wearing a light purple silk dress with tinkling jade pendants around her waist. Her face was lightly made up, with a gentle smile on it.
If it weren't for the venomous look in her eyes when she looked at Bai Zheng, she could really be called pitiful.
"Miss, this way," Zhu Ling whispered.
Bai Zheng came back to her senses and followed Zhu Ling to her seat.
"Zheng'er," as soon as she sat down, a gentle voice greeted her.
Bai Zheng looked up and saw it was Bai Sheng.
"Elder sister," Bai Zheng replied with a smiling nod.
Bai Sheng also nodded with a smile. Everything was as natural as if they were just an ordinary pair of sisters meeting.
Zhu Ling made a face and muttered in a low voice, "The sun must be rising in the west. Our arrogant eldest miss actually greeted Miss on her own initiative?"
"Don't you remember the engagement banquet of the second sister last time?" Bai Sheng was even more proactive than today.
Zhu Ling curled her lips. "She's just being overly nice for no good reason."
Bai Zheng twitched the corner of her lips but didn't say anything more.
As the person who delivered the invitation said, this birthday banquet was just a small one held by Concubine Zhao for her daughter. Although the hall was decorated luxuriously, there were only a few guests coming and going, even fewer than the busy palace servants.
The grandeur was far from what it was last time.
There were only a few tables and chairs arranged in the hall, and the guests were all close relatives.
Bai Zheng's seat this time was arranged next to Bai Sheng and Bai Di.
In the whole hall, except for a few princes, there were only princesses and some daughters of officials. There was not a single male guest.
Bai Zheng looked around and saw a few familiar faces.
The Crown Prince Feng Jingye was sitting at the top, drinking on his own. Below him was the seat of the Third Prince Feng Jingxuan. The Fifth Prince Feng Jingyi on the side gave Bai Zheng a kind smile. Bai Zheng nodded as a greeting.
"I heard that the struggle for the throne between the Crown Prince and the Third Prince has become more and more intense recently. With the Fourth Prince out of the picture, the usually low - key Fifth Prince has gained a lot of benefits.
I heard that a few days ago, the Fifth Prince was rewarded by His Majesty for his meritorious service in entertaining the heir of the Western Liang. He even got a new mansion," the talkative Zhu Ling whispered the gossips she heard in Bai Zheng's ear.
Bai Zheng curved her lips.
When the snipe and the clam fight, it's always the fisherman who benefits.
Feng Linche only had a few grown - up sons. The eldest had died early, the fourth was seriously ill, and the second and the third were still at odds with each other. Wasn't it time for the fifth to step up?
"Creak—"
While Bai Zheng was deep in thought, the door of the hall was suddenly pushed open.
"How could such a lively occasion not include this princess?" Before they could see who it was, the voice with a hearty laugh had already reached everyone's ears in the hall.
Bai Zheng couldn't help but smile.
"Yunxi!" A young girl sitting in the princess's seat immediately stood up and excitedly waved to the newcomer.
Apparently, Princess Yunxi's straightforward and generous personality had helped her quickly establish her social circle in the Great Zhou.
"Princess Third," Princess Yunxi responded and walked in briskly.
The girl called Princess Third immediately pointed to her seat warmly. "Sit with me!"
Princess Yunxi quickly scanned the hall and saw that the seats of the princesses were arranged together with those of the princes. She immediately replied, "Sure."