"However..." Princess Yunxi glanced at the seats and frowned, "If two more people sit here with Princess Third, it might be a bit crowded."
These words made Princess Third taken aback. She craned her neck to look behind Princess Yunxi and asked, "Aren't there just you and me? Where are the three people?"
Princess Yunxi smiled brightly. "Well, I met someone at the palace gate. She claimed to be the sister - in - law of Princess Mingzhao Seventh and said she wanted to come to congratulate the seventh princess on her birthday."
"Sister - in - law of Little Seven? Which sister - in - law?"
The Wenrui Hall was quite spacious. Both of them were straightforward and generous in nature. They didn't speak in a soft and delicate way like ordinary young ladies but rather loudly.
Therefore, their conversation clearly reached every corner of the hall.
Sister - in - law?
Hearing this, Bai Di, who was chatting with guests alongside Feng Jingxuan, slightly frowned her delicate eyebrows.
Princess Yunxi waved her hand. "There are so many people in your Eastern Zhou. How can I recognize who is who? I just saw that she was well - dressed and behaved gracefully. She didn't seem to be lying, so I brought her in."
These words made several princes sitting there raise their heads.
The sister - in - law of Princess Mingzhao Seventh must be the wife of a married prince.
Among Feng Linche's sons, there were only two who were grown - up and married - Crown Prince Feng Jingye and the Third Prince Feng Jingxuan.
But for a banquet like today's, without a special invitation from Concubine Zhao, the concubines of ordinary princes were not qualified to attend.
This was also the reason why Bai Zheng had never seen the concubines of Feng Jingye and Feng Jingxuan at palace banquets.
The Crown Princess of Feng Jingye was staying in the Crown Prince's Mansion to take care of her pregnancy as she had just found out she was with child.
So who could this so - called "sister - in - law" be?
Princess Yunxi shrugged and shouted loudly at Feng Jingye and Feng Jingxuan.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness the Third Prince. Why don't you take a look? Whose wife is this who has come?"
Hearing this, Feng Jingye just smiled slightly and didn't comment.
Feng Jingyi, however, put down his teacup with great interest. The light - blue glazed teacup made a crisp sound when it was placed on the small table, which made Bai Di, not far away, tremble with fear.
"Look."
Following Princess Yunxi's finger, everyone finally noticed that there was a person standing in the only corner that the candlelight didn't reach beside the hall door.
Seeing everyone looking at her, the woman took small steps and slowly walked into the light.
A pair of delicate embroidered shoes with lotus patterns, a smoky - purple silk - embroidered gauze dress, and a tasseled hairpin with coiled silk and emerald in her hairpin, which swayed daintily with her steps and sparkled with silver and emerald glimmers in the alternation of light and shadow. She had a high forehead and slender eyebrows and eyes.
She wasn't extremely beautiful, but there was a unique charm in her sad - looking eyes.
When she came out, Bai Sheng tightened her lips, and Bai Di stared at her in disbelief with wide - open eyes.
It was Bai Zheng who got up with a smile and called out in a voice with just the right amount of surprise.
"Cousin?"
The woman then raised her half - lowered eyes and nodded at Bai Zheng. "Zheng'er."
"Is she... the sister - in - law of Little Seven?" Princess Third pointed at Su Muxiao.
Su Muxiao blushed and said in a low voice, "Replying to Princess Third, I was originally the concubine that His Highness the Fourth Prince named to take. Naturally, I'm considered the sister - in - law of Princess Mingzhao..."
"You also know that you're just a concubine. Even if you enter the mansion, you'll only be a side - concubine, not to mention that you haven't entered yet..." Princess Third was straightforward and immediately shouted.
But her words were interrupted by Princess Yunxi's even more excited voice.
"So it's you! I've heard about you!
That day in the Marquis of Gaochang's Mansion, His Highness the Fourth Prince hugged a beauty and contended with the Marquis of Gaochang, saying that he would marry no one but her. His deep affection even moved Miss Zheng, and she agreed to let His Highness the Fourth Prince take you as a concubine.
So the beauty is you?
It's... Miss Su? Right?
Oh, Miss Su. I'm sure His Highness the Fourth Prince will be very happy if he knows you're here today!"
Princess Third was left speechless. Seeing Princess Yunxi looking so excited and having no intention of paying attention to her, she had to sit back down awkwardly.
Princess Yunxi warmly pulled Su Muxiao and dragged her in front of Bai Zheng. "I just heard Miss Bai Third call Miss Su cousin. How about letting Miss Su sit here with Miss Third? It should be okay, right?"
Just as Bai Zheng was about to put down her teacup and answer, a soft voice sounded.
"Your Highness may not know. Cousin Xiao and Zheng'er have never gotten along. They almost fought at the Jizhen Tower last time. If you arrange them to sit together, I'm afraid..."
As Bai Di was speaking, she walked to her seat but didn't sit down. Instead, she stared at Su Muxiao coldly and said word by word, "It's inappropriate."
"Really?" Princess Yunxi said in surprise, "I heard that it was Miss Second who claimed to have been wronged, which made Miss Su feel sorry for her. Miss Su is always kind - hearted and can't bear to see sisters fall out. That's why there was a misunderstanding between her and Miss Third?"
Bai Di's face froze, and she said stiffly, "Nonsense! Who is that gossiper who added fuel to the fire and made up stories in front of Your Highness!"
Then she glanced at Su Muxiao as if trying to cover up something.
Su Muxiao kept her head down and never looked at Bai Di. Only the hand hidden in her sleeve dug her fingernails deeply into the flesh, but she didn't seem to feel the pain.
"I wasn't there that day, so I really don't know the truth. But I heard that there's a saying in your Eastern Zhou - 'There's no smoke without fire'?" Princess Yunxi looked at Bai Di with a half - smile.
"You!" Bai Di's face immediately flushed with anger.
"Forget it, Your Highness." Su Muxiao's slightly hoarse voice sounded, "I've always been a simple - minded person. I've been deceived by others since I was a child. You don't have to speak up for me. It's all my fault that I misjudged people."
Before everyone could figure out the meaning of her words, they heard her sigh softly again, "I'd better sit next to Sister Sheng."
After saying that, Su Muxiao walked to Bai Sheng's side and sat down directly without caring whether Bai Sheng agreed or not.
Bai Zheng, who had been watching the show all along, took a sip of tea to cover the smile on her lips.
"Her Ladyship the Concubine Zhao is here - Princess Zhaoming is here -"
The shrill call of the palace servant appeared in time, breaking the suddenly awkward atmosphere in the hall.
Princess Yunxi lowered her head and smiled, then turned around and sat back down next to Princess Third.
Bai Zheng looked in the direction of the sound. Behind the gorgeous screen, Concubine Zhao was leading a delicate little girl in a pink jacket and skirt, walking slowly surrounded by maids.
This time, Concubine Zhao was the same as when Bai Zheng saw her last time. She had her hair piled high in a bun with several agate tasseled hairpins slanting in it. She looked dignified and was dressed luxuriously.
But her complexion was very different from the last time they met.
Under the thick powder, her originally rosy and tight skin still looked puffy and loose. Even in the bright candlelight, a bit of grayish - white could be seen.