In the courtyard, red plum blossoms were set against the snow. The morning sun shone down with a chill. All the maids and servants in the Green Bamboo Courtyard of the Prince of Zhennan's Mansion were on high alert to serve.
The princess, Lu Wanning, had been ill for three days, but even the imperial physicians couldn't diagnose her illness. They only said that she was over - thinking and advised her to rest. As servants, they didn't dare to be the least bit careless for a moment.
Xiangyun carried the medicine into the room and whispered to Jiyue, "Jiyue, it's time to go out. The princess sent someone to ask if the princess has gotten up?"
Jiyue glanced behind the screen. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "The princess isn't feeling well. How about we cancel it?"
On the carved bed behind the screen, a young girl was lying. Her fragrant cheeks and coiled hair were resting on the pillow, and fine beads of sweat were on her forehead. In the past, Jiyue would have stepped forward to serve her and wipe the sweat off. But these days, the princess had been acting strange and didn't allow anyone to get close.
At this moment, the girl was sleeping soundly. The two maids looked at each other and finally didn't say anything about waking the princess up.
Just as Xiangyun was about to back out, Lu Wanning opened her eyes. "Xiangyun, go tell my mother that I'll get up right away."
The two maids weren't the least bit surprised that the princess, despite not feeling well, still wanted to attend the banquet. It was simply because the future husband of the princess would also be at the banquet today.
Xiangyun went out to reply, while Jiyue came in with a bright red long dress to help the princess change clothes.
Lu Wanning got up by herself. She gave a casual glance at the dress in Jiyue's hand, shook her head, and sat in front of the table to rinse her mouth and wash her face. She let Jiyue do her hair and then said, "I've had headaches and strange dreams these days. This dress is too eye - catching. Go find me something plainer."
Jiyue looked at the stunning face in the bronze mirror and was secretly amazed. The princess's grandfather was a great hero of the Great Zhou Dynasty and the only person granted the title of prince by the late emperor. A vassal prince of a different surname being comparable to a prince of the imperial family was truly a first - time occurrence. Moreover, this title was hereditary without reduction.
It was said that when Lu Wanning was born, multi - colored birds circled over the prince's mansion for a long time. And on that day, a good news of victory on the border was received, which greatly pleased the late emperor. He immediately conferred the title of princess on her.
As Lu Wanning grew up, she was even more fair - skinned and stunning. Everyone who saw her was amazed by her beauty. In the capital, she was even more prestigious than the princesses in the palace.
That was why Lu Wanning had a rather arrogant and willful personality since she was born. As long as she liked something, it must be immediately presented to her. And her daily clothes were all extremely luxurious.
In particular, Lu Wanning loved to wear red clothes. She was so beautiful that she could carry off this bright color. The red dress on her made her look as dazzling as the sun.
What was going on today?
Although Jiyue was puzzled, she obediently fetched a light yellow dress. This dress was newly made, but the princess thought it was too plain and had never worn it.
Lu Wanning put on the dress with Jiyue's help. She looked at herself in the bronze mirror. Well, this one was good. It wouldn't overshadow the host.
"Just this one."
Lu Wanning looked at herself in the mirror, nodded firmly, and took a deep breath. Whether she could save her whole family's lives depended on whether everything went smoothly today.
The carriage traveled all the way to the Duke of He's Mansion. Before Lu Wanning got off the carriage, she saw a group of noble ladies and girls standing at the mansion gate. At the head were the Duchess of He and her daughter, He Chan. Today was the coming - of - age ceremony of He Chan, the legitimate daughter of the Duke of He's Mansion, and that was the reason why the Lu family came to attend the banquet.
However, among the group of charming girls, the most eye - catching one was not He Chan, who was dressed up coquettishly, but Shi Aohan beside her.
Shi Aohan was wearing a white robe with silver - embroidered patterns only on the cuffs. Her long hair was simply coiled into a bun, and the rest was draped behind her. She didn't wear any extra jewelry, only a white flower in her hair. This simple dressing made her look even more delicate and pitiful.
Shi Aohan was the niece of the Duchess Shi of the Duke of He. She had no father since childhood and took her mother's surname. She was not accepted by her clan. After her mother died last autumn, she traveled thousands of miles to the capital to seek refuge with her aunt, the Duchess He. The people in the duke's mansion were kind to her. Moreover, she was smart and quick - witted, so she won everyone's favor. He Chan regarded her cousin as a real sister.
Not only that, she was also very talented. She was proficient in all kinds of arts since childhood, especially in poetry and literature. With her narcissus - like appearance, she had gained the reputation of the most beautiful woman in just one year.
Lu Wanning frowned and stopped looking. She got off the carriage behind her mother and walked up the steps, following the protocol of greeting. Her mother, the Princess of Zhennan, was a daughter of the He family who had married out. Since this was like going back to her natal family to attend the banquet, she was not so restricted.
As a cousin, He Chan treated Lu Wanning far less well than she treated Shi Aohan.
"On purpose!" He Chan frowned. But since they were in public, she only dared to mutter in a low voice, yet everyone nearby could hear clearly.
Lu Wanning pretended not to hear and followed her mother to greet one by one.
This action caught the eyes of the noble girls present. The Princess of Zhaoyang was so elegant. She had always been extremely gorgeous. But perhaps because people were used to seeing her in gorgeous clothes, today, the light yellow dress showing under the silver - white fur cloak was really eye - catching. It turned out that the princess was so charming.
She was even more beautiful than Shi Aohan opposite her.
Some noble girls couldn't help but whisper to each other when they saw that the princess and the Duchess He were still chatting. "The princess looks even more beautiful in this outfit than before."
"Exactly. Who said that the princess's beauty only relied on clothes and jewelry?"
"Humph, I've always said that Shi Aohan is not as beautiful as the Princess of Zhaoyang and doesn't deserve the title of the most beautiful woman in the capital."
"The title of the most beautiful woman is not just about appearance. The princess doesn't have the talent of Miss Shi."
The princess and the others didn't hear these discussions, but Lu Wanning and Shi Aohan heard them clearly.
Lu Wanning frowned and smiled. Actually, it was just a coincidence. She simply thought it was not appropriate to dress too flamboyantly today. After all, it was someone else's coming - of - age ceremony, and she didn't want to overshadow the host. Moreover, she didn't dress the same as Shi Aohan. She had no interest in wearing all - white on someone else's coming - of - age ceremony.
It could only be said that she and Shi Aohan were natural rivals. Even when they wore completely different clothes, people would still compare them.
Lu Wanning didn't belong here. By chance, she had traveled through time and became a supporting character with the same name in an old - fashioned romance novel. Shi Aohan was the female protagonist of this book.
Maybe because Lu Wanning looked at Shi Aohan a few more times, Shi Aohan stepped forward and saluted Lu Wanning alone. "Hello, Cousin Lu."
Lu Wanning felt a chill in her heart. The original owner looked down on Shi Aohan, who was fatherless and had come to seek refuge with her aunt. She always spoke coldly to her and hated her for deliberately getting close by calling her cousin. But this Shi Aohan must be crazy. No matter in public or private, she always insisted on calling her cousin.
Wasn't this just asking for humiliation?