Chu Qing watched as everyone looked at her with different expressions in their eyes, and a faint smile played on her lips.
These people were really interesting.
They were still trying every means to wait for her to make a fool of herself.
If it were the former Chu Qing, she might really have failed to compose a poem, but who was Chu Qing now?
In her previous life, she was from the family of Grand Tutor Shangguan!
Chu Qing curled her lips and slowly said, "I wonder if I should compose a poem at will, or... you can set the topic?"
Everyone was shocked. They had thought that the Princess of Ning would refuse or make excuses. Who would have thought that not only did she not refuse or make excuses, but she even asked them to set the topic.
Xu Xin and the Duchess of the Duke exchanged glances. The Duchess of the Duke rolled her eyes and said in a rather teasing tone, "If we set the topic, people might say that we are bullying the Princess of Ning. How about... you compose it as you like."
Chu Qing raised her eyebrows and said, "I think it would be easier if you set the topic."
Indeed, if she had to come up with a topic herself, she really didn't know what theme to choose, so it would be better for others to help her set the topic.
However, to others, this sounded extremely arrogant!
Xu Xin sneered in her heart, but on her face, she showed a look of concern. "Sister, you'd better not be too confident... Otherwise, if you can't compose a poem, the Prince of Ning will be angry."
Hearing Xu Xin's tone as if she was being kind, Chu Qing picked up a cup of tea beside her and took a sip before smiling gracefully. "Thank you, sister, for your concern. The Prince always dotes on me. Naturally, he won't be angry with me because of such a thing."
Xu Xin's eyes turned red. Just as she was about to say something more, her hand under the table was held down.
The Duchess of the Duke gave Xu Xin a stern look, then turned to Chu Qing and said, "Since the Princess of Ning is so confident, I'll set the topic."
Chu Qing nodded with a smile.
"Since this is the Spring - Retaining Banquet, let's use'retaining spring' as the topic."
After she finished speaking, the sarcasm in the eyes of the Duchess of the Duke and the others could hardly be hidden.
However, just as Chu Qing was about to speak, she heard a sharp scream beside her. Everyone else was also startled by the sudden scream.
It turned out that there was a lake beside the octagonal pavilion. Just now, a young lady from some family had fallen into the lake.
Everyone got up with their own thoughts and walked towards the lake together. Seeing this, Chu Qing also followed.
It was not until she saw a familiar figure by the lake that a look of worry finally appeared between Chu Qing's eyebrows.
That familiar figure was Qing'er, the maid beside Shangguan Zhen. So the one who had fallen into the lake should be Shangguan Zhen!
Chu Qing quickly walked over and saw Qing'er and another little maid shouting for help anxiously on the shore.
Shangguan Zhen was thrashing about in the water, rising and falling.
Chu Qing frowned and tried to reach out to pull her by the lake.
Since Shangguan Zhen was not too far from the lake, she thought she might be able to reach her.
The lakeside was wet and slippery mud, so Chu Qing was extremely careful.
While focusing on her feet, Chu Qing suddenly felt a force push her, and then her feet slipped. She actually fell into the lake.
Chu Qing panicked and immediately held her breath, controlling herself not to move around and waste her energy. Because she had heard that when a person fell into the water, if they lost their composure, they would die faster.
Moreover, this was the second time she had fallen into the water since her rebirth. After all... practice makes perfect.
She just didn't expect that she would be pushed into the lake in full view of everyone!
...
In a daze, Chu Qing felt someone rescue her.
It took a long time for Chu Qing to come to her senses and slowly sit up. Shangguan Zhen beside her was still unconscious.
"The Princess of Ning is awake!" someone exclaimed in surprise.
Some people put on a false show of concern. "Is the Princess of Ning okay? She can't swim but still went into the water to save Miss Shangguan. She is really noble - minded!"
Chu Qing looked up at the person who was speaking. It was a young lady she was a bit unfamiliar with. Chu Qing vaguely remembered that this person had just been with Xu Xin, looking like they were very close sisters.
Lvluo and Liuxin were kneeling beside her, looking worried. Lvluo's eyes were red, and she didn't dare to say a word. However, there seemed to be something Liuxin wanted to say in her eyes.
"Duchess of the Duke, there should be a place for the ladies to change clothes here, right?" Chu Qing raised her voice. At this moment, there was already a cold look on her face. She was too lazy to pretend to be polite now.
Even though summer was approaching, the lake water was still very cold. If Chu Qing's health hadn't improved a lot, she would probably catch a cold this time.
At this moment, Shangguan Zhen had also woken up. After being helped to sit up straight by Qing'er, her face was a bit pale. She no longer looked as arrogant as before.
Although the Duchess of the Duke was dissatisfied with Chu Qing's attitude, after all, considering the latter's status, she could only order the servants in a stiff tone to take Chu Qing and Shangguan Zhen to the octagonal pavilion to change into dry clothes.
...
Fortunately, Chu Qing knew that she should prepare a few extra sets of clothes when going out.
She and Shangguan Zhen were taken to two different rooms, which were at the two ends of the corridor.
After the servant who led them there left, just as Chu Qing was about to enter the room, she was blocked.
The people who came were Shangguan Zhen and her two maids.
"Princess, I'm really sorry. Our young lady is used to staying in the room at the end..." Qing'er said to Chu Qing softly with a look of embarrassment.
Shangguan Zhen was still throwing a tantrum like a young lady. Her face was pale, but her eyes were full of stubbornness.
Chu Qing curled her lips. She was too lazy to argue with her and simply changed rooms. She walked directly towards the other room.
After Chu Qing changed out of her wet clothes, she said quietly, "Tell me, did you see something?"
Lvluo looked surprised, while Liuxin naturally knew that Chu Qing was asking her, so she replied, "Just now, my mistress was pushed into the water."
Chu Qing's face turned cold. "I know this. So... did you see who pushed me?"
"If I didn't see wrong, it was the young lady who just spoke." Liuxin lowered her eyes and continued to answer.
"If you saw it, why didn't you stop it?" Chu Qing looked at Liuxin expressionlessly. If she didn't know that Liuxin was a subordinate of Wei Ying, she would surely doubt her purpose.
But now, even though she knew that the other party was a subordinate of Wei Ying, Chu Qing still felt more dissatisfied with her.
Hearing Chu Qing's question, Liuxin calmed down from her initial panic and explained, "The action was too fast. I didn't have time."
"Really?" Chu Qing suddenly laughed, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Didn't have time? Or didn't want to?" Chu Qing didn't give the young girl any face at all.
Liuxin, who had been exposed, bit her lips and stubbornly didn't explain anything more.
Just now, when Chu Qing was verbally provoking Xu Xin, she also provoked Liuxin.
Although she was also a young girl who had never experienced much in the world, she had received more training and knew more things than her peers since childhood. Naturally, she understood what Chu Qing meant just now.
It wasn't that she had other feelings for her own master, but she now thought that Chu Qing was not worthy of her master. Therefore, what Chu Qing had said just now, the young girl thought that she had defiled her master.
So, when she saw someone push Chu Qing just now, the young girl hesitated for a moment whether to save her or not. During this moment of hesitation, Chu Qing had already been pushed into the water.
Seeing that the young girl didn't explain, Chu Qing's voice turned cold. "I don't care what you're thinking. Since the Prince of Ning sent you to protect me, it's your task. As his subordinate, if you don't complete the task well, he will surely know better how to punish you. I won't pursue this matter for now. If there is a next time, you can just go back. Don't worry. I won't casually speak ill of you in front of the Prince of Ning. I will only tell him everything that happened truthfully. So, you decide what to do yourself."
The young girl was a bit surprised by Chu Qing's imposing manner at this moment. Just as she was about to say something, she smelled a strange fragrance.
Chu Qing also frowned.