Xie Fengran gave the Fourth Princess a strange look. Then, imitating the princess, she leaned over and said, "If I said I don't know your cousin, would you believe me?"
The Fourth Princess blinked her eyes, first shook her head, and then nodded. "It must be because you're too charming."
"..." Xie Fengran choked on her breath. She suddenly didn't know how to respond.
The Fourth Princess giggled. She tilted her head and sized up Xie Fengran. Suddenly, she asked, "Sister Xie, don't you want to marry my eldest brother?"
"Your Highness, don't talk nonsense," Xie Fengran said. She felt that this little princess would drive her crazy sooner or later. "Matters of marriage are decided by parents and matchmakers. It's not up to me to decide whether I want to or not."
But the Fourth Princess wouldn't let it go. She tugged at Xie Fengran's sleeve and said, "So you don't want to."
"Why would Your Highness say that? His Highness the Crown Prince is elegant and handsome. Which young lady in the capital wouldn't want to marry him?" Xie Fengran forced a smile, trying to make her words more convincing.
Seeing that she couldn't get any useful information, the Fourth Princess rolled her eyes and said something astonishing: "So you don't want to marry my cousin? But my cousin is better - looking than my eldest brother!"
Xie Fengran couldn't help but picture the Marquis's wheat - colored face in her mind. His features were indeed delicate, but his skin tone was a shade darker, making him look less elegant than the Crown Prince. However, with his intimidating aura, the Crown Prince couldn't compare.
But this question from the Fourth Princess was a real headache. Xie Fengran said helplessly, "Your Highness, both the Marquis and the Crown Prince are outstanding men. I'm really not worthy of them." So, please stop making things difficult for her.
The Fourth Princess obviously didn't believe Xie Fengran. She thought that this Sister Xie from the Xie family didn't have the shy and timid look that other girls had when talking about her eldest brother or cousin. She was such an oddity.
Xie Fengran didn't know that the Fourth Princess thought she was an oddity. Seeing that she stopped asking such hard - to - answer questions, Xie Fengran let out a long sigh of relief.
This Fourth Princess was young but really mischievous. She was even more difficult to deal with than the Third Princess.
At least the Third Princess didn't have the confidence of the Fourth Princess. She only bullied others by relying on her power. In fact, she was just a bully hiding behind someone else's might. You could just ignore her.
But the Fourth Princess was doted on by the emperor and the empress, and she had her eldest brother, the Crown Prince, to protect her. She spoke without any scruples.
Xie Fengran felt so tired. She didn't know when the banquet would end.
At this moment, she was a bit grateful that the Fourth Princess had pulled her out. Otherwise, if she went back to the group of young ladies, she would surely be devoured alive by them.
Marrying into the royal family was a good thing for the Marquis's Mansion, but for her, it was a disaster she wanted to avoid.
Thinking like this, she didn't find the Fourth Princess so annoying anymore.
Although it was tiring to deal with the Fourth Princess, she didn't want to put on a fake smile and deal with those young ladies.
But there was still a trace of doubt in her heart. Although the Marquis's Mansion was a founding - hero family and a century - old noble family, it was declining.
The empress wanted to choose a concubine for the Crown Prince. There were so many girls with good family backgrounds to choose from. Why did she choose her?
What was her grandmother hiding from her that could make the empress so enthusiastic about her?
If she couldn't figure out the reason, how could she ruin this marriage?
Xie Fengran resisted the urge to look back. She secretly wondered if the Crown Prince had some hidden illness.
The Crown Prince sitting under the tree suddenly sneezed. He touched his nose uncomfortably and looked at Qin Junxing beside him. Tentatively, he asked, "Cousin, do you know Miss Xie?"
Qin Junxing was leaning against the tree, closing his eyes to rest. Hearing this, he didn't even open his eyes. "I don't know her."
"Then why did cousin say that? Aren't you afraid of offending the young lady?"
Qin Junxing opened his eyes. The corner of his mouth curved into a half - smile. "Didn't Your Highness say that one should appreciate beauty when seeing a beautiful young woman? I'm just an ill - read person doing as I was told."
"..." I told you to appreciate beauty, not to steal my girl! The Crown Prince was crazy about complaining in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face. He smiled slightly and said, "Cousin is so obedient. Why did you reject all the young ladies that mother mentioned?"
"They're too ugly!"
The conversation couldn't go on!
The Crown Prince stood up and walked towards the lake.
By the lake, the Fourth Princess was still pulling Xie Fengran and chattering: "My eldest brother has the demeanor of a gentleman. My second brother is unrestrained. My cousin is heroic and handsome. Young Master Sun is elegant. Sister Xie, they're all great!"
Xie Fengran scattered a handful of fish food into the lake. She rolled her eyes in her heart. This princess just wouldn't stop!
She quickly pulled the princess and said, "Your Highness, they're all your brothers. You can see them anytime. Why don't you tell me what kind of fish these are? I've never seen them before!"
Xie Fengran quickly changed the topic. Fortunately, the Fourth Princess was playful. She pulled Xie Fengran and walked along the lake, looking at the fish. The two of them chatted and found they got along well.
The Fourth Princess was only eleven or twelve years old. Being doted on by everyone, she was surprisingly not arrogant. Although she liked to play tricks on people, she knew where to draw the line.
The two were chatting and laughing when suddenly their conversation was interrupted.
"Fourth Sister, don't be deceived by Xie Fengran."
The two girls who were feeding the fish turned around. They saw the Third Princess striding over with Xie Yunxi.
When she reached them, she directly stood between the Fourth Princess and Xie Fengran. She scolded Xie Fengran, "Stay away from the Fourth Sister."
Then she looked at the Fourth Princess. "Fourth Sister, Xie Fengran is deceiving you! Don't be fooled by her pretentious elegance. In fact, she's extremely vicious, arrogant, and bullies her younger half - sister. Don't believe her!"
The Third Princess's words stunned the two girls.
Xie Fengran looked at the Third Princess and then at Xie Yunxi hiding behind the Third Princess. She immediately understood.
She said, half - laughing and half - crying, "Did Your Highness the Third Princess see with your own eyes that I'm arrogant and bully my younger half - sister?"
The Third Princess glanced at her and sneered, "I don't need to see it with my own eyes to know. I've seen too many women like you who try to climb into the royal family and are two - faced. You're trying to get close to the Fourth Sister just to be the Crown Princess, right? Do you really think that just because the empress has praised you a few times and given you some face, you can marry into the royal family? You're just daydreaming!"
"Your Highness the Third Princess, I didn't know that the Crown Prince's marriage could be decided by pleasing the Fourth Princess. Matters of marriage are decided by parents and matchmakers. The marriage of the country's heir is even more carefully considered. When did it become up to Your Highness the Third Princess to talk about it so recklessly?"
Xie Fengran's eyes shot at the Third Princess. She said without giving an inch, "Your Highness the Third Princess's words here not only slander me but also slander the Marquis of Dingguo's Mansion. Although my reputation may not be important, the reputation of the Marquis of Dingguo's Mansion cannot be trampled on by others. Please apologize, Your Highness the Third Princess!"
But the Third Princess seemed to hear something very funny. She sneered contemptuously, "You think you deserve an apology from me?"