It was a sunny day on the day of the banquet.
Sisters Li Jingyun and Li Mingda happily set off from the imperial city and arrived at the residence of Princess Yongjia.
Standing outside the residence to receive guests was their cousin Dou Jin, the eldest son of Princess Yongjia and Dou Fengjie. He was dressed in a red robe and a fox - fur cloak. Standing among the crowd, he looked full of energy. He bowed to Li Jingyun and her sister and said, "Greetings to the two princesses."
"Greetings, cousin."
After Li Jingyun and her sister returned the courtesy, they were led into the princess's residence.
This residence was not as spacious as Li Jingyun's, but it was far more luxurious. It seemed that even the corners were filled with jewels and gold.
Pavilions and towers, rare flowers and exotic plants, treasures that ordinary people could hardly even catch a glimpse of were very common here.
After entering the main hall, Li Jingyun and her sister took off their cloaks. Li Mingda laughed and said, "This place is so warm. It's like spring. Cousin, you really know how to enjoy life."
"Your Highness, you're being too kind. These are just little things of an ordinary family," Dou Jin replied with a smile.
Although his words were modest, his expression showed no sign of humility at all.
He had inherited all the good looks of Princess Yongjia and Dou Fengjie. Standing among the crowd, he was very conspicuous. It was said that his marriage had already been arranged and he would get married next spring.
Of course, all these had nothing to do with Li Jingyun. Compared with the complicated relationships among the adults, she cared more about whether the plum blossoms in the Princess Yongjia's residence were as beautiful as Ziwǎn had described, and the delicious food. After all, it was a birthday banquet today, so there must be all kinds of delicious dishes.
"Your Highnesses, please make yourselves at home. My mother and father are still in the front hall and will come here soon," Dou Jin said with a smile.
"Okay!"
They hardly had any experience of visiting other people's residences on their own, let alone attending a banquet for the elders. They had no idea how they should be treated.
Anyway, they just did what Dou Jin told them and didn't think too much about it.
Normally when they went out, they would follow their father and mother, or at least their elder brother and sister - in - law. Wherever they went, they were the focus and honored guests, and everyone would flatter and respect them.
Li Jingyun was an impatient person. After taking a sip of milk tea, she was not satisfied. Looking outside, she only saw servants and maids with their heads down, walking in a hurry with trays in their hands. She could hear the noise in the distance. It was really boring.
Li Jingyun couldn't just sit there quietly waiting for Princess Yongjia and the son - in - law to come.
Within a quarter of an hour, she pulled Li Mingda out for a stroll. All the guests who came to the banquet were high - ranking officials and nobles. Almost everyone recognized the two sisters, and no one dared to stop them.
Under the bright sunshine, the plum blossoms in the plum garden were in full bloom, giving off a rich fragrance.
There were many guards outside the plum garden, but how could this stop the two sisters?
They ordered Manjing to distract the guards and then directly broke in.
The reason for distracting the guards was also very strange. They said that the two princesses had got lost while taking a stroll and asked the guards to look for them.
"This one is so beautiful!" Li Jingyun pointed at a red plum blossom blooming bravely against the snow and shouted happily.
But before she could finish her words, Li Mingda covered her mouth and motioned her to look at a small pavilion not far away in the plum garden.
Hidden behind the branches, Princess Yongjia was leaning in a man's arms. And that man was obviously not Dou Fengjie. He was much younger than Dou Fengjie.
"Who is this? He looks so familiar," Li Jingyun stared at the man for a while and tried hard to recall who he was.
"I remember," Li Jingyun shivered as a gust of wind blew by, and the remaining memories in her mind were also blown out.
Li Mingda asked curiously, "Who?"
"It's Yang Yuzhi, the charcoal merchant," Li Jingyun whispered into Li Mingda's ear word by word.
But just a few days ago, when she met Minister Yang, she had asked him, and he said that Yang Yuzhi was confined in the family ancestral hall to reflect on his mistakes. How could he be out today?
Was this what he called reflecting on his mistakes?
Moreover, it seemed that Yang Yuzhi and Princess Yongjia had some kind of improper relationship. Did the son - in - law Dou know about this?
At this point, Li Jingyun couldn't help but start to wonder. Yang Yuzhi had done so many bad things right under Yang Shidao's nose. As the head of the family, did Yang Shidao know about these things? Did he give his tacit approval?
When her father and elder brother were discussing how to deal with the people of the Yang family, she had heard her father say that Yang Shidao was guilty of negligence in supervision and poor family discipline.
But was it just these two things?
At this moment, Li Jingyun's little head was filled with question marks. If it weren't for Li Mingda holding her back, she might have rushed out to ask Yang Yuzhi for an explanation.
Li Mingda whispered, "Just now, cousin Dou told us that Aunt Yongjia was talking to other guests in the front hall.没想到 she's actually in the plum garden."
"He even lied! Humph!" Li Jingyun held her sister's arm and complained about them.
Outside, it was noisy and in a mess. But in the center of the storm, the two sisters Li Jingyun and Li Mingda were chatting merrily in the corner of the plum garden.
"Should we expose them?" Li Mingda suggested.
"But there are so many people. Where will Uncle Dou put his face? Let's go find Uncle Dou and tell him quietly," Li Jingyun waved her hand. Her good mood had completely disappeared.
They quietly slipped out through the small door and followed a group of guests to the front hall.
Fortunately, they were young and dressed inconspicuously. Following in the middle of the crowd, they didn't look out of place. At most, some people would wonder whose children they were and how cute they were.
But after they searched the whole front hall, they couldn't find Dou Fengjie. Instead, Dou Fengjie's son and daughter were working hard to joke with the guests and liven up the atmosphere.
The two little ladies looked at each other in surprise: Where could he be? Could he have disappeared into thin air?
Not long after they left the front hall, they were stopped by a young gentleman in a small pavilion. "Are you two lost and can't find your parents?"
When Li Jingyun turned around, the man couldn't help but swallow his saliva. "Your Highnesses, if you want to have a good tour of the princess's residence, why don't you ask the princess and the son - in - law to accompany you? If not, there's also the eldest son of the Dou family."
"Cheng Chuxia, you're here too," Li Jingyun recognized him at a glance. "Don't tell anyone. We'll go for another stroll."
"Yes."
How dare Cheng Chuxia object? He originally thought he could be a hero and help the two little girls who couldn't find their parents. Who would have thought that he had accidentally stopped two princesses.
He wasn't familiar with Princess Jinyang, but wasn't he familiar with Princess Chengyang?
He had been present when the library was built and when the sweater shop opened!
Judging from their looks, they must have their own plans. So he'd better not get involved. He'd just stay here quietly and drink his wine.
He'd wait and see what these two little princesses were up to. They were so mysterious and didn't want him to tell others.
Not long after, a guard came to him and asked, "Have you seen Princess Jinyang and Princess Chengyang?"
"No."
Cheng Chuxia shook his head like a rattle and watched the group of guards walk away.
He was becoming more and more curious about what these two little princesses were up to.