Chapter 1594 - 1441: The Fake Commandery Princess 51
Ye Shuangshuang lived in Prince Nan Mansion for two days, feeling very awkward. Zhao Wan was busy showing off her prestige using Ye Shuangshuang and took her to three banquets in two days: two during the day and one in the evening.
Ye Shuangshuang was quite unhappy, but she couldn’t leave Prince Nan Mansion just yet. She needed a legitimate opportunity to leave, one that wouldn’t allow anyone to gossip.
During these two days, Ye Shuangshuang frequently encountered Qin Muchen, mainly because Qin Muchen wanted to accompany Ye Shuangshuang to the banquets. This person was very adaptable, and every time, she greeted her with a smile, playing the best friend role.
Ye Shuangshuang disliked such hypocritical interactions, but she couldn’t immediately leave Prince Nan Mansion, even though she had Princess Mansion.
But she wasn’t a married daughter, and in the eyes of the world, she was intimately connected to Prince Nan Mansion. At least, Zhao Wan and Qin Peijun, despite their previous indifference to Ye Shuangshuang who had gone to Nanzhao, didn’t show this attitude in front of outsiders.
Outsiders believed Zhao Wan and Qin Peijun treated Ye Shuangshuang, their adopted daughter, exceptionally well. The strongest evidence was that all of Ye Shuangshuang’s skills were learned in Prince Nan Mansion.
At this moment, if Ye Shuangshuang lived outside instead of at Prince Nan Mansion, if Ye Shuangshuang had no skills, people would say she had backbone, not clinging to her adoptive parents.
The key is now, in the Capital City, who doesn’t know that Ye Shuangshuang just saved the Emperor’s life, was adopted by the Emperor and the Empress, and is extremely trusted, even conferred as Super Princess, with her Princess Mansion using Prince Mansion specifications.
It can be said that Ye Shuangshuang is the current sensation in the Capital City, her status surpassing Qin Peijun, who has no real power like Prince Nan.
Now, if Ye Shuangshuang leaves Prince Nan Mansion without reason, there will surely be people saying Ye Shuangshuang has become arrogant, looking down on her adoptive parents after achieving success.
If the rumors grow, the Emperor and Empress might be affected and think Ye Shuangshuang’s character isn’t good, so Ye Shuangshuang, though uncomfortable in Prince Nan Mansion, has to endure a bit longer.
Today, Ye Shuangshuang didn’t have to attend a banquet, because Zhao Wan found that attending banquets outside wasn’t enough anymore. She decided to host a banquet at Prince Nan Mansion herself and invite distinguished guests.
Although Zhao Wan was Princess Consort Nan, there was more than one Princess Consort in the Capital City, and usually, a few dared to not show Zhao Wan face, refusing to attend her banquets and not inviting her to theirs.
Now that Zhao Wan is hosting a banquet, these people voluntarily expressed their willingness to come. Mainly, it’s because the Emperor has killed too many people recently, and all the nobles and ministers are very cautious; even the Right Minister dares not speak much during morning court.
At such times, Ye Shuangshuang, who can frequently enter the harem for rewards, becomes even more sought-after; everyone wants to find out about the Emperor’s mood, when his temper might return to normal.
Those gentlemen couldn’t visit Ye Shuangshuang themselves, so they had to rely on their wives and daughters for diplomatic efforts.
Everyone hopes their wives or daughters will please Ye Shuangshuang enough that she might reveal a bit, not asking for much, just daily insights on the Emperor’s mood would suffice.
To please Ye Shuangshuang, naturally Zhao Wan, the adoptive mother, needed to be flattered as well, so Zhao Wan has been in high spirits these days, feeling euphoric amid everyone’s compliments.
Zhao Wan attaches great importance to this banquet, personally ensuring every detail is perfect, while Ye Shuangshuang took the opportunity before the banquet began to stroll in the garden.
Ye Shuangshuang was naturally familiar with the garden at Prince Nan Mansion, the best scenery being a waterside pavilion backed by a rockery and facing a lotus pond.
Before, when Ye Shuangshuang was at Prince Nan Mansion, she loved to take a medicine book and read in the waterside pavilion. The Old Princess Consort had specifically placed a beauty couch and book table there for Ye Shuangshuang’s convenience.
Ye Shuangshuang leisurely walked along, accompanied by two little palace maids, Nanzhu and Lv Fei, from Princess Mansion serving her.
From a distance, before reaching the pavilion, Ye Shuangshuang noticed shadows moving inside, as if someone was there. Ye Shuangshuang raised her eyebrows slightly; could someone have occupied the pavilion early?
Turning towards Nanzhu beside her, she said, "Nanzhu, go see who’s in the pavilion?"
Nanzhu responded, left quickly, and soon returned to report to Ye Shuangshuang, "Princess, the front pavilion has the Little Princess from Prince Anping Mansion and a few aristocratic family ladies enjoying the view."
The Little Princess of Prince Anping Mansion, Ye Shuangshuang frowned, Princess Anping was a marvel, a commoner with an extraordinarily beautiful face, spotted by Prince Anping during his travels.
Nobody knows what Prince Anping was thinking, blinded by sentiment, insisting on marrying her as his main wife, while Prince Anping, like Prince Nanping, was a prince without real power.
The Emperor was quite pleased to see Prince Anping’s recklessness, so Prince Anping easily married his beloved woman as his wife.
But this Princess Anping was not well-liked in the Capital City because, despite her breathtaking beauty, she had a wagging tongue, loved gossip, and spreading rumors.
People with such personalities are avoided by everyone because, not only must you guard your words from being spread recklessly, but also be cautious of her deliberate distortions to spread rumors.
This Little Princess from Prince Anping Mansion perfectly inherited her mother’s gossiping, rumor-loving, and penchant for gossip, even surpassing her.
With such tastes, people generally didn’t want to associate with her, but she was the Little Princess of Prince Anping Mansion; her level counts.
Other than a few of the same-level Prince Mansion princesses or daughters of court ministers that she couldn’t summon, everyone else dared not offend her.
So this Little Princess, surrounded by stars, never realized how annoying she was.
Ye Shuangshuang never interacted with her before either, truly fearing that by saying a wrong word in front of her, she wouldn’t know how distorted it might become when rumors spread.
Upon hearing the pavilion contained her, Ye Shuangshuang decided decisively to turn around and leave with Nanzhu and Lv Fei, only to find herself facing Qin Muchen walking towards them.
Ye Shuangshuang lightly raised her eyebrows and slightly turned her head to Lv Fei, saying, "Lv Fei, go and handle something for me..."
Lv Fei accepted the order and stepped back, while Qin Muchen arrived with a smiling face, warmly greeting Ye Shuangshuang, "Sister Shuangshuang, how fortunate to meet you here admiring the scenery as well?"
Ye Shuangshuang smiled, not warmly but not coldly, saying, "I just grew tired of the troublesome banquet preparations and came here to relax. Muxin, why are you here, not helping Mom alleviate worries in front?"
Qin Muchen’s smile stiffened, secretly resenting Ye Shuangshuang for bringing up sensitive topics. She did want to help Zhao Wan prepare the banquet to show her capabilities.
But Zhao Wan feared she would ruin her perfect banquet and didn’t let Qin Muchen get involved. After being rebuffed, Qin Muchen came to the garden to relax.