CH 87

The next day, Qiqi got up early as usual. She had the servant girl wash, comb, and dressed her up. She dressed in a set of luxurious but not too eye-catching clothes. She was going to accompany mother Su into the palace and attend a banquet.

Now as in the previous dynasty, the situation in the harem was very uncertain. In the harem, Imperial Concubine Chen, who was the biological mother of Prince Rong, was on the rise. In addition, a few days ago, it was said that the empress was scolded by the emperor in the imperial study. On that very same day, the crown prince was imprisoned in the Eastern Palace by his majesty, making a speculation in the middle of the court. Everyone was thinking. Could it be there was a possibility to compete with the crown prince for the throne? Could it be Prince Xuan who was getting more favored and Prince Rong who relied on his noble mother?

Qiqi was unaware of these. These things hadn’t happened compared to the previous life. Mother Su knew Qiqi didn’t like this kind of occasion and only asked Qiqi if she wanted to go take a look inside the palace.

If Qiqi didn’t want to, she could pretend she was still sick. After all, their Su daughter was a treasure and didn’t need to cling to those rich and powerful.

Qiqi thanked her parents for their good intentions, but she also had to consider her parents. After all, such an invitation had been shirked by her parents and older brothers many times for her. She was afraid if she always shirked away she would make her family criticized by others or be disharmonious.

So Qiqi and mother Su rode in a carriage and went into the imperial palace early. Coincidentally, Qiqi saw her best friend Cui Yanran and her mother, Madam Cui at the gate of the palace. It was just that the two of them hurried into a face-to-face greeting without words and then the carriage entered the imperial palace one after another.

In the imperial garden where the banquet was held, Qiqi followed mother Su to see Imperial Concubine Chen. Imperial Concubine Chen was well maintained plus she was originally a beauty so, with years of preferential treatment, one could hardly see any traces on her face. She was still a beautiful woman with dazzling beauty.

When Imperial Concubine Chen saw Qiqi, she said Qiqi looked exactly the same as mother Su when she was young. She looked really beautiful and had a good temperament. Both Qiqi and mother Su only regarded it as polite remarks until Imperial Concubine Chen asked another question: “One heard that when Miss Su was stranded outside, she accidentally entered Prince Xuan’s palace and became Prince Xuan’s personal maid?”

This was a fact. Although Qiqi didn’t know Imperial Concubine Chen, there was nothing to hide. Whether it was intentional or unintentional, it was just that Imperial Concubine Chen’s son Prince Rong, Shen Zhongming and Shen Zhonghua had been good friends since childhood. Later, he also assisted Shen Zhonghua to ascend to the imperial throne. Qiqi accepted it as Imperial Concubine Chen just making polite small talk without malice, so she just nodded gently and said it was true.

Later, mother Su was probably afraid that Qiqi would be embarrassed and also knew Qiqi hadn’t adapted to such occasions, so she asked her to go look for her best sister Cui Yanran who was on the other side.

Cui Yanran seemed anxious compared to Qiqi. Seeing Cui Yanran like that, Qiqi hurriedly asked her: “Yanran, what’s wrong?”

“I...... I just ran into Prince Rong......” Cui Yanran blushed. Her hand kept pulling the tree leaf by the side.

“Prince Rong?” Prince Rong also came to the banquet?

“Mm......” Cui Yanran’s face was even redder. She leaned her head to say in a low voice: “It’s not just Prince Rong, there’s also Prince Xuan......”

So saying Prince Xuan meant Shen Zhonghua also came. Seeing Cui Yanran’s appearance of wanting to say something but hesitating, Qiqi asked her again: “Then...... did Prince Rong say something to you?”

Based on Qiqi’s understanding of Cui Yanran, if it were just met by accident, Cui Yanran’s face wouldn’t be so red as it was now. As expected, she heard Cui Yanran say: “Said...... Prince Rong, Prince Rong...... H-he said to me...... w-want to marry me as a wife......”

“Eh?” Even Qiqi was surprised when she heard that: “W-what did he say? Is that what he really said?”

“Mm...... Aiya, I don’t know why he would say that too. Just...... well......” Cui Yanran whispered: “It must be because of yesterday’s thing that I was rescued by him. After all, a woman’s innocence is important......”

Perhaps this matter was really controlled. One day passed and one night also passed, even in this imperial garden today, Qiqi didn’t hear or see anyone pointing at her and Yanran. In other words, except for the few people who knew about these things, it hadn’t been spread among outsiders.

Cui Yanran said: “Actually, what happened yesterday is very shameful. B-but I know the reason why Prince Rong rescued me too. If he hadn’t rescued me, perhaps I was already dead. I’m very grateful to him! But...... but......”

Qiqi understood and asked Cui Yanran: “But he said he wanted to marry you and your heart was in confusion.”

Cui Yanran nodded: “My heart is very messy now...... There’s joy, anxiety, and also a little bit of shyness and sadness.”

“Why did you feel sad?” Qiqi asked her.

“Well...... Actually I...... fell in love with Prince Rong at first sight yesterday. Not to mention he is an esteemed descendant of the imperial family, a young talent, and impressive in appearance. I...... if my future husband is such a person, I would be happy in my heart!” She paused: “I was just afraid, afraid he would marry me for my sake......”

Qiqi understood: “Have you asked him?”

Cui Yanran said: “I-I didn’t have the face to open my mouth and...... and I feel embarrassed. So I just...... escaped here!”

In Qiqi’s impression, Prince Rong, Shen Zhongming should be a good person. Hence she said to Cui Yanran: “I’m also not clear about this kind of thing. I’m not you, I don’t understand your feelings, but I think Prince Rong is a good person. Can you try to make it clear to him? You’re a good girl, perhaps Prince Rong also fell in love with you at first sight?”

Qiqi hoped they could sit down and have a good talk. Qiqi hoped from the bottom of her heart that Prince Rong also liked Cui Yanran because by chance Prince Rong and Cui Yanran were together. So Qiqi didn’t have to worry that her best sister would marry Prince Jin and die in the future.

“Right......” Cui Yanran asked Qiqi: “Don’t just think about me. How about you? Prince Xuan also rescued you. Did you bump into him? Did he tell you he was responsible for you and wants to marry you as a wife?”

Shen Zhonghua wanted to marry her as a wife? Qiqi couldn’t help sneering coldly. She said to Cui Yanran and also to herself: “It’s impossible. He won’t marry me.”