Jiang Ancheng walked quickly, with Jiang Si following closely behind.

Jiang Ancheng suddenly stopped and looked at his daughter. His anger was like a flame in the wind, sometimes flaring up high, dying down.

After this happened a few times, he said, “Follow me.”

The father and daughter quickly arrived at the study.

Jiang Ancheng sat down heavily, glanced at his silent daughter, and pointed to a chair, “Sit down.”

Jiang Si sat down, pulling aside the tea-soaked hem of her clothes.

Seeing this, Jiang Ancheng sighed and scratched his head in frustration, “Sier, why didn’t you tell me when you received the invitation from the palace? Even if I wasn’t home, you could have had a servant send me a message.”

Jiang Si smiled, “Daughter didn’t think it was a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?” Jiang Ancheng’s eyes widened, “You should have feigned illness to avoid such a nonsensical banquet. Then you wouldn’t have been entangled with that shameless Prince Yan!”

Jiang Ancheng suddenly paused, “Sier, did you meet Prince Yan?”

“Yes.”

“Then—”

“I didn’t expect Prince Yan to be Young Master Yu,” Jiang Si said proactively.

Jiang Ancheng slammed his fist on the desk, “That boy! It seems he’s had his eye on you for a while!”

Jiang Si smiled and consoled him, “Father, don’t be angry. The matter of selecting a consort is up to the Emperor and Empress.”

Jiang Ancheng breathed a sigh of relief, “If it weren’t for that, how could I sit still? Alright, you can put your mind at ease too. Go change your clothes. As for your grandmother… just stay out of her sight for a while.”

“Then daughter will take her leave.”

Jiang Si walked out of the study and looked up at the sky.

The sky was beginning to clear, with golden sunlight breaking through the clouds, gilding the green tiles of the roofs.

Although early spring was cold, it had indeed arrived.

Father seemed to have misunderstood something. Was he worried that she would faint from crying if she were chosen?

Jiang Si pulled her cloak tighter and walked quickly towards Haitang Residence.

Old Madam Feng couldn’t calm her heart at all and immediately ordered someone to investigate the plum blossom banquet.

It didn’t take long for her trusted servant, Mama Feng, to return with a belly full of news.

Seeing Mama Feng’s expression, Old Madam Feng’s heart sank. She hurriedly asked, “How is it?”

Mama Feng nodded heavily, “It’s all over town now. Fourth Miss did receive six plum blossoms from Prince Yan. And not just that, it’s said that Prince Shu’s first plum blossom was also given to Fourth Miss…”

Old Madam Feng felt dizzy hearing this and cursed through gritted teeth, “That flirtatious little hussy!”

She had thought that Fourth Miss might have a bright future with her beauty, but clearly, she had thought too much.

The more Old Madam Feng pondered, the more annoyed she became.

“What are people saying outside?”

Seeing Mama Feng’s hesitation, Old Madam Feng’s face darkened, “Just say what you heard. What can’t be said now?”

“Outside, they’re all implying that Fourth Miss is a troublemaker. They also say it’s useless because the noble ones in the palace have spoken – the flower-giving doesn’t mean anything, and it’s just a daydream for a lady from the Earl of Dongping’s family to think she could become a phoenix…” Mama Feng said while observing Old Madam Feng’s expression, watching the old face grow darker and darker.

“They’re all just gossiping nonsense!” Old Madam Feng listened with irritation and instructed Mama Feng, “Tell the gatekeepers not to let Fourth Miss out anymore.”

As Old Madam Feng’s instructions spread, everyone in the manor immediately understood her intentions.

Second Madam Xiao immediately ordered, “Stop making new clothes for Fourth Miss in the sewing room. Since she’s not going out, there’s no need to prepare so many clothes. It’s not right to prioritize her over the other young ladies…”

At dinnertime, when Amian saw the food brought by the little maid from the main kitchen, she became angry, “Is this even edible? The shrimp soup is cold, and the pepper-salt crispy chicken only has chicken heads, no meat! I’m going to the main kitchen to settle accounts. Those bastards must have done this on purpose!”

“No need to go,” Jiang Si glanced at the unappetizing food, finding it laughable.

Grandmother’s change of face was faster than turning a page, and the servants were even quicker to follow suit. It showed how wise her initial decision had been.

Since nowhere was clean, why should she wallow in the muddy pond that was the Earl of Dongping’s manor?

“Miss, are we just going to tolerate this?” Amian asked indignantly.

Jiang Si no longer looked at the food and sat down by the bed, playing with the tassels hanging from the gauze curtains, “If we had to endure this for a lifetime, then we wouldn’t need to endure it. But if it’s just for a short while, what’s the harm in enduring?”

If she were to stay in the Earl’s manor for a long time, like when the Second Madam wanted to mistreat her, she couldn’t tolerate it for a moment. Otherwise, everyone in the manor would think she was easy to bully and would come to step on her.

But now, why not endure for a while?

The more excessive Old Madam’s actions were, the more justified Jiang Si would be in showing a cold face in the future. No one would be able to criticize her much then.

Amian listened in confusion, “Endure for a lifetime? Endure for a short while? Miss, I’m even more confused now.”

“You just need to know not to pay attention to these things for the next few days. If the food isn’t satisfactory, just go out and buy some.”

“But—”

Aqiao gently pulled Amian, “If Miss says so, just do it. Miss surely has her reasons.”

Amian thought about it and agreed, nodding reluctantly.

Hmph, if it weren’t for Miss’s orders, she would have gone to smash the pots in the main kitchen!

As the sky darkened, Aqiao lit another lamp, brightening the room considerably.

Jiang Si bathed and changed clothes, sitting on the edge of the bed in a snow-white undergarment.

It was no longer the dead of winter, and after bathing, her whole body felt warm, even her toes felt lazy.

Seeing Jiang Si drowsy, Aqiao said softly, “Miss, let this servant help you to bed.”

“No hurry,” Jiang Si said, unconsciously glancing at the window.

Given her understanding of Yu Qi, there was an eight or nine out of ten chance he would come tonight.

Just as she thought this, there was a sound at the window lattice.

“Miss?” Aqiao asked for Jiang Si’s instructions.

Jiang Si nodded slightly.

Aqiao skillfully picked up the vase from the high table and walked over, asking softly, “Who’s there?”

One couldn’t be careless at any time. If it wasn’t Young Master Yu outside the window, she could throw the vase and then shout for help.

From outside the window came a “Woof!”

Aqiao hurriedly opened the window, and a large dog jumped in.

Seeing Ernui, Jiang Si was overjoyed. She quickly went to greet it, vigorously rubbing the dog’s head and taking off the brocade pouch from its neck to open it.

On the paper inside was a drawing of a jade ruyi scepter.

Seeing this, Jiang Si smiled with pursed lips, her heart finally settling completely.

Early the next morning, several palace servants quietly left the imperial palace, splitting into two teams and riding in carriages in different directions.

At the entrance of Yoqian Hutong, where the Earl of Dongping’s manor was located, a crowd had gathered around the breakfast stalls that had been set up. The aroma of steamed buns and fried dough sticks wafted towards the high walls of the grand courtyard.

Amian, with one hand on her hip, was arguing with the gatekeeper, “I’m just going to the entrance of the hutong to buy a few meat buns to eat. Why won’t you let me out?”

The gatekeeper didn’t even raise his eyelids, “Old Madam has instructed that no one is to leave without good reason.”

“Isn’t buying meat buns a good reason?”

“Good reasons require a token from the steward.”

“To hell with your token, you’re just being difficult,” Amian, seeing that she couldn’t reason with him, grabbed the gatekeeper with one hand and threw him out.

The palace servant who had come with the imperial decree watched the old man fall in front of him and was startled.