Flying eaves, bracket sets, glazed tiles, white jade steps, pavilions and towers, painted beams, and ridges.

Flowered walls, moon gates, artificial mountains, and pools, surrounded by flowers and trees, with various chrysanthemums adorning the entire garden.

When Shen Xihe arrived, the Lotus Garden was filled with laughter and the sound of string and bamboo instruments. While some familiar young men and women gathered in groups of three or five, most young ladies clustered together, with the young men forming their circles.

At a glance, there were talented scholars and beautiful ladies everywhere, too many to take in at once.

“Princess Zhaoning arrives—” a eunuch’s loud announcement brought the entire garden to silence.

There was simply too much curiosity about her. Since her arrival in the capital, she had sent a marquis’s son to the Court of Judicial Review, thrown out His Majesty’s cousin from the prince’s mansion, left Prince Lie at the mansion gate, and caused the Sixth Prince and Crown Prince to become jealous rivals over her…

Each incident was earth-shattering. Never had any young lady been so bold and daring, not only daring but also causing these noble descendants to suffer in silence.

Yet she lived in seclusion, refusing all invitations. To this day, those who had seen her full appearance could be counted on fingers.

Seeing her today, there was an anticipation as if waiting for someone who had been called a thousand times to finally appear.

The young lady’s figure was graceful, wearing a light white narrow-sleeved short jacket with a hint of gray, covered by a moon-white half-sleeve coat with gold flower patterns. Her long skirt was bound at the chest, sweeping the ground elegantly, with a light purple precious flower-patterned shawl around her shoulders.

Her black hair was styled in double knife buns, adorned with two matching purple jade flower hairpins with beaded strings on either side and a pearl-adorned purple jade peony ornament in the center. Her smooth, full forehead was framed by peony-shaped temple ornaments, with a gold flower design between her brows.

Her makeup was exquisite, elegant yet noble.

The flowing jade light was insufficient to capture her grace, and the gentle moonlight was inadequate to describe her pure beauty.

When she appeared, all the beauty in the garden dimmed.

“Noble Consort,” Shen Xihe walked directly to where Noble Consort Rong sat among the imperial consorts and titled ladies.

“Princess, you’re too formal,” Noble Consort Rong made a gesture of support, taking the opportunity to introduce the young lady beside her. “This is Pingling. You’re of similar age, perfect companions.”

Princess Pingling wore a rose-pink upper garment and a primrose-colored multi-paneled long skirt, both with exquisite embroidery. She wore a crown adorned with gold and silver pearl flowers, her features outstanding, her appearance lovely, with bright eyes that seemed to ripple with intelligence.

“I’ve long heard Princess Zhaoning is a beauty, and now that I see you, you’re truly incomparable,” Princess Pingling had an open, cheerful nature. “I’m a year younger than you, so let me call you Sister Zhaoning.”

As she spoke, Princess Pingling first gave Shen Xihe a peer’s greeting.

“Princess,” Shen Xihe returned the greeting with a faint smile.

“They say the Northwest has rough customs, but seeing Princess Zhaoning today, her elegant demeanor is no less than that of noble families,” the Marquise of Zhenbei, remembering past kindness, took the lead in praising Shen Xihe.

Naturally, many titled ladies and imperial consorts joined in. Their gazes toward Shen Xihe held only admiration and goodwill. Shen Xihe was destined to be a prince’s consort – which prince would depend on His Majesty’s decree. They wouldn’t have too deep an association with her, so establishing good relations was sufficient.

The gazes of imperial consorts with sons contained some evaluation and scrutiny.

After Noble Consort Rong introduced Shen Xihe to everyone, she had Princess Pingling lead Shen Xihe to join the other young ladies.

Pingling led Shen Xihe to a group of richly dressed young ladies. There, Shen Xihe also met Third Princess Anling, who was fond of Bu Shulin. At sixteen, she was a gentle and graceful beauty.

“What were you discussing just now?” Princess Pingling asked after they had exchanged greetings.

“We were talking about our cats,” Princess Anling answered with a smile.

Cats were household pets, and currently, it was fashionable for noble ladies to keep them. If a household didn’t keep one or two cats, they would be unable to join conversations at gatherings and would be isolated.

“The Princess comes from the Northwest, naturally doesn’t know about cats,” a voice interjected. “I’ve heard the Northwest is impoverished, and the poor eat anything, often stewing cats.”

At these words, many unconsciously frowned, developing feelings of rejection toward Shen Xihe. They all loved keeping cats, and suddenly hearing about stewing cats seemed extremely cruel.

“‘You’ve heard’? Where did you hear this?” Shen Xihe looked at Chen Jiaxu, the legitimate daughter of the Xuanping Marquis’s mansion.

“I don’t recall where, but the Northwest is full of barbarians…”

“During the previous emperor’s reign, the Turks invaded dozens of times each year, two or three times a month. The Northwestern men fought bravely to defend against their enemies. In the wilderness, to survive, when hungry and thirsty, they dug into mouse holes for food and drank snake blood to quench their thirst,” Shen Xihe calmly interrupted her. “They sacrificed their lives and shed their blood so that Miss Chen could live peacefully in the capital and enjoy playing with cats. What right does Miss Chen have to call Northwesterners barbarians?”

Shen Xihe’s tone was gentle, without any aggression, yet it left Chen Jiaxu speechless.

Her light-colored eyes glanced at Chen Jiaxu: “Without the fierceness of Northwestern men and women, you might now be lying in a Turkic khan’s tent, barely clothed.”

“You—” Chen Jiaxu glared at Shen Xihe angrily.

Shen Xihe hadn’t used a single vulgar word, yet her words were deeply insulting.

“What did I say that was incorrect?” Shen Xihe raised her eyebrows in question.

Chen Jiaxu’s chest heaved with anger, but she couldn’t utter a word in rebuttal.

“Princess, your words suggest that the peace of the entire realm is due to the Northwest?” Another person stepped forward, her voice cool. “The peace in the Northwest is indeed due to the Northwestern Army, but this prosperous era of peace is achieved through contributions from all civil and military officials. Princess, you’re being too partial.”

Shen Xihe turned to look – it was the Wang family’s daughter, Wang Yuhui.

Cloud-piled emerald hairdo, bright white teeth, with an air like a secluded orchid.

“Miss Wang,” Shen Xihe turned to face Wang Yuhui. “Noble families’ character should be dignified, not arrogant. When Miss Chen insulted the Northwest, I spoke about the Northwest.

If you must bring up the realm’s peace, I’d also like to know how much the Wang family has contributed to it? So much so that Miss Wang can disregard noble family etiquette, rashly interrupt others’ conversation, and lecture me from on high?”

Shen Xihe’s words were like needles, piercing Wang Yuhui’s heart.

Noble ladies should be careful in speech and action. Interrupting rashly was a breach of etiquette, and she had indeed made a mountain out of a molehill, deliberately making people think Shen Xihe was arrogant, elevating the Northwest while belittling the capital’s officials.

“Now that Miss Wang puts me on such a pedestal, should I also assume all noble ladies of the capital share your conduct?” Shen Xihe gave a derisive laugh. “Miss Wang, our upbringings are different, there’s no need to force them to merge.”

With these words, Shen Xihe turned and left.

She had always disliked dealing with these ladies who only wanted to cling and depend on others, viewing men as their whole world. If it weren’t for Bu Shulin’s three thousand sets of fine armor, she wouldn’t have come today. At least she had found a reason to draw a clear line between herself and these people.

Shen Xihe, thinking she could find some peace, had just walked to a secluded pavilion when a crisp voice called out from behind: “Princess Zhaoning, Princess Zhaoning!”

She turned to see a lively young girl in a goose-yellow half-sleeve coat and pomegranate-colored waist-bound dress, wearing her hair in a hanging bun with butterfly-wing golden hairpins, running toward her with lifted skirts.