The young eunuch acknowledged the order and ran forward to knock on the door.
Soon a gatekeeper answered and came out. Upon seeing who had arrived, he hurried forward to bow respectfully: “This humble one greets Princess Imperial.”
Li Helan slightly raised her chin, her narrow eyes slightly upturned as she looked at the golden plaque of Prince Zhongshun’s mansion above the gate. Without looking sideways, she asked gently: “Relay a message to your prince that this princess has arrived.”
The gatekeeper bowed and replied: “In response to Princess Imperial, our prince is not at the mansion.”
“Not here?” Li Helan’s voice was neither hurried nor slow, making it impossible to discern joy or anger, but her authoritative presence could not be ignored.
The gatekeeper knelt on the ground with his head lowered: “The prince said he was going to keep an appointment and left early this morning.”
“An appointment? With whom?” Li Helan gave the gatekeeper a glance.
The gatekeeper said: “How could this humble one know such matters?”
Li Helan’s lips curved slightly as she said: “Then this princess will gradually visit the Grand Dowager and Old Madam of the mansion.” With that, she began walking inside.
The gatekeeper dared not block her path but secretly groaned as he hurried to catch up.
At this time, Xu Weizhi had already received the news. After thinking it over, he decided to come out to greet Li Helan and bow: “This humble one pays respects to Princess Imperial.”
Seeing that the one blocking her was an elderly person with a refined and courteous appearance, Li Helan guessed this person was likely the mansion’s steward or similar. A smile bloomed on her beautiful face as she said in a gentle voice: “Rise. I heard your prince is not at the mansion? This princess has come twice without being able to see the master. Today I can only trouble the elders of the household.”
Xu Weizhi imperceptibly observed Li Helan’s expression, then quickly lowered his eyes: “Yes, today is truly too unfortunate. Not only does the prince have an appointment with friends outside, but the Old Master, Grand Dowager, and Old Madam have also been saying they feel stifled these days and went out early this morning to stroll around. None of the masters are home.”
Ever since news spread of Princess Imperial Anyang’s betrothal to Ji Zeyu, she had called twice. Connecting this with past events and Anyang’s feelings for Pang Xiao, one needn’t think hard to guess why she had come.
Since the prince was avoiding her, there was even less reason to let her see the elders.
Princess Imperial’s status was noble. If the Old Master, Grand Dowager, and Old Madam met her, would they not have to kneel and kowtow while listening to lectures? Xu Weizhi dared not put the elderly in such an awkward position – better not to meet at all.
Hearing this, Li Helan’s face flushed red with anger.
“Not here? All not here? Are they truly not here, or are they hiding from this princess?”
Xu Weizhi smiled obsequiously and bowed respectfully: “Princess Imperial, please forgive us. We truly didn’t know you were coming today – it’s just a coincidence that all the masters are out.” This subtly pointed out that Princess Imperial had come calling without sending a visiting card first, so rudely coming to block people.
Li Helan was both ashamed and angry, nearly turning around to leave in a huff.
She had wanted to send a visiting card, but she knew that with Pang Xiao’s temperament, seeing the card would make him avoid her even more. She could only try a surprise attack to possibly see him!
Could it be that Pang Xiao cared about face? Thinking that since she was already betrothed to Ji Zeyu, he would no longer care about their past?
Analyzing Pang Xiao’s character, Li Helan felt this was quite possible.
But the more Pang Xiao avoided her like this, the more she had to see him! There was no reason for her, a dignified Princess Imperial, to be repeatedly blocked outside the door!
Moreover, if her analysis was correct, the Old Master and Grand Dowager might not truly be absent from the mansion – they simply didn’t want to see her.
Li Helan took a deep breath to suppress her anger. Her voice remained neither high nor low, neither hurried nor slow, as she said gently: “That’s true – this princess came rather suddenly. Since no masters are in the mansion, this princess will see the servants instead. I heard that the woman the prince rescued that day is still in the mansion? Call her out – this princess wants to meet her.”
While speaking, Li Helan had already walked slowly toward the main hall, treating the place as casually as her own palace.
Xu Weizhi followed behind with lowered head, his brow twitching.
As the saying goes, once or twice but not thrice. Princess Imperial had already been turned away twice. This time it really wouldn’t do to drive her away again. Moreover, today she came and didn’t see the prince, didn’t see the Grand Dowager and Old Madam – if she wasn’t even allowed to see Miss Qin, this one would likely explode on the spot. Then who knew what would happen or how to resolve it? If word spread, it would sound terrible.
Thinking of that resourceful Miss Qin, Xu Weizhi inexplicably gained some confidence. With her wisdom, she should not suffer any loss.
With this thought, Xu Weizhi smiled and said: “Yes, this humble one will immediately arrange for someone to invite Miss Qin.”
Li Helan sat upright in the place of honor. Receiving the tea bowl brought by a servant, her hand paused slightly.
She had said “call her,” but Xu Weizhi had used “invite her.” Could this woman hold a high position in the mansion?
Li Helan thought this and directly asked.
Xu Weizhi hurriedly bowed: “In response to Princess Imperial, this Miss Qin has recently been confined by the prince to Suxue Garden, locked up and not allowed to come out. No one is permitted to have contact with her either. This humble one guesses the prince perhaps has his own considerations.”
Li Helan nodded in understanding, her heart turning sour.
It seemed the information He Xiang had gathered was true: this Miss Qin was as beautiful as a celestial fairy, bewitching Pang Xiao to the point of confusion. He wanted to take her as a concubine, but she was the daughter of his father’s killer. He felt tender toward her yet couldn’t get past the barrier in his heart. He couldn’t bear to kill her but was reluctant to let her go. It was truly a case of loving yet hating, doting yet tormenting – his feelings were extremely complex.
Such intense and complex emotions, yet not directed at her.
Li Helan sipped her tea, smiling as she looked at the tea bowl in her hands, but was actually preparing for battle.
Learning that Princess Imperial Anyang had come and that Pang Xiao was not home, and that she specifically wanted to see her, Qin Yining immediately instructed Xianyun: “Go quickly and have someone rush to Songhe Hall to tell the Old Master, Grand Dowager, and Old Madam to hide and not come out, lest they feel awkward meeting Princess Imperial.”
“Master Xu just had someone send word to Songhe Hall. Right now the courtyard gate is tightly closed, and even Da Hei and Da Bai have been tied up.” Xianyun greatly admired Qin Yining in her heart.
“That’s good.” Qin Yining removed the ornate pearls and jade from her hair while saying: “Fortunately the mansion has the resourceful Master Xu and Master Xie. When the prince is away, there are still people who can hold down the fort.”
“Yes, but in the future when Miss enters the family, it will be Miss who should hold down the fort of the prince’s mansion.” Seeing Qin Yining let down her hair, Xianyun hurried to bring a comb to help her arrange it.
Qin Yining blushed at her teasing and instructed: “Have them find the half-new, half-old outfit I wore when returning to the city. Arrange my hair simply without jewelry or ornaments. Use the cloak I wore when I came too.”
Xianyun was clever and understood that Qin Yining was afraid of attracting attention in front of Princess Imperial Anyang. She immediately arranged for it to be done.
Qin Yining re-arranged her hair, put on that plain dress, and donned a cotton cloak with white fox fur collar. Her hair was loosely arranged in a simple cloud chignon without any pearl ornaments. Without powder or rouge, she left her room.
Xianyun wanted to follow, but Qin Yining thought it over: “Better not have you come along, lest you be recognized. Find two loyal, tall, sturdy women to accompany me.”
“Miss thinks very thoroughly – otherwise it wouldn’t look like ‘surveillance.'” She called for two women over forty with solid builds.
The two women followed behind Qin Yining as if escorting a prisoner to the front hall.
By this time, Li Helan had already finished a bowl of tea and was watching the doorway, prepared for battle.
Hearing mixed footsteps approaching from outside, Li Helan couldn’t help but sit up straight.
Someone lifted the bamboo warm curtain outside the door, and an old woman in a dark brown jacket entered, stepping aside to hold the heavy warm curtain for the person behind her.
First came into view the light green hem and skirt edge, followed by a beauty in snow-white fox fur without powder or rouge who slowly entered.
Li Helan’s pupils constricted.
She considered herself beautiful, yet now she had lost!
It was truly as He Xiang had discovered – that wench was extremely striking. If one were to find a woman more beautiful than her in this dynasty, there might be some among the common people, but Li Helan often attended gatherings among the nobility and had never seen anyone who could match her. If men of this dynasty were included, only Ji Zeyu could compare in terms of facial features alone.
This was a woman who made people unable to resist looking a few more times upon seeing her, reluctant to look away. Her bearing was gracious and serene, yet naturally alluring.
The jealousy in Li Helan’s heart nearly burst forth. Her hands gripping the armrests gradually tightened, but the smile on her face became gentler and more intimate. She blinked her long lashes, looking at Qin Yining with three parts curiosity and seven parts amazement – her expression perfectly controlled to make people feel comfortable.
Qin Yining approached and bowed respectfully, kowtowing: “This humble woman pays respects to Princess Imperial Anyang. May Princess Imperial enjoy ten thousand blessings.”
Li Helan quickly stepped forward, using both hands to help her up and grasping Qin Yining’s hands with a smile: “No need for such formality. Miss Qin is truly a person of outstanding talent and appearance. Many people saw you at the city gate that day and described you like a celestial fairy. This princess heard and felt yearning, wanting to befriend you for a long time. How rare to finally meet you today. Oh my, what a beautiful person – you truly make this princess look like a pig or dog in comparison.”
“Princess Imperial truly overpraises me.” Qin Yining curtsied in trepidation, saying softly and timidly: “You are of noble birth, like the bright moon in heaven. This humble woman is merely a weed by the roadside. With my lowly status, how dare I compete with the bright moon’s radiance?”
Li Helan saw Qin Yining’s graceful posture, lowered head, timid appearance, and soft voice – clearly the manner of a young lady from a distinguished family with extremely strict upbringing and probably a very weak character.
Such a personality could actually win Pang Xiao’s favor?
Li Helan smiled contemptuously, but her facial expression became even more affectionate.
“Don’t say such things. Speaking of noble birth, isn’t Miss Qin the same? In the future when your father comes to the capital to serve as an official, my imperial brother will rely on him heavily.”
Qin Yining hurriedly bowed again in trepidation: “Thank you, Princess Imperial. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Such weakness and uselessness – truly just an empty beautiful shell.
Li Helan smiled as she removed a golden tassel with flower head from her hair and inserted it diagonally into Qin Yining’s cloud chignon: “Miss Qin dresses too plainly. This is a small token of this princess’s regard – please don’t disdain it, Miss Qin.”
“How, how could I?” Qin Yining timidly touched the golden tassel with her pale hand and bowed gratefully: “Thank you for Princess Imperial’s bestowment. This humble woman is currently being confined and punished by the prince, so I dare not dress elaborately. This golden tassel, this humble woman will surely treasure carefully.”