“Has Ninth Sister’s face recovered?” the Eighth Princess asked with a smile.

Princess Zhenzhen forced a smile: “Thank you for Eighth Sister’s concern, it’s much better.”

“That’s good. A woman’s face is most important, and we princesses are no exception. Ninth Sister must take good care of your complexion – it would be best to go out of the palace less often in the future.”

“That’s not for Eighth Sister to worry about. Father Emperor is still waiting in his study, Eighth Sister should go in quickly.”

The Eighth Princess smiled lightly: “Then I’ll go in.”

Princess Zhenzhen stopped on the steps, looking back at the Eighth Princess’s figure disappearing at the doorway, then hurried back to her sleeping chamber.

“You’re back so quickly?” Seeing Princess Zhenzhen return, Jiang Shiran, who had been waiting in the room, was somewhat surprised.

“Ran Ran, wait a moment.” Princess Zhenzhen lifted her feet and went to the study.

Curious, Jiang Shiran followed.

Princess Zhenzhen put down her brush, blew the ink dry, folded the paper, and placed it in an envelope, handing it to Jiang Shiran: “Ran Ran, after you leave the palace, please help me deliver this letter to Third Miss Li.”

Jiang Shiran was startled and frowned: “You’re still writing letters to Third Miss Li?”

“It’s inconvenient for me to leave the palace frequently, but I have urgent matters to contact her about, so I’m asking you.” Princess Zhenzhen said earnestly.

Jiang Shiran stared suspiciously at the letter in her hands, puzzled: “When did you become so familiar with Third Miss Li?”

Princess Zhenzhen smiled: “We’re not familiar, but I do have urgent matters.”

“Could it be that your face is uncomfortable? Is there a problem with the medicinal paste?” Jiang Shiran pressed.

Princess Zhenzhen grasped Jiang Shiran’s hand: “Ran Ran, please don’t ask anymore. You must deliver this letter to Third Miss Li today, the sooner the better.”

Seeing her friend refuse to say more, and it involved the person she disliked most, Jiang Shiran, she was quite displeased and held the letter without speaking.

Princess Zhenzhen coaxed: “Ran Ran, when you return, I’ll make you a five-colored bat tassel, alright? You said last time you loved the five-colored bat tassel hanging by my bed.”

Jiang Shiran finally nodded: “Fine then, but you can’t secretly befriend Third Miss Li behind my back, or I’ll be furious.”

“Don’t worry, I definitely won’t.” Seeing Jiang Shiran agree, Princess Zhenzhen breathed a sigh of relief.

After seeing Jiang Shiran off, Princess Zhenzhen leaned against the screen and began to daydream.

“Your Highness, the screen is cold—” her palace maid advised.

Princess Zhenzhen came to her senses and wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

The palace maid was shocked: “Your Highness, you were crying—”

Princess Zhenzhen walked directly to the bed and sat down, embracing a pillow and leaning against it in silence.

The palace maid walked behind Princess Zhenzhen and gently massaged her shoulders.

“Just now, Father Emperor summoned me because he wanted to choose between me and the Eighth Princess to bestow in marriage to Marquis Guanjun.”

The palace maid’s eyes lit up: “Congratulations, Your Highness!”

As a personal palace maid, she had once been the listener when the princess had an emotional breakdown and revealed her secret feelings for Marquis Guanjun. From then on, the princess had grown closer to her, making her the only person who knew the princess’s secret.

Princess Zhenzhen raised her hand to touch her face and smiled self-mockingly: “When Father Emperor saw me like this, he dismissed me.”

“Your Highness, didn’t Third Miss Li say that if you continue applying the medicine for a few more days, your face would improve? Why didn’t you—”

Princess Zhenzhen looked at the palace maid with indifferent eyes and asked calmly, “Why didn’t I inform Father Emperor?”

The palace maid’s eyes flickered slightly, tacitly agreeing with Princess Zhenzhen’s words.

Princess Zhenzhen hugged the pillow and gazed out the window.

It had snowed last night, and outside was a world wrapped in silver, as if even human hearts had been cleansed by this snow.

“Because I didn’t want to.” Princess Zhenzhen whispered.

If Jiang Shiran hadn’t brought news of Marquis Jing’an’s residence proposing to the Li family, no matter how much she feared that lofty Father Emperor, she would have tried to fight for it.

But it happened that today, before Father Emperor summoned her to the imperial study for an audience, she learned this news.

Perhaps it was Heaven’s will that she learned at just the right time.

That figure riding away into the distance in Xingzi Alley, combined with Marquis Jing’an’s residence’s surprising marriage proposal, only explained one thing: there was already affection between Marquis Guanjun and Third Miss Li.

Setting aside the favor Third Miss Li had done in treating her face, she didn’t want a man whose heart held another woman.

She had seen Father Emperor’s heartlessness toward her mother consort and only hoped that her future prince consort would have room in his heart for her alone. If not, no matter how excellent or heart-stirring that man might be, he had nothing to do with her.

Those good qualities all belonged to someone else.

“What about the Eighth Princess?” The palace maid completely didn’t understand Princess Zhenzhen’s actions.

If the princess didn’t want to fight for it, wouldn’t that let the Eighth Princess take advantage?

“She won’t get her wish.” Princess Zhenzhen sneered coldly.

Compared to the Eighth Princess, she naturally hoped Marquis Guanjun and Third Miss Li could be together.

Who wouldn’t be happy to see lovers finally united? What she had given up, what right did the Eighth Princess have to interfere?

“Go bring me a bowl of bird’s nest porridge to eat. I’m hungry.”

“Yes.” Seeing that the princess wanted to eat, the palace maid quietly breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave.

Princess Zhenzhen lowered her eyes, staring at the blood jade bracelet on her slender wrist, and a tear fell.

Her first feelings for a man had ended like this without resolution, just like the snow outside the window – when it melted, it would disappear completely, with no one knowing.

After leaving the palace, Jiang Shiran headed straight for Xingzi Alley.

Hearing the gatekeeper’s report, Qiao Zhao invited Jiang Shiran in.

“Here, a letter from the Ninth Princess for you.” Jiang Shiran threw the letter to Qiao Zhao with a dark expression.

The letter bore the elegant small characters “For Third Miss Li to Open Personally,” though the handwriting was somewhat messy, obviously written hastily.

Qiao Zhao was slightly surprised inwardly but showed no emotion as she thanked Jiang Shiran.

Jiang Shiran curled her lip in annoyance: “Just take it, but don’t turn around and tell Zhenzhen I didn’t give it to you.”

Though curious about what Princess Zhenzhen had written in the letter, she knew she couldn’t get anything out of Qiao Zhao, so she didn’t want to stay any longer and took her leave.

Qiao Zhao opened the letter and read it, her expression changing slightly. She quickly sent A’Zhu to deliver a message to Shao Mingyuan.

Shao Mingyuan was still next door to the Li residence and hadn’t left, currently supporting himself against a crabapple tree in the back courtyard while vomiting.

“General, please rinse your mouth.” His guard handed over a water bottle and a cloth, his eyes full of sympathy.

Their general had already been half-drunk at Chunfeng Tavern, and just now had fought desperately to win over his future father-in-law. It was truly pitiful.

Getting married was not easy!

Shao Mingyuan took the water bottle and rinsed his mouth, finally feeling some relief from the burning sensation in his stomach. He straightened up while wiping the corners of his mouth and walked outside, ordering: “Prepare the horses.”

Just as he reached the door, a personal guard came to report: “Miss A’Zhu has arrived.”

A’Zhu followed right behind the guard and entered. Upon seeing Shao Mingyuan’s face, she quickly handed him the letter: “General Shao, our young lady asked this servant to give you this.”

The strong smell of alcohol hit her, and A’Zhu glanced at the man’s pale complexion before quickly lowering her head.

Seeing the familiar handwriting, Shao Mingyuan couldn’t help but smile slightly at the corners of his mouth, turning around to open and read the letter.