The Princess Royal pondered for a moment.
The room grew even quieter, so silent that one could hear a pin drop. Only when Madam Xu’s expression showed traces of unease did the Princess Royal finally speak in a gentle voice. “Madam Xu, what is your view on this matter?”
Madam Xu immediately rose from her chair and bowed to the Princess Royal. “The younger members of our family acted improperly. We have failed to show proper respect to our benefactor.”
By the time Madam Wang hurried over, the atmosphere in the flower hall had already become harmonious.
Song Zhiwei was sitting at a small table, sipping flower tea, when she saw Madam Wang enter, slightly out of breath. Their eyes met.
Madam Wang quickly looked Song Zhiwei up and down. Seeing she was completely unharmed, she instinctively sighed in relief. Only then did she remember something and glance toward Gu Chunran.
Gu Chunran merely stared back at her mother, bewildered.
Apparently, neither of them had suffered much hardship.
Madam Wang immediately understood what must have happened and smiled. “So that’s where you’ve been. I was wondering why I couldn’t find you outside. Hiding here from the heat, were you?”
The Princess Royal smiled amiably. “Weren’t we simply waiting for you to arrive? We were just discussing finding a good husband for your girl Ran.”
Gu Chunran’s face instantly turned scarlet.
Before she could say anything, Madam Wang’s response nearly made her choke. “That child? She’s still a little monkey. She doesn’t understand anything yet. At this rate, she’ll stay in my household until she’s an old maid.”
Everyone in the room burst into smiles. For a moment, it was as though the earlier disturbance had never happened at all.
The banquet included a midday meal, so as noon approached, Song Zhiwei and Gu Chunran left the flower hall together.
On the way back, Gu Chunran let out a relieved breath. “Luckily, that Heir of Prince Rong caused such a commotion earlier, and everything was cleared up here. The whole affair has been turned from a major issue into a minor one, and from a minor issue into nothing at all. No one will bring it up again.”
Song Zhiwei’s expression remained calm. She did not feel particularly relieved.
“Hey! Look, isn’t that the Heir of Prince Rong?” Gu Chunran suddenly exclaimed.
Song Zhiwei turned to look and immediately recognized him as the young man who had stopped her earlier to strike up a conversation. He looked quite young, carrying that quality that lay somewhere between youth and adulthood. A mischievous smile played on his lips. And upon seeing Song Zhiwei, he immediately changed direction and headed straight toward them.
Gu Chunran’s scalp went numb. Her eyes darted frantically around in panic.
Oh no! Don’t tell me that rogue has taken a fancy to me! I refuse to become a laughingstock!
Gu Chunran’s scalp tingled with panic. If she had known this would happen, she never would have worn this outfit today. She must have dressed up too well! Her toes nearly curled into the ground. She wanted nothing more than to grab Song Zhiwei and flee without a shred of dignity or propriety. Yet instead, she watched Song Zhiwei calmly step forward and offer Li Rongpei a solemn bow. “Thank you, Heir.”
Song Zhiwei was not a fool. Looking back on their earlier encounter and everything that followed, it was fairly obvious what he had done. She still did not fully understand why he had done it. But she knew that when someone did you a favor, expressing gratitude was simply proper manners.
Li Rongpei raised an eyebrow in surprise. He usually acted according to his own likes and dislikes. Being thanked so formally and sincerely left him feeling oddly uncomfortable. Straightening up, he put on a rare serious expression. “No need to thank me.”
Unfortunately, his seriousness didn’t last long. With his peach-blossom eyes, naturally full of charm, he carefully examined both Song Zhiwei and Gu Chunran.
Under such an intent gaze, Gu Chunran could endure no more. She abruptly turned away, her ear tips flushing bright red with embarrassment and irritation.
Song Zhiwei, however, merely frowned slightly in puzzlement. She met his gaze calmly, neither shy nor evasive in the slightest.
Li Rongpei had never met a woman like this before. In the first half of his life, he had met all kinds of women. One could even say he had grown up surrounded by them. But never this type. The novelty sparked his curiosity.
“What is your name? Which family do you belong to?”
By the time he realized it, the question had already left his mouth. Cold sweat immediately broke out on Eunuch Huang’s forehead. Yet the young woman before him answered without the slightest hesitation.
“My name is Song Zhiwei. My mother was born into the Marquis Dingyuan household, and my father is Song Qingya, Prefect of Qingzhou.”
The moment those words were spoken, not only Eunuch Huang but even Gu Chunran nearly died of fright. How could Song Zhiwei casually tell an unrelated man her personal name? Did she no longer care about her reputation? Or had she actually taken a liking to Prince Rong’s heir?
Li Rongpei, however, showed no surprise at all. It was as though two people, both a little out of step with the customs of their era, had suddenly found themselves on the same wavelength.
He nodded. “I’ll remember that. My name is Li Rongpei. Will you remember it?”
Song Zhiwei nodded as well. “I’ll remember it. Li Rongpei.”
Her tone was calm and unremarkable. Yet hearing her say his name made Li Rongpei’s face redden instantly. He nodded awkwardly and hurriedly.
“Good. As long as you remember. Then from now on, the two of us count as friends, right?”
Song Zhiwei raised an eyebrow in surprise. She had thought people of this era were supposed to be quite conservative. Could men and women in ancient times really be friends?
Song Zhiwei hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I suppose we are.”
Li Rongpei immediately grinned. His face was already strikingly handsome, and the youthful vigor in his expression made it even more dazzling. When he smiled, revealing bright teeth and red lips, even Song Zhiwei found herself briefly distracted.
“Then it’s settled! I’ll write to you!” After he left, the faint scent of incense still lingered in the air. It seemed his robes had been carefully scented while stored away, carrying a subtle agarwood fragrance.
What a waste that he wasn’t on a stage somewhere, Song Zhiwei thought sincerely. Then she noticed Gu Chunran staring at her with an odd expression.
“What is it?” Song Zhiwei frowned.
“Do you… like the Heir of Prince Rong?” Gu Chunran finally managed to ask.
“No.” Song Zhiwei denied it immediately.
Gu Chunran let out a relieved breath. “Good. Let me tell you this: whether you want to or not, you must never get involved with anyone from the Li imperial family. My mother told me that herself.”
The Empress Dowager was still dissatisfied with the current emperor, and the political situation remained unstable. Many great aristocratic families were deliberately keeping their descendants out of government service, choosing instead to wait until the situation settled before taking sides.
At a time like this, the Gu family absolutely could not afford to become entangled with the imperial clan in any way. Nor would any of the Gu family’s children ever be permitted to marry into the imperial family.
Although Gu Chunran did not fully understand the reasoning behind it, she knew she should listen to her mother’s advice.
Naturally, the banquet at the Princess Royal’s residence featured an abundance of lavish dishes.
Song Zhiwei quietly and obediently finished her meal alongside Gu Chunran. Then she endured the rest of the afternoon watching the other young ladies paint birds and trees. Only when the sun was beginning to set did the party finally depart.
Carriages lined the road outside. Everyone boarded in an orderly fashion.
The sight reminded Song Zhiwei of her previous life, when people had to line up for taxis at the airport. The comparison made her smile to herself. At last, she reached her own carriage. Lifting her skirt, she stepped up and entered. The moment she looked inside, however, she saw two maids with swollen faces and red, tear-filled eyes. The instant they saw her, they hastily wiped away their tears and grabbed her hands, looking her over from head to toe.
“Miss, are you all right?” Lancao’s voice trembled with concern as she carefully checked her for injuries.
Song Zhiwei’s expression immediately turned cold. “Don’t panic. Tell me first. What happened to your faces?”