Princess Kangning looked at Ming Yuelin. “Ming Qingqing, next rest day is the major break. Clear one day to accompany me to browse Hua Si Meng.”
“Alright.”
“Shi Yaoyao, Ming Si, you two come as well.” Princess Kangning then looked at the other two.
“Of course, since the princess invites us, we naturally must go.” Even if she didn’t want to go, she couldn’t refuse.
Ming Yuesi naturally agreed as well.
“Then it’s settled. You may leave.” Princess Kangning waved her hand.
As they exited the manor gate, they happened to meet two young masters from another family emerging from the waterside pavilion. The two groups exchanged greetings.
“Second Young Lady Ming, Fourth Young Lady Ming, greetings. And this is…?” One of the young men with sharp features asked with a smile, his gaze falling on Shi Jianli.
Ming Yuelin gave a slight, indifferent nod and replied, “Young Master Xie (the eldest), Young Master Xie (the second), this is my cousin from the Shi family.”
“We’ve been out for quite some time and are somewhat tired, so we won’t chat further.”
Shi Jianli lowered her eyes slightly, glanced at them briefly, then followed Ming Yuelin away.
Though Young Master Xie (the eldest)’s gaze seemed gentle, she found it somewhat sinister.
Outside the manor gate, they saw several older brothers waiting by the carriage. Ming Yuelin broke into a smile and quickened her pace. “Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Brother!”
Ming Zhaohuan smiled and nodded. “Seeing our family carriage stopped in front of the princess’s manor, we knew you were here too. Have you been playing long? Are you hungry?”
Ming Yuelin lifted her right wrist pitifully. “Not hungry, but my hand is tired.”
“Hmm?” Ming Zhaohuan didn’t understand.
“I got tired from painting the princess’s portrait.”
“Then have your maid massage it when we return to the manor. Get in the carriage.”
“Alright.” Ming Yuelin led Shi Jianli and Ming Yuesi up the carriage step.
Noticing several faintly probing gazes, mostly directed at Shi Jianli, Ming Zhaohuan swept a glance over them and unobtrusively positioned himself in front of her, his tall figure completely shielding her.
Shi Jianli looked up, noticing Ming Zhaohuan had somehow ended up beside her. She paused, then lowered her eyes and stepped onto the carriage using the step.
Ming Zhaohuan squeezed into another carriage with his younger brothers.
Inside the carriage, Shi Jianli looked at Ming Yuelin and called out, “Sister Lin.”
“What is it?”
“Those two young masters we met earlier—are they from the Left Censor-in-chief’s family?”
“Yes, why do you ask?”
Shi Jianli repeated to Ming Yuelin what she had discussed with Ming Yuesi.
Ming Yuelin played with the Jinbu at her waist, pondering for a moment. “She did seem rather enthusiastic. In the past, at banquets, Xie Si always stayed with her own sisters and had only superficial interactions with others.”
“It can’t be that she, like Princess Kangning, likes you because you’re beautiful, can it?”
Shi Jianli shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
“Then she must have ulterior motives. But what could she be after?” Ming Yuelin couldn’t figure it out for the moment and added, “The Left Censor-in-chief is rather unprincipled. He had a concubine-born eldest son and second son before his official wife even entered the household.”
“Those are the Young Master Xie (the eldest) and Young Master Xie (the second) we just met.”
“His family has two legitimate daughters, Xie Meizhi and Xie Xuezhi, ranked first and fourth respectively. Xie Yi is already married, wed to the legitimate eldest son of the Right Vice Censor-in-chief’s family—considered a step down in marriage.”
“Xie Si was originally engaged to the eldest grandson of the Minister of Rites’ family, but for some reason, the engagement was broken off. The Xie family initiated it, claiming their birth characters were incompatible.”
As for whether birth characters truly match or not, unless they clash severely, most families would claim they are compatible.
Ming Yuelin felt there was more to the story.
“They have no legitimate son in their household, so the eldest son born of a concubine will inherit in the future.”
“Young Master Xie is twenty-three and still unmarried, with no engagement in sight. It’s unclear what plans he has.”
Shi Jianli asked, “What do you think of Young Master Xie, Lin sister?”
“I can’t speak for others, but I don’t think he’s a good person.”
Shi Jianli nodded in agreement—she felt the same.
“Pear sister, if you see him in the future, don’t get too close to Fourth Miss Xie, and don’t accept any invitations from her.” Her attitude was rather odd; it’s better to be cautious. Who knows what she’s thinking?
“Alright.”
Upon returning to the residence, the three of them got out of the carriage and walked inside.
Shi Jianli covered her face with a fan and let out a soft yawn, then turned to find someone had approached her side.
“Tired?”
It was Ming Zhouhe.
Shi Jianli nodded. “I didn’t rest at noon today, so I’m a bit drowsy.”
“Then go back and rest well. Tomorrow, we’ll be learning imperial equestrian arts—driving a carriage will be tiring.”
“Alright, cousin, you too.” She smiled slightly, her eyes curving.
“Did you have a good time today? Were you treated unfairly?”
“It was quite pleasant. Princess Kangning is very kind, and the flowers at the Kunyi Long Princess Residence are beautiful.” Shi Jianli sighed helplessly. “Cousin, have you been reading too many storybooks? Although I’m a guest here, people are always polite to me, even if they’re not particularly warm.”
No matter what, she had gone out with the young ladies of the Duke’s residence. Who would be foolish enough to disrespect her? That would be openly challenging the Duke’s residence’s dignity.
“That’s good.” Ming Zhouhe felt relieved. “I was just worried that some thoughtless people might bully you, and you’d be too embarrassed to speak up.”
“I would never feel too embarrassed to tell you or Auntie, cousin.”
Ming Yuelin turned around. “With me around, who would dare bully Pear sister? Third Brother, you really don’t trust me, do you?”
Ming Zhouhe surrendered. “Alright, I was wrong. Second Sister is very reliable.”
“That’s more like it.”
After walking together for a while, Shi Jianli parted ways with them and returned to her own courtyard.
When only the three siblings remained, Ming Yuelin asked, “Eldest Brother, is the Xie family, the Left Censor-in-Chief, currently arranging a marriage for Xie Weisong?”
“Why are you asking about this? I have indeed heard that Young Master Xie is seeking a marriage.” Ming Zhaohuan shifted his gaze from the clusters of Chinese crabapple blossoms.
Before returning to the residence, he had shielded their cousin from prying eyes and inadvertently noticed her gently swaying beaded hairpin and the Chinese crabapple pattern on her sleeve.
However, the Chinese crabapple blossoms in their residence were pink blended with white, while the ones on her were white tinged with a faint pink—very elegant.
“Today, Xie Xuezhi from their residence suddenly struck up a conversation with Pear sister, acting very enthusiastically. She even offered to send Pear sister an invitation. After Pear sister declined, she still insisted on inviting her to visit their residence.”
“I suspect their family might have intentions toward Pear sister?” Ming Yuelin twirled her fan, her mind racing.
Although Pear sister’s parents have passed away, she has Third Brother backing her, and behind Third Brother is our Duke’s residence.
Ming Zhouqing remarked upon hearing this, “If that’s the case, Third Brother would explode.”Ming Zhaohuan spoke softly, offering his assessment: ‘Young Master Xie is a man of deep schemes, too driven by utilitarianism.'” He is not someone to be closely associated with.”
Ming Yuelin nodded. “But even if the Xie family were to send a proposal, Pear sister wouldn’t agree.”
Ming Zhouqing asked, “Why?”
“Three reasons.” Ming Yuelin clasped her hands behind her back and looked up at the sky. “First, Young Master Xie is more rugged than handsome—not quite up to the standard that Pear sister would fancy. Pear sister likes good-looking men.”
“That Qiao Jingchuan, Sister Li said he has eight-tenths in looks and seven-tenths in temperament, which is passable enough for her to reluctantly agree to the engagement.”
Sister Li’s maternal relatives are all quite good-looking, but who would have thought Qiao Jingchuan’s seven-tenths temperament was just an act.
“Secondly, Sister Li has no desire to marry above her station. The Xie family was never within the selection range she and Second Aunt had considered.”