Yun Zhao feigned shock. "Miss Jiang, we have only just met today. Why would I deliberately trip you?"
With that, she smiled with deliberate provocation. "Or could it be that a few words of well-intentioned advice from me, a physician, have made you hold a grudge to this day?"
"This Little Medical Immortal previously said that Miss Jiang suffers from liver stagnation and a guilty heart, and is unfit to bear children…"
"Really? Good heavens, then wouldn't that mean…"
The crowd's attention swiftly shifted from whether Yun Zhao had intentionally stuck out her foot to the juicy gossip of whether Jiang Wanxin could bear children!
Jiang Wanxin's face flushed crimson on the spot. "You—!"
Yun Zhao sighed. "Perhaps that's truly the case. Otherwise, why would Miss Jiang have struck me with the Fan-Wielding Palm just now? I merely sidestepped lightly, and the fan ended up slapping that innocent maidservant in the face."
Jiang Wanxin said urgently, "Things are absolutely not as she says! Wanxin has been wronged!"
"Enough!" the Princess Royal cut in coldly. She was not one to be easily fooled, but the damage to her precious hairpin remained an undeniable fact!
"Even if the cause did not originate with you, the destruction of the hairpin is still fact! This hairpin holds extraordinary significance to me—how could mere quarreling over words make up for it?"
"Your Highness," Yun Zhao spoke again, her voice steady as a mountain, "what if I were to say that this hairpin can still be salvaged?"
Under the doubtful gazes of all present, she stepped forward slowly, bent down, and picked up the broken feathered hairpin.
"I am but unskilled, yet I may venture a try—to restore this hairpin for Your Highness."
"Miss Yun." Jiang Wanxin bit her lip gently and spoke in a soft, coaxing tone. "This precious hairpin is made with the Diancui technique. The feathers of the Bixiao Bird are soft and easily damaged—I fear it will not be so easy to repair."
"Wanxin, why bother with her?" A noble lady in a goose-yellow gown nearby said with a laugh. "Some people, I suspect, have never seen such fine things and think it can be mended with paste!"
Another noble lady chimed in, "Perhaps next she'll say it needs to be sewn together with needle and thread. Truly laughable!"
The Princess Royal's expression turned slightly cold, and her gaze at Yun Zhao carried a hint of doubt.
"Aunt, since someone has volunteered, why not let her try?" A man's clear, cold, and authoritative voice suddenly rang out.
All eyes turned toward the speaker.
The newcomer wore a dark robe embroidered with subtle gold Chi-patterns, his bearing like a dragon striding or a tiger pacing.
His face bore a kind of aggressive, striking handsomeness—pale, cool-toned skin and deep phoenix eyes that made one feel as if standing before a frigid pool. It was none other than Prince Qin, Xiao Qi, who had not attended any banquet in years!
"How extraordinary! Prince Qin… he has actually left his residence?"
"He looks to be in better spirits than in past years. Could this Little Medical Immortal truly possess some divine skill?"
Whispers rippled through the gathering, then quickly died away under that oppressive authority.
Among the assembled nobles and titled ladies, who did not know that the "Jade-Faced Yama" was cold and vicious by nature, and disliked socializing?
Not a single person present dared to be the first to offer greetings.
The Princess Royal's eyes bloomed with genuine delight, and she hurriedly gestured for a seat to be added. "Yuan'er, come sit by your aunt."
Once Xiao Qi was seated, the Princess Royal turned her gaze to Yun Zhao and fixed her with a stare. "You say you can repair the feathered hairpin. How confident are you?"
"Eighty percent." Yun Zhao's gaze was clear and steady, neither flinching nor evading. "I ask Your Highness to permit me to try."
Upon receiving the Princess Royal's silent approval, Yun Zhao steadied her breath and mind. With a gentle flick of her golden needle—
A glimmer of Golden Radiance flowed, as if a Lingxi were secretly passing through.
All present watched as the broken feather seemed to be drawn by invisible threads, visibly fusing back together at a speed discernible to the naked eye.
In but an instant, the feathered hairpin was restored to perfect condition—its azure-blue luster even more brilliant than before.
A wave of stifled gasps swept through the hall.
The noble ladies who had just accused Yun Zhao stood closest, all utterly dumbfounded.
Even Jiang Wanxin's eyes widened slightly, her fingertips trembling imperceptibly as her delicate face paled.
She instinctively looked toward the Princess Royal, but the Princess Royal's gaze had already drifted past her lightly, her full attention fixed on Yun Zhao.
Nanny Zhou hurried forward, her hands trembling slightly as she received the feather hairpin. After careful examination, she presented it to the Princess Royal in disbelief.
The Princess Royal stroked the feather, smooth and pristine as ever, her eyes a mixture of shock and delight, her face filled with the relief of something lost and found.
"Put it on for me."
Nanny Zhou stepped forward, secured the hairpin in place, and discreetly gestured to the injured maidservant.
The maidservant cast Yun Zhao a grateful glance before lowering her head and hurrying away.
"Someone, bring a seat—place it right beside me." The Princess Royal's temperament was bold and forthright, making no effort to hide her admiration and curiosity toward Yun Zhao.
"It seems this Little Medical Immortal my Yuan'er found truly possesses remarkable skill."
Crown Prince Xiao Jian, seated on the other side, clapped his hands softly in admiration. "Marvelous! Truly miraculous skill!"
Only Prince Qin's lips curved upward almost imperceptibly before returning to his usual cold austerity.
As the noble ladies took their seats, the Princess Royal seemed to notice only then that Jiang Wanxin still stood alone in the center.
Her gaze swept over her indifferently. "Miss Jiang has also been startled. Go back and rest well."
Jiang Wanxin softly acknowledged the order, her fingernails digging viciously into her palm as her gaze stole toward Yun Zhao, seated beside the Princess Royal.
To her surprise, Yun Zhao was also staring fixedly at her, her gaze deep and steady, landing on the vermilion coral earring at Jiang Wanxin's cheek.
In her past life, Jiang Heng had said he was sent by his father Jiang Shian to search for someone in Qingzhou, while her mother, consumed by longing, wept at home day and night.
But just now she had heard it clearly—on Jiang Wanxin's birthday, her mother had gifted her the coral earrings she treasured most.
She longed to see her own parents with her own eyes, to ask them directly: Jiang Wanxin was only an adopted daughter—why did she receive their endless doting?
And why was she, their true-born daughter, cast aside like a worn-out shoe by everyone?
In her past life, they had imprisoned her in a dark chamber, tormenting her day and night, offering up her blood and even her life as sacrifices for Jiang Wanxin—had her parents truly known nothing, or were they accomplices, or even… the masterminds?
It happened to be the Princess Royal's birthday banquet, and noble ladies from various families presented their congratulatory gifts one after another, each displaying their finest talents—
For word had already spread that this year's spring banquet prize was the first incense offering at Biyun Temple on the Buddha's Birthday, one month away.
Song Baiyu, daughter of the Grand Chancellor, was the first to present her "Hundred Longevity Chart."
A hundred "longevity" characters in different calligraphic styles cleverly converged into one majestic, oversized character, each stroke bearing elegant and vigorous bone structure, earning successive nods of praise from the Princess Royal.
Following her, a noble lady skilled in needlework presented an embroidered pouch of Suzhou style, while a general's daughter offered a thousand-year-old ginseng she had dug up with her own hands…
Before long, it was Jiang Wanxin's turn. She rose gracefully and slowly unrolled the scroll in her hands.
Upon the paper, peonies bloomed in full splendor, a swing swayed gently, and atop it sat an exquisite, jade-like little girl holding a "Wei Purple" peony, glancing back with a soft smile, her features bright and radiant.
It was unmistakably County Princess Jiale, who had been missing for three years!
The hall fell into instant silence, then erupted in waves of astonished exclamations.
The Princess Royal's fingertips, holding her glass cup, trembled slightly.
Her body leaned forward involuntarily, her eyes fixed upon the scroll, clouded with a dazed, faraway look.
Even Song Baiyu, known as "the foremost talented woman in the capital," felt herself surpassed:
"Sister Xin'er, this painting of yours shows exceptional artistry and profound sentiment. Bai Yu yields in admiration."
The noble ladies around exchanged glances—some envious, some jealous, some knowing—
Who among those present did not know of the opportunity for the first incense offering at Biyun Temple?
Master Wenkong cast lots but once every ten years, and only for those destined to be phoenixes.
All who had received this honor before were none other than women destined to be mothers of the nation or of supremely noble fate.
This year's prize at the spring banquet seemed destined to fall into the Jiang family's hands!
A figure in plain white suddenly stepped forward!
Yun Zhao picked up the cup of still-warm tea from the table before her, raised her wrist, and without the slightest hesitation, splashed the entire cup of tea onto that painting!
"Splash—" The tea soaked through the rice paper, the ink bleeding and spreading.
On the painting, the young county princess's lively smile, along with that lifelike blooming Weizi peony, blurred in an instant into a chaotic stain, its original form no longer discernible.
The guests throughout the hall drew in sharp breaths, startled gasps rising one after another.
Three years ago, County Princess Jiale had gone missing during the Lantern Festival. The Princess Royal had searched everywhere for her, behaving like one possessed, and had even been repeatedly impeached before the Emperor by the purist faction led by Minister Jiang!
Her precious daughter, the jewel of her heart, had been missing for three years. Rarely had she seen a portrait with such exquisite brushwork, and now it was suddenly destroyed—one could well imagine how furious the Princess Royal would be!
"How dare you!"
The Princess Royal's countenance changed drastically as she slammed the table and rose to her feet!
She pointed at Yun Zhao, her fingertip trembling slightly from extreme rage:
"How dare you—! Guards! Seize her for me!"