The scene looked exactly like an elder introducing someone at a matchmaking meeting.
Gu Ningning found it curious and watched for a while. Just then, a young girl lifted her eyes and their gazes met. The girl walked straight toward her.
She wore a purple jacket over a fine white fox fur, a precious golden hairpin in her hair, her expression proud and lofty, clearly of noble status.
Without even glancing at Zhaoyi Bai, she came directly in front of Gu Ningning to scrutinize her face.
“You’re Gu Ningning? Indeed a fox-like temptress.”
Gu Ningning hummed in response, a vague guess forming in her mind.
This must be Third Miss Lin Yinwan of the Marquis of Wuan’s Residence. She had liked Shen Que since childhood and had schemed her way into the Eastern Palace to become a secondary consort. Who would have thought that in the Eastern Palace, two bosses were waiting for her, and she immediately became cannon fodder.
Lin Yinwan snorted coldly,
“Sister ran off from a marriage, yet little sister enters the residence and gains favor. Gu Ningning, you truly are remarkable.”
Such childish quarrels did little harm to Gu Ningning.
“Mm, I do think I’m quite remarkable.”
She added,
“If you want to declare war on me just because you like His Highness the Crown Prince, your future path is still long.”
She “kindly” pointed out to Lin Yinwan,
“That girl in pink over there, and that one in purple, they’re both your rivals.”
“Oh, that one in purple is currently most favored. Someone like me, a fox-like temptress, can barely survive in the Eastern Palace.”
“You—!” Lin Yinwan stomped in anger and ran off crying.
The Plum Garden of the Marquis of Wuan’s Residence was refined and elegant, with the scent of flowers drifting through the air. It was filled with daughters and sons of prominent families, and some wives from official households.
The poetry gathering had begun. As soon as Zhaoyi Bai entered, someone waved excitedly at her. She looked at Gu Ningning and hesitated,
“My close friend over there is calling me. I haven’t seen her in over a year. I want to catch up. Don’t be nervous. If the paper for poems runs out, wait for me to return and I’ll help you write some.”
At this time, Zhaoyi Zhao and Jieyu Zhou had already found their friends somewhere else, leaving Gu Ningning to nod obediently.
The poetry gathering was dull. She listened to the girl in purple on her left recite,
“Steadfast across the horizon, lingering toward worldly beauty. The cold plum most deserves hatred, often resembling last year’s blossoms.”
On her right, a young man dressed in moon-white also recited,
“Suddenly, one night the fragrance spreads, scattering the spring across the vast world.”
The talented and beautiful exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of shyness in each other’s eyes.
Only Gu Ningning was sneakily peeking at the poem Zhaoyi Bai had written for her, trying to memorize it. Like a hopeless illiterate.
Huai’an Wang Shen Ting, the young man Gu Ningning had seen from afar, witnessed her driving Lin Yinwan to tears and found it quite amusing.
Just as he wanted to call out and speak to her, the Marquis of Wu dragged him to drink, dropping hints about introducing his youngest daughter to him.
He understood the Marquis’s intentions.
Now, he and Shen Que were in two opposing camps. The Marquis wanted to marry his third daughter to Shen Que and his youngest daughter to him. No matter which side ascended, he would be the winner.
Shen Ting found it laughable. Using the opportunity to sober up, he slipped away. The cold wind cleared his head for a moment. When he looked up, the girl he had wanted to call over earlier was standing nearby.
She wore a pink padded jacket, with a moon-white embroidered small cloak, her hair styled in a cross bun with a lively butterfly hairpin. Her peach blossom eyes were lowered, staring at the paper in her hands. Only her long eyelashes flickered; her lower face was buried in the fur collar of the cloak, yet she was still delicate and attractive.
Her attire was noble, yet she casually leaned against the white plum tree trunk, without a trace of a refined lady’s airs.
He stepped closer and heard her mutter,
“Peach and plum, do not envy one another, their beauty naturally differs… Peach and plum, do not envy one another, their beauty naturally differs…”
She was hiding here, reciting poetry…
Though Shen Ting had witnessed Gu Ningning making Lin Yinwan cry, he had been too far away to hear what was said. He didn’t know she was Shen Que’s person, only assuming she must be a concubine from some prominent family.
He found it amusing and stepped forward. “You have quite the courage, miss. Everyone else is writing poetry, and here you are, reciting it secretly.”
Gu Ningning quickly shoved the paper into her chest. Seeing a young nobleman in white, elegant and refined, she assumed he wasn’t a rogue.
Her peach blossom eyes looked at him innocently. “You say I’m reciting poetry here. Where’s the proof?”
Shen Ting was stunned by her audacious reply. After a moment, he pointed at her chest. “The proof is in your garment.”
Now Gu Ningning’s face showed a hint of pride. “I am His Highness the Crown Prince’s concubine. In all of the Marquis of Wuan’s Residence, who dares search me for such a trivial matter? Do you dare?”
She leaned slightly toward Shen Ting, testing whether he would dare touch His Highness the Crown Prince’s woman.
Shen Ting laughed, tempted to tease her further, but then noticed a familiar figure not far off. He suppressed his smile, stepped around Gu Ningning, and respectfully greeted,
“Imperial Brother.”
Gu Ningning, indeed not scholarly, had recited poetry until she became muddled.
Her first reaction: This person is a prince? Amazing.
Her second reaction: Which Imperial Brother did he call?
She was still pondering when she turned and met Shen Que’s dark eyes.
She stiffened for a moment before bowing properly, “Your highness.”
Oh no, now she was truly sweating profusely.
Shen Ting, on the other hand, poured fuel on the fire. “Imperial Brother, this maid-concubine is amusing. Imperial Brother has no interest in these women, why not let me play with her?”
His face was frivolous, his passionate phoenix-like eyes scanning Gu Ningning as if observing a curious little trinket.
Gu Ningning had come as cannon fodder. She still had to drug Gu Qingcheng and be beaten to death by Shen Que.
If she were handed over to Shen Ting, she couldn’t follow the plot—she would truly be a concubine for life.
(Note 1: From Li Shangyin, Remembering the Plum Blossom)
(Note 2: From Wang Mian, White Plum)
(Note 3: From Wang Shiming, Red Plum)