As she walked on, she couldn't help but think that the man before her was far more interesting than she thought.
"What were you talking about with the grand prince?" Liu ying was curious.
"We didn't talk much. We just had a casual chat while playing weiqi", Lingxi replied.
"I see. How did you wander here and meet his highness?" Liu ying asked.
"I was just casually strolling and came across him", Lingxi answered.
"Oh, I get it", Liu ying said as she smiled in thought.
Lingxi was bemused, "get what?"
"You must have purposely wandered here to see his highness"
"Purposely?"
"No need to pretend. Everyone knows you've admired His Highness since childhood. It's normal if you wanted to get close to him and know him better before marriage", Liu Ying assured Lingxi like she was feeling guilty about meeting He Yu.
Lingxi could only accept her reassurance with a slight nod.
They soon reached the open pavilion where the noble ladies were chatting happily.
As soon as Lingxi took her seat with them, the atmosphere changed. Lingxi did not want to bother with them and casually picked a sweet cake to eat.
"Miss Mo, for a while now, we've all been seated here. Did you perhaps lose your way?" Rong Xue asked with feigned concern while fanning herself.
"If you lost your way around, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. After all, the palace is large and you must have gotten interested", another girl, Sang Zhi who was Minister Sang's daughter, the Minister of Rites, said.
She was taking a sip of her tea. Lingxi did not respond but kept on eating her cake leisurely.
"I don't think she must have gotten lost. I heard a maid said some lady was with the Grand Prince a while ago. Miss Mo, it wasn't you, was it?" Su She, the daughter of Minister Su, the Minister of Administration, said.
"I hope not. It would have been such a shame. Meeting secretly before marriage and also adding the rumors between you and the First Prince...." Rong Xue sighed, "if I were you, I wouldn't know where to hide my face"
Liu ying immediately lost her patience with them.
She stood up and pointed at each of them, "if you want to say something then say it directly. Why are all hiding behind cups and sleeves"
Li Min smiled, "Miss Liu, they were just showing concern for Miss Mo. Why are you so excited?"
"Just showing concern? You all had better speak plainly or is it that even as so-called noble ladies, you don't dare to speak directly. Shameless!" Rong Xue was infuriated.
She stood up, "who are you calling shameless?"
"Anyone who just yelled"
"You...."
"Miss Rong", Lingxi interrupted as she gently placed her teacup on the table. She had already eaten her fill.
"You just said me meeting with the prince secretly is shameful. Are you saying His Highness, the grand prince is shameful?"
Rong Xue was startled, "do not put words in my mouth. I did not say that".
Li Min stood up, "she did not say that. You can't twist her words"
"So the both of you mean that I, the grand prince's consort, am shameful?" Lingxi asked looking visibly relaxed as she reclined on her chair resting her head on a pillar of the pavilion.
"We did not say that. I only said that meeting secretly before marriage is shameful. Don't bend my words", Rong Xue said.
"Secretly? What secretly? The pavilion is an open space, I was there and Su She also said a palace maid saw them too", Liu ying countered her.
"Do not drag me into this. I was only repeated what I heard", Su She removed herself from the mess.
"Yes. Miss Su only repeated what she heard but I wonder where Miss Rong got the information that I was two timing", Lingxi said.
"I did not say you were two-timing. I also repeated what I heard", Rong Xue denied.
"Where did you hear it from?"
"I don't remember"
Lingxi smiled, "it's fine. By the time we meet with the first prince and grand prince to clarify this matter, I'm sure you would remember"
The tension in the air thickened and you could use a knife to cut through it.
Gu Zhi stood up, "that's enough now. Miss Rong spoke out of line. I understand you won't escalate things over idle chatter".
Lingxi did not respond but looked at Gu Zhi as though searching for something.
Gu Zhi gave a curtsy, "for my sake, I hope Miss Mo will not pursue this matter"
There was a long pause as Lingxi wondered who Gu Zhi thought she was that would make her change her mind but she did not want to escalate things.
She smiled and kept her gaze on Gu Zhi, "since Miss Mo has pleaded on your behalf, I'll let you off this time"
Gu Zhi smiled while the others withdrew back to their seats. The food no longer tasted good in their mouths.
Rong Xue bit into the cake—and recoiled. Bitter, though sweet. She slammed it on the plate, startling everyone.
"Someone! Hurry!" she yelled.
A maid came rushing forward.
"What rubbish food is this? It tastes awful," she shouted.
"I'll have it changed immediately," the maid said, rushing to change the snack.
Rong Xue was fuming, but no one paid her any mind and everyone was busy doing their own thing.
Liu Ying, on the other hand, took a bite of her cake and muttered loud enough for Rong Xue to hear, "When your tongue is dirty, food is bound to taste bitter."
Lingxi smiled at her while Rong Xue fumed silently.
Just then, Gu Wenlan's personal maid came over.
They all stood up in respect while Lingxi kept on sitting.
"Her Highness has sent for all of you," she said with a bow.
They all followed her back to the hall.
"The banquet has come to an end, so to thank you for attending, I have prepared these little gifts," Gu Wenlan said.
The gifts, which were gold flower hairpins, were passed to each lady except for Lingxi.
"As for the future grand consort," Gu Wenlan said, standing up as she took a white Jade lotus hairpin from her maid and walked up to Lingxi and handed it to her.
"This hairpin suits no one in the palace. I think it matches the future grand consort better as it reminded me of your painting". Instantly, some expressions turned sour. Li Min immediately felt dissatisfied with her gift and her hand tightened around it.
"Thank you, your highness." Lingxi bowed.
[Mo Residence]
[Eastern Courtyard]
Lingxi looked at the jade hairpin in her hand and wondered what Gu Wenlan's intentions were. She wondered if it was a token of friendship or a mere reward or favor. Qin Yan appeared disrupting her thoughts.
"How was it?" Lingxi asked.
"Your guess was correct. The empress sent someone to do a background check on you. I have already covered all tracks", Qin Yan said.
"Good"
There was a short pause and something crossed Lingxi's mind.
"Did you find out how brother is doing?" she asked.
"Yes. He's doing fine. He'll soon finish the task the emperor gave him. If all goes well, he'll be back by the end of the month"
[Grand Prince's Residence]
"Your highness", Jun Jie bowed.
"Any news?" He Yu asked.
"Yes. The empress sent someone to investigate Future Grand Consort's whereabouts in the past but found nothing", Jun Jie reported.
"Nothing", He Yu's eyes lit with interest.
"Interesting", he muttered, "anything else?"
"Yes. The empress has also been investigating the changes in the imperial edict"
"Have you handled it?"
"The eunuch in charge had his head on the chopping block. It was easy to manipulate him with a few clues"
"What about the noble consort's side?"
"The Noble Consort has been treating the Future Grand Consort well. I suspect she is trying to bring her closer to her side. The third prince has also been getting closer to her. I can't fully understand what they are both playing at"
"It's fine. We'll see that soon enough", He Yu dismissed him.
Right now, He Yu's mind was not on the ongoing factional struggles, but on Lingxi's own reasoning:
"It is better to lose a few pieces than to lose the whole game"