Chapter 37: Chapter 37 - Peach Blossom

“Miss Song, do you mean that you can prove us innocent and make others have no chance to spread rumors?” Baoying wasn’t angry after hearing that. She raised her eyebrows and questioned, “I’m dumb. Miss Song, please show your mercy to teach me.”

How demanding she was! She didn’t only want to prove them innocent, but also asked her to control rumors. Even imperial edicts couldn’t completely stop people gossiping!

Song Yixiao snickered, “Baoying, you’d better know one thing. Although I owe the Jiang Family favors, I won’t repay them by putting my future on the line!”

She didn’t have any support. But she did have backbone. Baoying wanted to bring her to terms due to Virtuous Consort Jiang and the Jiang Family. It was impossible!

Prince of Hengshan’s mansion treated her coldly. But they brought her up for six years and gave her an extravagant life. Even so, she didn’t like to be controlled by the Dowager Consort! Jiang Muting only cared for her for the first half of the banquet. How could she repay Jiang Muting with her life and future? Didn’t Baoying wake up, or did Song Yixiao look like a pushover on her face?

“Moreover, although I’m under other people’s roof now, everyone knows that Prince of Hengshan’s mansion treats me well according to my dress!” Song Yixiao ignored Baoying’s dark face and continued to say coldly, “Why do you think I will bite the hand that feeds me?”

She was raised in Prince of Hengshan’s mansion. If her reputation became bad, it would influence Lu Kou’er and others!

Prince of Hengshan’s mansion could ignore a stepdaughter. But could they give up their own daughters?

The Jiang Family was powerful and had the Virtuous Consort in the palace. But they had to think over if they wanted to frame an innocent person in front of the monarchy!

Even much-loved Jiang Muting lost her mind after that happened. Baoying believed Song Yixiao were no exception. So she was aggressive to force Song Yixiao with power. She thought Song Yixiao was just a 14-year-old girl without reliable elder to protect her. It was easy to force Song Yixiao to submit by threatening.

Unexpectedly, Song Yixiao had a firm mind. No matter how Baoying threatened and seduced her, she still refused and even claimed quickly that she didn’t want to incriminate Prince of Hengshan’s mansion. Baoying had no stand to blame her for betraying Jiang Muting’s friendship.

“Miss Song, you misunderstood me. I just think that even if my lady admits it, you’ll be also implicated and won’t help my lady because you were there at that time.” Fighting down her anger, Baoying said calmly, “Won’t it sadden our friends and gladden our enemies if we walk into the trap?”

Then she changed her attitude soon, “Why not tell me your good idea? After Cui Jianlian wakes up, we have to confront with her. If we speak differently, I am afraid we will have trouble again!”

Baoying didn’t forget leading the conversation at this time. Song Yixiao touched the hair at her temple and then ridiculed, “If Xue’e hadn’t introduce me to Sister Muting, I would have thought you were the Jiang Family’s young lady!”

Baoying’s face suddenly tightened, and then she said, “I really go beyond the limits, but this is a very different period…”

Jiang Muting, who always kept silent, finally made up her mind and interrupted, “Baoying, stop saying! I know you are sent by Mother for my good. Today Yixiao has persuaded me for a long time. But I’m so angry and never listen to her. As a result, I’m trapped and also implicate her. Now you even force her to bear the blame for me. I can’t do such a crime. If you say that again, I will immediately go to tell Commandery Princess Qingjiang that I pushed Cui Jianlian!”

Baoying almost wanted to spit out blood. She shouted, “Your Ladyship!”

“I’ve made a decision. It doesn’t matter even if I admit that I pushed Cui Jianlian!” Jiang Muting gritted her teeth and said, “I hit her reasonably because her maid broke the jade dangling ornaments that my grandmother had given me! If her injury is serious, it’ll be her fate! His Majesty is still there. Cui Jianlian aunt will intercede with His Majesty for her, so will my aunt!”

She sneered, “By the way, His Majesty has agreed with my marriage. Cui Jianlian aunt is not the birth mother, adoptive mother, or legal mother. How can her aunt interfere in it? Why should I ask Yixiao to bear the blame for me? I pushed her. So what? After the imperial doctor comes to say her wound is not serious, I will hit her again!”

“How can it be so simple?” Baoying touched her forehead with her hand and even wanted to faint away. Although Song Yixiao and her maid were here, Baoying still said impulsively, “Did you forget that last time in the imperial garden, Commandery Princess Nanzhang and Prince of Wei…”

Then she suddenly stopped saying. After pausing for a while, she persuaded, “Your Ladyship, it’ll influence your future. You are clear that His Majesty treats Daiguo Grand Princess well! At this important time, we can’t give other people a handle against ourselves!”

Jiang Muting bit her lower lip. But she still slowly shook her head and said, “I believe in my cousin!”

Song Yixiao gave her a complicated look. Jiang Muting called Prince of Wei “cousin” instead of His Highness, which showed that she indeed had a good relationship with Prince of Wei.

But Song Yixiao was confused why they didn’t get married in her previous life. Did Prince of Wei betray Jiang Muting, or did Commandery Princess Nanzhang take her husband by force?

Or was it because both of two reasons?

She stopped her thoughts and said casually, “Sister Muting is the niece of Virtuous Consort Jiang and also the future wife of Prince of Wei. Cui Jianlian is the niece of Noble Consort Cui. Has she also been decided to marry to someone?”

Song Yixiao remembered that the Crown Prince’s younger brother, Noble Consort Cui’s youngest son, Prince of Liang was also at the age of marriage.

“Everyone thinks she’ll be the future wife of Prince of Liang. But today, after seeing her gambling her savings, I am not sure.” Jiang Muting touched her hair at the temples and sneered, “She dared to fall at such a high place. It may be because someone has something on her. So she has to dice with death.”

“In fact, I dare to fall like that.” Song Yixiao said lightly, “It just needs to lower the waist and then roll up to dozens of stone steps. As long as the stone steps are clean and don’t hit two sides, I won’t get injured seriously!”

Jiang Muting and Baoying were all shocked. “Really?”

“My lady has learnt to dance for six years. Her teachers all praise her because she can endure hardship and is talented.” Jinxun testified immediately, “It will be true if my lady says it doesn’t hurt!”

Baoying and Jiang Muting were not stupid. But it happened all of a sudden and they had no time to concern it. Besides, it was so hard to practice the dance that many ladies just learned a little like Jiang Muting. Although Baoying was clever, she couldn’t learn that as a maid.

Jiang Muting was poor at the dance and had no interest in it. So she didn’t realize it. How could she find Cui Jianlian’s secret when falling down?

But Song Yixiao as an orphan had to learn hard for her future. She didn’t dare to endure hardship when learning. So she was good at all subjects in the girl’s school.

She took a sip of tea and added, “When I looked at Cui Jianlian above, I knew the time she learned dance wasn’t less than me when I saw her light steps!”

Song Yixiao didn’t say that Princess Consort of Liang didn’t need to sing and dance. If the dance wasn’t Cui Jianlian’s personal hobby, the Cui Family’s intention might not to let her marry Prince of Liang, but the Crown Prince. From ancient times, many favored imperial concubines were good at dancing!

“But she lies there and says that she is uncomfortable. We can’t tell people she is pretending.” Baoying pondered and then sighed.

“Cui Jianlian’s identity is not lower than you. She vilifies you by herself now, which means she won’t let you go!” Song Yixiao ignored her and told to Jiang Muting, “So she won’t cure in a short time. Otherwise she can’t make a big thing out of it.”

Jiang Muting resentfully said, “I shouldn’t betray my bad reputation! I will first admit my crime to Commandery Princess Qingjiang. Then I’ll go to hit…”

After analyzing it for a long time, she still decided to hit Cui Jianlian. Baoying, who was sent by hostess to help her young lady, almost wanted to hit the wall. But Song Yixiao nodded, “Sister Muting, you must find a chance to made trouble for Cui Jianlian!”

Up on the mountainside, a fan-shaped pavilion was built close to a cliff, fully wrapped by peach blossoms in this season.

However, from the branches and flowers, there was a clear view of the banquet’s square below.

Jian Xubai wore white clothes and a blue cloak. The breeze was swaying his long and large dress. Holding an emerald shot glass, he lightly shook the amber alcohol and leaned against a banister, hearing casually Ji Su’s introduction about ladies in the party. Suddenly he saw that a maid came from the mountain road and whispered to Commandery Princess Qingjiang. Then Commandery Princess Qingjiang immediately told Commandery Princess Nanzhang something and then left without hesitation.

He put the emerald shot glass close to his lips with his hand and then paused suddenly. He asked, “What happened? Why should my sister go to handle it herself?”

“Your Highness, you just came here. So you don’t know that Miss Jiang argued with Miss Cui on the mountain road below less than an hour ago. I don’t know whether Miss Jiang pushed Miss Cui or Miss Cui fell down herself. Anyway, Miss Cui fell off the mountain road and rolled over dozens of steps, and then fainted.” Ji Su told Jian Xubai in detail. He came from the palace and was good at asking for information. Besides, Commandery Princess Qingjiang didn’t want to conceal it from him.

At the end, he said, “Well, Miss Song who we met in Marquis Boling’s mansion is together with Miss Jiang today. She is also involved. Commandery Princess Qingjiang has sent an imperial doctor for Miss Cui and asked them to confront with each other after Miss Cui woke up. I think Miss Cui might wake up at present.”

Jian Xubai had no interest in the battle of girls. He didn’t want to interfere. But Ji Su mentioned Song Yixiao. Whatever, she was his acquaintance. In his impression, she was a clever and sensible girl who suffered many a setback. He valued high talent and didn’t want to sit by and watch her fall into trouble. So he hesitated.

“My sister waits for Miss Cui to wake up and then makes her confront with others. She may be doubtful about how Miss Cui fell down.” Jian Xubai thought, “Otherwise, she would blame Miss Jiang instead of asking her to eat in another place, since many people saw Miss Cui arguing with Miss Jiang and falling down.”

After all, as her younger brother of the same mother, Jian Xubai was quite clear about Commandery Princess Qingjiang. He analyzed, “My sister is able to check it out easily. If I interfere, I won’t help Song Yixiao and will cause misunderstanding at this critical juncture. I’d better to sit idly by.”

He believed Song Yixiao was innocent. When he first saw her six years ago, she was only eight years old and was pushed down by him. But she struggled to stand up to apologize when she saw his luxurious clothes. If he hadn’t found something wrong, she wouldn’t have mentioned it at all. She could bear patiently and compromise since she was young. How could she make trouble in the party of Commandery Princess Qingjiang?

Especially the young lady who was injured was the niece of Noble Consort!

“After Sister finds out the truth, Song Yixiao should be fine.” Jian Xubai thought so. But he didn’t speak out.

Jian Xubai didn’t say his thought. But his pondering made Ji Su misunderstood. So Ji Su took out the guest list secretly given by Commandery Princess Qingjiang and found Song Yixiao’s name. Then he left a mark on it with his fingernail.

Ji Su thought of what the Empress Dowager secretly told him before coming. To sound out Jian Xubai’s intention, Ji Su said, “Daiguo Grand Princess has a personal grudge with Noble Consort Cui. This time, Noble Consort Cui’s niece makes trouble with future Princess Consort of Wei who is agreed by His Majesty, which helps Commandery Princess Nanzhang. It’s so strange! What are people behind it planning?”

Jian Xubai was too busy at this time. Even though he couldn’t refuse the Empress Dowager’s order and Commandery Princess Qingjiang’s insistence and had to go to the Zhanchun Venue, he was thinking about political affairs.

Although Song Yixiao’s thing attracted his attention, he didn’t spend much time on her. At present, Ji Su’s question was what Jian Xubai worried about recently. Jian Xubai said, “When His Majesty was ill and feared that the country became unstable, so His Majesty asked his first son to be the Crown Prince and did his best to educate the Crown Prince. Fortunately, His Majesty was healthier and healthier in recent years. Princes of Wei, Prince of Liang and other princes had gradually grown up. People with power begin to have some ambitions…”

In particular, Daiguo Grand Princess enjoyed all the honor in this dynasty. But she despised Noble Consort Cui in her early years, which offended this future empress dowager. How couldn’t she worry about being made trouble by Noble Consort Cui in the future? According to Daiguo Grand Princess’s character, she must choose to oppose Noble Consort Cui instead of begging her forgiveness.

Ji Su didn’t care how worried Jian Xubai was. He smiled, “Well, Your Highness, why not go there through the back door and stand behind the screen to hear how these young ladies talk to the Commandery Princess? Although Commandery Princess Qingjiang will tell you if you want to know, it won’t be so exact as what you hear.”

Jian Xubai felt it was a waste of his time to come to the Zhanchun Venue. So he wouldn’t refuse to hear any useful information if he could.

He lowered his head and saw there was a peach blossom in his glass with less than half alcohol. The peach blossom was floating in the amber liquor, charming and cute. He couldn’t help but raise his lips and smile. Then he raised his head, hiding his face with long sleeves, and drank all of it. After chewing and swallowing the peach blossom, he turned to put down the emerald shot glass and said, “Go!”