Chapter 204: Treat Friends with the Warmth of Spring

Early Noon.

The West Flower Hall of the Princesss Residence.

Princess Xingguo seized the opportunity today to host a banquet for the noblewomen of Central Heaven.

Lin Fuyao and Jiang Yuan were sitting in a corner; the former was still lingering in fear, reflecting on her son’s reckless behavior half an hour ago.

It almost brought a great disaster upon our family. Was that a place where he could just run his mouth?

Lin Fuyao’s voice was not loud, but it was filled with anger.

If not for the separation of men and women, with Jiang Xuan arranged to wait for the banquet in the East Flower Hall, he would surely have been beaten.

Mother, if you want others to look up to Jiang Xuan, you must first look up to him yourself.

Jiang Yuan, however, seemed to have a different opinion. Lin Fuyao looked at her calm daughter with surprise, What do you mean?

Your Highness was asking for opinions from everyone present. Why couldn’t Jiang Xuan express his own thoughts?

He…

Lin Fuyao couldn’t find a reason; it was just the deeply ingrained mentality of feeling inferior.

Jiang Yuan continued, In my opinion, not only did Jiang Xuan speak well, but he also spoke to the heart of Your Highness!

Lin Fuyao felt a bit unsure, and her voice softened, Then tell me…

Jiang Xuan is on good terms with my brother, which everyone in Central Heaven knows. Given today’s events, it was his duty to stand up for my brother!

Jiang Yuan paused, then said a bit unnaturally, My brother is also a person; how could he not hope that his future family members are always thinking of him?

Hmm?

Lin Fuyao was stunned for a moment before she realized her daughter meant that if the two were to successfully marry, Ding Suian would certainly hope that his brother-in-law, Jiang Xuan, would bravely stand up for him when needed.

Rather than a brother-in-law who only causes trouble and makes his brother-in-law clean up his mess everywhere.

Jiang Yuan felt a bit shy, quickly skipped over the topic, and continued, Furthermore, Your Highness does not want to use the Prince of Linping because she fears the incident will escalate. Since my brother has no Foundation, Your Highness is naturally willing to use him.

Waner, you understand more than I do. You should tell me more about these things in the future. Your father often scolded me for being stupid.

When Lin Fuyao said this, her self-deprecation went to the bone.

Jiang Yuan felt a pang of heartache and was about to comfort her mother when a flurry of lively greetings suddenly erupted in the West Flower Hall.

Greetings, Princess Consort~

I hope you are well, Princess Consort.

I haven’t seen you for days, Princess Consort. Your complexion is getting better and better; this cloud brocade dress really suits you.

Lin Fuyao and Jiang Yuan turned their heads together and saw Lin Hansu, dressed in palace attire and radiating grace, walking into the hall with a smile.

Wherever she passed, the noblewomen stood up to greet her.

Lin Hansu handled it calmly, chatting and laughing, clearly the center of attention.

Of course, this respect was entirely due to Princess Xingguo behind her.

Lin Fuyao stood in the corner, looking at the scene around her younger sister, and couldn’t help but feel more disappointed.

Both are daughters of the Lin family, yet their fortunes are like heaven and earth.

Just as she was wallowing in self-pity, Lin Hansu exchanged a few words with the others, scanned the room, then her gaze fell on her inconspicuous corner, and she walked over.

Sister, so you were here. You made me look hard for you.

Princess Consort~

Lin Fuyao noticed that the whole hall was looking over. She felt both proud and ashamed, and whispered, Princess Consort, when we are out, just call me by my name. Don’t call me sister; someone might hear.

Hahaha~ Sister, what are you saying? We are sisters born of the same mother. If I don’t call you sister, what should I call you?

The former Lin Hansu was living day to day in the City, so naturally, she had no energy to take care of her own family.

But now, she initially had that qualification.

These words instantly made Lin Fuyao’s eyes red.

Lin Hansu deliberately raised her voice slightly, Your Highness has invited you.

Ah?

Your Highness said she wants to talk to you, sister, and specifically asked me to invite you over for a chat.

Lin Fuyao thought she had misheard until Lin Hansu took her arm and led her toward the back room. She suddenly came to her senses and said in surprise, Your Highness… is summoning me?

Yes, would I lie to you?

After speaking, Lin Hansu smiled slightly at Jiang Yuan, Waner, stay here for a while. Your Maternal Aunt and your mother will go to accompany Your Highness. If you are bored, go for a walk in the garden. Zhao Yan and Ruan Ruan should be there too.

Yes.

Jiang Yuan pursed her lips and gave her Maternal Aunt a sweet smile.

She could naturally see that her Maternal Aunt had deliberately chosen this occasion to back her mother.

She felt even more grateful to her Maternal Aunt, but thinking of her fate, she couldn’t help but sigh silently.

Her Maternal Aunt’s beauty, talent, and skills were all top-notch, yet her marriage path was bumpy.

In her early years, she met the wrong person and almost lost her life. Later, although she escaped the cage, the imperial laws were strict, and there was no precedent for a Princess Consort to remarry.

With her Maternal Aunt being so young, for the long years ahead, she would probably only be able to guard her honor and live in loneliness.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yuan thought secretly. After she gets married in the future and when her Maternal Aunt is old, can she take her home to support her?

Once this thought arose, she naturally thought of Ding Suian.

Her brother had served in her Maternal Aunt’s residence, so with this connection, he should agree, right?

Silently calculating in her heart, she walked into the back garden of the Princesss Residence without realizing it.

The garden in the residence was carefully maintained, with exotic flowers and plants competing for beauty, and butterflies and bees buzzing.

A gentle breeze blew, bringing bursts of rich fragrance.

In a good mood, Jiang Yuan walked to a cluster of hydrangeas in full bloom. Seeing one of the pink and white flower clusters was particularly beautiful, she couldn’t help but lean down slightly to sniff the elegant floral scent.

Older Female Cousin~

Just then, a cry came from behind.

Jiang Yuan paused, straightened up, and looked back. A few feet behind her, Yu Ruiyan, wearing a pomegranate-red dress with gold silk, was walking slowly with a maid.

It looked like she had deliberately followed Jiang Yuan into the back garden.

Younger Female Cousin, are you well~

Jiang Yuan bowed slightly, but Yu Ruiyan did not return the salute, just smiled faintly and stepped forward.

Older Female Cousin, you have a good mood~

She did not look at Jiang Yuan, but her eyes fell on the flower bed, looking at a weak weed under the flowers, as if she had discovered a new continent, and laughed lowly, Unexpectedly, in the flower bed of the first-class Princesss Residence of our Great Wu, something low-class has mixed in.

Saying that, she raised her hand and pointed to the small grass, Wild species are just good at living. Yet they want to compete with famous flowers for nutrients. Servants Name, help me pull it out. It’s annoying to look at.

Yes.

The maid, Servants Name, bent down and pulled out the grass.

She probably understood who Yu Ruiyan’s insinuations of ‘wild species, competing with famous flowers for nutrients’ were referring to, and even provocatively showed the grass to Jiang Yuan.

Yu Ruiyan turned to Jiang Yuan, her eyes shimmering, smiling, Older Female Cousin, you say, isn’t this thing overestimating itself? No matter how it poses and attracts attention, it’s just a life that can be pulled out at will.

Jiang Yuan’s eyelashes trembled slightly. She didn’t look at the weeds, but calmly met Yu Ruiyan’s gaze, her voice as soft as a feather: Plants have no heart, they only know to grow towards the sun. Whether it is a famous flower or a weed, it is just defined by a person’s words. It is the soil in this garden that is the most fair. Whoever can take root is truly considered part of the garden.

Yu Ruiyan saw that she showed no signs of anger at all, stepped forward, and said directly, Jiang Yuan, there is no one else here, so I will tell you directly. Do you think that by sewing clothes for the Lord last night, you have won? A wild species is a wild species, a weed is a weed. Some things are not born for you. Wishing for the impossible will only bring shame upon yourself.

A breeze blew, and Jiang Yuan tidied her flying hair, as if she had just known her intention, and said in surprise, Younger Female Cousin, you actually like the Lord? Since that’s the case, you should go tell him. What’s the use of telling me this? Could it be because he doesn’t look up to you?

…

Yu Ruiyan, who wanted to anger Jiang Yuan, became angry herself.

A moment later, she calmed down again. She raised her hand slightly, broke the hydrangea Jiang Yuan had just sniffed, and held it in her hand, laughing, The flowers that you cherish and dare not break are worth nothing in my eyes.

While speaking, her slender fingers plucked the petals off the gorgeous flower cluster one by one, Just a child of a military family, who happened to get a title by luck. I want him, just because I don’t want him to want you. Older Female Cousin, you are a daughter of a concubine, you should find a peddler or a down-and-out scholar. The young talents of Central Heaven City should never be something your status can covet.

Jiang Yuan did not get angry from beginning to end, but when she heard Yu Ruiyan talk about Ding Suian, her emotions finally fluctuated slightly, Haha, luck? If a title could be obtained just by luck, why don’t your father and brother go get a title by luck? Instead of relying on marriages everywhere to stabilize your family’s prestige?

Presumptuous!

Yu Ruiyan was most proud of her family background. She broke her defense on the spot and raised her hand to slap Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Yuan stepped back to avoid it, but Yu Ruiyan’s personal maid seemed to have encountered this kind of thing not for the first time, and took a step ahead, hugging Jiang Yuan with her arms, Young Lady, I caught her!

Yu Ruiyan stepped forward again, her right hand raised high. Although Jiang Yuan struggled constantly, that Servants Name was obviously a size larger than her, and she couldn’t break free.

But the next moment, on Yu Ruiyan’s head, a small hand suddenly appeared from behind, grabbing her hair bun.

Pulling with force.

Yu Ruiyan leaned back violently, her body involuntarily arching backward.

A small fist approached quickly from top to bottom.

Thump~

Before Yu Ruiyan could figure out what happened, she was punched in the face first.

Who is so unreasonable? Actually hitting a woman! And hitting a woman in the face!

You grandmother’s leg, daring to bully Waner! Ruan Ruan, electrocute her!

Listening to the voice, it was also a woman.

Women hitting women, then it’s fine.

Thump~

Another punch.

Zhao Yan, don’t beat people up~

What do you know! Husband said, treat enemies with the cruelty of severe winter, and treat friends with the warmth of spring! Beat her until her face blooms like peach blossoms!