Chapter 433: The Women’s Pleas
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Rong Shiyu approached Chu Qingzhi with a playful twinkle in her eye. “Miss Chu, we really need you. Will you join our camp?”
Fan Yuru was annoyed. “Rong Shiyu, what are you doing?”
Ignoring Fan Yuru, Rong continued, “Miss Chu, if you’re interested in calligraphy, I know many skilled artists. You could exchange ideas with them.” Fan Yuru glared at Rong and then turned to Chu Qingzhi, gently tugging at her sleeve. “Miss Chu, I can introduce you to similar people. Why not join us?”
Chu Qingzhi felt overwhelmed. Ge Lihua gave her a sympathetic look. What was supposed to be a simple banquet had turned into a recruitment drive.
Chu Qingzhi, smiling helplessly, said, “Didn’t you agree to give me some time to think?”
Fan Yuru and Rong Shiyu, worried about irritating Chu Qingzhi, glared at each other and stopped their persuasion.
“We won’t rush you,” Fan Yuru said. “Take your time to decide.”
Chu Qingzhi breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay.”
An unexpected person entered the garden. “Why is it so lively?”
At the sound of this voice, everyone turned towards the entrance and knelt, except for Chu Qingzhi and Ge Lihua.
Ge Lihua didn’t know the newcomer, so she didn’t kneel. However, when she saw that everyone was kneeling on the ground, she vaguely guessed the identity of the newcomer.
The palace maid beside Princess Changle looked at the princess, who was about to fly into a rage, and loudly berated, “How dare you! When you see Her Highness the Princess, why aren’t you kneeling?”
Chu Qingzhi looked at the princess calmly, but there was an innate coldness in her eyes. Her voice was calm, but it was filled with threat. “Do you want to be thrown again?”
Princess Changle reached out her slightly bruised fingers to touch her face, feeling a mix of pain and humiliation. “Chu Qingzhi, I’m the Princess of the Daling Dynasty. Do you dare to hit me again?”
Chu Qingzhi looked at her and smiled. This smile made Princess Changle take a step back. “You can try.”
The girls thought to themselves that everyone in the capital knew that Princess Changle liked General Tang. Now that she saw Tang Jinghong’s fiancee, she was probably going to explode in anger.
They gossiped among themselves about the rivalry between the princess and the commoner girl, wondering who would win.
Princess Changle was not that stupid. This time, she brought guards over. “Guards, Chu Qingzhi has offended me. Capture her.”
The guards obeyed the princess’s orders and ran in to capture Chu Qingzhi.
Fan Yuru and Rong Shiyu stopped her at the same time. “Princess, you can’t!” Princess Changle’s furious gaze landed on the two girls. “Why? Do you want to plead for Chu Qingzhi?”
Fan Yuru pleaded, “Your Highness, Miss Chu is a guest I invited. Please don’t hold it against Miss Chu on account of my father.”
Yuan Qingqing also pleaded, “Your Highness, Miss Chu came from the village and doesn’t know the rules of the capital. Please forgive her.”
Feng Xuejun also pleaded, “Your Highness, Miss Chu didn’t mean to offend you. Please be magnanimous and let her go.”
Rong Shiyu glanced at the three of them. Not to be outdone, she also helped plead for leniency. “Your Highness, Miss Chu is just a country girl. Aren’t you lowering your status by arguing with her?”
Another two people from Rong Shiyu’s side pleaded for leniency. In the end, everyone pleaded, “Your Highness, please forgive Miss Chu.”
This princess was unruly, willful, and ruthless.
In comparison, Chu Qingzhi was much cuter. She did not put on airs at all and even knew how to write five kinds of calligraphy. She was really talented, low-key, and humble. She was much better than the princess.
Chu Qingzhi was very, very surprised. Why didn’t she know that she was so popular?
Princess Changle was furious. She glared at Chu Qingzhi. She had just arrived in the capital. Why were they pleading for her? Why?!
Those guards stood halfway, not knowing to advance or retreat.
While the environment was tense, a high-pitched voice sounded. “His
Highness the young prince has arrived!”
The girls were stunned.
Why was the young prince here too?
Princess Changle turned to see a handsome young man approaching. She asked rudely, “What are you doing here?”
The young prince was surprised and bowed to the princess. “Greetings, Your Highness.”
Princess Changle didn’t like the young prince. She felt that he was too simple-minded. But now, she was somewhat grateful that the young prince had come.
The princess, not fond of the naive prince, was secretly relieved he had arrived. She knew she couldn’t confront all the ladies of the capital, who held real power.
Even though she was a princess, it was impossible for her to go against all the girls in the capital. Although her status was high, the daughters of those important officials were the ones who had the right to speak.
Sometimes, a word from the other party could decide her life.
For example: marriage.
When the Daling Dynasty was weak, there were many princesses who were married to another country in a bid to form an alliance. However, in recent years, the Daling Dynasty had become stronger, so there was no need to resort to this tactic.
“Please, rise,” said the princess, eyeing Lin Yingmin. “Who is he?”
Lin Yingmin quickly glanced at Princess Changle and bowed. “I am Lin Yingmin, a commoner, greetings, Princess.”
Princess Changle didn’t have the slightest interest in such an ordinary person. “Rise.” After that, she ignored him.
Seeing that the girls were still kneeling, the young prince hurriedly said, “Everyone, get up. When you see me, you can be relaxed.”
As he spoke, his gaze could not help but be attracted by Chu Qingzhi.
If the people around her were sand, then she was a pearl. If the people around her were pearls, then she was a colorful pearl. No matter what, she seemed to be in the center of all attention.
The young prince thought to himself, Is this Chu Qingzhi? She’s pretty and refreshing. General Tang has good taste.
He looked at Chu Qingzhi and then at Ge Lihua. This girl was not as dazzling as Chu Qingzhi, but she was not bad either. He wondered which family she was from.
Lin Yingmin, who was at the side, clenched his five fingers into a fist. It was really Qingzhi. It was really her. The last bit of hope in his heart shattered.
He thought that if Chu Qingzhi’s fiance was an ordinary person, he could still fight for her. If her fiance was General Tang, he did not even have the courage to fight for him.
The girls stood up one after another. They could not help but want to rub their knees. It was so painful to kneel.
Fan Yuru went forward to welcome him. A smile appeared on her beautiful face. “Why is Your Highness here?”
The young prince walked straight to Chu Qingzhi. “Recently, almost everyone in the capital is discussing the future wife of the general. I’m curious, so I came to take a look.”
Fan Yuru introduced her to the young prince. “She’s Chu Qingzhi, Miss Chu.” When she was pretending to be Qu Xinwei, she had spent some days with this young lord and had a good impression of him. Chu Qingzhi bowed. “Greetings, Your Highness.”
At the same time, she glanced at Lin Yingmin, puzzled.. Why was he with the young prince?
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