?
Ye Zhen came out of the upper room and had just returned to her room when Dai Mei came in and told her that the cousin of the Chen family had asked to see her.
"Which cousin?" Ye Zhen asked doubtfully.
Dai Mei said, "It's the second daughter of the Chen family."
Chen Liping? Ye Zhen could probably guess the purpose of the other party's visit. She smiled, "Invite her in."
The two cousins had also lived in the Lu family for a while and had always refused to return to the residence arranged for them by the Chen family. How could Ye Zhen not understand their purpose?
Chen Qiuping was interested in Lu Lingzhi and always liked to inquire about him. However, Old Madam Lu seemed to have no intention of marrying Chen Qiuping.
Now that she thought about it, Lu Lingzhi was already a Marquis, and his future wife would be the Marquis's wife. He would have to deal with the various aristocratic families in the capital. Chen Qiuping's birth was too low, and she would not be able to handle such a big scene. Now, what the Lu family needed the most was a marriage alliance with another aristocratic family to raise the Lu family's status in the capital.
Chen Liping came in with a brocade box in her hand and looked at Ye Zhen with a smile. "Yao Yao, I got two new pearl hairpins. I'll bring you one. See if you like it."
"I have a lot of pearl hairpins. You'd better keep it for yourself." Ye Zhen smiled. Chen Liping was usually not generous, but today she gave her a pearl hairpin. She must have a request.
"Yao Yao, you are going to the palace tomorrow. Are you … nervous and afraid?" Chen Liping put the brocade box on the table and stared straight at Ye Zhen.
Ye Zhen nodded. "I'm nervous. I've never been to the palace before. How can I not be afraid?"
Chen Liping looked at her enviously. "It's good that you can enter the palace to see the Imperial Consort. If only I could enter the palace too."
"Maybe there will be a chance in the future." Ye Zhen bowed her head and took a sip of tea.
"Yao Yao, can you … take me with you to the palace?" Chen Liping looked at her pleadingly. She dared not go to Old Madam Lu, so she could only come to Lu Yaoyao.
She felt that Lu Yaoyao must be easier to coax than Old Madam Lu. As long as she talked to the old lady, maybe … she could follow her into the palace.
With her appearance, even if she was not as beautiful as Yao Yao, she was still beautiful. She must find a chance for herself.
Ye Zhen snickered in her heart. Did Chen Liping coax her like a child? What right did she have to bring her into the palace? At that time, Old Madam Lu would think that she was willful and immature and insisted on bringing Chen Liping along.
She could imagine that if she were to agree to it, Chen Liping would definitely say that she was nervous and scared, so she had to find someone to accompany her.
"You have to go to grandma about this. I can't make the decision." Ye Zhen hurriedly shook her head with a look of panic.
Chen Liping coaxed, "As long as you talk to Old Madam, she will definitely agree."
Ye Rou bit her lower lip and clasped her hands together. "If I didn't say it was so easy, the Old Lady would have agreed not to let me enter the palace."
"With me accompanying you, you won't be nervous." Chen Liping said in exasperation.
"Since you want to enter the palace so much, you can talk to the old lady yourself. She will definitely agree." Ye Zhen said innocently.
When Chen Liping saw that Ye Zhen was determined to refuse to take her into the palace, she became angry. "If you don't want to, then forget it. I only hope that you will go to the palace tomorrow and lose face."
Ye Zhen looked at her timidly, her pair of black and shining eyes like a star at midnight.
Seeing her delicate and beautiful appearance, Chen Liping was jealous again. She grabbed the brocade box on the table and said, "Since you don't like my things, I will take them back."
"I don't like it …" Ye Zhen whispered.
Chen Liping had already left in a huff.
Ye Zhen looked at her departing back and couldn't help chuckling. She really didn't hide it at all. She even took away the pearl hairpin that she said she would give her.
In the evening, Pei shi sent Ye Zhen a new set of clothes to wear to the palace tomorrow.
"Mother, isn't this color too bright?" Ye Zhen looked at the peach-colored clothes spread on the bed. She didn't want to wear them to the palace at all.
Pei shi gave her a look. "You are at the tender age now. If you don't wear something beautiful, do you want to wait until later to wear it?"
Ye Zhen shook her head vigorously. "I'd better wear this."
She was referring to the eighty percent new moon-blue flower pattern dress. The color was neither plain nor light, just what she liked.
"Isn't this too plain?" Pei shi frowned and asked, "What if the Imperial Consort doesn't like it?"
"Mother, I think … it's better not to be too eye-catching in the palace. Although this dress looks good, it's not suitable to wear in the palace. I will wear it later." Ye Zhen hugged Pei shi's arm coquettishly.
If she really went to the palace dressed so brightly and ostentatiously, Lu Wushuang would definitely remember her. She had seen that woman's jealousy.
If she could, she would like to use some medicinal juice on her face tomorrow … Ye Zhen suddenly had an idea. Maybe she should do something to her face tomorrow.
Pei shi did not force Ye Zhen. Anyway, she didn't want her daughter to enter the palace like the Imperial Consort in the future. She only hoped that she could find a good husband and live a peaceful and happy life.
"Then do as you wish." She smiled. "I really don't know how many ideas you have become since you came back."
Ye Zhen leaned on Pei shi's shoulder. "Because I've grown up."
Pei shi pinched her cheek and smiled without saying a word.
Early the next morning, the sky was not yet completely bright. The winter morning was cold enough to penetrate one's heart and spleen. Ye Zhen stood on the stone steps and watched the thick fog envelop the whole Lu family's mansion.
She began to stretch her limbs, jump a few times in place, and began to do a set of boxing techniques that were strange in the eyes of outsiders. She used to think that these movements were strange and should not be done by a lady at all, but her father insisted that she practice them every morning. They felt like martial arts, yet not like martial arts, soft and powerless.
However, it was really good for the body. Originally, Lu Yaoyao was very weak after her illness. Although she had the spiritual spring, she still insisted on practicing the boxing techniques her father taught her every morning.
When a magnificent morning glow appeared in the eastern sky, Ye Zhen's body was covered with a thin layer of sweat. She fetched water for her eyebrows, freshened up, and then put on the clothes she had prepared yesterday.
She wore a light blue cotton robe with indigo flowers printed on it, and a lake blue dress underneath. Although this dress wasn't as beautiful as yesterday's pink dress, it still made her look slender and elegant, making her skin look even more white and jade-like.
Ye Zhen looked at her white and flawless face, a sly glint flashed in her eyes. She took out a bottle of medicinal juice she had prepared. She was really grateful that she had been reading Qi's medical classics these days. She had really learned a lot.
When she appeared in front of Old Madam Lu, everyone was scared silly.
"Yao Yao, what's the matter with the red spots on your face?" Old Madam Lu asked, almost exasperated.
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