Her lips curled into a grim smile. Her intentions, Imperial Consort Chen's and Xuan Li's intentions, but tonight, whether it was the right time, the right place, or the right people, she was afraid that it would all be for naught. Whether it was herself or this life, she would not repeat the mistakes of her previous life. Marry Xuan Li? Even if she were to marry some Tom, Dick, or Harry, she would disdain to be tied together with that man.
Seeing that Jiang Ruan was not moving, she pushed Jiang Ruan's arm. Jiang Ruan turned her head, and Dong Yinger could not help but be startled by the deep meaning in her eyes. Jiang Ruan's beautiful eyes were dark, like a whirlpool that could suck in people. The inky color was dense, but a large expanse of indifference covered the sky, causing people to feel a chill down their spines.
After they turned around the palace wall, there were also palace maids leading furens and young ladies in front of them. Before they could clearly see who it was, they heard a crisp and warm voice, "Ruan meimei!"
She looked Jiang Ruan up and down, and the more she looked, the more dissatisfied she became. Just as she was about to ask Jiang Ruan to change into a new set of clothes, she heard Jiang Xin Zhi say, "It's getting late, don't waste time. Meimei, you should hurry on your way."
Along the way, there was an unprecedented silence and solemnity. After traveling for an unknown amount of time, the carriage finally stopped. Jiang Xin Zhi was taken away by the palace eunuch leading the way to the palace to report on his mission. The womenfolk in the carriage followed the other half of the palace maids to the main hall where the womenfolk were waiting. Naturally, the Jiang fu's carriages were not the only ones parked in front of the palace gates. The carriages of the high officials and nobles were also parked along the way. At this moment, many of the madams and young ladies of the official families alighted from their carriages and pointed at the Jiang fu's carriages.
The Old Jiang Madame stood at the door and was talking to Jiang Xin Zhi. When she saw Jiang Ruan, she said, "Entering the palace today, eldest girl, you must be careful, don't say the wrong thing."
Jiang Su Su was still elegant and refined. As usual, Jiang Li had chosen a lotus-green collared, full-sleeved shirt, and a light purple dress with two lotus flowers on one branch. Although she was dressed in a noble manner, her skin color was not as fair as Jiang Su Su and Jiang Ruan's, and it did not set off the noble aura of her clothes very well. Instead, it seemed a little out of place.
At that time, she had been helpless, but she did not expect that it would be used in this life. She sneered in her heart.
After the two girls got off the car, a beautiful middle-aged woman got off. She looked gentle and beautiful, but for some reason, she looked a little haggard, which made her beauty discounted.
Naturally, the palace maid did not know that in Jiang Ruan's previous life, when she had just entered the palace, she had been ostracized by the other beauties because of her excessively beautiful appearance. At every turn, she would use the palace's rules to trip her up. She didn't want to offend those people, so she copied down the thousands of harsh rules in the palace and read them every day. Finally, she didn't do anything wrong. Even those who wanted to use her as a raft would not be able to find the slightest mistake.
So this was their plan, so this was Xuan Li's plan.
Naturally, Jiang Su Su also felt the change in everyone's gazes. Biting her lower lip, she could not wait to tear Jiang Ruan into pieces. Ever since Jiang Ruan had returned to the Jiang fu, her days had changed. Jiang Ruan had snatched away her position as the eldest di daughter, snatched away her brother's position as the Jiang family's benefactor, and now she wanted to snatch away her reputation as the capital's number one beauty!
Jiang Ruan was slightly startled. In her previous life, this had never happened. Her expression froze, and suddenly, a smile blossomed on her face, "What does this mean? Why would Eighth Highness suddenly choose a fiancée without rhyme or reason? "
They were both young girls. Hearing people praise her appearance, Dong Yinger's face flashed a trace of crimson. Suddenly, she thought of something and mysteriously moved closer to Jiang Ruan's ear. Lowering her voice, she said, "Do you know that Imperial Consort Chen is going to choose a fiancée for Eighth Highness today?"
That face was extremely charming, with a faintly discernible upward curve at the corners of her eyes, black eyebrows, vermillion lips, pitch-black eyes, and snow-white skin. Not one was not beautiful, not one was not charming. However, she was born with such a bright and charming face, yet her hair was combed into a crisp, single spiral bun, which immediately dissipated some of her charm, leaving only a delicate and moving appearance.
"When has Miss not been good-looking?" Lu Zhu said, "Even with such a refreshing dressing, it is difficult to abandon your natural beauty."
Everyone knew that the Eldest Miss of the Jiang fu could not be underestimated ever since she returned after the end of the year. However, the Second Miss of the Jiang fu had changed her previous appearance of a refined fairy, and had repeatedly committed mistakes. It was in everyone's nature to watch the excitement. The Jiang fu's carriage was right in front of them, and for a moment, many inquisitive gazes were cast towards the carriage of the Jiang fu's womenfolk.
Xia Yan saw the half of the crescent-shaped amber that was exposed, and her expression froze. Thinking that today, Jiang Xin Zhi could enter the imperial court with limitless glory to receive the Emperor's reward, while Jiang Chao could only lie in bed in a state of shock, she could not help but feel incomparably stuffy.
Since the womenfolk were riding in the same carriage, Jiang Li naturally would not take the initiative to speak to others, and Jiang Dan also had a timid expression. Usually, Jiang Su Su and Xia Yan would pretend to speak gently to ease the atmosphere, but today, perhaps because of Old Jiang Furen's anger, Xia Yan was too lazy to deal with them. Jiang Su Su was also silent, and Jiang Ruan was even less likely to take these matters to heart. She merely propped up her chin with one hand and stared at the embroidery on her clothes with the other, lost in thought.
The heavens seemed to be compensating for the previous period of havoc caused by the rain. For the next few days, the sky was clear and the air was clear, and the weather was warm and harmonious. The clouds were light, the sky was azure, and the buds on the branches were spitting out some green. The color of spring quietly enveloped the capital of the Da Jin dynasty.
The few of them laughed and joked around for a while before Cai Que, who served by Old Jiang Furen's side, came over to inform Jiang Ruan that they could set off.
Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi woke up early in the morning to prepare food for Jiang Ruan. Fearing that they would have to wait too long in the palace banquet, and that they could not eat too much at once, they had prepared some appetizers early. A plate of ham and egg stew, jade stalk porridge, and hibiscus crisps. It was simple and light. After Jiang Ruan finished eating, Lu Zhu brought in a small rattan box and said with a smile, "There are many rules in the palace, so this servant has prepared some small snacks for Miss. Eating them will not ruin your makeup."
She called out, "Ruan meimei?"
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, "I also do not know." The haze from before was swept away, as if it had only been Dong Yinger's hallucination. Her fingers, hidden in her sleeves, slowly clenched into her palms.
Jiang Ruan raised her eyes to look at herself in the mirror. She was naturally charming and beautiful, and her facial features were clear and deep. Due to her previous life's experience, in this life, she always looked like she was beyond her age. Moreover, the single conch bun was lovely and lovely, and when placed on her body, it revealed a bit of a young girl's innocence that was not usually present. Her gaze slightly deepened. In the palace in her previous life, according to the rules, one had to comb their hair in a thick and complicated style, and their hair was full of hairpins and ornaments. How could it be as refreshing and simple as it was now?
A trace of coldness flashed in Xia Yan's eyes, but she still did not say anything. With a smile on her face, she began to talk to the palace maid who was leading the way. Jiang Li had long been impatient, and upon seeing this scene, she hurriedly followed.
The Old Jiang Madame could only give up, and after giving a few more instructions, she turned to Xia Yan and coldly said, "Today, I will hand over these servant girls to you. You must be careful, and do not make any mishaps."
Even so, she still wanted to enter the palace, which was indeed meaningful.
"You still know that natural beauty cannot be abandoned," Lian Qiao squinted her eyes and laughed, "You really know how to talk."
Jiang Su Su stood next door. As before, she was dressed in a light white silk embroidered Four Blessings Ruyi Pattern with a neckline and narrow sleeves. She was wearing a floor-length moon skirt with pinched teeth embroidered Ruyi Pattern, and a white jacquard muslin soft satin draped over her body. Her hair was combed into an exquisite flying immortal bun, with Buddha beads inserted in her hair and a blue phoenix crown in her hand. On her wrist, there was a fine suet jade bracelet. Her demeanor was delicate, and at first glance, she looked like a pure and clean fairy from the Ninth Heaven. However, when she got closer, she could see that she had put on a thick layer of makeup, presumably to cover up the scars that had been left in the thorns some time ago.
Xia Yan was so angry that her face turned pale. Jiang Xin Zhi smiled, turned around, and mounted his horse. Jiang Su Su's expression froze for a moment, and then, as if nothing had happened, she said, "Mother, let's go."
Lian Qiao said, "That's true."
At first glance, there was only a smear of gorgeous pink, and it was rather tacky, not as elegant as Jiang Su Su's matchless beauty. When that person alighted from the carriage, she stood beside Jiang Su Su, slender and elegant, with her own charm. Everyone couldn't help but look at her face, and couldn't help but hold their breath.
Along the way, some of the furens could tell that there were a few young ladies in the Jiang fu. Putting aside the two shu daughters, Eldest Jiang Miss and Second Jiang Miss each had their own merits, but in terms of bearing and etiquette, Eldest Miss was a cut above. Although Second Miss did not make any mistakes, she appeared stiff and immature, and was not as natural and proper as Jiang Ruan.
She had helped Xia Yan out of trouble, and normally, the Old Jiang Madame would not have said anything if she had heard it. However, at this moment, her expression did not soften, and she coldly said, "It's good that she knows!" She then flicked her sleeves and left without looking back.
Seeing that these young ladies each had their own merits, the Old Jiang Madame's gaze fell on Jiang Ruan, and she could not help but frown, "Why are you dressed like this?" In the Old Jiang Madame's eyes, it was not important how shu daughters dressed, as long as they did not go out of line. However, di daughters were different, as they represented the fu's face when they went out. Even Jiang Su Su, who was elegant and refined, wore clothes of the best quality. Entering the palace was not the same as being a guest in the fu of other officials; what was important was dignity. Although Jiang Ruan's appearance was good, this outfit was a little too ordinary. It did not appear formal, and was not even as luxurious as Jiang Li's.
Everyone looked at her, and then looked at Jiang Su Su. With this comparison, the makeup on Jiang Su Su's face was a little too thick, and the hairpin in her hair seemed a little too complicated. A fairy was not so fresh, but this lively and fragrant beauty had a completely different kind of beauty.
"Our fu has a maidservant whose elder sister is serving in the palace. Yesterday, when she went home to visit her relatives, she told us. This matter is no longer a secret, and all the servants in the palace know about it. " Dong Ying 'er stamped her feet, "My mother insisted that I dress like this today, saying that it would be great if I entered the palace and became the Eighth Prince's consort. But I don't want to marry Eighth Highness at all. I only want to find a person that I truly love and spend the rest of my life with. " Dong Ying 'er thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "But there are so many women in the palace tonight, and Eighth Highness will not take a fancy to me. Ruan meimei, you have always been smart. Quickly think of who will catch the eye of Imperial Consort Chen and become the Eighth Prince's consort? "
Jiang Ruan smiled, "Dong jiejie is the one who is very beautiful."
Just as everyone saw the elegant and refined fairy, they saw a red shadow flash in the carriage. The next second, the curtain of the carriage was lifted, and a pretty figure walked out.
The Old Jiang Madame looked at Xia Yan with a rather dissatisfied expression. She had long disliked this daughter-in-law of hers. Zhao Mei was too warm and pure, and brainless. This daughter-in-law was also too scheming. These days, Jiang Su Su and Jiang Chao had met with frequent mishaps, and she was even more displeased with Xia Yan. Two perfectly fine children had been raised like this by Xia Yan. Just thinking about it made the Old Jiang Madame extremely angry.
On the other hand, the palace maid could not help but flash a trace of surprise in her eyes. There were many daughters of wealthy families who abided by the rules, and there were also many who excelled in etiquette, but there was no one who could be so outstanding. Looking at the way she walked, her eyes were focused, her steps were graceful, and her skirt did not move in the slightest. Her hands were naturally crossed, her chin was slightly raised, and her eyes were focused. Her expression was humble but not lowly, noble but not arrogant. She grasped it very well. Her steps were very steady, and there was no fear or curiosity in her eyes that others would have when entering the palace for the first time. All kinds of emotions were hidden in that pair of beautiful and charming eyes, making it difficult for others to see clearly.
For the Old Jiang Madame, Jiang Xin Zhi had performed a meritorious service and gained face for the Jiang family. Jiang Xin Zhi was the glory of the Jiang family. As for the conflict between Jiang Xin Zhi and Xia Yan, it was just a young person's temporary thinking. They were all people of the Jiang fu, and even if the bones were broken, the tendons were still connected. In the end, she still had to think for the Jiang fu.
Bai Zhi helped Jiang Ruan with her hair and said, "What else is there to prepare? Don't forget." Her hands were very deft, and with a few flips, she managed to create a beautiful single spiral bun. She picked out a light red rose hairpin from a jewelry box and gently inserted it into Jiang Ruan's hair. She smiled and said, "It's done."
Dong Ying 'er saw Jiang Ruan's attire and said, "Ordinarily, I know that you are beautiful, but I did not know that your attire today is actually somewhat interesting."
Jiang Su Su smiled and said, "Grandmother, Mother is not a child, and naturally understands these things. Grandmother dotes on Mother so much that you explain everything clearly, no matter how big or small, this granddaughter will be jealous."
"I heard that it was Imperial Consort Chen's idea." Dong Ying 'er's voice became even lower, "Think about it, His Eighth Highness has now reached the age to marry, but he does not even have a tongfang by his side." Her face was somewhat red, but she still continued, "Imperial Consort Chen is anxious. Tonight, there are many young ladies of noble families at the palace banquet, and Imperial Consort Chen said that she would personally choose a marriage partner for His Eighth Highness. His Majesty has already given his approval. "
Every fu's womenfolk had been arranged for a separate palace maid to receive them. As Xia Yan spoke to the palace maid, her gaze involuntarily swept over Jiang Su Su. Long before entering the palace, she had invited an extremely reputable momo from outside the Jiang fu to teach Jiang Su Su etiquette, all so that Jiang Su Su could amaze the world with a brilliant feat. Jiang Su Su's talent had spread far and wide, but this was the first time that she had come to the palace. There were many opportunities in the palace, and as long as there was a sliver of possibility, one's future life could be vastly different.
After the beautiful woman alighted from the carriage, she was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, she stood beside the carriage, waiting for the person inside to alight. After Jiang Su Su alighted from the carriage, the surrounding people were shocked. Even though Jiang Su Su's reputation was not as good as it had been in the past, she was, after all, elegant and refined, lovely and moving. Just by standing there, she made people feel that she should be taken good care of. Who would have thought that such a devastatingly beautiful fairy would have such a corrupt character? Even those who had some suspicions before, upon seeing Jiang Su Su's moving appearance, were shaken. Today, Jiang Su Su had deliberately dressed up to cover up the scars on her face. In addition, her clothes and accessories were all meticulously made, so naturally, it was easy to catch people's eyes.
The departing carriage stopped at the entrance of the Jiang fu. It was carved and gilded sandalwood, exuding a faint fragrance. The carriage that Miss Jiang sat in was even more exquisite and small. The curtains of the carriage were the color of a sunny day after a rain, and there were tiny sachets hanging from them.
Jiang Ruan looked at her and asked, "How did Dong Jiejie know?"
Lian Qiao was also astonished and said, "Miss looks quite good like this."
Jiang Ruan raised her eyes and saw that it was Dong Yinger. She was also rather meticulously dressed today, and it was an excellent match for her generous and lively temperament. After she and Xia Yan greeted each other, she spoke to the capital governor's madam, then took Jiang Ruan's arm and walked to the side, whispering to each other as they walked.
Xia Yan was very dissatisfied in her heart. The Old Jiang Madame had lectured her in front of everyone, which made her lose a lot of face. At once, she clenched her fists and took a deep breath in her heart. Only then did she raise a gentle smile and say, "Daughter-in-law will listen to Mother's teachings."
A peach-colored brocade gown inlaid with three plates of gold, a floor-length dress with rose embroidery flowers, and a gold-colored embroidery with intricate beads and patterns. Like a rose that had just bloomed, it still carried the fragrance of morning dew. It was young and tender, but it did not obscure the elegance of the wind. She had not applied any makeup, and there was only a single rose ornament in her hair. On her hand, there was no extra jewelry, only a bracelet that emitted a faint blue light. Although it was unknown what material it was made of, it was obviously not an ordinary item.
Xia Yan boasted that she came from a scholarly family and attached great importance to matters of etiquette. It was difficult to conceal her contentment when she spoke to the palace maid, but she overlooked the contempt in the palace maid's eyes. What kind of person was that palace maid? She had been in the palace for so many years, and had seen many more noble people than Xia Yan. Although Xia Yan understood etiquette, Xia Cheng had once been a bastard son, so he did not need to be properly educated. It was inevitable that Xia Yan would have her hands and feet bound with a sense of pettiness. Even Jiang Su Su, whom she had painstakingly cultivated, also had some of the same cautiousness as Xia Yan. Although she tried her best to appear calm and indifferent, in front of these people with unique insight, there was still a sense of hypocrisy.
The curtain of the carriage was lifted by the maid, and the first girl to come down was dressed in a light yellow dress. She had delicate features, and her expression was timid and lovable. Immediately after, a young girl dressed in a lotus green dress walked down. She was also very beautiful, but appeared slightly mean, and her clothes were overly gorgeous.
Jiang Dan was dressed in a duck yellow robe embroidered with cranes. She had a round collar and slanted front blouse, and her hair was styled in a unique Yaotai bun. Beside Jiang Su Su and Jiang Dan, she looked like a small, lovable animal. Although she was not outstanding, she had a special kind of daintiness.
Her etiquette was not like that of a young lady from an official's family. It was as if she was a noble who had lived in the depths of the palace for many years. Her every move was filled with familiarity and etiquette, and not a single step was wrong.
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