Zhang XiuYa could not hide her disgust and displeasure when she saw the guards' Tiger engraved green jades on their belts as soon as she arrived at Yong-house.
"She is a witch!", she decided, "She has beguiled General Ji."
"It is time to let her know her standing."
If she could not use Qian FanSheng, Zhang XiuYa would still have to let Bai YuLan know her place.
The other young woman, upon seeing her, only lifted her eyebrows slightly, then she lowered her body in a proper curtsy.
"A quite elegant bowing posture," Princess Zhang XiuYa thought, much to her dismay.
From her last memory, Bai YuLan had changed a fair bit. Her face had blossomed into more of an adult, slightly sharper in feature.
She was wearing a cream-colored robe, draped with a thin over-sized grey cloak - the cloak looked way too large for her stature. It did not even look like a female's cloak.
The Princess did not think too much about this. After all, she had also found out that Bai YuLan was currently living with three other men, therefore the cloak could very much belong to one of them. Although that just cemented her disgust further.
Although HeShan and SunChen might be two established scholars whose conducts and status were recognized by the Emperor himself, the other man living with them was still a complete stranger. And regardless, a proper maiden must not degrade herself by wearing a man's attire.
"Such a crude shameless woman!"
And much to her irritation, Bai YuLan did not even wait to be allowed to straighten her posture. Right after curtsying, she stood straight, her gaze calmly settled on hers.
One of the maids stepped forward, wanting to reprimand her on the Princess' behalf, but the guards quickly stepped forward to stand between the maid and Bai YuLan.
As she saw their half-unsheathed swords, and the swaying Tiger jades on their belts, once again, the Princess was irritated.
"Miss Bai... glad to see you doing well," Zhang XiuYa muster the most elegant smile she could procure.
Bai YuLan nodded slightly, lowering her head and smiled in turn. There was only calmness in her tone,
"Likewise, Princess. This one is also glad to see Princess is healthy and well."
Despite Princess Zhang XiuYa still sitting in her horse-drawn carriage, and that YuLan was below her in height, the latter did not look humbled at all - her posture was still straight and unyielding.
"Miss Bai. This Princess does not want to waste her precious time," Zhang XiuYa was bitter at the reminder that no matter what she had done, she could never compare to this woman - this hateful woman that was always in General Ji's line of sight.
Looking at Bai YuLan, Zhang XiuYa was prettier.
Looking at Bai YuLan, Zhang XiuYa should have been more enticing.
Looking at Bai YuLan, Zhang XiuYa had a higher standing, was a Princess of the Imperial Family, was highly educated, and literate in the four-arts. She was coveted by many.
Anything that a man could want. Everything that a man should want.
Why wouldn't she compare to one Bai YuLan? Why couldn't she?
Why did she feel inadequate, despite sitting and standing above Bai YuLan?
"Miss Bai, this Princess is a second-ranked Gongzhu, bestowed by His Majesty the Emperor himself."
YOU ARE READING
One Lifetime Is Never Enough
Historical FictionShe thought she was going to die. She did. But the next time she opened her eyes , she found out that she was living a whole new life, as a little girl who was going to enter a noble household as a maid. However, a true pearl can never hide its lus...
1.88 What This Princess Wants...
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