A group of noble ladies gathered around to watch the match while the Ninth Princess and Fan Jiao Jiao watched with gusto as they leaned on the back of Yu Xiang's wheelchair.
Since Yu Miao Qi is also excel at playing klotski[1], she hastily squeezed in and just as she reached the edge of the table, she saw Yu Xiang had already moved the piece representing 'Cao Cao[2]' to the bottom frame and successfully escaped.
Tossing out a hundred taels of silver, Min Lan spoke through her gritted teeth, "This round does not count, go on!"
"Fine, if it does not count then it doesn't count." Yu Xiang chuckled lightly. Practically without much thought, clattered sound of pieces being moved down once they were put in place and no matter how Min Lan encircled or intercepted, she always escaped within ten moves and it merely took a quarter of an hour to complete a dozen games in rows. The banknotes piled by the side of her hand were so thick that a silver ingot was even used to weigh the piles down lest being blown away by the wind.
Defeated, Min Lan's eyes reddened and realizing that all her banknotes were gone, she pulled out the hairpin on her head, wanting to continue but was held down unwaveringly by her two sisters. Those other noble ladies covered their mouths one after another and lightly laughed.
Yu Miao Qi, however, could not laugh. She found out suddenly that Yu Xiang is not as simple as she thought. With her vicious mouth and unrestrained temperament, she can risk everything and is able to lay down her prestige. What's more she is extremely bright which makes her simply too difficult to deal with.
Seeing Min Lan staring at her ferociously, Yu Xiang raised her hand and tossed the banknotes out as she snickered, "I've said that I don't want to play with you. Every time you lose, you'll look like an anxious rabbit. Here, take it. I'm not short of your silver ..."
Old Madam's cough and also the chuckle of the Crown Princess with the words 'it's okay' resounded from the main hall next door, having no choice, Yu Xiang had to swallow her unfinished words.
Min Song flattened the banknotes and stuffed them back into her hand before dragging Min Lan away with Min Zhi. Yu Miao Qi truly admired Yu Xiang at this moment. Knowing perfectly well that the Crown Princess is just next door, she still dares to treat the three Min sisters in such a way, her temper is more perverse than hearsay.
**********
As per the Emperor's decree, the hundred-day banquet of the two little imperial grandchildren will be celebrated grandly in the Imperial Palace and due to the indisposed of the Crown Princess, the full-moon banquet is nothing more than just a gesture. Sure enough, the Crown Princess only invited several sisters-in-law, her maiden family and a few exceedingly acquainted families. While the noble women were entertained by herself, the noble ladies were handed over to the three Min sisters.
The three Min sisters did not return until the commencement of the banquet when they called everyone to take their seats for the feast. Seeing all the noble ladies intentionally avoid the Ninth Princess and Yu Xiang, Yu Miao Qi did not go over to invite a snub too. She just sat next to a noble lady whom she had just met.
Yu Xiang's party of three took up one large round table of twelve and dozens of dishes without feeling awkward, instead they were inured to it. Pouring their own wine and picking up the chopsticks, they started to eat. Shooting a glance at them, Min Lan's expression was somewhat strange.
When the banquet was almost over, Fan Jiao Jiao suddenly bellowed, "Where's the wine? Why is my wine gone? Give me another jug! No, a jar!" As she said that, she stood up with an empty wine jug and knocked it noisily with a chopstick.
Leaning on Fan Jiao Jiao's shoulder limply, the Ninth Princess slowly slid to the ground and snored once she stood up.
Only Yu Xiang was reclining in her wheelchair with one hand propping her cheek up while the other swinging the horsewhip. Her big round feline eyes were glistening bright as she stared at Fan Jiao Jiao with interest. Her flushed cheeks were more delicately charming than the red rouge and the small cherry-like mouth opened slightly as the tip of her pink tongue licked her pearly white teeth seemingly thirsty. The indolent posture of hers held countless flirtatious expressions that one would not help but get intoxicated after just a glance.
Hearing the noises, everyone turned their head to look. Some were surprised and some snickered while others were concerned ... Turning greenish to pale, Min Lan's complexion was extremely hideous. She wanted Yu Xiang making a big fool of herself while the Ninth Princess and Fan Jiao Jiao were merely incidental for who should she be afraid of as she is about to become the Crown Prince's Zhengfei[3] anyway?
At this moment, the Ninth Princess and Fan Jiao Jiao did make a fool of themselves but Yu Xiang was still alright, she neither lost consciousness nor did she shout at the top of her voice. Merely tipsy and half awake, yet her little appearance was out of this world instead.
Min Song glared fiercely at her younger sister. The Crown Princess came in when Min Song was about to get up to take care of the Ninth Princess, who instructed Song Momo to carry and let the Ninth Princess sleep peacefully in her bedroom. She then pushed Fan Jiao Jiao into a chair, snatched the wine jug Fan Jiao Jiao was holding and took a slight sniff. Sighing, she smiled, "It's nevertheless the servant's mistake to have served the green fruit brew instead of the green fruit wine. No wonder they are so drunk."
The green fruit brew is the fruit wine that's kept and fermented in a special cask for more than forty years which has no fruity freshness but is much smoother and mellower. Refreshingly tasty and acidicly sweet to the taste yet its after-effect is downright strong, as it's also known as 'belly burn' which is a famous hard liquor of the Great Han. A grown man only needs half a jug to be dead drunk. One could imagine its potency after these three young girls had shared a jug together.
There weren't any mistakes for other tables but merely her daughter's, would the servants of the Crown Prince's residence be so careless to this point? Fan Jiao Jiao's mother gave a thoughtful glance at Min Lan. Shaking her head inwardly, the Crown Princess excluded Min Lan from the succession list. She originally thought Min Lan would be the easiest to control but if her envious intent is unyielding to this extent, she nevertheless could not be chosen, lest she evoke the disgust of the Crown Prince and implicate her two precious babies.
Min Zhi felt somewhat grateful and couldn't help feeling delighted. Min Song, however, broke out in a cold sweat. She still wants to have children of her own in this lifetime and even if she can sit on the phoenix throne some day, she does not want to get ensnared in her eldest sister's plan.
Old Madam lovingly stroked her granddaughter's burning cheeks and laughed, "Truly has incurred laughter for the Crown Princess niang-niang[1]. Since the banquet is over and Niang-niang's is also unwell, this subject will leave first with my granddaughters to avoid more unsightly scenes."
Fan Jiao Jiao's mother hurriedly concurred too.
As the Crown Princess was unable to hold up much longer, she did not persuade them to stay and sent an oral message to Commander Yu who was in the front courtyard.
While at the Crown Prince's feast, the existence of both Yu Pin Yan and Shen Yuan Qi were unwelcomed yet there was a slight difference as Yu Pin Yan was dreaded due to his cold temperament while Shen Yuan Qi was despised owing to his lowly origins. After receiving the oral message from the Crown Princess, Yu Pin Yan immediately got up and took his leave from the Crown Prince. Shen Yuan Qi also excused himself, saying he was going the same way as Commander Yu.
The Crown Prince did not force them to stay and let someone escort them out. When Yu Pin Yan strode towards the inner gate, Shen Yuan Qi followed closely behind. Due to the misgiving that this person will be his brother-in-law, Yu Pin Yan did not shoo him away but ignored him completely.
As soon as they stepped out of the front courtyard, they saw Old Madam bent over slightly talking to her granddaughter in the wheelchair. With her big apricot round eyes opened, the black bright pupils of Yu Xiang glistened seemingly immersed in the clear spring water. No matter what Old Madam said, she merely nodded her head slowly while her small mouth would blabber and grinned foolishly.
Once Shen Yuan Qi saw her dazed little look, his heart softened into a complete mess that his paces unconsciously quickened and eventually walked ahead of Commander Yu.
Hearing the footsteps, Old Madam stopped teasing her granddaughter and turned her head to look when the eagerly handsome face of the top scholar came into her sight. This person is Xiang'er 's Di elder brother whom Old Madam knew very well so she couldn't help but raise a little wariness.
Fortunately, Shen Yuan Qi regained his sanity in time and stopped abruptly to greet Old Madam before glancing indifferently at Yu Miao Qi, who stiffened on the spot like struck by the thunderbolt.
A slight mockery clearly revealed in Old Madam's expression when she noticed the abnormality of Yu Miao Qi. Without sending anyone to investigate, she knew that all the rumors about the top scholar must have been spread out by Yu Miao Qi with the goal of ruining his official career and to drive him out of the Capital. She was after all brought up in a humble family with simplistic knowledge, thus would never have expected the reason why the Emperor would place such importance in this top scholar, not only because of his talents but also due to his background.
In the future, just wonder how Yu Miao Qi will feel when this top scholar rises steadily up the hierarchy rank? As Buddha had said, foolish people will change the fact for their peace of mind while wise people will change their mindset to assimilate the fact and this Yu Miao Qi is truly a hopeless fool. Old Madam sighed secretly.
Yu Miao Qi did not expect to see Shen Yuan Qi at the full moon banquet of the imperial grandchildren as she thought he should be in a downtrodden plight now and will soon be transported to a distant place for penal servitude by the Emperor where he will never be able to advance in this lifetime. So, how can such a small official of fifth rank like him qualify?
With a tumultuous and clueless mind, Yu Miao Qi unconsciously took a few steps back to hide behind Old Madam and Ma Momo. Shen Yuan Qi, however, did not even bother to glance at her but merely stared fixedly at the younger sister who was smiling fatuously at him as boundless affections surged up within his heart.
This is his only family member left in the world. Moreover, Yu Xiang is someone magnanimously candid and uninhibitedly easy-going that in Shen Yuan Qi's eyes, she is truly wonderful in every way and evoked his dotingness. Furthermore, with the pretentious and sinisterly vicious Yu Miao Qi here serving as a contrast, his love for his younger sister became more profound that he wished he could take her home immediately and stowed her away.
Holding back his excitement, he asked, "Xiang ... What's wrong with Miss Yu?"
"The servant has mistakenly served the green fruit brew as green fruit wine and this little girl accidentally drank too much, thus is muddle-headed now." Old Madam laughed helplessly and couldn't help to reach out and poke her granddaughter's tender soft cheek.
Yu Xiang blinked and looked at her with her big dewy eyes then smiled fatuously. Her innocent and adorable look made Shen Yuan Qi covetous and unconsciously take another step closer but was flicked away by Yu Pin Yan's sleeve. The buoyant yet cold eyes instantly made him regain his sense of reason.
Walking up to his younger sister, Yu Pin Yan reached out to pinch the tip of her nose.
Yu Xiang's unfocused eyes suddenly shone brightly as she threw herself into the youth's arms and called out delicately, "Elder Brother, piggy me back. I want to go home."
Old Madam laughed and sighed, "You don't recognize anyone when you're drunk yet only aware of your Elder Brother, such a heartless little one."
Laughing cheerfully, Yu Pin Yan replied, "She will be heartless if she can't even recognize me." Once those words faltered, he placed the little girl on his back and strode away.
Burying her burning little face in the nest of her Elder Brother's neck, Yu Xiand sensed his trembling and giggled. Her small hand slapped his forehead as she shouted, "Gallop away."
Not only did Yu Pin Yan took no offense being ridden as a horse, the doting expression on his face instead became more zealous as he patted the tender buttocks of the little girl without a trace. While exchanging pleasantries with Old Madam, Shen Yuan Qi stared at the 'siblings' in front of him, feeling aggrieved and utterly upset.
Yu Miao Qi felt ten million times more upset than him. Her once close sibling has become her deadly enemy while the family members whom she has now acknowledged are indifferent and hostile to her but spoiled and pampered a bastard. Although she has returned to the powerful and influential Marquis manor, she, however, seems to have nothing in the world.
[1] 娘娘 (Niáng-niáng) - an honorific address that generally used for royalty and noble women such as queens, imperial concubines, princesses and also for goddesses.