Chapter 16: Drowning
ss expression on her face, then stood up and stretched. “But loving a man is not as good as loving yourself well. I’m going back. I haven't slept enough these past few days, so I'd better go back to c..."Ge'er, you accompany the Empress first. I'll wait for you by that little bridge over there." Xiao Yufu finished speaking, bowing her body and retreating to the side.
The Empress merely glanced at her with a faint expression, saying nothing. Instead, she affectionately took Xiao Yuge's hand and led her towards the pavilion: "Yuge, you have a pure heart, and some things... one cannot judge by appearances alone. You need to keep your eyes open and be wary, lest certain people with ulterior motives take advantage of you..."
It so happens that the Empress and the Xiao family had a bit of familial connection. Otherwise, she wouldn't have arranged for her son to be betrothed to the Xiao family from a young age, nor would she have allowed him to freely move about in their household. Of course, she was also eyeing the Xiao family's influence in court.
This is a test.
Looking at the empress and Xiao Yuge's backs, Xiao Yufu unconsciously clenched her fist hidden in her sleeve, biting her lip. Tears of grievance once again swirled in her eyes. It was because she was a foster daughter that she couldn't marry the one she loved. Even attending this banquet was only possible because of Xiao Yuge. She was so unwilling.
"Well, well, if it isn't Miss Xiao, the young lady of the Xiao family What, are you feeling wronged" At that moment, Jiang Zhiyi, the flamboyant daughter of the Shangshu Mansion, sashayed over, twisting her waist: "It seems like pleasing only the Crown Prince wasn't enough, you also need to please the Empress Dowager. Your dimwitted younger sister isn't so foolish today, is she" As the niece of Concubine Shu, she was naturally adored and lived a life of luxury. She never looked down upon Xiao Yufu. Approaching her today clearly had ulterior motives.
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Xiao Yufu pursed her lips, not speaking. In fact, her face kept shifting between pale and flushed. She had carefully dressed up hoping to impress the Empress, but she hadn't expected Xiao Yuge to directly wear the dress bestowed by the Empress, instantly stealing her thunder. She even felt that Xiao Yuge was deliberately doing this.
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Jiang Zhiyi took in Xiao Yuge's expression, a knowing smile playing on her red lips. "Miss Xiao," she purred, "watching the man you love about to marry another woman must be quite unpleasant, wouldn't you say Or perhaps sharing a man with your own sister, and as a concubine at that, feels particularly unfair But I've never liked Xiao Yuge either. If Miss Xiao were willing to join forces with me, I wouldn't mind avenging you as well."
Xiao Yu Fu's face turned cold: "She is my sister. If you dare to hurt her, don't blame me..."
Before she could finish, Jiang Zhiyi interrupted her: "Tut tut, enough with this act. Don't you think that if Xiao Yuge disappeared, you wouldn't just be the only miss in the Prime Minister's mansion, but also nobody would compete for your heartthrob anymore Wouldn't that be a win-win"
Xiao Yufu glanced at Xiao Yuge, who was happily chatting with the Empress in the pavilion. She coldly said, "She will always be my sister and forever the second Miss of the Xiao family. I absolutely won't allow anyone to harm her!" After saying that, she took her maid and walked away.
Jiang Zhiyi curled her lips and sneered, "You sound so convincing. We'll see! You just managed to escape a catastrophe earlier, but let's hope you have the same luck today!"
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Xiao Yufu heard this, her figure stiffened abruptly: "You mean, the honey just now was yours..."
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"I'm not that stupid to use poison or honey. Hmph! Naive! But I've long looked down on you all, so anyone who goes against you is my friend. Humph! With just your status as a foster daughter, you think you can get the Crown Prince's attention And that fool Xiao Yuge, besides being the legitimate daughter of the Minister's family, she's utterly useless, and yet she wants to be the future crown princess. It's laughable!"
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Xiao Yu Fu noticed that there weren't many people passing by, so she felt less restrained and sneered: "Even if we are nothing, the Crown Prince is still going to marry us. Miss Jiang thinks so highly of herself, but the Crown Prince just doesn't look at her. Isn't it infuriating!"
"Xiao Yu Fu!" Jiang Zhiyi was so angry her face turned red, baring her teeth like she wanted to eat Xiao Yu Fu alive: "You wretched woman! Don't get too cocky, one day I will make you all pay!"
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"Then let's wait until that day to talk!" Xiao Yu Fu dropped those words, turned around and left. Talking to someone so mindless was boring, she thought.
She strolled all the way to the small bridge and languidly leaned against the railing, gazing blankly into the distance. It seemed that even the vast expanse of lotuses before her couldn't capture her attention. Her slightly furrowed brow hinted at her contemplation, and one couldn't tell what was on her mind. Occasionally, she would raise her eyes, meeting someone's gaze only to offer a polite smile.
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She didn't know if it was intentional or unintentional, she subconsciously kicked the railing, but found that one of the railings seemed to be a little loose. She just glanced at it thoughtfully, then pretended nothing had happened and walked aside, looking at the water lilies under the water in a daze, as if thinking about something.
"Miss Xiao, what a coincidence! To think we'd run into each other again in this vast lotus garden. Seeing your gloomy face just makes me feel annoyed!" A haughty voice came from beside her, it was Ning Hua speaking.
Xiao Yufu slightly frowned, pursed her lips, and didn't answer. She turned to leave.
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“Xiao Yu Fu, what do you mean At least I’m a county princess. You’re just an adopted daughter of the prime minister’s mansion. How dare you be so disrespectful to me, a county princess You’re so bold!” Ning Hua was furious when she saw that Xiao Yu Fu didn’t take her seriously.
"Didn't the county princess say she was unlucky to see me Then shouldn't I leave If the county princess is truly bored, there are many noble ladies over there. You could go find them instead of coming before me, a foster daughter, to seek a sense of existence. I wonder what the county princess is thinking" Xiao Yufu didn't have the weakness she appeared to have on the surface.
“A wild girl who appeared out of nowhere actually dared to speak to this county mistress like this. Come here! Give this county mistress a slap!” Ning Hua was also momentarily enraged. From childhood to adulthood, no one had ever dared to contradict her so boldly. She had suffered humiliation from Xiao Yuge and wanted to get it back from Xiao Yu Fu, who looked like a pushover, but she didn't expect that Xiao Yu Fu was not easy to bully either.
"This is the Empress's banquet, you dare!" No one around seemed to notice, and Xiao Yufu also hardened her heart. Even the maidservant who was about to step forward was frightened by her gaze.
"I dare!" Ning Hua's anger surged, she went up personally and slapped Xiao Yu Fu's face.
... and Xiao Yufu instinctively dodged to the side.
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Ninghua swung her arms in the air, but lost her balance and slammed into the railing. With a crack, the railing snapped, sending her sprawling backward. She screamed as she plummeted down, landing with a splash in the lotus pond below!
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"Help! Save me..." She panicked, being unable to swim, thrashing about in the water and swallowing several mouthfuls of water as soon as she opened her mouth.th my own eyes..."Xiao Yu Ge remained silent, merely gazing at him. Suddenly, she felt that the old man before her wasn't as carefree as he seemed on the surface. Perhaps it was his persistence toward...