Beauty Zhou’s eyes were slightly lowered, and her fingers nervously tugged at the corner of her peach-pink gown; they had clashed colors.
Noble Lady Ying wore light yellow, Han Cairen wore green, and Lady Li, sitting in the main seat, immediately looked towards Beauty Zhou, who wore a gown similar in color to hers.
Lady Li held a round fan in her hand, and as she gently waved it, a saying popped into her mind: "It’s not the clash of outfits that matters, it’s who looks ugly that’s awkward."
She was a beauty, lively and charming, but she wasn’t lacking either—she certainly wasn’t the awkward one.
Yes, definitely not.
"Greetings to Lady Li." Beauty Zhou gritted her teeth, somewhat awkwardly rising to greet alongside Noble Lady Ying and Han Cairen.
"What are you sisters doing? Please sit," Lady Li said unflustered, with ease: "Hua Yin, serve the tea."
The three sat down again.
Lady Li’s smiling gaze swept across their faces.
She had just seen Noble Lady Ying last night in the Imperial Garden, and her fragrance was intense and her voice coquettish. Beauty Zhou should be the one clashing outfits with her, since she was sitting at her right-hand side in the first seat.
Next to Beauty Zhou sat Han Cairen, who wore a low-key green gown with only a simple jade hairpin as decoration.
On the way over, Feng Yin had already briefed her on the situation with these three.
Beauty Zhou was known as the top beauty and talented woman of Jiang City, the treasured pearl of Jiangzhou Governor Zhou Hong. When Beauty Zhou first entered the palace, she was just a Noble, but since the Empress Dowager was once unwell and Beauty Zhou had seen such a situation in her maiden home and treated the Empress Dowager successfully using methods from Jiang City, she was promoted in rank.
She lived with Han Cairen in Zilan Pavilion.
Han Cairen was the youngest daughter of Academician Han from the Hanlin Academy, known for her indifferent temperament and extraordinary talent. Since she lived with Beauty Zhou, they became closer, though she usually stayed in her own pavilion and seldom came out.
"We heard that Lady Li caught a cold, so we sisters came especially to check on you," Noble Lady Ying said in a sweetly coquettish tone.
Lady Li smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, sisters."
If she remembered correctly, Yan Xiu had ordered that no one was to disturb her, so how did they manage to come so early? Could it be they heard about Yan Xiu finishing the early court meeting and planning to visit her?
Just as she thought of this, the voice of the eunuch Little Xianzi came from outside: "Mistress, the Emperor’s Dragon Carriage is heading towards Luaxin Pavilion."
Little Xianzi intentionally announced this to remind the ones inside that the Emperor was coming, so they should go back to where they belonged.
Hearing that the Emperor was coming, Lady Li immediately thought of good food and quickly urged Hua Yin, "The Emperor must not have eaten yet. Hua Yin, go and order the meal to be served. Ah yes, send more of that porridge I drank last time; the Emperor also loves it."
Beauty Zhou’s eyes lit up on hearing this.
What porridge does the Emperor love?
Impatient by nature, Noble Lady Ying immediately asked, "Lady Li, what porridge does the Emperor love? Next time when the Emperor goes to Yunmo Pavilion for a meal, it is good for me to prepare it for him too."
Beauty Zhou lifted a handkerchief, hiding a mocking smile.
The Emperor having a meal at Yunmo Pavilion? What a bold thought! Since his ascension, when had the Emperor ever set foot in Yunmo Pavilion?
"Yes, Mistress, I will go order the meal, but..." Hua Yin quietly looked toward Beauty Zhou and the others, who remained seated without any intention of leaving, and she used her gaze to ask Lady Li.
Lady Li lightly laughed: "Since Noble Lady Ying wants to know, why not stay and dine together?"