Flower-Viewing Banquet 2

The Sun Residence had invited many ladies and young misses to today's flower-viewing banquet. By the time Yan Wanning's carriage arrived, many carriages of varying splendor were already parked outside the residence. The ladies and young misses from the various households who had alighted from their carriages all turned their eyes toward the carriage bearing the Prince of Anbei's residence's insignia.

When Yan Wanning stepped down from the carriage with Xiao He's hand supporting her, she naturally became the focus of everyone's attention.

Though startled inwardly, she remained perfectly composed. The others came to their senses and hurriedly bowed to her.

"Your Highness, we pay our respects, Princess Consort."

"Rise." Yan Wanning entered the Sun Residence with graceful, lotus-like steps. The maid in charge of receiving guests hurried over and respectfully ushered her inside. Upon receiving word, Madam Sun also rushed out to welcome her, not daring to slight her.

She truly had not expected the Princess Consort of Anbei to attend the banquet, which was why she had not arranged a better welcome.

"I have failed to receive the Princess Consort properly. Please forgive me," Madam Sun said, dipping into a curtsy.

"You are too severe, Madam Sun. It is only natural that you should be busy with affairs in the residence. Rather, my sudden visit must have startled you."

Hearing her speak so softly, Madam Sun relaxed somewhat. As she rose, she happened to catch a glimpse of Yan Wanning's fair, delicate, and exceptionally lovely lotus-like face, and was even more astonished. That fleeting glimpse just now had been stunning enough; she had not expected that seeing her face-on would be more breathtaking still.

In all the Northern Borderlands, who could find anyone more beautiful than the Princess Consort of Anbei?

She had a graceful figure and dignified manners. As expected of a young lady from a great family in the Capital, she was not someone just anyone could compare with.

"Thank you for your understanding, Princess Consort." Madam Sun wore a smile that was just right. "Please follow me, Princess Consort."

Only after the two had gone some distance did the murmured conversations begin.

"Did you see her? The Princess Consort of Anbei is truly as beautiful as a heavenly immortal. How does she take care of that fair, tender skin? I'm dying of envy."

"A young miss from a great family in the Capital really does have such an air of nobility that people can't help but submit to her."

"Who was it that spread rumors in private that the Princess Consort was ugly? With looks like a heavenly immortal's, if the Princess Consort is ugly, wouldn't everyone here be even too ugly for words..."

"..."

"..."

The Sun Residence's banquet was being held in a rear garden. Madam Sun led Yan Wanning to the seat of honor. The ladies and young misses already in the garden wondered why Madam Sun treated Yan Wanning so respectfully, and then heard her say, "Everyone, this is the Princess Consort of Anbei."

Everyone was inwardly startled, but they rose and curtsied. "Your Highness, we pay our respects, Princess Consort."

"Please sit, everyone. There is no need for formalities," Yan Wanning said with a smile.

The ladies and young misses sat down and truly dispensed with the formalities. Having only just arrived and knowing no one, Yan Wanning sat alone with proper posture in the seat of honor, eating pastries and drinking tea.

Seeing this, Madam Sun hurriedly summoned the Sun family's eldest daughter, Sun Yueling, and had her lead Yan Wanning to the pavilion where the young misses from the various households were amusing themselves.

Sun Yueling was sixteen years old and wore a light purple embroidered jacket with a pinkish-purple skirt. She was pretty, and she curtsied to Yan Wanning. "Please follow me, Princess Consort."

Yan Wanning was truly bored, so she followed her away. The young misses in the pavilion were playing the Flying Flower Poetry Game, and they all fell quiet when they saw Yan Wanning beside Sun Yueling.

A few of them whispered to one another, "We were having such a good time, and she had to come and kill the mood."

The voices were neither loud nor soft, just enough to be heard. Everyone looked at one another, but when they saw who had spoken, they understood. No wonder she was so bold—it was Gu Shuang of the Gu Residence.

General Gu and Prince Anbei had a friendship forged through life and death; the two were the closest of friends. As General Gu's own younger sister, Gu Shuang was naturally more unrestrained.

Sun Yueling silently cursed Gu Shuang for making trouble. Seeing that Yan Wanning's expression was unchanged, she breathed a small sigh of relief and hurriedly smoothed things over. "We're playing the Flying Flower Poetry Game. Would the Princess Consort be interested in joining us?"

"No..." Yan Wanning was about to refuse when the same voice interrupted her. "Does the Princess Consort want to refuse because you look down on us?"

Those words made Yan Wanning frown, and she finally looked directly at the speaker. Xiao He had just quietly told her who Gu Shuang was, but she truly did not know how she had offended her for Gu Shuang to pick a fight with her the moment she arrived.

"Since you've put it that way, Miss Gu, I would be in the wrong to refuse."

As soon as she finished speaking, Yan Wanning took a seat. She understood the rules: they simply had to recite a line of poetry containing a flower, and anyone who could not answer would be punished with a cup of wine.

"In that case, how about I compete with the Princess Consort?" Gu Shuang sat down opposite her and spoke in a provocative tone.

Yan Wanning nodded. She had no objection.

"Then I'll begin." Gu Shuang paused, then said, "When will the spring flowers and autumn moon end? How much of the past is known?"

Yan Wanning spoke calmly. "As if a spring breeze came overnight, pear blossoms bloomed on thousands upon thousands of trees."

"Fallen petals are not heartless things; turned to spring mud, they protect the flowers still."