I Laugh at Others for Failing to See Through It

Bai Mo found the Fifth Princess especially adorable and felt a little fond of her, but she was rather indifferent by nature, so her fondness remained superficial, with no intention of becoming close.

The young ladies of the various households arrived one after another. Princess Ping'an said, "Ladies, your presence at this flower gathering has brought radiance to my humble residence. Now that everyone is here, let us move to the garden. We have come to admire flowers, so flowers should naturally take center stage. Sitting here in the hall is rather dull."

"Yes." The young ladies followed Princess Ping'an and the princesses slowly toward the garden.

The garden pavilion was enormous, divided into eastern and western sides by flowerbeds. The male guests were dimly visible on the other side. The two sides were not very far apart, and by listening closely, one could even hear the men talking.

The young ladies hurriedly straightened their skirts and hair ornaments, all carrying themselves with impeccable courtesy and grace.

The Fifth Princess pulled Bai Mo down to sit beside her, and the two drank wine and sampled pastries together.

"Sister Bai, try this. It's delicious. It's called peach blossom thousand-layer cake, and it was made by a nun my cousin brought back from Mingzhao Commandery. I've already eaten a big serving today." The Fifth Princess handed Bai Mo a delicate pastry.

"A nun made it?" Bai Mo asked curiously.

Without standing on ceremony, she accepted it. A strong peach blossom flavor spread through her mouth, and its dense, sticky texture was sweet and fragrant.

"Delicious." Bai Mo nodded in agreement.

"Exactly, a nun. This pastry came from a nunnery, but I don't know the details."

The Fifth Princess felt that Bai Mo was indeed a kindred spirit and grew even happier.

Bai Mo nodded without much concern and continued savoring the pastry.

Everyone chatted among themselves. Groups of three or five friends sat together, while others moved about socializing.

Bai Yuanshuang sat behind the Third Princess and Princess Ping'an, speaking to them frequently. The three glanced at Bai Mo from time to time, and the Third Princess made no effort to conceal the malice in her eyes. Even the Fifth Princess noticed it.

Though the Fifth Princess was innocent and naive, she had been born in the depths of the palace and raised well by the imperial consort from a young age. She was very clever.

Of all her sisters, she disliked the Third Princess most. She was dark and calculating, and like her father, she enjoyed playing petty tricks behind people's backs. Though the Fifth Princess did not know what grudge she held against Bai Mo, she still quietly warned her, "Sister Bai, do you have a grudge with my third sister? I feel like she really dislikes you. You should be careful."

Bai Mo sensed the young girl's kindness, and her heart softened a little.

"Your Highness, there's no need to worry. I'll tell you a secret: the Third Princess and Princess Ping'an both admire the man I love. You know what love rivals are, right?"

The Fifth Princess was visibly startled, but quickly nodded. "I know what love rivals are! Like my father and Consort Shu and Consort De, right? I often see the same look in their eyes as the one my third sister has."

Bai Mo: "..."

Is this little nobody really allowed to hear about the imperial family's affairs??

"Sister Bai, who is the man you love?"

Seeing the look on Bai Mo's face, as though she dared not say more, the Fifth Princess realized she had said the wrong thing again. She stuck out her tongue and hurriedly changed the subject.

Bai Mo did not mind at all. "I'm in love with Young Master Qingya."

"Ah? Sister Bai, you're amazing! Young Master Qingya is so handsome. I like him too."

Bai Mo: "..."

Can this conversation even continue??

"If you don't like him, we can still be friends."

The Fifth Princess hastily covered her mouth and nodded. "I understand," she said softly. "I don't like him anymore. You're prettier, Sister Bai, so I'll just like you instead."

Bai Mo was left in disarray in the wind...

After about half an hour of lively conversation, Princess Ping'an, as the organizer of the flower-viewing poetry gathering, rose to announce the main event: a poetry competition!

"The theme this time is flowers. I ask each of you to compose an impromptu poem on that theme."

"No contest is complete without prizes. The winner will receive a luminous pearl from the East Sea, second place a red coral ornament, and third place a set of dragon-fragrance jade ink. There are two of each prize, one for the men's side and one for the women's."

As soon as Princess Ping'an finished speaking, whispers rose from both sides.

"The princess is so generous! A single luminous pearl is worth a fortune, and she's offering two at once."

"Yes. I heard my mother mention that the red coral ornaments are rare treasures too. A vassal state presented a pair as tribute more than ten years ago, and the late emperor bestowed them on the grand imperial prince. I imagine they must be that pair of worldly treasures."

"Never mind the luminous pearls and red coral-even the dragon-fragrance jade ink reserved for imperial use is exceedingly precious and hard to come by, even for a thousand gold."

Everyone rubbed their hands, eager to try.

Princess Ping'an waved a hand, and the maids came forward. They cleared the wine and pastries from the tables and set out brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones for the young ladies.

Bai Mo had no interest in those prizes, whatever they were. Nor did she want to stand out. She had planned to slip away later and investigate Princess Ping'an's secrets.

Once the maids took away her food and drink, she immediately felt terribly bored.

She was just about to grease the soles of her feet and slip away when the Third Princess interrupted her.

"Where are you going, eldest Miss Bai? I heard from your younger sister that you took the academy examination two days ago. You must be overflowing with talent. I'm very much looking forward to your poem."

As soon as the Third Princess finished speaking, everyone looked at Bai Mo with mocking expressions. This beautiful airhead had gone to take the examination for the scholar's degree?

"Hahaha." Several even laughed aloud, looking at Bai Mo as though egging her on.

Bai Mo calmly drew her foot back.

Seeing Bai Mo bullied again, the Fifth Princess sprang to her feet without stopping to think and lavished praise on her. "Sister Bai is very capable! I'm sure she'll place high in the examination this time. I believe Sister Bai is full of literary talent. She'll write one, then—what's the big deal? Once Sister Bai writes her poem, she's sure to win the luminous pearl."

Bai Mo: "..."

You little brat, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were a spy they sent!!

Ah~

Bai Mo tugged at the Fifth Princess. Seeing how the young girl was standing up for her, she could not bear to make things difficult for her.

She swept back her sleeve and sat down, a smile on her lips, looking carefree and elegant.

"Then I'll just write something. As long as it has flowers and a theme, that's enough, right?"

Seeing that Bai Mo was going to write, Princess Ping'an nodded. "Any flower and any theme will do. We're only indulging in a bit of refinement, so be at ease."

Bai Mo raised a hand and lightly tapped the tabletop, her mind racing.

It would be a shame to waste this chance to clear my name when it's come right to my door...

After a moment's thought, she smoothed out the paper and picked up her brush.

In Peach Blossom Hollow stands Peach Blossom Hermitage; in Peach Blossom Hermitage lives the Peach Blossom Immortal.

The Peach Blossom Immortal planted peach trees, then plucked their blossoms to trade for wine.

Sober, I sat before the flowers; drunk, I came to sleep beneath them.

Half sober, half drunk, day after day; flowers fell and flowers bloomed, year after year.

I wished only to grow old and die among flowers and wine, not bow before carriages and horses.

The dust of carriages and hooves was the rich man's pleasure; cups of wine and flowering boughs were the poor man's lot.

Compare wealth and honor with poverty and lowliness: one lay on level ground, the other in the heavens.

Compare poverty and lowliness with carriages and horses: he must race about, while I had leisure.

Others laughed at me for being too mad; I laughed at them for failing to see through it.

Had they not seen the graves of Zhaoyang's heroes? Without flowers or wine, they had been plowed into fields.