Chapter 40: Yunji's Request

  Chu Yuening's smile faltered, and she cast a cautious sideways glance at Chu Xiangyang's reaction, "Third sister..."

  Chu Nanyang smiled at her and walked up to greet her, "Is the Sixth Princess also here to admire the flowers? Why didn't you bring anyone with you? The imperial grandmother's garden is quite large, if you get lost and miss the noon banquet it won't be good."

  Tuoba Yunji will appear alone, it must be intentional.

  "The princess is right!" Taobao Yunji smiled faintly, but her face showed no embarrassment at all. She glanced around and said, "If the two princesses don't mind, may I walk with you?"

  Chu Yuening's frown, secretly pinched Chu Jiongyang's finger.

  This woman is absolutely up to something.

  Tuoba Yunji's expression was natural and calm, without any signs of abnormality.

  Chu Youyang smiled and looked at her, then said to Chu Yuening after a moment, "Today the Empress Dowager also entered the palace, Fourth Sister hasn't gone to pay respects to your maternal grandmother yet, go first!"

  Madam Yao is the second daughter of the Minister of Rites, Yao Qian. The minister's wife was also very fond of her granddaughter, Chu Yuening.

  Chu Yuening was on guard against Tuoba Yunji at this time and said with concern, "Let's go together later, Third Sister and I!"

  Chu Youyang glanced at Tuoba Yunji, seeing that she didn't intend to back down, so he pulled Chu Yuening's hand and said, "I'll find you in the Hundred Flowers Garden later!"

  Chu Yuening had always known that Chu Youyang's mind was made up, and after hesitating for a moment, he nodded somewhat uneasily and said, "Alright then!"

  Before leaving, she specially reminded her: "Third sister, you go over there earlier, I'll see grandma and wait for you at that table!"

  The formal banquet was held in the evening, while at noon Empress Dowager Ci Xi would separately entertain the ladies and young women of noble families with longevity noodles in the Garden of a Hundred Flowers.

  "Good!" Chu Nanyang nodded.

  Chu Yuening still looked at Tuoba Yunji with a worried expression, then supported the maid's hand and slowly left in a distracted manner.

  After seeing off Chu Yuening, Chu Jiu Yang withdrew his gaze and looked at Tuoba Yunji, saying, "Since the Sixth Princess has such a refined interest, then please do so!"

  Tuoba Yunji nodded slightly in a friendly manner, and the two of them continued walking deeper into the garden.

  Even on an occasion like today, the ordinary ladies of the Shoukang Palace cannot enter, and those who are qualified to come in and pay their respects are all concentrated in the front hall to curry favor with Empress Dowager Cixi, so it is actually quite quiet here.

  Fresh flowers blooming around two women, carefree and beautiful. Looking around, it's as if being in a painting.

  After taking two steps, Chu Xiangyang suddenly spoke without looking at her, "Your Highness has come all the way to find me, it shouldn't be just for admiring flowers, right? I don't like beating around the bush, if you have something to say, just say it!"

  Tuoba Yunji was not surprised at all by her straightforwardness, and upon hearing this, she felt a slight relief in her heart. She glanced around and pointed to a pavilion not far away, "The sun is a bit strong here, if the county master doesn't mind, why don't we go sit in that pavilion over there?"

  Chu Youyang looked in the direction her fingers were pointing and nodded: "Good!"

  The pavilion's location is open and spacious, making it difficult to hide people.

  "Princess——" The two of them entered the pavilion one after another. Just as Tuoba Yunji was about to speak, a maid from afar called out, "The princess was actually here, it's good that I found you!"

  The newcomer was a maid beside Tuoba Yunji. She had seen Chuxu Yang at the palace gate before.

  The maid quickly walked over and apologized, "It was this slave's momentary negligence, taking a wrong turn, almost losing the master, please forgive me, princess."

  What play are these two masters and servants singing?

  Tuoba Yunji just smiled and said, "I'm just taking a stroll, and I happened to run into the Marquis of Xunyang. Go call someone to bring over two cups of tea, I want to sit here for a while."

  "'This...'" The maid hesitated for a moment, her face showing difficulty.

  Tuoba Yunji turned to Chu Nanyang and said, "My maid is not familiar with the environment in the palace. Can you trouble the young lady to have a servant girl escort her over?"

  Chu Youyang smiled slightly, nodded in agreement and said to Qing Ting: "You go with her, today's temperature is high and it's a bit dry, let them send over some chrysanthemum tea, it's just the right thing for the occasion."

  "Yes, young mistress!" Qingteng knelt down and kowtowed, then directly went over to the maid and pulled her arm, saying "Let's go, I'll go with you!"

  The maid's eyes showed a few points of anxiety, and she wanted to shirk but was already pulled out of the pavilion by Qingteng in an instant.

  It wasn't until the two of them had walked far away that Chu Youyang finally looked at Tuoba Yunji with interest.

  Tuoba Yunque calmly met her gaze, not feeling embarrassed at all. She didn't explain anything about the maid's affairs and simply said: "Young Mistress, time is pressing, so I'll get straight to the point. Can you help me out?"

  Chu Sunyang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Not to mention why the Sixth Princess spoke out, but among the many talented people who entered the palace for the banquet today, how did you happen to find me?"

  "Others won't bother with this matter, forgive my impertinence, but it seems only you can help me." Taotao Yunji said, looking straight into her eyes, "I don't want to stay in Xiyue."

  "So?" Chu Youyang looked at her calmly, but was actually quite surprised by her straightforwardness.

  "The princess is clever and must have already understood the purpose of our trip. To be honest with you, my father's intention is indeed to form an alliance with your court through marriage, forever binding the good relations between Qin and Jin." Taobao Yunji said, getting up and walking to one corner of the pavilion, where her calm and composed expression gradually revealed a few hints of worry, "My fifth brother and eighth sister are both chosen by my father as candidates for marriage. At that time, my eighth sister will stay in Western Yue to get married, while my fifth brother will marry a noble lady and bring her back to the north as his princess consort. I am just an insignificant peripheral figure, with little actual use, so Princess ——"

  Tuoba Yunji said, and suddenly turned her head to look at Chu Sunyang, "Young Master, it won't bring you much trouble, just a simple matter of lifting your hand."

  "Why don't you want to stay?" Chu Youyang looked at her with interest, "As far as I know, foreign women who have seen the prosperity of the capital will not be willing to leave. Your status is not low, and your grandfather the emperor would not humiliate you by arranging a marriage."

  "But my fifth brother needs help." Taobao Yunji said, the smile at the corner of her lips was difficult to conceal with a hint of irony. "I'm staying behind, either to be sent to your East Palace as the concubine of the Crown Prince, or to reluctantly enter the South River King's mansion. But I've also heard something about the son of the South River King, his marriage won't be easily swayed. My fate is nothing but this!"

  "If the treasure of the King of Mobei is indeed being pressed on the body of the Eighth Princess, then... as you said, helping you would be a mere trifle. But if I help you, what benefits can I gain?"

  Digression

  Nothing to say today, overslept and got up with a dizzy head o（╯□╰）o