How could they have known that Su Shangyi, who had seen Shen Zhiyi growing up under the watchful eye, had never seen Her Royal Highness wear such a joyful smile and a look of relief since she was a child.
It happened on the night of the Double Ninth Festival banquet when they returned from outside the palace.
As was her routine, Su Shangyi went from the Shangyi Bureau to Mingfeng Palace at dusk to visit the Eldest Princess.
Upon entering, the palace attendants informed her that the princess was inside.
So, she parted the bead curtain and was unexpectedly met with the sight of the princess seated in front of the makeup mirror, delicately reaching out to touch her own cheek.
Su Shangyi felt like she was in a dream.
All the servants in Mingfeng Palace knew that Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess disliked mirrors, except for grand occasions that required a dignified appearance. Sometimes, she wouldn't even want to look in the mirror. Her dress and appearance were determined by the eyes of the palace staff, and she cared little for it.
So, what was happening now?
Before Su Shangyi could recover from the shock and contemplate if something was amiss with Her Royal Highness, the Eldest Princess spotted her in the makeup mirror. The princess stood up, turned around, and embraced Su Shangyi with a smile on her face, saying, "Auntie, take a look at me!"
It was only then that Su Shangyi saw it clearly.
The Eldest Princess had changed her makeup. She gently traced the faint scar near her eye, a remnant from her childhood, with a cherry-pink hue. It looked like a falling cherry petal, enhancing her beauty while erasing the original mark left by the scar and adding a new vibrant touch.
But more importantly, it was the princess's demeanor.
Regardless of her past happiness, there used to be a hint of gloom in her expression. Yet today, it had vanished completely. Radiance emanated from her calm and fiery eyes.
In that moment, Su Shangyi couldn't contain the sudden surge of emotion in her heart and sincerely complimented, "It's so beautiful."
However, the Eldest Princess did not explain the reason behind her sudden change in demeanor.
Of course, Su Shangyi kept a watchful eye. When leaving Mingfeng Palace, she inquired with the palace attendants who had served the princess that day and learned that at the banquet in the Qingyuan uncle's mansion, the princess had encountered a very different person – Miss Jiang Xuening, the second daughter of Jiang Shilang's family.
At that time, she was just pleased that the princess had finally found a good friend.
She didn't have any ulterior motives.
But not long after, she saw the name of Miss Jiang Er on Her Royal Highness's reading list.
Although Su Shangyi didn't dare to presume that she treated Shen Zhiyi as her own, she genuinely cared for her. She wished for Her Royal Highness to stay with someone who could bring her happiness, so she extended her unprecedented kindness to Jiang Xuening. She aimed for a "harmonious and pleasant atmosphere," even though everyone around was left stunned. Su Shangyi only had eyes for Jiang Xuening.
Observing that Miss Jiang Er seemed to be in a daze and hadn't reacted, her brows furrowed almost subconsciously. Then she considered that she couldn't criticize her soon-to-be princess friend recklessly, so she reminded again, "Miss Jiang Er?"
Jiang Xuening snapped out of her daze and hastily replied, "Then, then thank you, Ms. Su Shangyi."
Su Shangyi nodded, glanced around the group once more, and declared, "Let's begin."
Initially, it was mentioned that the twelve people would be divided into three groups, but it was now clear that there were four groups: Xiao Shu, Chen Shuyi, Yao Xi formed one group; Fan Yilan, You Yue, Fang Miao, and Zhou Baoying formed another; Yao Rongrong joined three others unfamiliar to Jiang Xuening; and Jiang Xuening stood alone as a group.
The other three female officers instructed the first three groups.
Su Shangyi took charge of instructing Jiang Xuening alone.
The others were almost wide-eyed with surprise. Most of them had harbored some reservations about Jiang Xuening from the start. Why did she choose to be a study partner when she clearly didn't submit her name? It was evident that there were certain things unknown to outsiders, and she held a unique position among this group of study partners. Not only was the selection timing peculiar, but she also received special treatment when learning etiquette in the palace?
Su Shangyi, known for being strict, was seemingly partial to her!
Some people felt genuinely uneasy.
You Yue, the leader among them, had a bit of a grudge against Jiang Xuening. When she saw Su Shangyi approaching Jiang Xuening with a stern face, she thought that Jiang Xuening was in for trouble. But before she could relish this moment, Su Shangyi's attitude towards Jiang Xuening felt like a slap in the face. Before she could even wipe away her smile, resentment welled up within her.
In this moment, she almost gritted her teeth in frustration.
However, as everyone followed the female officer to learn etiquette, secretly observing the progress between Su Shangyi and Jiang Xuening, they noticed something: Jiang Xuening didn't seem to be very adept at it!
The Shangyi Bureau's female officer started by teaching the proper way to stand, emphasizing a specific posture.
Su Shangyi was explicit: "Keep your legs together, maintain a straight waist, avoid any bending in the back, lower your head slightly, tuck your chin in, fold your hands around your waist without truly pressing them together. Keep your elbows raised, ensure a consistent height from left to right, and no slouching."
Now, looking at Jiang Xuening…
When her legs were close together, her waist wasn't straight; her back was straight, but her neck was stiff. The way she overlapped her hands was incorrect, and the left and right arms shook like a wobbly tumbler, impossible to fix at the same height.
Never had they seen someone with such uncoordinated limbs!
Jiang Xuening remained composed, seemingly unfazed by her shortcomings.
Su Shangyi, known for her strictness, was a person who couldn't tolerate incompetence. She would readily reprimand anyone in the palace lacking decorum. She initially believed that someone who could gain the favor of the princess must possess a sharp mind.
And Jiang Xuening didn't seem foolish.
However, she behaved like a block of wood, utterly shameless. If corrected, she made the change, but if not, she could stand there for an extended period without recognizing what was wrong, showing no signs of embarrassment. Where was the apparent cleverness?
Su Shangyi's fingers around her waist tightened slightly, and her knuckles turned faintly white. She was on the brink of erupting.
But then she thought of Princess Leyang.
No.
It didn't matter.
Even if she was a bit slow to learn, it would just take more time to teach her.
Be patient. Be patient.
Repeatedly reminding herself of these words, Su Shangyi finally heaved a sigh, reined in her anger, maintained a slightly forced smile, and said to Jiang Xuening against her will, "It's alright, take your time. Miss Jiang Er is doing a bit better than before."
Jiang Xuening: "…"
Since when did your standards become so lenient, Su Shangyi?!
Others: "…"
This surely isn't the Su Shangyi we know!
Imposter!
Not only did she not take it seriously or work hard, but she deliberately acted as if she couldn't learn, creating an image of being incapable of Su Shangyi.
However, the plan didn't go as expected.
Jiang Xuening's ominous premonition from earlier became a reality. Even though Su Shangyi was the one teaching her this time, she was both kind and extremely patient. Rather than using the intimidating posture that says "you can't do it," Su Shangyi constantly encouraged her with eyes that conveyed, "you can do it, keep trying."
It was incredibly tricky.
Being looked at with those encouraging eyes triggered goosebumps all over Jiang Xuening's body, haunted by a psychological shadow from her previous life.
She was not okay.
No, stay calm.
She knew Su Shangyi's temper.
There might be other reasons for Su Shangyi's extraordinary patience, but everyone has their limits, and once crossed, even the most patient individuals can snap.
If acting clumsy and pretending to be a poor learner didn't work right away, she shouldn't give up.
Persistence is the key to success!
If Su Shangyi isn't getting angry now, it's probably because she hasn't pushed her hard enough, and she hasn't persisted long enough.
Jiang Xuening could sense that Su Shangyi was being patient, so she deliberately and inconspicuously lowered the arm she had raised just now. Seeing the corners of Su Shangyi's eyes twitch uncontrollably, Jiang Xuening put on a shy smile and murmured, "Thank you, Su Shangyi. I've been clumsy since I was a child and can't learn anything. I need your help…"
This was almost unbearable!
Su Shangyi almost couldn't contain herself. She wanted to scold Jiang Xuening not only for being clumsy but more importantly for being lazy!
However, she swallowed her words.
Think about the princess.
Think about the princess.
Perhaps she was pushing too hard. Jiang Xuening seemed a bit nervous, and she needed to calm down now. So, she said, "It's alright. You must be tired after practicing for so long. Take a break before continuing."
Others being strictly pointed out by other female officers: ? ? ? ? ! !
"Whoosh whoosh!"
The sound of sharp knives seemed to cut through the air.
Jiang Xuening felt like dozens of knives were suddenly by her side, aiming to pierce her through!
You see, other people are different from her.
Su Shangyi is the head of the Shangyi Bureau, and the other three female officers accompanying her are her subordinates. Now, being in the same room with Su Shangyi and learning court etiquette under her watchful eyes, who would dare to slack off?
Even if they had accepted bribes and needed to take care of someone, they wouldn't easily let their guard down now.
If accidentally caught by Su Shangyi, it would be a significant problem.
So, these female officials not only didn't slack off, but they were stricter than usual, wearing stern expressions, resembling the second, third, and fourth Su Shangyi!
But Su Shangyi herself…
She was seemingly going easy on them more than ever.
Then the situation others faced was entirely different from what they had imagined.
Originally, they thought that Jiang Xuening, falling into Su Shangyi's hands, with her clumsy movements, would undoubtedly be tortured to the point of inhumanity, while they could watch from the sidelines. However, the current scenario was that Jiang Xuening was relaxed beside Su Shangyi, showing no signs of distress. On the contrary, ordinary female officials, whom they believed were not too strict, were being scolded relentlessly!
If they couldn't learn, the female officer scolded them with a stern face.
Jiang Xuening couldn't learn, but Su Shangyi told her to sit down and rest!
For a moment, Jiang Xuening was in a bind. She had chosen to be a study partner without submitting her name, making her already special among the crowd, and now with this unique treatment in learning etiquette, sitting down would undoubtedly make her a thorn in everyone's eyes, a pain in their flesh, becoming everyone's "public enemy"!
However, the deed was done.
She realized that the more challenging the situation, the more she had to work hard to leave the palace. Otherwise, would she stay here and let others tear her apart?
There was no turning back.
Take offense as defense.
Jiang Xuening immediately put on a moved and pleasantly surprised expression, saying, "I've been tired for a long time. Su Shangyi is really considerate."
She then bit the bullet and sat down on the chair next to her, seemingly calm.
Yes, it was indeed a "butt."
Casual, without a trace of elegance.
Su Shangyi suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe, immediately forcing herself to look away. Silently chanting in her heart: Namo Amitabha, what you can't see is pure! Out of sight is pure! Since the princess sees something special in her, and I haven't discovered it yet, it must be my poor eyesight. Calm down and slowly discover her beauty!
After all, it had been more than half an hour since she first stood up. Jiang Xuening felt comfortable sitting down, but…
Her back felt a bit chillier.
Upon turning around and seeing that everyone's gaze was indeed on her, You Yue's face turned ashen, and she almost flared up.
Fang Miao was also looking at her.
Now standing behind Fan Yilan, looking at Jiang Xuening's seemingly comfortable posture and that luxurious chair, she almost cried out with envy. She wished she could go back in time by more than half an hour and berate herself.
Why change it!
The initial feeling was the best!
Jiang Xuening, the one with "potential," wonders why she can't muster the courage to persevere. Otherwise, she could be sitting there cooling off right now…
Fortunately, she didn't have to sit for too long.
After Su Shangyi adjusted her mentality, she invited Jiang Xuening to get up again and resume learning the rules.
However, what Su Shangyi never expected was that not only did Jiang Xuening not make any progress after resting for a while, but she seemed to be even worse than before! It was as if she was certain of Su Shangyi's patience and deliberately abandoned her ladylike demeanor, making it frustrating for anyone who observed.
Su Shangyi felt a wave of nausea overcoming her and struggled to maintain a smile on her lips. Despite her trembling voice, she encouraged Jiang Xuening, "It's okay, it's getting better. Miss Jiang Er, let's try it again."
Unbeknownst to them, Jiang Xuening's heart was trembling at this moment.
She truly wished to rush up, shake Su Shangyi, and implore her to be herself. However, she restrained herself.
Now it was a battle of endurance.
More than half of the other people's etiquette lessons had been completed. Su Shangyi and Jiang Xuening finally managed to learn how to "stand."
Su Shangyi was irritated, and Jiang Xuening was exhausted.
Even with Su Shangyi's kind treatment, it was a significant burden for Jiang Xuening to repeatedly perform the same clumsy action. She struggled to avoid accidentally doing it correctly and revealing her true capabilities.
During the second break, Jiang Xuening observed Su Shangyi's expression, estimating that her patience was nearing its limit. If she worked harder, Su Shangyi would likely reprimand her, giving her the opportunity to leave the palace and return home.
So, when she stood up for the third time, Jiang Xuening was full of hope.
Now, they began learning how to "walk."
She intended to continue her efforts, but unexpectedly, Shen Zhiyi, the eldest princess of Leyang, entered the room.
As everyone bowed down to salute with the announcement of "Her Royal Highness is here," Shen Zhiyi, adorned in a light blue palace dress, drew attention. The scar under the corner of her left eye, resembling falling cherry pink petals, added a captivating beauty to her appearance.
As she approached, Shen Zhiyi's eyes focused on Jiang Xuening.
Jiang Xuening felt a sudden chill.
However, Shen Zhiyi waved her hand, sat down, and addressed everyone, "You don't need to be too polite. This princess is here to observe; please continue."
The ladies returned to their positions to continue teaching others.
Su Shangyi resumed instructing Jiang Xuening.
At this point, Jiang Xuening didn't sense anything amiss. Though the arrival of Princess Leyang made her slightly uneasy, she was reassured as the princess merely glanced at her without any further actions.
Suppressing her anxiety, Jiang Xuening continued her act.
Su Shangyi began explaining, "When walking in the palace, don't glance around. The ideal step distance for a woman is one foot, equivalent to the length of a ruler placed under your feet…"
Taking a step forward, Jiang Xuening inadvertently heard a "snap." She hadn't paid attention and stepped on the ruler.
The ruler broke.
Su Shangyi felt a tightening sensation in her temple, and a continuous throbbing suggested it was about to snap.
But at that moment, Shen Zhiyi's voice chimed in.
Smiling, she looked at Jiang Xuening, stars twinkling in her eyes, and remarked to the maid beside her without turning her head, "Look at her, casually breaking things in the palace, yet not a trace of change in expression, so composed and calm…"
Others: "…"
Hold on, what's with this tone that doesn't blame at all and even carries a hint of admiration and fascination!
Jiang Xuening: "…"
Just pretend you didn't hear it; it doesn't matter. I can continue to work!
After hearing Shen Zhiyi's words, Su Shangyi witnessed firsthand how much the princess favored the girl in front of her. The initial anger instantly subsided, and she regained her composure. Requesting another ruler, Su Shangyi instructed Jiang Xuening, "Please take another step, Second Miss."
Jiang Xuening took another step.
This time, she didn't step on the ruler again, but the step was at most half a foot, appearing rather casual and far from the "one-foot" distance Su Shangyi initially emphasized.
Observing this, Shen Zhiyi sighed softly, cupped her face, and began to admire, "In ancient times, poets described beauties as delicate, mentioning 'weak willows supporting the wind' and 'lotus steps moving lightly.' It's not necessarily about being good-looking when taking small steps, but it's not necessarily unattractive either. Only after seeing Ning Ning did I realize that there are people in the world who take small steps and look incredibly charming…"
Others had no idea what was happening!
What is this expression, Your Highness the Princess?!
She clearly didn't heed Su Shangyi's words closely and seemed quite lax, so why did the princess praise her so much?!
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xuening's footing trembled before she could come to a halt, almost slipping and falling.
Shen Zhiyi clasped her palms together in front of her chest, smiling with crescent-like eyes filled with a soft and indulgent light. She said, "Look at her; even when she almost slipped and fell, she maintains a composed and calm expression. Do whatever you want!"
"…"
Moments ago, Jiang Xuening stood still in shock, her heart pounding and eyelids twitching when she heard this. She was taken off guard this time; her left foot tripped over her right foot, and she couldn't steady herself, instantly kneeling on the ground!
Fortunately, she supported herself with her palm in time, and it wasn't too painful.
Seeing this, Shen Zhiyi immediately rose from her seat and went directly to Jiang Xuening's side to help her up, wearing a distressed expression. She asked, "Why are you so careless? Did you hurt yourself from the fall?"
Jiang Xuening stood up with wobbly legs, as if half her life had passed. She trembled as she replied, "Your companion grew up in the countryside, never learning the palace rules. She's lazy and not very clever. If she can't grasp the etiquette, she fears she'll disgrace the great honor bestowed by the eldest princess. Staying here will cause the palace shame, and I ask the eldest princess to dismiss the companion from the palace. The companion knows her place and doesn't dare expect to accompany the princess in her studies."
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
Shen Zhiyi had already taken hold of her hand, displaying a natural intimacy.
"During the Double Ninth Banquet, you applied cherry blossom makeup for this princess. I liked it very much, and everyone in the palace followed suit after seeing it. I'm fond of you, and even if you struggle with palace etiquette, I don't mind. I will protect you. Moreover, you have no idea how much effort I put in to ensure your entry into the palace!"
Jiang Xuening's eyelids twitched again, feeling a familiar sense of unease welling up.
As expected, Shen Zhiyi donned a slightly aggrieved expression but leaned forward, appearing somewhat pitiful. Her words, however, resembled Yan Lin's solicitation for credit: "Initially, while Yan Lin recommended you to the list, I genuinely wished for you to enter the palace. However, selecting companions must adhere to the rules set by the Ministry of Rites, and those who didn't submit their names initially cannot become companions. This princess spent a considerable amount of time persuading those old men from the Ministry of Rites before they finally agreed! So, how about it? I treat you well. Are you happy?"
Jiang Xuening: "…"
As expected, you also had a hand in my entry into the palace!
Jiang Xuening's face had already lost its feeling. Gazing back at Shen Zhiyi's radiant expression, she slowly smiled and responded with graceful composure, "Your Royal Highness is very kind to her companion, and I am genuinely happy."
It's truly-
Too, blissful!