"Commandery Princess, Second Miss has come to visit you," another maid, Hu Zhu, who had been standing outside the pavilion, reported.
Gu Shengyin thought to herself that she indeed came. From afar, she saw a slender figure in white approaching.
Indeed, a beauty. Gu Shengyin silently praised.
This Jiang Yunsan had willow brows and almond eyes, a face like a lotus, and a delicate demeanor, truly a woman easy to arouse a man's pity.
In contrast, although Jiang Lingzhen possessed a devastating beauty, she resembled her mother, the Eldest Princess Wen Cheng, with her phoenix eyes and prominent facial features. Coupled with her esteemed status, she had been nurtured in luxury and exuded an unapproachable air, lacking the frailty typical of young ladies.
Jiang Yunsan hadn't even reached Jiang Lingzhen when tears began to stream down her cheeks, making Jiang Lingzhen click her tongue in wonder.
"Sister, I came to apologize. If I had been more careful that day, or if I had persuaded sister not to go to that crowded place, perhaps sister would not have suffered such hardship," Jiang Yunsan said with a face full of regret.
Gu Shengyin sneered coldly: these words sounded caring but actually implied that it was Jiang Lingzhen herself who insisted on going to the crowded place. If she fell, she had only herself to blame.
Jiang Yunsan was never without her schemes; her display today was certainly intended for certain people to see.
Gu Shengyin watched Jiang Yunsan with cold eyes, performing excellently, silently sitting without speaking. Want to act? I'll let you play to your heart's content!
Jiang Yunsan, having initially come just for show, did not expect Jiang Lingzhen to actually ignore her.
Jiang Yunsan bitterly glared at Jiang Lingzhen and accidentally caught sight of the red long dress on her, feeling an unbearable jealousy—that was this year's tribute, the Gleaming brocade. Except for the Empress and the Empress Dowager, only the Eldest Princess had obtained a piece, and now it was worn by Jiang Lingzhen.
Having already put on a show, she couldn't just give up halfway, so she continued to forcefully rub her eyes, turning a perfectly good pair of eyes bright red.
They were truly swollen now.
Just as Jiang Yunsan was about to lose her patience, she finally saw the person she had been waiting for.
"What has happened here?" The voice of a young man reached them.
The owner of the voice, wearing a Jade Crown and a spotless white robe, adorned with a jade belt at the waist, appeared every inch the graceful nobleman.
It was Jiang Lingzhen's fiancé, Ji Ye, the Crown Prince of the Tianqi Dynasty.
"Crown Prince." Gu Shengyin rose to perform a courtesy.
Ji Ye quickly extended his hand to help Gu Shengyin up: "Cousin, there is no need for such formality. We are cousins and engaged; you really must not be so formal."
Ji Ye was quite pleased with his fiancée cousin; her background was impeccable, and her appearance was extraordinary. Who in the Imperial City did not envy the Crown Prince's good fortune?
"Yunsan greets cousin brother," Jiang Yunsan, seeing the Crown Prince enter without glancing her way, couldn't help but grit her teeth and called out coyly.
Only then did Ji Ye pay attention to Jiang Yunsan beside him. Initially a bit impatient, he softened upon seeing Jiang Yunsan's pitiful appearance: "You are?"
Jiang Yunsan gently curtsied, bending her neck slightly to reveal a stretch of skin smooth as cream: "I am the second daughter of the General's Mansion."
Jiang Yunsan was originally as timid as a mouse and would hide far from the Crown Prince, never having a chance to meet him.
The Crown Prince furrowed his eyebrows, thinking for a while: "Oh, the concubine-born daughter of the Great General."
Gu Shengyin smiled as she watched Jiang Yunsan's face become extremely interesting.