After my father was sent to marry into the princess's household, I became the darling of the en

After the tea competition, the atmosphere in the flower hall gradually became more lively.

The first few young men chatted enthusiastically about the newly opened polo field in the capital.

Shen Jingque lowered her head, using the tea lid to skim the foam from the edge of the Jianzhan teacup, silently counting in her mind.

A muffled thud suddenly came from the flower hall.

"Pfft—"

Then came the second tone, the third tone, and so on, forming a string.

"Pop pop—"

The sound wasn't deafening, but it was jarringly clear amidst the hushed chatter and laughter filling the hall.

The old lady sitting near the head of the table trembled, and her teacup clattered against the edge of the table.

All sounds in the flower hall ceased as if cut off by a knife.

A dozen pairs of eyes slowly turned to the source of the sound, landing on Miss Zhao, whose face had turned pale.

Zhao Yuwan herself froze, her back ramrod straight, as if trying to use all her strength to push something back down.

However, a series of short, loud "plop" sounds escaped from under her skirt.

Wen Qianrou, who was sitting next to her, was the first to suffer.

An indescribable odor wafted through the air. She covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief and moved half a foot to the side.

Zhao Yuwan's lips trembled as she managed to squeeze out a broken explanation: "No, it wasn't me..."

Then he got up and stood up.

This action is like turning on a switch.

More frequent "plop plop" sounds came from under her dress.

This continuous flow, with its varying heights and depths, subtly created a rhythmic quality.

The room was completely silent.

"Pfft—"

Young Master Rong suddenly couldn't help but chuckle, then simply raised his sleeve to cover half of his face.

"Miss Zhao is truly outspoken... she speaks her mind directly."

The laughter was like a spark falling into a pot of boiling oil.

Laughter, which was being suppressed but could not be contained, rose and fell in the flower hall, from low chuckles to muffled laughter, and then to uncontrollable giggles.

Zhao Yuwan sat in the middle of the laughter, her body stiff as a clay sculpture, large tears falling onto her skirt, leaving dark spots.

She wanted to escape, to stand up and rush out, but with every movement, that shameful sound would erupt.

The old lady's face was ashen, and her knuckles turned white as she gripped the prayer beads tightly.

But who can be blamed for this?

The tea was prepared by our own family, and the people were invited by our own family. Now that our granddaughter has made such a disgraceful scene in public, are we going to turn around and accuse Shen Jingque of poisoning her?

Then the even more serious scandal would be pinned on the Marquis's family.

The old lady squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Someone, help the young lady down to rest."

The two old women braced themselves and stepped forward, lifting the stiff-bodied Zhao Yuwan and carrying her outside.

Shen Jingque sat upright in her seat, took a sip of the freshly poured tea, her eyebrows and eyes curved, looking utterly obedient.

Yes, the effect is outstanding; it was all worth staying up all night to make it.

Xiao Changqi was laughing so hard he was doubled over, and his folding fan fell to the ground with a clatter, but he didn't even bother to pick it up.

He turned his head and asked in a voice that only the two of them could hear.

"Did you do this?"

Shen Jingque blinked, looking completely innocent.

"What are you saying, second brother? I didn't do anything!"

Xiao Changqi stared at her for a couple of moments, then reached out and lightly flicked her forehead.

"You little rascal, you're all talk and no action."

As the two were chatting and laughing in hushed tones, a notification sound suddenly rang out from outside the main entrance of the flower hall.

The head maid's voice rose a few decibels: "Lord Yong'an has arrived—His Highness the Third Prince has arrived—"

The curtain was lifted, and two people walked in one after the other.

Leading the group was Marquis Zhao Heng of Yong'an, dressed in an indigo brocade robe with a slightly ingratiating smile on his face.

Half a step behind him was Xiao Jingchen.

Wearing a moon-white brocade robe, a jade belt around her waist, and her dark hair tied up with a simple white jade hairpin, she was as gentle and refined as a breeze and a bright moon.

Everyone in the flower hall rose and bowed.

Xiao Jingchen nodded slightly, his gentle gaze sweeping across the room, lingering on each person's face for a perfect moment before nodding in acknowledgment.

His gaze, however, did not linger when it swept over Shen Jingque.

It's like glancing over a teacup on the table, a vase in the corner, or a candlestick in the corridor.

Plain and uneventful, leaving no trace.

Shen Jingque's fingertips curled slightly.

This deliberate disregard is more alarming than direct hostility.

Xiao Jingchen took his seat in the main seat and exchanged a few words with the Marquis of Yong'an in hushed tones, his expression composed.

The conversation ranged from today's flower fair to which new polo field had opened in the city, and then to the recent headache of the Ministry of Revenue pressing for salt tax payments, all in a natural, casual chat like old friends.

But Shen Jingque clearly remembered that in the original book, the Yong'an Marquis's Mansion and the Third Prince's lineage were connected until the middle of the story when they crossed paths due to an exchange of interests.

The story has only just begun, how did they become so familiar with each other?

As she was thinking, Xiao Jingchen's gaze, seemingly unintentionally, swept across a certain direction at the end of the flower hall.

Shen Jingque followed his gaze.

Shen Tingyun sat in the corner, her simple apricot-colored dress standing out starkly against the backdrop of the brocade-adorned room, yet the blush on her face was more radiant than anyone else's.

Her eyes were almost glued to Xiao Jingchen, her chest rose and fell slightly, and her breathing became erratic.

Xiao Jingchen seemed to notice the burning gaze.

He turned his head and gave Shen Tingyun a gentle smile.

Shen Tingyun's face instantly burned like red-hot iron. He abruptly lowered his head, but the corners of his mouth involuntarily curled upwards.

A voice inside me seemed to scream: He looked at me, he smiled at me.

The cold looks he suffered in the Marquis's mansion, the neglect from his mother, and the constant humiliation and oppression from Zhao Yuwan all suddenly seemed to lessen.

If she can catch this person, she can escape this quagmire and never have to live like this again.

As Shen Jingque watched this scene, a chill ran down her spine.

too familiar.

In the original book, Xiao Jingchen's first step in conquering those women was always this tenderness that was both pitying and perfectly timed.

After breaking down their defenses, the next step is to take advantage of them completely.

Shen Tingyun's current appearance practically screamed: "I've taken the bait, come quick!"

She sighed softly.

She's already given the warning; the path she chose was her own, and she can't just tie her up and lock her up at home.

After sitting down, Xiao Jingchen picked up his teacup and took a slow, deliberate sip.

"I heard that the Empress Dowager bestowed a pot of nine-petaled blood jade peonies upon the Marquis's residence yesterday."

"Jingchen has shamelessly come to our door today, taking advantage of the Flower Appreciation Festival to finally see your true face."

The old lady quickly seized the opportunity and instructed the head maid to move the flowers.

Thank God, this step-up came at just the right time.

She was just wondering how to cover up Zhao Yuwan's series of extremely embarrassing farts.

Several servants huffed and puffed as they carried in a huge potted plant.

Inside, there was a giant peony planted in a pot, its color a deep red.

"I've heard that this variety is extremely difficult to cultivate, and it takes more than five years for it to bloom."

Wen Qianrou covered her lips and gasped in surprise.

"This peony is such a deep red, it is truly a rare gem in the world."

The wealthy young men around them echoed their sentiments.

"Indeed, these purple and red petals look incredibly luxurious."

Shen Jingque sat in the corner, grabbed a handful of melon seeds and started cracking them open. She wasn't interested in appreciating flowers; herbs were far more appealing to her.

But Xiao Changqi became interested.

"Sparrow, let's go and see what's going on, and see how many petals that peony actually has."

Shen Jingque looked at him incredulously: "Second Brother, you also enjoy admiring flowers?"

A strange blush appeared on Xiao Changqi's face: "Well... Madam Fan likes peonies, so I was just checking in advance, thinking of getting her a pot..."

Oh dear, how could I forget that her second brother is a hopeless romantic?

So she reluctantly brushed the sunflower seed crumbs off her hands and squeezed into the innermost circle with Xiao Changqi.

But as soon as I stood still, a strange chill ran down my back.

Shen Jingque glanced back.

Shen Tingyun stood behind the crowd with a gloomy expression, his gaze looking ahead past the crowd.

Shen Jingque followed the gaze and saw Xiao Jingchen raise his eyebrows slightly, giving her an encouraging look.

Her intuition told her that the two were plotting something in secret, and she suddenly became alert.

The next moment, a strong force came from behind, and Shen Jingque lost her balance and stumbled and fell.

Just as the peony branch was about to pierce her eye, she closed her eyes, braced herself, and fell to the ground.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw that she was lying face down in front of the potted plant, and the nine-petaled blood jade peony had fallen from the branch and was clutched in her hand.

Behind him, Shen Tingyun looked terrified, and two streams of tears rolled down her cheeks.

Her trembling fingers pointed directly at Shen Jingque.

"Sparrow, how could you deliberately destroy something bestowed upon you by the Empress Dowager!"