Chapter 280: Chapter 280: Indeed, a Great Beauty

"You should re-dress your wound, Princely Heir," Jiang Shi advised, taking out medicine and a cotton cloth. "Otherwise, if the Miss sees it, she’ll surely scold you again."

Lu Zhan recalled his cousin’s admonitions before he left, and a faint smile touched his lips. He nodded. "Alright."

"My, my. Aren’t we different, now that we have a fiancée to dote on us," Duan Ling quipped from his squatting position nearby, his tone dripping with mock envy.

Lu Zhan shot him a look. "You’re not getting any younger yourself. You should settle your own marriage when we get back to the Capital."

The corner of Duan Ling’s mouth twitched. He retorted teasingly, "A man with a fiancée really is different. You even sound like one of the family elders when you talk."

Lu Zhan: "..."

As they prepared to depart, he whispered an order to Jiang Shi.

Jiang Shi nodded.

A short while later, Jiang Shi quietly slipped away from the group.

...

「Capital City, the Eastern Palace.」

After returning to the Eastern Palace, Xuanyuan Hongjun found he couldn’t muster the energy for anything. His mind was completely filled with the image of Zhi Wan’s bewitching beauty.

’How have I never before noticed such a stunning beauty in the Capital City?’

The thought that such an exquisite beauty would soon belong to Lu Zhan made him squirm with displeasure.

’Lu Zhan is a mere subject. What right does he have to possess such a peerless beauty?’

’A woman like that should belong to him!’

’He is the future Monarch of the Great Chen Country! All the beautiful women in the world are rightfully his!’

The more Xuanyuan Hongjun thought about it, the more resentful he became. He resolved that he absolutely had to have her!

With this in mind, he sent someone to summon the Crown Princess Consort.

"Your Highness summoned me. Do you have instructions for me?" the Crown Princess Consort asked, her eyes modestly lowered.

The moment Xuanyuan Hongjun saw her plain face, he lost all interest.

’He truly didn’t understand why his Imperial Father had chosen such an average-looking woman to be his Crown Princess Consort.’

’If his Imperial Father hadn’t been the one to arrange the marriage, he would have deposed her and appointed a new Crown Princess Consort in her place.’

’Still, this Lady Guo, while plain, did have one redeeming quality: she was never jealous and took excellent care of the other women in his harem.’

The thought of adding a new beauty to his harem soon made Xuanyuan Hongjun suppress his dislike for the Crown Princess Consort. Patting the seat beside him, he said with a warm expression, "Crown Princess Consort, come sit beside me."

Guo Yingrong felt no joy at all. Instead, a wave of weariness washed over her.

’She knew full well the Crown Prince didn’t care for her; he only had eyes for gorgeous women. This sudden show of intimacy meant he wanted her to do something unscrupulous for him again.’

Though reluctant, she didn’t dare to disobey. She slowly walked over and sat down.

Xuanyuan Hongjun took her hand and examined it. He noted that while Lady Guo’s face was plain, her hands were actually quite beautiful.

He toyed with her hand for a moment before speaking. "Crown Princess Consort, it’s been a while since the Eastern Palace hosted a flower-viewing banquet. What do you say we invite some of the noble ladies to liven things up a bit?"

Hearing this, how could Guo Yingrong not understand his intentions?

’It seems the Crown Prince has set his sights on a lady from another family.’

She withdrew her hand and said coolly, "As the Crown Prince, Your Highness should prioritize matters of state. These household affairs are not something you should be concerned with."

"Furthermore, due to the disasters last year, the Imperial Father ordered the entire palace to practice frugality and abstain from extravagance. It would be inappropriate to be wasteful. It’s been a long time since any banquets were held in the palace. If the Eastern Palace were to suddenly host one, we would surely be reprimanded by the Imperial Father and Mother."

At her words, Xuanyuan Hongjun’s expression turned cold. He grabbed her chin. "Lady Guo, are you daring to defy me?"

"I would not dare, but it is my duty to offer counsel," Guo Yingrong replied with quiet dignity, enduring the pain in her jaw.

Xuanyuan Hongjun shoved her away in irritation. "You and Ouyang Lei truly are cousins," he snapped. "Even your lectures sound exactly the same!"

Guo Yingrong stumbled onto the divan in a heap but quickly composed herself and sat up straight.

"May I ask what my cousin said to Your Highness?"

Xuanyuan Hongjun snorted, unwilling to discuss it further. "Just arrange the flower-viewing banquet as soon as possible. I will deal with the Imperial Father myself."

Seeing his insistence, Guo Yingrong had no other choice. "In that case," she asked, "shall I invite the ladies from the usual guest list?"

"Add the young lady from the Zhi Mansion, Zhi Wan," Xuanyuan Hongjun said, stroking his chin as a smile spread across his face.

Hearing this, Guo Yingrong frowned. "Zhi Mansion? I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of such a family."

"They’re relatives of the Duke Dingguo Mansion. A few inquiries will tell you all you need to know," Xuanyuan Hongjun said impatiently. "Do I have to teach you how to handle such a trivial matter? What use are you to me?"

Guo Yingrong was resentful, but she didn’t dare to talk back and could only agree. "I will see to it as soon as possible."

"I must see that girl by the day after tomorrow at the latest." With that parting shot, Xuanyuan Hongjun rose and stalked out.

Guo Yingrong felt utterly drained, both in body and spirit.

’There are already more than enough women in the Eastern Palace,’ she thought. ’I can’t believe the Crown Prince went out for just one day and has already fixated on another girl.’ 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

After a moment of contemplation, she sent someone to make inquiries about Zhi Wan.

Zhi Mansion.

"ACHOO!"

After returning from the Wei family’s residence, Zhi Wan went straight back to the Zhi Mansion.

But for some unknown reason, she couldn’t stop sneezing.

"Miss, you haven’t caught a chill, have you?" Shuang’er asked with concern.

"The weather isn’t cold. I doubt it," Zhi Wan said, shaking her head.

"Then... it must be the Princely Heir thinking of you, Miss," Shuang’er teased.

Zhi Wan shot her a playful look. "Then you’d better make sure you never sneeze, otherwise it’ll mean someone is thinking about you."

Shuang’er threw up her hands in mock surrender. "I was wrong, I was wrong."

「The next day.」

Zhi Wan was sorting through the many paintings she had completed recently, planning to send them to a bookshop, when Nanny Chen hurried into the room.

"Miss, someone from the Eastern Palace is here."

At the mention of the Eastern Palace, Zhi Wan’s heart sank.

’Could it be someone sent by the Crown Prince?’

Zhi Wan clenched her fists, forcing herself to remain calm. "What does the visitor look like? Did they say why they’re here?"

"It’s a woman dressed as a palace maid, she looks like one of the senior attendants. We’ve shown her to the front hall for tea. She said she has a few words to say to you personally, Miss," Nanny Chen replied.

Hearing it was a palace maid, Zhi Wan breathed a sigh of relief.

’As long as it’s not Xuanyuan Hongjun himself, it’s fine.’

She followed Nanny Chen to the front hall and saw the senior attendant.

As she assessed the attendant, the attendant was also taking stock of her.

A flash of amazement flickered in the attendant’s eyes. ’She’s truly stunning,’ she thought. ’No wonder the Crown Prince is so smitten.’

"You must be Miss Zhi?" the attendant inquired.

Zhi Wan nodded. "I am. And you are...?"

"I am merely a handmaiden serving the Crown Princess Consort. You may call me Xi Ying, Miss Zhi," the attendant said with a smile.

Zhi Wan nodded. "Attendant Xi Ying, for what reason have you come from the palace today?"

"It has been too quiet in the Eastern Palace for some time," Xi Ying replied. "The Crown Princess Consort has decided to host a flower-viewing banquet tomorrow and has invited the young ladies of the Capital to come enjoy the blossoms. She has specially dispatched me to deliver the invitations to the various mansions."

At these words, Zhi Wan’s heart plummeted.

’Ordinarily, she would never be invited to a banquet at the Eastern Palace.’

’Recalling her encounter with the Crown Prince at the Wei Mansion yesterday, she couldn’t help but suspect this was his doing.’

With this in mind, she pressed a hand to her forehead and said weakly, "Thank you for the Crown Princess Consort’s kind invitation... but my health has failed me. I caught a chill last night, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend the flower-viewing banquet at the Eastern Palace tomorrow. Please, Attendant, convey my sincerest apologies to the Crown Princess Consort."