The beauty of the Hou family and the king's plan

In May, the lotus flowers in Hefeng Lake are in full bloom, and the lotus leaves that reach the sky are even more vigorous.

Looking up, the lake is sparkling in the distance. In the near distance, weeping willows are floating, and the breeze makes the catkins fly.

The ladies and girls sat together in groups of three or four, discussing the upcoming competition in low voices.

The young ladies all showed eager expressions on their faces. In particular, they also vaguely noticed the movements on the other side of the lake and knew that the young masters of the noble families were paying attention.

Moreover, all the mistresses of Kyoto have arrived at the banquet today. If you are outstanding and catch the eyes of the top dignitaries, you won't have to worry about marriage.

The ladies who have sons of marriageable age are also observing secretly, and each of them has different thoughts.

Only Shen Baozhao and a few others were there, and they were very comfortable, eating snacks, drinking tea, enjoying the breeze, and looking at the scenery.

But this freedom did not last long.

Su Yuheng came over with a few people.

Looking down from above, with a provocative look in his eyes, he said, "Shen Si, do you dare to compete with me again today?"

Su Yuheng felt that Shen Baozhao had never been well-known in the capital, and that she had taken advantage of Mr. Suzhi's flower arrangement competition to win against her.

This time the competition will definitely be held in a different way. Let's see if she will be so lucky this time.

Shen Baozhao had no intention of participating in the competition. Wasn't he just eating and drinking and watching others fail in the competition?

She ignored him and continued talking to Feng Feiyan.

Seeing that Shen Baozhao ignored them, Xiao Yuyao raised her voice: "Hey, don't you have ears? Didn't you hear Sister Su talking to you?"

Seeing that Xiao Yuyao was helping outsiders to reprimand Shen Baozhao, Xiao Yuzhen stepped forward and tried to pull her away.

But Xiao Yuyao didn't appreciate it. She shook off Xiao Yuzhen's hand and said to Shen Baozhao arrogantly, "I know. You must be afraid of losing. It's embarrassing."

Feng Feiyan sneered. Although the voice was not loud, everyone heard it.

Su Yuheng has been in love with Xue Sheng since she was a child. She has always been following Princess Duanning and trying to please him just to marry into the princess's mansion.

But Feng Feiyan got there first. Su Yuheng was already very angry with her, and her sneer at this moment ignited the rage in her heart.

"Who are you laughing at?" Su Yuheng asked, suppressing her anger.

Feng Feiyan stood up and said, "Of course he is a ridiculous person."

"Who is the ridiculous person? Tell me clearly." Xiao Yuyao walked up to Feng Feiyan arrogantly.

Feng Feiyan laughed and said, "The Shangsi Festival is only two months away. How come Miss Xiao Si has such a bad memory? She even forgot who won and who lost?"

Xiao Yuyao was still stubborn and refused to accept the defeat: "Last time it was Sister Su who let Shen Si win by chance. It was just luck, how can it be counted?"

Shen Baozhao was not annoyed. She also stood up and pulled Feng Feiyan, who had stood up for her, behind him.

Just as I was about to speak, I heard another voice.

"I've heard that Fourth Miss Shen is a kind-hearted lady who has no reservations. Since Second Miss Su sincerely invites you, why don't you dare to come?"

"Could it be that it is just a false reputation?" said a long-faced noble lady sitting behind the tea table nearby.

Shen Baozhao turned his head and took a look, making sure that he had never seen this person before and had never offended her.

Why are you so aggressive as soon as you open your mouth?

Feng Feiyan knew her, and whispered in Shen Baozhao's ear, "The wife of Li Yushi, the daughter of Prince Kang."

Shen Baozhao suddenly realized that it was her. He also didn't know whether Li Yushi's concubine's child was born.

But seeing that Madam Li still wanted to make her unhappy, it seemed that she was unaware of the fact that she would have more illegitimate children.

Why are you making trouble for yourself today?

Madam Li looked arrogant and said, "Why? Miss Shen Si thinks what I said is wrong?"

Didn't Shen Baozhao offend Madam Li? No, she offended Madam Li badly.

The miraculous story of solving cases with the red string is still mentioned by the people today.

The inn where Cui Mingzhu stayed that day had already become deserted because the inn's servants were thieves, so it had to close down.

The owner behind the inn is none other than Madam Li.

How could she not hate it!

Su Yuheng echoed Madam Li, saying, "It's OK if Fourth Miss Shen doesn't dare to compete. I won't force her to do anything."

"After all, the Ning'an Marquis's Mansion has a bad reputation now. If she loses the competition again and loses face, no one will come to propose marriage to her."

After saying that, the group of noble ladies all covered their lips and laughed.

Shen Baozhao didn't want to compete with others. In her opinion, these young ladies were living too leisurely lives and had to find trouble for no reason.

But the words were so harsh at this moment. If she ignored them, then in the eyes of others, anyone could step on her.

So, she slowly walked up to Su Yuheng and smiled slightly: "Second Miss Su, do you want to compete with me so much?"

"Is she eager to regain the face she lost during the Shangsi Festival? Or does Miss Su want to shine and attract the attention of some gentleman?

Otherwise, how could the competition and marriage be listed as causally related? "

Although everyone thought so in their hearts, they were all noble ladies after all, and would not say it out loud.

If Su Yuheng openly said that she wanted to stab Shen Baozhao, it would be tantamount to handing the knife to someone else to be stabbed.

Su Yuheng blushed at what Shen Baozhao said, and angrily asked, "Shen Si, I'm not as good at talking as you, so just tell me whether you want to compete or not."

"Compare, why not?" Shen Baozhao's eyes swept over everyone one by one.

He paused at Madam Li's face and said calmly, "If I don't compete, won't people say I'm just gaining fame in vain?"

After taking a look at Madam Li, I found that she was dressed quite luxuriously today, in a crimson purple brocade shirt embroidered with yellow peonies, and a skirt with green butterflies.

Especially the whole set of South Pearl head ornaments on her head and the huge gold-studded emerald ring on her hand, which are really dazzling.

Shen Baozhao's heart moved and he smiled.

"If it's just a competition, there's no point if there's no prize."

After saying that, he lifted his sleeves, revealing a flawless white wrist.

He took off the gold and jade bracelet on his wrist and held it up: "I will throw out a bracelet to attract others."

"Mrs. Li should be happy to join in the competition, right?"

Feng Feiyan and Cui Mingzhu both took off a golden hairpin from their heads and said, "We are not participating in the competition, but we are willing to contribute."

The ladies who were watching the fun also gave away the things they had on them one after another.

Madam Li didn't expect Shen Baozhao to do this. She had just had a new headdress made in order to attend the banquet today.

What Shen Baozhao gave her was just an ordinary bracelet, but what she wore on her wrist and hand were all treasures from the bottom of the box. How could she use them as lucky charms?

I thought it was a bad idea, it was like putting myself on the fire, so I was a little hesitant.

"Mrs. Li, you won't be reluctant to let her go, right?" Feng Feiyan asked.

Madam Li glanced at a few people and took off the hairpin with a huge South China pearl embedded in it on her head with some pain.

On the other side, Princess Duanning, who was being dragged by the eldest princess to meet various clan members and royal ladies, happened to escape.

So he went to look for Shen Baozhao and others.

She was a person who loved fun, and when she heard that everyone was joining in the prize-winning, she quickly sent someone to report to the eldest princess.

In this way, each of the ladies who were chatting with the princess also contributed one.

Not only are the prizes this time much more in number than those for the Shangsi Festival, but they are also extremely exquisite and valuable.

If it were converted into silver, it would be a huge amount of money, and could help the charity take in many more children.

Or, try your best to compete? Shen Baozhao thought.

Just as Shen Baozhao was looking at him with envy, Mr. Su Zhi, still in wide-sleeved green clothes, arrived.

When they saw her coming, everyone calmed down and sat up straight. The lakeside suddenly became completely silent.