Best friends dressed up in ancient times to become mistresses? You run, I run too!

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhiyi lost all interest in choosing and said with a worried expression:

"Zhuzhu..."

Shen Ningzhu shook her head reassuringly, "No need to be so paranoid. It's just a banquet, not a guillotine. What's there to be afraid of? Just go."

Liu Zhiyi, however, was not so optimistic.

"You make it sound so easy. There's never a pleasant banquet. Every banquet is full of trouble. It's always like that in novels and palace dramas. How can I not worry?"

"No, I have to go with you."

One maid was allowed to be brought to the banquet, and Shen Ningzhu agreed after thinking about it.

"Well, come in."

Shen Ningzhu called out towards the door, and Zhiyuan and Zhiyi entered, carrying the palace dress and matching jewelry for the banquet. Shen Ningzhu said:

"Did you say what time we'd be leaving?"

Paper Kite: "In half an hour."

Shen Ningzhu agreed, "You guys get ready first. Just leave these things on the ground like this for now, and we'll make plans when I get back. Xiaoyi, let's eat something first, then get ready."

Liu Zhiyi frowned in disapproval.

Instead of getting ready, this lady actually has the mind to eat?

"What are you standing there for? Food is the one thing you should never miss. You worked so hard to make this, how can you just leave it uneaten?"

After saying that, he sat down at the table, opened the food box, and immediately a rich aroma of rice filled the air.

The aroma even attracted the attention of the busy paper kite maker, who turned her gaze in this direction.

Shen Ningzhu closed her eyes and sniffed contentedly. Ahhh, her best friend's cooking was still the best to her taste—spicy, numbing, and fragrant. One bite was so satisfying.

Liu Zhiyi sighed.

"Sit down, you eat your noodles first, I'll peel the shrimp for you, that way it'll be faster."

"Really? That's great, I love you so much, sister." She said, but her hands weren't idle either; she picked up the bowl and started slurping.

Liu Zhiyi quickly rinsed the water and frantically peeled the shrimp, while Shen Ningzhu ate voraciously, her cheeks stuffed full.

It's bulging and puffy, like a little squirrel.

When Jiang Xuan Yan came in, he saw this scene and couldn't help but frown, thinking that the way they were eating was too unrefined, but at the same time, he inexplicably found it somewhat cute.

"There will be food at the banquet, so you don't need to rush to fill your stomach."

Shen Ningzhu abruptly stopped chewing, her face hardening as she looked at the uninvited guest at the door.

What's he doing here? Bad luck.

"What's with that expression? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No, it's nothing. Just a kite, a symbol of life."

Upon hearing this, the two immediately came over to help Shen Ningzhu rinse her mouth and wash her face, which puzzled Jiang Xuanyan.

"Why don't you eat?"

Shen Ningzhu said indifferently, "It's served at the banquet, so I won't eat it."

Jiang Xuan Yan was met with a rebuff, feeling a tightness in his chest that he couldn't release. He could only lower his face and try to drink some tea to calm himself down, but his hand reached for nothing.

He turned his head and realized that no one had served him tea even though he had been inside for so long.

"Your servants need to be properly trained. They have no sense of propriety at all; they didn't even serve tea when I arrived."

Shen Ningzhu: "Oh, the tea is on the table outside. Xiaoyi, could you pour him a cup?"

At this moment, Liu Zhiyi had already put all the bowls and chopsticks into the food box, and responded when she heard this.

Jiang Xuan Yan looked at her.

"You're the maid Yun Chu brought? I heard you used to serve Shen Ningzhu?"

"Your Highness, yes."

Jiang Xuan Yan glanced at her indifferently before waving his hand. Liu Zhi Yi then went to get the teapot, poured him a cup, and placed it in front of him.

Jiang Xuan Yan was about to pick up his teacup when his face turned cold again.

Who would pour tea so full? What kind of maid is she? Oh well, I'll just tell the steward to send a couple more clever maids to serve at Plum Blossom Garden later.

Jiang Xuan Yan didn't touch the teacup in the end, but sat there and picked up a book to read, until Shen Ning Zhu finished tidying up.

Shen Ningzhu and Liu Zhiyi had no idea why, and cursed him as a lunatic dozens of times in their hearts.

He asked for tea, poured it for himself, and then didn't touch it. What else could he be but a lunatic?

The three of them arrived at the entrance of the Crown Prince's residence, where they saw Princess Qingyi and her maid Zhier already waiting by the carriage.

Upon seeing the person come out, they immediately greeted them happily.

But when he saw Shen Ningzhu and her servant, his smile froze on his face.

“Ah Yan, why did you bring her along? She doesn’t have a proper title yet. Bringing her out on such an important occasion like today might cause gossip.”

Shen Ningzhu rolled her eyes.

"Does the princess live by the sea?"

Jiang Qingyi: "What do you mean?"

Shen Ningzhu: "What I mean is, you're meddling too much."

As he spoke, he poked his head with his slender white index finger, a mocking look on his face. "His Highness the Crown Prince has a brain and knows how to act. Does he need your opinion?"

Jiang Qingyi looked somewhat embarrassed, "You..."

"Alright," the Crown Prince interrupted the two. "It's about time. Get in the carriage first. We can talk about other things later. Don't be late."

He then boarded the carriage first.

Jiang Qingyi gave Shen Ningzhu a cold look before walking toward the Crown Prince's carriage.

Shen Ningzhu was somewhat shocked.

In this setting, don't these two know any propriety? Openly riding in the same carriage, aren't they afraid of what others will think?

Fortunately, the prince was still sharp-witted. When he saw Jiang Qingyi trying to get into his carriage, he frowned and refused.

The housekeeper appeared at the right time.

“Princess, your carriage is ready, it’s the one in the back.”

Jiang Qingyi followed his hand and looked back. There was only one carriage behind her, far less grand and luxurious than the Crown Prince's.

Feeling somewhat resentful, she said nothing and went to get into the carriage. She was still wondering why there wasn't a carriage prepared for Shen Ningzhu.

Do you want them to ride in one car?

She is a princess, what right does that village girl have to ride in the same carriage as her?

Before she could think further, she heard Jiang Xuan Yan say from the front, "Shen Ningzhu, aren't you coming up? Do you expect me to help you?"

???

Ah Yan wanted that woman to ride in his carriage.

How could that be? Ayan is aloof and has had a strong possessive nature since childhood. He would protect anything that belongs to him and not let anyone else touch it.

Their protectiveness is so extreme that it's a matter of life and death if you touch them.

Of course, he also has an extremely severe case of mysophobia.

His domain is inaccessible to ordinary people.

She took care of him since he was a child, which made her a little different from others, and that's why A-Yan allowed her to enter his room and other places.

Over the years, there has only been her, no one else. But this time when I returned to Beijing, it seemed that everything had changed.

Ah Yan was still very kind to her, but there was a hint of politeness and distance in that kindness.

Could it be because of Shen Ningzhu?

Why? With such a lowly status, what right does she have to be treated specially by A-Yan?

Shen Ningzhu didn't expect this man to suddenly ask her to ride in his carriage, but it was fine, she didn't want to walk anyway.

But she didn't want to talk to the prince, so as soon as she got into the carriage, she lifted the curtain and looked out the window.

She walked for a long time, but didn't move an inch.