Chapter 97

The small wind on the gates of King Rui Residence did not rise to a ripple, only decreasing the impression Yang Shuqing had on some noble ladies, official families, and noble sons.

Especially the noble ladies who liked Heir Xie. They felt that it was not worth it for him.

King Jin only looked at Yang Shuqing faintly. He used to feel that Oldest Miss Yang had money and power, her means were impressive. Now, he felt she was idiotic and he suddenly felt flat and insipid. Once he thought that the decrease in his power was related to King Qin, coldness rose in his pair of sharp eyes.

He did not hesitate to lead his guards into King Rui Residence.

Yang Shuqing suddenly looked back and stared fixedly at King Jin's tall and straight back. Her fists curled and her eyes were filled with hatred. Once she thought that Kin Jin was worried out of his mind recently, her heart felt satisfied.

"Miss Yang, let us enter." King Qin went down his horse and strode to Yang Shuqing's side as he looked intensely at her beautiful face.

Yang Shuqing thought that she was engaged and she still wanted to be the future Duchess Ding, so her reputation could not be tainted. She immediately shook her head and refused, "Thanking King Qin for the kind offer. I am now engaged, it is better to keep a distance." After saying this, she took Qian Rong and Qian Bi as she turned to enter King Rui Residence.

King Qin pursed his lips and followed in big strides as he led his people while maintaining a little distance.

The eyes of the girls who stood around the carriage shone. King Qin was hot stuff and he had Anyuan Marquis' backing. Anyuan Marquis' oldest legal daughter was not engaged to Heir Xie. For this point, King Qin was now the imperial cousin with the highest reputation to succeed the throne. A lot of big officials had silently stood on his side while recently, King Jin's forces were decreased, losing a level.

The people who could join Queen Rui's banquet all had bright minds. The noble sons and official sons were all talented youths.

Their hearts had a steelyard.

Jiang fourth miss was Duke Ding's only fiance. The current emperor was the previous emperor's legal son and he was also Duke Ding's cousin. If he did not carry poison since he was in his mother's womb and his body was fragile with no child until now, how could he designate imperial cousins?

When the previous emperor passed away before he could appoint the crown prince, as the previous emperor's only legal son, he ascended the throne with Duke Ding's backing although his body was weak since Old Madam Xie was his aunt.

So where Duke Ding leaned to was important.

Oldest Miss Yang was usually calm and smart, giving others the impression of planning strategies with a command tent. This time, it was not known if she was muddled or others, but she actually wanted to use King Qin's status and influence to step on Jiang fourth miss.

Women would get muddled once they encounter feelings.

Oldest Miss Yang was probably also like this. The noble sons and official sons who quite admired Yang Shuqing revealed a trace of disappointment.

Jiang Ningbao and the others followed little king Xiao Ran into the King Rui Residence and were dazzled by the scene inside. The fake mountain and flowing water, various buildings, and the exquisiteness and luxury all over. Aside from old servants, they met young male and female servants who were all good looking.

Jiang Ningbao: "....."

No wonder this little king Xiao Ran grew the personality of loving beauties. He grew up within an environment of good looking people so it was normal that his standards were high.

"There are many good looking people in the little king's residence." she could not help but sigh.

Little King Xiao Ran in front squinted his plum blossom eyes and he shook his fan as he spoke with pride, "Jiang fourth miss, your eyes are good. The things belonging to King Rui are not much, but beauties took up the most."

Jiang Ningbao thought of the little king's one hundred and seven concubines that were more than the emperor's harem and went silent.

Indeed, beauty was the most.

She turned back to look and Jiang Mingyao was silent the whole way, not looking sideways. Jiang Yue looked around enthusiastically while Zhang Zhan's demeanor was elegant, his actions were befitting his position.

Jiang Ningbao slightly knitted her brows. Wasn't Jiang Yue's personality too rash and careless? Before, she rarely had contact with this second male cousin and her understanding toward him was not much. Looking at it now, Old Madam Jiang was digging a pit for her.

"Jiang fourth miss, the duke does not come?" After little king Xiao Ran went prideful, he suddenly asked in curiosity.

His mother hosted many banquets and every single time, she would send an invitation to Duke Ding, but Duke Ding never participated. Little king Xiao Ran felt a little disappointed.

"Little king, do you think that the noble ladies can withstand the ominous energy from the duke?" Jiang Ningbao asked him a question instead with a soft voice.

Little king Xiao Ran was speechless and did not speak anymore.

Jiang Ningbao smiled and continued following behind little king Xiao Ran's back. She thought of King Qin and King Jin who she saw today. These two kings, how should she say it? The bearing was very out of ordinary. They both had ambitions but the feeling King Qin gave her was that he was lesser than King Jin.

In the novel, King Jin was an ambitious man. In the life before, he lied and schemed the female lead and made her die tragically. King Qin lost because of the female lead and also King Jin's scheme.

But King Qin had his legs broken by Yang Shuqing proved that this King Qin's intelligence was not on par to King Jin. Though after the female lead went back to the past, King Qin was helped by the female lead's fore-knowledge and assaulted King Jin, becoming the emperor and the female lead became King Qin's unattainable love.

This was meaningful.

The female lead Yang Shuqing felt that she was so tragic in her previous life because King Jin got rid of her as soon as she had done her job. But there was a cefei from a prominent family who married King Jin being given the title of guifei.

This woman was also the female lead's target of vengeance.

After Jiang Ningbao saw the two kings, she could not help but laugh in her heart. Yang Shuqing could become King Qin's unattainable love not only because of King Qin's personality, it was also because Yang Shuqing had future knowledge and made plans for King Qin. Every attack would strike the target. In King Qin's heart, she had the label smart and matchless, planning strategies within a command tent.

King Jin's ambition was big with careful and deep thoughts, also strong willpower. He won't like a woman easily and he was good at hiding and enduring. It was not something ordinary people could do. According to the novel, King Jin should be under King Qin's suppression and his power was decreased by a lot. Today, he still attended the banquet and maintained the superficial brother's relationship with King Qin.

Just for this endurance, if Yang Shuqing did not reborn and shatter the forces he gathered secretly and did not get HEir Xie's support when he became the new Duke Ding, King Qin won't be able to win over King Jin.

King Jin was the novel's final boss.

Jiang Ningbao curled her lips to a sly smile. She was now Duke Ding's fiance and Duke Ding was Qianyuan Emperor's cousin. If she used her mystical medicinal wine to treat Qianyuan Emperor's persistent ailment, Qianyuan Emperor wouldn't die early and he would even have children.

This stage of imperial brothers' war could come to a close.

Yang Shuqing could also stop.

She definitely would not let Duke Ding Residence enter this storm of fight for the throne.

Jiang Ningbao decided to mention this matter to Duke Ding after going back. Once she thought that she had another reason to go find Duke Ding, Jiang Ningbao's mood was good and she emitted a happy air.

Chapter 98

The flower admiring banquet Queen Rui held was in the hundred flowers garden. It was now the season of blooming flowers and hundreds of flowers bloomed in the hundred flowers garden, making people feel happy.

There were five big wayside pavilion in the hundred flowers garden. One wayside pavilion could accommodate more than thirty people.

Good looking male and female servants carried plates as they came and went in the small road among the sea of flowers, giving a person the impression that flowers were beautiful but the person was even more beautiful.

There was also the sound of flute, bamboo, and singing voice.

In the hundred flowers garden, the figures were lithe and graceful, noble ladies whose bearing was dignified led servants to admire flowers. Some noble sons, official sons admired the beauty as they drank wine while some others were talking to the girls.

Once little king Xiao Ran arrived at the hundred flowers garden, he immediately attracted the gazes of the people, especially the bunch of different beauties behind him, making others' eyes shone. Time to time, there were a few males who exchanged greetings familiarly with the little king.

There were not a few gazes that fell on Jiang Ningbao and Jiang Mingyao that carried uncertainty.

Little king Xiao Ran led Jiang Ningbao and the others to the center wayside pavilion in the hundred flowers garden. The big wayside pavilion had wollen blanket and on it were a few tea table and low stools. On the tea table, there were papaya and snacks.

There were already a few noble ladies in the big wayside pavilion, chatting as they let out clear and melodious laughter from time to time. When seeing little king Xiao Ran leading the two unfamiliar faces, Jiang Ningbao and Jiang Mingyao, they smiled slightly at them and were polite and decent.

Jiang Ningbao gave them a friendly smile.

She was thinking that these were the true noble ladies, well-bred ladies. Every knit of the brows, every smile, every action and moves were polite and decent, not giving others the impression of high and mighty and any uncomfortable feeling.

"Jiang fourth miss, you stay here first, Young master will take them to the other side." Little king Xiao Ran's plum blossom eyes slightly carried dislike as he looked at Jiang Yue.

Zhang Zhan's demeanor was elegant as he thanked the little king. His heart could not help but feel a trace of thirst and excitement. The ones attending this admiring flower banquet were the real well-bred ladies from illustrious families and noble ladies.

If he could get a noble lady's favor.....Zhang Zhan's heart was ready to start wriggling though his face did not show it. A beast in human clothing was talking about his kind of person.

Jiang Ningbao also smiled, "I'll be troubling the little king."

"Jiang fifth miss, your fiance, Xie Jinghui, is also here, at that big wayside pavilion. You can go there to develop some feelings with him, or should this young master call him here?" Little king Xiao Ran looked at Jiang Mingyao and pointed in a direction.

Jiang Mingyao's cool face showed how she was stunned and at a loss. She pursed her lips and her voice was cool, "Thanking little king's kind offer, no need."

Little king Xiao Ran saw this and did not say anything.

Jiang fifth miss was indeed a beauty and a cold beauty, but the little king had no interest in beauties who already had engagements.

Jiang Ningbao smiled and asked another matter, "Little king, when will the admiring flower banquet start?"

Before little king Xiao Ran answered, a clear and melodious voice of a woman rang, "Jiang fourth miss, the flower admiring banquet starts the moment you step into the hundred flower garden."

Jiang Ningbao was stunned and she looked at the woman who was talking. The woman seemed to be fifteen to sixteen years old, wearing an apricot colored silk skirt. Her brows were exquisite and her skin was white. She was smiling as she looked at Jiang Ningbao.

It was obvious that she knew who Jiang Ningbao was from the little king's conversation.

"That's right. Miss Fu's words are correct. Jiang fourth miss, everytime this master's queen mother holds a banquet, it's actually a big gathering. There is no talent and skill show and no need for making poems and painting. It's fine as long as everyone's happy. Of course, you can leave a head of time. You can leave or stay as you please."

Little king Xiao Ran spoke as he smiled.

Jiang Ningbao thanked him politely and thought that wasn't this the ancient version of high-class blind date gathering? Well-bred young ladies, noble and official sons gathered and if they liked each other, they might propose.

No wonder the banquet Queen Rui held would make others scrabbles madly.

But the legal daughters who got the invitations would more or less carry the concubine daughters to participate so there would be various incidents.

After little king Xiao Ran led Jiang Yue and Zhang Zhan and left, Jiang Ningbao and Jiang Mingyao sat on their own seat and the few well-bred ladies introduced themselves.

They did not look down on Jiang Ningbao because she was only Changning Count Residence's legal daughter from the second branch and did not think highly of her because she was Duke Ding's fiance. IT gave Jiang Ningbao a comfortable feeling.

Jiang Ningbao finally knew that this Miss Fu's name was Fu Wanning, the legal granddaughter of the left minister and she could not help but be surprised. This Miss Fu Wanning was the guifei from a prominent family that the female lead wanted vengeance on.

After self introduction, Fu Wanning asked with curiosity, "Jiang fourth miss, I heard that you can get close to Duke Ding, is it true?" The few noble ladies by the side also had a curious face.

Jiang Ningbao smiled as she nodded, "Yes, perhaps, my life trajectory is a bit special."

This was agreed by the present ladies.

The noble ladies were curious and feared Dayue Dynasty's war deity Duke Ding, and could not help but ask a lot of things about Duke Ding.

"Duke Ding is very good, he's very filial." Jiang Ningbao spoke of Duke Ding, Xie Heng. She thought of the silly heart-sickness matter he did and the time when they spar. Her brows and eyes were all smiles.

The eyes of the present noble ladies lit up. It seemed that this Jiang fourth miss really liked Duke Ding.

Jiang Mingyao silently heard the conversation between her fourth sister and the few noble ladies. At this time, a youth who had a clear appearance stepped into the wayside pavilion with two guards.

"May I ask which one is Jiang fifth miss?" The clear looking youth's gaze fell on Jiang Mingyao and Jiang Ningbao's two unfamiliar faces as he asked clearly.

Jiang Mingyao's looked at him coolly and knitted her brow, "I am, may I ask who you are?"

"I'm called Xie Jinghui, your fiance. If you have the time, can we walk outside?" The clear youth saw that the cool girl was his fiance and invited her with a slight smile.

Jiang Mingyao hesitated and looked back at her fourth sister. Jiang Ningbao only smiled and did not make the decision for her, only staying silent. In the end, Jiang Mingyao stood to follow Xie Jinghui.

The few people in the wayside pavilion all left the wayside pavilion one by one to admire flowers and meet up with a talented youth. Jiang Ningbao and Fu Wanning felt comfortable with each other and went to admire flowers together.

Chun Xi and Chun Le followed behind.

The more she talked with Fu Wanning, Jiang Ningbao felt that Fu Wanning was a smart and magnanimous girl. She thought of her older brother Jiang Jin who was eighteen but have yet to have an engagement. If Fu Wanning was her sister-in-law, then it would be great.

A pity that the difference between the two families was big. Jiang Ningbao could only bury this in her heart. But when they were talking, she also praised her own big brother.

Fu Wanning knew this but did not point it out, only heard it while smiling slightly.

Jiang Ningbao stopped before going too far.

Chapter 99

On the small road of admiring flowers, Jiang Ningbao met Yang Shuqing. When Yang Shuqing saw Fu Wanning behind her, her eyes quickly flashed with a trace of deep coldness.

The two nodded politely and brushed their shoulders with each other.

"Wanning, Miss Yang seems to have something against you." Jiang Ningbao felt that prickling gaze at the back and reminded Fu Wanning. Because she was comfortable with Fu Wanning, she and Fu Wanning were now on a first name basis.

Fu Wanning's steps halted and she slightly knitted her brow as she smiled helplessly, "Yes, I feel it's weird. I have no interaction with Miss Yang. These past two years, whenever I meet her, I can feel she holds something against me."

"Pay more attention to it." Jiang Ningbao warned.

Fu Wanning was the novel's fifth female cannon fodder. Yang Shuqing started her vengeance and after Fu Wanning became King Jin's cefei, she ruined Fu Wanning and made the relationship between King Jin Residence and the Left Minister Residence become bad. Two birds with one stone.

Fu Wanning nodded with a slight smile. The two continued to stroll around the hundred flowers garden as they chatted. On the road, they met with a lot of noble ladies and official sons, also some concubine born daughters from big families.

Not far from the theater stage, the theatrical troupe was performing. Little king Xiao Ran led a bunch of beauties to see the performance which attracted a lot of the noble sons.

Jiang Ningbao did not mingle among them. She heard that there were a lot of incidents in the hundred flower garden. No matter if the legal daughter framed concubine born daughter or concubine born daughter framed the legal daughter, there were continuous big shows that were bustling. She heard that there was a noble lady from a prominent family who schemed to get King Jin.

Jiang Ningbao thought of Yang Shuqing once she heard of this rumor.

Suddenly, Jiang Ningbao felt a familiar ominous energy and she abruptly raised her head to meet with a pair of dark and sharp cold eyes filled with ominous energy.

It was the duke! The duke actually came.

Jiang Ningbao was happy and she gave Duke Ding who was far away a brilliant smile. Far away, Duke Ding Xie Heng's gaze fell on the little lady's face and his cold and sharp eyes had a trace of softness.

"Why, Duke Ding came." Fu Wanning noticed Jiang Ningbao's strangeness and raised her head to look. She saw the domineering figure who struck fear in the heart and could not help but say this.

She heard that Duke Ding never joined the banquet Queen Rui held. He came suddenly this time, could it be for Jiang fourth miss?

"Yes, the duke came."

Jiang Ningbao nodded with a smile. Though in her heart, she wanted to fly to the duke to develop some feelings.

Fu Wanning covered her mouth and coincidentally saw a lady she knew was admiring flowers so she immediately said, "Ningbao, you go talk to Duke Ding. I won't disturb you guys. Let us meet again when we have the time."

After saying this, she led her servants to leave.

Jiang Ningbao laughed lightly. She led Chun Xi and Chun Le to walk toward Duke Ding Xie Heng's direction with a good mood.

Duke Ding's arrival attracted a commotion.

But the noble ladies and well-bred ladies avoided him. Only little king Xiao Ran and a few Xie clan males with Old Madam Xie's maternal house's males went to say a few sentences but they did not dare to stay for long.

Yang Shuqing looked at Jiang Ningbao walking to Duke Ding's side with a brilliant and beautiful smile, making her feel it was an eye-sore. Yang Shuqing took a deep breath and turned to look at Xie Jingyi with a warm smile.

Xie Jingyi's punishment was over and the wounds on his body were more or less healed. After knowing his fiance went to King Rui Residence, he and Duke Ding went to join Queen Rui's flower admiring banquet together.

"Sir duke, are you here to see me or pick me back to the residence?" Jiang Ningbao stood beside Duke Ding and on her white face, red dust appeared because she was walking too fast.

Duke Ding Xie Heng looked at the little lady and his gaze fell on the golden hairprin embedded with night pearl. His gaze softened and he spoke faintly, "To see you, pick you back to the residence."

Actually, for the whole evening, Duke Ding was absent-minded. And then, the black clothed guards told him that the little lady met with Yang Shuqing in front of King Rui Residence's gates.

Duke Ding decided to back up the little lady.

"Not meeting for one day is like parting for three years. Sir duke must be missing me." Jiang Ningbao's eyes wander and she mischievously flirted with Duke Ding.

Duke Ding Xie Heng's cold eyes flashed with laughter and he said, "Yes."

Jiang Ningbao widened her eyes. She did not see it wrongly, right? She actually saw the duke smiling.

Won't this prove that her method was effective? See, the duke chased her to the flower admiring banquet.

Jiang Ningbao's heart felt very pleased with herself.

"Are we going back now?"

"Go back if you want to. Today, there will be someone to measure your clothes." Duke Ding Xie Heng looked at the little lady and spoke faintly.

"To make a wedding dress?"

Jiang Ningbao just recalled that her wedding date was on the first of the fifth month. There was still more than a month's time. She usually only thought to develop feelings with Duke Ding and it seemed that she had not prepared her wedding dress so she could not help but have a guilty conscience.

She seemed to have forgotten to embroider her wedding dress.

But she could not embroider her wedding dress. After living for sixteen years in ancient times, Jiang Ningbao had not obtained this skill. She could only do a bit of embroidery so don't even talk about wedding dress.

"Yes." Duke Ding nodded.

"What if I can't embroider the wedding dress?" Jiang Ningbao asked with a red face and her gaze was wandering.

"I will prepare."

"Is this okay?" Jiang Ningbao asked with hesitation. She heard that women mostly embroider their wedding dress. If one could not, she would still make the finishing touch.

Duke Ding hit bulls-eye, "You cannot embroider."

Jiang Ningbao choked.

She then thought that not being able to embroider a wedding dress was not much, the duke had prepared a better one. Jiang Ningbao's mood became happy and she naturally grabbed Duke Ding's arm as she smiled at his handsome face.

"Let us go back to the residence. We can also spar."

Duke Ding Xie Heng's body stiffened and his heart beat violently.

Not far away, Jiang Mingyao saw how Duke Ding and her fourth sister interacted for the first time and she silently heaved a breath. Her fourth sister should be better off in the future, right?

She turned back to look at her fiance beside her and a trace of anticipation rose in her heart.