Chapter 14(1): Shen Zhi Yi
When Jiang Xue Ning was returning to the reception pavilion, she met the You sisters who were hurriedly rushing over to deal with the matters. It was clear that they had also heard that Jiang Xue Ning, an outside guest had actually interfered in their internal affairs. You Yue who harboured ‘old grudges’ the reception pavilion and the current ‘new grudges’, glared at her with eyes that seemed to be able to spew fire.
Even You Lian’s complexion didn’t look good and only gave a light greeting.
Jiang Xue Ning gave a perfunctory response as well.
The grudge with the two sisters of the Qing Yuan Earl Mansion was definitely set.
But she didn’t care.
Was there anyone in the world who was afraid of being hated by an ant?
After returning to the reception pavilion, the news of You Fang Yin ‘falling into the water’ had already spread. Because they didn’t know the specific details, the rumours were much more outrageous than what had actually happened.
There were some who said that it was a servant girl in the mansion who was humiliated by the master hence threw herself into the water.
There were some who said that it was a proper young lady whose mother just hung herself on a loose. She took it too hard and hence did something stupid.
Of course, what was most widely spread was Jiang Xue Ning’s words just then: that this girl was a concubine-born daughter of the You Residence, who was bullied by some evil servants and that the ‘fall into water’ wasn’t so simple…
Most of the noble young ladies in the pavilion followed the rules and procedures in their everyday lives so when Yan Lin had come to find her to chat earlier, it was the first time they had seen such a blatant ‘private meeting’. After Jiang Xue Ning left, there were a lot of criticisms against her.
Plus, everyone had other thoughts towards Yan Lin to begin with.
Who would’ve thought that the Second Young Lady Jiang would pop out halfway. This made them think that for Young Master Yan to dare to act like this before his coming of age ceremony, it must be because their marriage affair had pretty much been confirmed in private.
It really made one feel sour. But this feeling immediately dispersed after the matter of You Fang Yin falling into the water.
The lives of the noble young ladies were boring so how could they resist the temptation of gossip? Fortunately the hosts had gone to take care of the matters so some of them took the opportunity to go over to Jiang Xue Ning’s side to inquire.
Jiang Xue Ning told them what she saw. She didn’t add anything nor say anything less.
After a while, the You sisters returned and simply said that a concubine-born daughter had accidentally fallen into the water. Thankfully the old maidservants discovered her early and resuced her. They’ve already sent a physician over to give her a check and everything was fine.
Everyone had a glad ‘it’s great that she’s fine’ look on their faces. However, these young ladies from noble families had already heard Jiang Xue Ning’s story plus, whose family didn’t have disputes? There were some things that you could understand as soon you heard about it. They couldn’t be bothered believing the nonsense that the You sisters sprouted but because they were the hosts, so the ladies still gave them some face.
As for how they’d spread it once the banquet was over and they returned home, that was their own matter.
Afterwards, they had lunch, appreciated the chrysanthemums, wrote poems and painted.
It was truly boring to Jiang Xue Ning.
If Yan Lin hadn’t said earlier to wait for him in the Jiang Xiao tower after the banquet ended in the afternoon so that they’d go see the Lantern Festival together in the evening, she would’ve already left after seeing You Fang Yin.
In the last half an hour, she simply at on the side and watched those noble young ladies show off their skills, drawing the autumn chrysanthemums in different angles on the rice papers laid out one by one with meticulous brushwork.
Once the best piece was selected by everyone, then the banquet will end.
Noone expected however, that when the banquet was about to end, a sudden voice sang out at the door, “The Eldest Princess of Leyang has arrived!”
The Eldest Princess?
Everyone in the pavilion was taken aback. Before they had time to look up, they all hurriedly bowed, “Welcoming the Eldest Princess!”
When Jiang Xue Ning heard, her eyelids twitched and she began to secretly hate herself for not leaving the banquet early.
But after thinking about it again, she was now wearing women’s clothing. Thus, she forced herself to relax her tense nerves and bowed in the corner alongside everyone else. She subconsciously lowered her head deeper.
Light footsteps sounded in the entrance of the hall as well as the clinking sound of jade pendants that noble ladies wore on their waist. Soon after, everyone heard a voice pass from the top of their heads, “No need to be so polite. This Princess and Ah Shu heard that Qing Yuan Earl Mansion’s banquet is still in progress so we stopped by to take a look. Please get up.”
Word by word, like pearls and jade dropping onto a plate.
It was ethereal, as if they were in a dream.
When everyone heard this voice, they couldn’t help but wonder what kind of fairy-like appearance this Eldest Princess of Leyang had.
Although the young ladies were from aristocratic families, they had never entered the palace before. Most of them had never met the Princess so after they got up, some raised their eyes to take a look.
However, the moment they saw the appearance of the princess, they were all stunned. Some strangeness emerged subconsciously in their eyes followed by a sense of pity and the thought, “What a pity.”
The Eldest Princess of Leyang, Shen Zhi Yi was the daughter of the late emperor’s favourite concubine, Imperial Noble Consort Xian. She had been doted on since little and lived a luxurious life. Her skin was delicate and snow white and she inherited the exquisite facial features of the Imperial Noble Consort that were exceptionally bright and beautiful. She had sweet dimples when she smiled which made people feel happy when they saw it.
However, there was a scar half an inch below the outer corner of her left eye.
Although the colour of the scar had faded and it wasn’t very long, it was particularly eye catching and glaring on such a flawless face, making it hard to not notice it. The original beauty of her face was ruined by the scar which made people unable to help but sigh that “there are cracks in the pearl and gaps in the beautiful jade.”
It was a disfigured face.
Even if it was covered with powder, it was still very noticeable.
She had such a beautiful voice yet didn’t have the appearance to match.
Jiang Xue Ning knew that the scar on the Eldest Princess of Leyang was left when King Pingnan invaded the capital twenty years ago. At that time, the Eldest Princess of Leyang was just a newborn baby who had been snatched from the wet nurse by the rebels to use as hostage. They had made a slash on her face with a dagger to threaten the other members of the royal family who were hiding within the imperial city to appear.
Later, the King of Qin’s army arrived and quelled the rebellion.
As a princess, Shen Zhi Yi was naturally safe and sound but the scar was permanently left on her face, accompanying her from childhood to now.
Although twenty years had passed, but everyone within the palace and in the court who were there during the turmoil couldn’t help but remember the incident that had soaked the palace in blood when they saw the scar on her face.
The scar of the Eldest Princess of Leyang was the shame that King Pingnan’s rebellious party had drawn onto the face of the great dynasty of Dagan!
It was also because of this that the current Emperor doted on this younger sister so much.
If Shen Zhi Yi had any requests, as long as it didn’t involve the survival of the country, he would satisfy it. Even if she wanted to pluck the stars in the sky, Shen Lang would ask someone to try and pluck them before giving up.
Shen Zhi Yi grew up in the court and since a child, she had seen the eyes of countless people looking at the scar on her face, some had a look of pity, some with sympathy and some with ridicule. Occasionally, she would even hear the thoughts of some beautiful ladies in the palace through the looks on their faces: so what if she’s the lofty princess of the empire? With this scar, her appearance is ruined and she couldn’t even compare to inferior ladies like them.
When she was young, she didn’t know the meaning of these gazes.
After she grew older and understood these matters, it turned from anger to hatred and from hatred to sorrow.
Which woman in the world could really not care about their own appearance?
Shen Zhi Yi glanced around and noticed everyone’s judgemental gazes. Only one person in the corner did not lift her head up and instead, had it buried deeply.
How rare.
In the palace, she was used to being watched attentively by others. Even though she felt like there was a thorn stuck in her heart at that moment, she didn’t have a fit but rather, said indifferently, “Just keep painting.”
Everyone was startled by her sweeping gaze and quickly withdrew their gazes.
Since the Princess had spoken, they dared not retaliate.
Thus, everyone returned to their original positions and continued to paint or write poetry.
Jiang Xue Ning also gave a light sigh of relief, retreated and continued to pretend that she didn’t exist at all.
However, before she could sit back down, Shen Zhi Yi came directly towards her and stood in front of her asking, “You are Jiang Xue Ning? Raise your head.”
Tofubyu 