Chapter 325: Conspiracy
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Xiao Jin said that he could spare some time today. He should attend his father-in-law’s birthday celebration no matter what. He even asked Zhang Shuming to prepare a gift.
The banquet was held at noon. After breakfast, the family of four went out.
When they arrived at the Prime Minister’s Residence, they were considered late as many guests had already arrived.
As soon as Su Ying and her group alighted from the horse carriage, Little Madam Jiang saw them and immediately went up to receive them with Prime Minister Su.
“Your Highnesses, Young Prince, and Young Princess, all of you are here.”
Prime Minister Su still had a slightly unnatural expression on his face, but his expression was much gentler than before.
After a simple greeting, Su Ying’s group was invited into the residence.
The banquet was divided into male and female seating sections. When they reached the rear courtyard, a servant boy came forward to bring Xiao Jin to the male guests’ section.
The older toddler Ji was not too willing to be separated from his mother and younger sister.
“Big Brother, you’re a boy. Boys can’t come over.”
In the end, Ji obediently followed Xiao Jin to the male guests’ section.
The female guests were seated in the garden in the rear courtyard. Many noble ladies and young ladies had already arrived.
The maidservant had just brought Su Ying in when all the noise and chattering stopped abruptly.
Su Ying seemed to have gotten accustomed to this kind of reception long ago. She walked to her seat without a care in the world and sat down.
As soon as she sat down, the exquisitely dressed Su Yuyan came toward her slowly and curtsied in front of Su Ying. “Greetings, Your Highness.”
Su Ying raised her eyes and glanced at her. “Please rise.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. It’s rare for Your Highness to come here. Why don’t you follow me into the house and get to know some of the elders in the clan?” Su Yuyan suggested with an understanding expression.
“No need. It’s enough for you, my younger sister, to get familiarized with them on my behalf.”
Su Yuyan didn’t seem surprised that Su Ying would refuse, and instead smiled warmly, “That’s fine. Your Highness has always liked peace and quiet. I won’t impose on you anymore. I’ll go entertain the guests first.”
Su Yuyan left in a very forthright manner. She did not have the slightest intention of pestering Su Ying.
The younger toddler Ling picked up a few grapes from the table and started peeling them earnestly.
Su Ying lowered her eyes to look at the grape in Ling’s hand. Perhaps her gaze was too strong and it made Ling raise her head in confusion. When she saw her mother drooling at the grape in her hand, Ling popped the peeled grape into her mouth straight away.
However, before she could swallow it, she seem to feel that this wasn’t a good idea, so she generously gave Su Ying one of the remaining grapes in her hand.
“Mother, have one?”
Su Ying unceremoniously opened her mouth and swallowed the sparkling grape.
Those noble ladies and young ladies were both curious and afraid of Su Ying. They had only heard that she had gone to Duke Zhenguo’s Residence yesterday to beat someone up again. They had thought that this matter would be brought to the Emperor, but to their surprise, after waiting for an entire night, nothing happened. This was somewhat disappointing to many people. After all, they were really curious to know what kind of person could subdue Su Ying.
Su Ying and Ling fed each other grapes until they finished all the grapes on the table. At that point, Little Madam Jiang finally walked in with her attendants.
She displayed the dignified and graceful posture that a Prime Minister’s wife should have. She received the guests in a very smooth and noble manner.
Little Madam Jiang glanced in Su Ying’s direction before walking to the platform in front of the banquet table.
“Thank you for taking the time to come to the Prime Minister’s Residence to attend the Prime Minister’s birthday…” The pleasantries poured out eloquently from Little Madam Jiang’s mouth.
After saying that, she went back to her seat as the guests sat down.
Su Ying’s status was noble, so she was arranged to sit at the main table.
Little Madam Jiang was sitting beside her.
A maidservant stepped forward to fill Su Ying’s cup with wine, but when she stepped aside, the maidservant was accidentally bumped by another noble lady beside her. The wine pot tilted, and some wine accidentally spilled onto Ling’s body.
Su Ying reacted at once and immediately picked Ling up, but there was still a big wet patch on her little light blue dress.
Ling frowned a little unhappily and hugged Su Ying silently.
Su Ying’s eyes turned icy.
The maidservant was so frightened that she immediately knelt down and begged for mercy. “Your Highness, please calm down. Young Princess, please calm down. I… 1 didn’t do it on purpose. Please spare my life, Your Highness.”
Little Madam Jiang stood up and reprimanded the maidservant with displeasure. “You can’t even hold a wine pot properly. What use does the Prime Minister’s Residence have for you? Take her away quickly.”
The surrounding maidservants immediately stepped forward and took the maidservant away.
Little Madam Jiang looked apologetically at Su Ying. “Your Highness, please don’t be angry. It’s all the maidservant’s fault for being clumsy. 1’11 get someone to bring Young Princess away to change into a clean dress.”
Su Ying had no intention of letting go of Ling. “I’ll take her there myself.”
“Alright, alright.” Little Madam Jiang found a maidservant to lead the way and asked her to bring Su Ying and Ling to the guest room to change clothes.
This interlude didn’t attract the attention of the crowd for too long. After Su Ying brought the child away, Little Madam Jiang once again invited the guests to eat and drink.
Su Ying still had some impression of the layout of Prime Minister’s Residence, so she knew that the maidservant had indeed led her to the guest room.
The maidservant brought them to one of the guest rooms. Bai Shuang had already gone to get a change of clothes.
“Your Highness, Young Princess, please wait for a moment. I will go and get hot water for the Young Princess to clean herself.”
“Go ahead.”
Su Ying placed Ling on the bed. As quite a bit of wine had spilled on her dress, she could smell the faint fragrance of wine on Ling’s body when she got close.
“Mother will take off your dress first.”
“Alright.”
Ling obediently cooperated with Su Ying. Actually, it was only her outer dress that was wet. Her inner dress was not wet. After removing and putting the dress aside, Su Ying took a small blanket from the bed and covered her body.
“Are you hungry?”
Ling nodded. “Hungry.”
Su Ying felt that Ling took after her in this aspect. She ate quite a lot and became hungry exceptionally quickly.
Clatter!
There was a sudden movement outside the window.
Su Ying’s eyes darkened. She went to the window swiftly and saw a figure running quickly toward the rear courtyard.
Su Ying turned around and glanced at Ling, but she didn’t go after the figure. Instead, she picked Ling up.
Bai Shuang did not return for a long time, and even the maidservant who went to bring the hot water was nowhere to be seen.
Just as Su Ying was about to take Ling out to take a look, the maidservant who had gone to fetch water returned.
“Sorry for making you wait, Your Highness.”
“Why haven’t you brought the clothes here yet?” Su Ying asked.”
“Your Highness, please wait a moment. I will go to the rear courtyard in a while to take a look.”
A change of clothes had been placed on the horse carriage when they came. If they needed it, they would ask the maidservant to get it. From Su Ying’s location to the rear courtyard where the horse carriage was parked, it would take about twenty minutes to walk back and forth.
The maidservant wrung a handkerchief to wipe Ling’s face, but Su Ying pushed her away. “Go and look for the clothes. You’re not needed here.”
“Yes. I will go now.”
The maidservant retreated and closed the door behind her, but Su Ying could clearly hear the sound of the door being locked from the outside..
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