Yuan Ming's yard was always deserted, but today a woman in gorgeous clothes came in. When Yuan Ming heard the voice, he dropped the kettle in his hand and ran out, only then did he see clearly that it was Xia Qingyao.
Xia Qingyao, who had just made her debut, walked in with a smile on her face and said in a clear voice, "Sister Ming."
Yuan Ming straightened her clothes and went to meet her, smiling: "How come you have time to come?" As she got closer, she could see the remaining red marks under her rouge. Yuan Ming had also heard about the incident that day, and she could still see the seriousness of the situation today.
Yuan Ming turned her head aside and pretended nothing had happened, but her gaze had caught Xia Qingyao's. She smiled faintly, "Sister Ming, you can see it. This is a gift from the princess." The two had already entered the house, and the maid served them fragrant tea and cakes.
Yuan Ming asked, "Sister, are you here for something?"
Xia Qingyao nodded and said, "I don't come here for no reason. I just want to talk to you about something." After that, she glanced at him and sipped her tea with a smile. Seeing her like this, Yuan Ming waved away the servant.
There were only two of them left in the room.
Xia Qingyao looked around and smiled, then asked softly, "Sister, it seems a bit deserted here. Does anyone come here on weekdays?"
Yuan Ming was stunned, and answered honestly: "The prince only comes to visit during festivals, and rarely comes on weekdays. The princess doesn't go out much either, but Hanzhen likes to come and look around. She likes the candied fruits I make."
Xia Qingyao put down the teacup in her hand and smiled faintly, and asked: "Sister has been in the mansion for quite a while. The prince rarely comes, sister, do you have any complaints?"
Her face was slightly flushed, and her voice gradually became softer: "What can I complain about? If the prince comes once, I will be grateful."
Upon hearing this, Xia Qingyao shook her head and smiled, with a hint of sarcasm between her eyebrows: "Does sister want to live like this for the rest of her life? With your looks and temperament, if it weren't for the princess interfering and pulling the prince's strings, sister would have been favored long ago. Why do you have to sit here and admire these flowers and plants?" Xia Qingyao looked around. Yuan Ming's yard was full of vitality, with flowers of all colors blooming in all colors. It was obvious that she had devoted all her attention to gardening.
Yuan Ming's heart moved slightly, and he looked up at Xia Qingyao with some doubt: "What do you mean by this, sister?"
"I just want to ask you one question, do you want to be favored by the prince?" Her eyes sparkled. Yuan Ming couldn't stand the temptation, and although she blushed, she nodded heavily.
Xia Qingyao's lips curled up into a meaningful smile: "Sister, I can help you, as long as I promise to do one thing for me..." There was a cunning light flashing on her face, and she looked determined to win.
Yuan Ming leaned closer to her and listened to her whisper. Xia Qingyao only said half of it, and Yuan Ming shook his head in panic: "No, no. This is not good."
Xia Qingyao looked at her coquettishly, half complaining and half questioning: "Sister, what are you worried about?"
“Princess…” Yuan Ming stammered, uttering these two words after a long while.
Then Xia Qingyao sneered, "Sister, have you ever thought about how she treated you over the years? She has been keeping the prince all to herself, not letting anyone get close to her. Sister, why are you inferior to her in any way? If you listen to me, we sisters can work together and I can definitely make you loved." Her bright red lips seemed to be able to bewitch, and Yuan Ming nodded blankly after hearing it. She replied softly, "Okay."
Seeing that she agreed, Xia Qingyao smiled and held her hand meaningfully. (To be continued)