Zhu Ying, who usually disliked attending any banquets or parties, unexpectedly went to various houses for two or three days in a row, taking the invitations that were just sent to the Duke of Zhao's mansion as a courtesy, and went to various appointments. In the afternoon, she went to the Zhu family's shops to check the accounts. This abnormal phenomenon spread in the circle of noble ladies and celebrities in the capital, and naturally caused quite a stir.
Considering that Lady Zhao, who had always lived in seclusion in the temple, had returned home, some people could not help but speculate that it was because Duke Zhao had lost the war that the Zhu family contacted people and counted the accounts. Some ladies who had always envied and hated this young lady said some unpleasant things behind her back.
However, it would have been fine if Zhu Ying didn't hear those gossips, but the always aloof Miss Zhao Er, the daughter of the Minister of War, couldn't help but make two sarcastic remarks to Zhu Ying in person at a tea party. This was a big deal, as Zhu Ying directly used Lu Sanlang's original words to scold her brother Zhao Ying, "If you are stupid, don't make excuses", and retorted, which directly angered him and he covered his face and left.
After Miss Zhao Er's lesson, those ladies who had some ideas at first immediately stopped. This young lady came to the palace as if she were home, and was even more casual in front of the emperor and the empress dowager than the princess. Even if she suddenly went around making appointments for some unknown reason, most people would just stay away from her. It was not worthwhile to be ridiculed instead of hurting others!
So, on this day, when Zhu Ying attended the birthday of the emperor's sister, Princess Qingning, as usual, even those ladies who disliked her arrogance and willfulness the most would at most stay away and gossip about her in secret. But in front of her, they all smiled and dared not show any strange emotions.
Princess Qingning, who had watched Zhu Ying grow up, smiled and said "no thanks" when someone came to her and was about to bow, and called her to sit next to her.
Zhu Ying walked up to her cousin and sat down next to her. She said that her grandmother was too weak to move, and her mother was waiting on her so she couldn't go out. Princess Qingning glanced at her in a reproachful manner: "You are always looking for excuses. Your mother is finally back, but you don't even take her out for a walk. She has stayed in that quiet place for so many years, it's time for her to get some exercise!"
Zhu Ying directly snatched the knife from the maid beside her and skillfully peeled a crystal pear for Princess Qingning, saying, "Mother said that she hasn't served grandma for many years, and now she wants to show her filial piety, so I am the only one who can show filial piety to Third Aunt."
Princess Qingning was immediately amused by Zhu Ying: "Oh, Yingying, you are getting married soon after all. You were not so obedient before!"
"Third aunt, it's not that I was unfilial in the past, but you don't celebrate your birthday every day!" Zhu Ying said as she stuffed a slice of peeled pear into Princess Qingning's mouth. Then she looked around and asked with a smile, "Hey, where's Princess Yongping?"
Although the crystal pear was moist and sweet, Princess Qingning still felt that Zhu Ying's mouth was truly sweet. She couldn't help but reach out and pinch Zhu Ying's delicate cheek, with a doting look on her face: "Don't you and Yongping always make sarcastic remarks to each other when you see each other? Today, the sun is rising from the west, and you're actually thinking about her?"
"No one quarreled with me, I just missed her!" Zhu Ying glanced at the ladies around her who were trying their best to show elegance and grace, and then chuckled, "A few days ago, someone claimed to be a talented woman and ridiculed me for being unskilled. As a result, I asked her in return whether she could write eight-part essays, and she immediately became mute. If it was Princess Yongping, she would be able to write eight or ten essays at will."