chapter 87

In the inner room of Palace Lihua, the highest-ranking imperial concubine Anli was even more angry when she had heard An Suying’s chat. Her fingernails, which were elaborately clipped, were now nailed on the edge of table and her knuckles were already whitened.

An Suying didn’t notice that and she just complained, “How could Nangong Ning be so cared by my lord? My aunt, you must stand with me!”

The highest-ranking imperial concubine Anli wore a deep and complex expression. She sighed and said, “True. She is NOT qualified.”

When she had the engagement with Jun Qianye, he had never treated her well like this! And he even didn’t pay attention to her.

Who was Nangong Ning? How could this pussy get what she didn’t get?

“Since she dared to swindle my lord’s love, I want to know if she can accept it from then on!”

Hearing the highest-ranking imperial concubine Anli’s scolding, An Suying put her mind at ease immediately.

In the world of her, her aunt was exactly the most powerful woman. How many females in the world could lead the harem and always had this longstanding power?

“My aunt. Today I went to Peerless Pavilion but failed to buy new dress. Can you help me?”

The highest-ranking imperial concubine Anli looked at her niece before her.

An Suying was already seventeen this year. Her appearance was also fine, though not quite startling. As the primogeniture daughter of the prime minister’s palace, she was honourable as well.

What’s more, An Suying was her niece. Whatever ideas she had, she could be easily controlled. Such a girl could be agreed to enter the Regent’s palace and marry to that Price Charming.

The highest-ranking imperial concubine Anli lifted her lips and wore a deep smile. She stroked An Suying’s tender cheek and smiled, “Okay. I stand with you.”

“Thanks a lot, my aunt!” An Suying was delighted.

At the same time, in the Regent’s palace.

Nangong Ning was staring at Su Yuan, who just went out for information for her, and reluctantly asked again.

“Really? There are rumors outside that the lord treats me so well?”

“It is true.” Su Yuan answered without expression. “You just hide yourself for several days. Why do you give rise to so many troubles?” he could not resist adding.

Facing his question, Nangong Ning felt helpless because she herself was also desperate.

“It is not my fault!”

Su Yuan stared at her. Nangong Ning’s eyelid trembling, she argued again, “It is Jun Qianye. Why did he make clothes for me in such a big way? He should have had servants in palace to buy them.”

“In fact…” Su Yuan said. After a hesitation he added, “I’m also curious about it.”

“That’s it!” Nangong Ning shrugged and chattered, “I can’t keep pace with him. As far as I can see, his action is beyond common sense!”

Su Yuan looked at her, and said without expression, “He IS the Regent.”

“You mean I am a rookie so that I can’t keep pace with him?” Nangong Ning stared at Su Yuan.

Su Yuan didn’t answer. Yet his looks told it.

Nangong Ning began to rage. “Who is the master, you or me?”

“You.” Su Yuan said calmly. It sounded like he didn’t care about it.

“Then why I can’t feel your respect?” Nangong Ning questioned again.

Again, Su Yuan calmly said, “Who said I must respect you?”

Nangong Ning was stumped.

After a while she decided to give in.

She had the thought to see Jun Qianye again before the flower feast. However, at the dinner time Wen Wan told her that the lord was not at the palace, and he had set the instruction that she should let Nangong Ning rest early to prepare energy for the flower feast.

Hearing that, Nangong Ning was in a fog.

Jun Qianye informed Wen Wan like this, so he must have anticipated that she wanted to see him. What he did was to say “Get away from me”.

Nangong Ning gnashed her teeth in anger, but what could she do?

After dinner Nangong Ning was still unwilling to give in. She took a walk in Jun Qianye’s study, but the only one she met was Mr. Zong, who was there obviously on purpose, and she could not find Jun Qianye’s figure at all.

Finally she had no choice but go back and sleep.

At the beginning she had thought that she was likely to lose sleep. However, the bed in the palace was quite soft so she fell asleep quickly.

The next morning Nangong Ning was woken up by Wen Wan and other maids.

“Miss Nangong. It is high time to make up.”

Nangong Ning was confused for a while before she remembered why she must get up early and make her up. She scolded in mind at first, and then got up unwillingly.

Wen Wan and other maids dressed and made her up cleanly and neatly. All the things were done in the shortest time.

Dressed up, Nangong Ning looked at herself in the mirror and felt dizzy for a while.

She was quite worried if it was correct for her to make up like this. Had Jun Qianye considered what would happen after that?

“You look so lovely, Miss Nangong!” Wen Wan commended from heart.

Other maids echoed in chorus.

Nangong Ning could do nothing but twist her mouth and force a smile.

The empress’ flower feast was rare, for feasts were seldom held by Empress Xun, except for some important events.

So this flower feast was valued by everyone though it was quite unexpected. People all knew it had to be related to the lord.

Jun Qianye was a strange figure in Dongli. Not only his distinguished identity, but also his unparalleled facial appearance made him the lover of every noble girl’s dream.

Yet Jun Qianye was always cold and unsociable, and never did he speak to someone expressively. Somebody once thought the reason was the highest-ranking imperial concubine Anli. However, busybodies then found that the highest-ranking imperial concubine Anli didn’t look like the reason, because Jun Qianye had never been closed to the highest-ranking imperial concubine Anli. They had had the engagement in reality, but few appealing topics could be found between them.

What’s more, it was the incumbent emperor that married the highest-ranking imperial concubine Anli. So no one dare to discuss or propagate it. As a result, the engagement at that time was forgotten by everyone as if it never existed.

All these years, there were no hostess in the Regent’s palace. Many people were ambitious, but none of them was liked by Jun Qianye. All of a sudden, Emperor Fengtian appointed the engagement.

It would be also acceptable if it were other noble girls. Yet the girl was just Nangong Ning. Nangong Ning’s identity was also noble. Though she was an orphaned girl, Nangong’s family was an aristocratic family and Nangong Ning herself was the primogeniture daughter, so her identity was qualified. Otherwise she could not be engaged to the crown prince of the empress when she was just born.

The question was that she once had the engagement to the crown prince. All the people thought she couldn’t really marry into the Regent’s palace.

How could the Lord marry a female who just broke off her engagement to the crown prince?

What’s even worse, Nangong Ning’s engagement was appointed by the emperor.

In every aspect, the Regent couldn’t love her!

With such a thought, all the noble girls in the capital dressed up and attended the flower feast which was believed to be related to the Regent. Who was Nangong Ning? She was just the princess-to-be of the Regent only in name.

Although it was widely rumored in the capital yesterday that Jun Qianye doted on Nangong Ning and even customized clothes which were sewed by Bai Wushuang herself, they were just amazed for a short while and still wanted to enter the Regent’s palace.

Empress Xun’ flower feast was held in the flower nursery of imperial garden.

There existed all kinds of flowers, which bloomed in different seasons so there was always bright flowers.

It was really the right place for the flower feast.

Emperor Xun had not appear yet, but other noble girls were coming one after another. Each of them was dressed up and looked so lovely.

It was always noisy if females gathered.

“It is said that this feast is related to the Regent. Then why is he not here?”

“Because you came too early. You look quite foxy, so do you wish to marry into his palace?”

“Don’t tell me you are not. You mean your appearance is plain?”

“Let’s not fight. Someone arrives there.”

Girls looked over there as they talked, and they saw some figures approaching.

One girl in pink among those figures had delicate clothes and her appearance was even more delicate. A peach blossom was drawn between her eyebrows, which made her face as lovely as tender flowers.

“She is An Suying in the prime minister’s palace!” someone recognized her, “Is she so beautiful like this?”

Another noble girl bit her lips and said, “She did come from Palace Lihua. Her aunt, the highest-ranking imperial concubine Anli, is the first beauty of the capital and is of course good at make-up. People in our home can’t catch up with her.”

“That’s true. She is just lucky to have a powerful aunt!” one more noble girl said reluctantly and enviously.

Entering the flower nursery, An Suying proudly enjoyed other girls’ envious sights. She elegantly stepped in and sited down.

Many of others crowded around after a short hesitation.

Later on, some other noble girls came and most of females who were invited had attended the feast. All of them dressed up elaborately, but few could catch up with An Suying’s chic appearance.

At that time all the noble girls admired and envied An Suying. What they admired was that she had a powerful aunt, and what they envied was the fact that she was likely to get the Regent’s favor.

“Oh, there is still one who hasn’t come.” Suddenly a noblegirl said in surprise as if she just remembered that.

Someone echoed immediately, “That’s true. Nangong Ning hasn’t turned up. Our lord has customized clothes which were sewed by Bai Wushuang herself, and I wonder if hers are more exquisite than Miss An’s”

An Suying’s little face darkened at once when she heard that comment.

Someone noticed her expression and quickly smiled, “How is that possible? Miss An’s clothes are chosen by the highest-ranking imperial concubine. Bai Wushuang’s spinning and weaving skills may be good, but seamstresses in the palace cannot lag behind her. Not to mention that Miss An’s clothes are produced in Palace Lihua. Our highest-ranking imperial concubine is the first beauty of the capital, so her sight is of course higher than folk seamstresses!”

Hearing that declaration, An Suying’s face was delighted and full of smile again.

“You are right. The highest-ranking imperial concubine won’t let us down. By the way, Miss An, would the highest-ranking imperial concubine come today?” someone asked.

An Suying kept the smile and answered, “My aunt has gone to Palace Fengyi to greet the empress. She is likely to come here with the empress.”

However, equerries shouted when she just stopped talking, “The highest-ranking imperial concubine is coming!”