Chapter 385: Apology
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Over the next few days, Bai Shuang learned from the palace maids passing messages outside the palace that Princess Pingling had been inquiring about Xiao Li’s preferences these few days. Princess Pingling claimed that since the two of them were already engaged, it was better to have a basic understanding of the other party first.
The two of them had been bestowed with a marriage and could be considered as having a relationship in public. Although Princess Pingling’s actions were a little brazen, no one would say anything. As for whether she would be able to find out anything, it was unknown.
“An illusion! It must be an illusion!” Lin Zhuyu said with certainty as she handed the tea to Su Ying.
Bai Shuang glanced at her. Ever since the Empress gave her chicken drumstick the last time, she looked at everyone as if she was keeping an eye on a thief.
“His Majesty has already bestowed the marriage, so this matter is already a foregone conclusion. They won’t really want to defy the edict, will they?”
“I don’t know if those two are going to defy the Imperial edict or not, but Princess Pingling is definitely not sincere. If people can find out what she was doing, then it must be something she wanted to do for others to see!”
Su Ying stopped drinking her tea and looked at Lin Zhuyu with approval. “Lin Zhuyu, you’re good.”
Lin Zhuyu raised her increasingly round chin. “Your Imperial Highness has taught me well.”
Bai Shuang expressed her disdain for Lin Zhuyu’s boot-licking. “This Princess Pingling wouldn’t be cooking up some scheme again, would she?”
“She probably is. What kind of scheme do you think she will hatch in order not to marry the Third Prince?”
Bai Shuang and Lin Zhuyu frowned when they heard this. Other than defying the Imperial edict, what else could she do?
“Greetings, Your Imperial Highness.” As they were talking, the palace maid in charge of passing messages arrived outside the door.
“Come in and talk.”
After the palace maid entered the room, she bowed and said, “Your Imperial Highness, someone from the palace for temporary stays just sent a message. Princess Pingling is holding a small tea appreciation banquet in the palace for temporary stays tomorrow. She wants to know whether Your Imperial Highness will give her the honor of attending?”
“Who else did she invite besides me?”
“Your servant does not know either.”
“Reply to her that 1 will definitely arrive on time.”
The palace maid acknowledged that she understood and excused herself.
Su Ying glanced at the two of them and said with a smile, “See? The scheme has arrived.”
“Your servant will accompany Your Imperial Highness tomorrow.” Lin Zhuyu rubbed her fists and looked like she was ready to go all out.
“Alright.”
Although Princess Pingling’s small tea appreciation banquet was called a banquet, in reality, only Su Ying was invited.
After Su Ying arrived at the palace for temporary stays, Princess Pingling and Prince Yu personally went to the main entrance of the palace for temporary stays to receive her. They welcomed her straightaway into the main hall and led her to the main seat.
Princess Pingling took the teacup from the maidservant’s hands and curtsied before Su Ying. With a sincere expression, she said, “Previously, Xiulin was not sensible and offended Your Imperial Highness. Today, Xiulin wants to use this opportunity to apologize to Your Imperial Highness. If Your Imperial Highness is unhappy and wants to punish Xiulin, Xiulin will have no complaints.”
As she spoke, she lowered her head and served the tea in her hand with a respectful attitude.
Su Ying didn’t make things difficult for her. She extended her hand directly to take the teacup from her hand before placing it on the coffee table. “1 accept this apology.”
Princess Pingling stood up with a smile when she heard that. Her appearance seemed extremely harmless, especially her round eyes. It made her look like an innocent rabbit.
After she sat down on the lower seat next to Su Ying, she asked the maidservant to bring over some snacks.
At first glance, these snacks looked a little different from what Su Ying had eaten before.
“Your Imperial Highness, these snacks were made by our Nan State’s Imperial Chef. They have the special characteristics of the Nan State. I wonder if Your Imperial Highness likes them.” As Princess Pingling spoke, she casually picked up a piece of snack and took a bite. She didn’t look like she was eating but rather, she was doing a taste test for the presence of poison for Su Ying.
Compared to meat, Su Ying was actually not that interested in sweet snacks. She simply picked up a piece of cheese and sniffed it.
“Oh!”
Princess Pingling suddenly clutched her stomach with an expression of anguish. The snack in her hand dropped to the ground.
When Lin Zhuyu saw this sight, she felt that a good show was about to begin. The first thing she did was to shield Su Ying.
Su Ying’s entire line of sight was blocked by her. She massaged the spot between her brows and pulled Lin Zhuyu to the side. “Calm down.”
When they heard the commotion, the maidservants all went forward to check on Princess Pingling.
“Your Highness, what happened to you?”
“My… my stomach… my stomach hurts so much…”
“We will first help Your Highness into the room.”
Two maidservants stepped forward and collectively helped Princess Pingling into the inner hall.
Su Ying glanced over and saw a drop of blood on the ground.
“She couldn’t be thinking of maligning the Empress of poisoning her, could she? How despicable! Your Imperial Highness, don’t worry. Your servant will definitely argue strongly for justice and not let her slander Your Imperial Highness!”
“Let’s go in and take a look.” Su Ying withdrew her gaze and followed the maidservants into the inner hall.
Princess Pingling lay on the bed, curled up in pain. Her face was much paler than earlier.
“I know some medical skills. Let me take a look at you, Princess.”
Princess Pingling nodded. “Then I have to trouble Your Imperial Highness.”
As she spoke, she stretched out her hand to let Su Ying check her pulse.
After checking her pulse, Su Ying glanced at Princess Pingling indifferently. “Princess, you are fine. It’s just that you are having your period. You just need to rest well, that’s all.”
When she heard Su Ying say this, Princess Pingling’s face turned red with embarrassment. “Why… why did my period come early this month? I didn’t expect it and made a fool of myself in front of Your Imperial Highness. Please wait for a moment in the outer hall, Your Imperial Highness. 1 will come out to accompany Your Imperial Highness to continue drinking tea after I tidy up myself.”
After verifying that Princess Pingling was fine, Su Ying left the inner hall and returned to her seat.
Not long after she sat down, Prince Yu came over.
“Your Imperial Highness, how is the Princess?”
“It’s nothing serious.”
Prince Yu sighed with relief when he heard this. “It’s good that she’s fine. Princess Pingling has been weak since she was young. She would fall sick every two or three days and it made Emperor Father very worried. Things only got better after she grew up.” As he spoke, he sat down on a chair.
“I have some questions that I would like to seek advice from Your Imperial Highness. I wonder if Your Imperial Highness can enlighten me?”
Su Ying raised an eyebrow. “What does Prince Yu want to know?”
Prince Yu said, “Ever since I witnessed Your Imperial Highness’s martial arts skills, I’ve been filled with admiration. May I know where Your Imperial Highness’s master hails from?”
“My skills are self-taught.”
Prince Yu was utterly speechless. He felt he was being humiliated!
“Then Your Imperial Highness is truly a martial arts genius. I really can’t see any flaw in your every move and strike…”
Su Ying listened to his incessant chatter and answered in a random manner. She looked out of the hall and saw that the sun had already set.
Su Ying gently placed the teacup on the table and slowly stood up.
The instant she stood up, Prince Yu instinctively stood up as well.
“Is Your Imperial Highness hungry? Why don’t you have dinner with the Princess in the palace for temporary stays before going back?”
Su Ying glanced in the direction of the inner hall. Princess Pingling hadn’t come out since just now. The palace maid only said that she was too weak and had fallen asleep, so Su Ying naturally couldn’t disturb her.
“Sounds good. Where is the washroom?”
When he saw that Su Ying only wanted to go to the washroom, Prince Yu secretly sighed with relief. “Someone bring Her Imperial Highness to the washroom..”