Chapter 272 - Fifth Princess Defeated While Drinking Plum Wine (1/2)

Fifth Princess did not know that she had almost died just now.

“Greetings to Mother from Tong’er.” Seeing that Princess Royal had arrived, Mo Xuetong moved forth to pay her respects.

“What took Tong’er so long? I waited for quite a while already. Come, let me examine your foot.” Princess Royale moved her glance from the beautiful face of Mo Xuetong to Bai Yihao. She squinted her eyes as a simmer of light flashed across her eyes, so fast that Mo Xuetong could not even tell the emotion they concealed.

“Aunty, it’s rare for me to meet Anping. Perhaps we can visit your palace? I heard that your plum wine is ready for consumption. Is it possible to gift one cup to Xueyu?” Fifth Princess blinked repeatedly with a pleading smile, completely different from her malicious expression just now. She had transformed into a naive and cute girl again.

If Mo Xuetong did not see what had just happened, she would have been completely fooled by Fifth Princess.

“Alright, come together. Yihao, do you want to join?” Princess Royal asked, turning her head at Bai Yihao.

“Since Aunty invited me, I naturally have to oblige and have a taste of your plum wine.” Bai Yihao smiled. His face was as beautiful as flowers in spring, elegant yet profound. He was as pure as the moon but yet as delicate as a fairy. His long sleeves were slightly exposed, accentuating his gracefulness. It was almost inevitable for everyone to focus their glance on him. It wasn’t unnatural for Fifth Princess to like him.

Mo Xuetong thought to herself silently as she kept her gaze to herself. Supported by Mo Lan, she followed Princess Royal to Mingzhu Palace.

She did not believe that Princess Royale just happened to pa.s.s by the area. Even though everyone knew when she will be entering the palace, they would not be aware of when she would be leaving. Just when Feng Yuran left, Fifth Princess appeared, followed by Princess Royal coming over to help her. This meant that Feng Yuran had probably already negotiated with the Empress already. She was touched thinking about his help even though he wasn’t at her side.

Princess Royal’s Mingzhu Palace had always been a quiet place. A parrot in the garden shouted excited as it saw numerous guests approaching, “Guests here, guests here! Lanruo, come and welcome our guests!”

Everyone was slightly stunned by the words and chuckled. This place was not like the formal and proper palace, but the casual and elegant room of a beautiful woman.

“Oh my, how can my Eighth Brother teach the parrot such crude words. Aunty, let me find you a beautiful one tomorrow that can speak properly.” Fifth Princess chuckled and suggested.

“Don’t waste your effort. You know your Eighth Brother. If you send a different one here, he will train it again. I will make do with this. Anyways, it only knows these few crude sentences, it’s not that terrible.” Princess Royal followed her gaze onto the parrot and smiled gently, with her eyes and lips curved up in the shape of a crescent moon.

The door opened, and Princess Royal’s head servant Lanruo came out to bring everyone into the hall.

It was already dusk and the sun was setting, bringing its last bit of warmth into the hall. However, the wind was strong as well. Princess Royal asked the servants to bring up the newly brewed plum wine, and Lanruo followed her orders immediately. Before long, a jar of wine was brought in.

Placing a jade bowl in front of each guest, Lanruo poured a cup of wine for each of them.

Before even drinking the wine, a simmer of cool plum fragrance emerged from the clear wine.

A sip of the wine brings a taste of refres.h.i.+ng sweetness. The wine is not cloying and is extremely easy to enjoy. As it travels down the gullet, it warms the body, creating comfort.

“Indeed a good wine! Aunty, how many jars do you still have? Can you gift one to me for a party at my palace tomorrow? I will invite you over to drink as well.” Fifth Princess pleaded, “You cannot be stingy now that both my cousin and I are present!”

She mentioned Bai Yihao in her speech but he was busy playing with the chess pieces, not noticing her as well. Remembering her gentle glance towards Mo Xuetong just now, and his indifference towards her, she became annoyed. However, she dared not vent her anger on Bai Yihao, and could only stare at Mo Xuetong.

Mo Xuetong quietly removed her gaze from Bai Yihao’s chess pieces before holding up her jade cup to sip on her wine.

She did not want to be involved in this matter and was only curious about what Bai Yihao was doing. It was not necessary to have invoked such a jealous response from Fifth Princess.

“I don’t have much wine anymore. I am running out after gifting Empress Dowager. If Xueyu wants any, you can come over and drink.” Princess Royal smiled politely.

She truly had only a few left after gifting Empress Dowager some. Furthermore, she had not gifted any to the Empress and thus would be inappropriate to gift any to Fifth Princess. That made Fifth Princess even more frustrated as she had always been in the center of attention, and was always pampered, never neglected or rejected. However, she dared not be angry at Princess Royal as well.

Although Princess Royal stayed alone in the palace, she was well trusted by Empress Dowager and Emperor Zongwen, and might not even listen to her mother. Thus, it was expected to be rejected. However, Fifth Princess got more furious at the thought of being rejected in front of Bai Yihao. She could only vent her anger on Mo Xuetong and disliked her more and more, more so that she wanted to destroy that seductive face.

Furthermore, she could promise to have seen that little b.i.t.c.h smile when Princess Royal rejected her.

Mo Xuetong, however, was extremely innocent. As she had offended Fifth Princess without even speaking much.

“Aunt, did you know that my father specially invited Princess Anping here today? It was because she did not partic.i.p.ate in the feast today and so father did not see her. I didn’t expect Princess Anping to be so adored by Father, so much so that the palace agreed that she comes in a sedan chair.” Fifth Princess glanced at Mo Xuetong once before walking to Bai Yihao’s side to sit beside him.

She then tugged at his sleeves and whined, “Isn’t that true, cousin?”