Chapter 126 Invitation
"You still know how to come back!"
When Madam Wang saw Rulan and Minglan coming back, she glared at her.
As soon as they arrived at the polo field, Rulan didn't want to stay in the tent and insisted on going out to play.
Madam Wang originally disagreed. Although Rulan's temper had become more restrained over the years, she was still a bit impetuous.
Rulan has already been chosen as the prince's concubine, so she still wants Rulan to behave more dignifiedly.
However, he could not bear Rulan's repeated pleas and agreed out of kindness.
After getting the promise, Rulan happily took Minglan and ran away.
Madam Wang sent people to look for him several times but he refused to come back.
If it wasn't almost noon and everyone who was out and about had returned to their tents to wait for lunch, I'm afraid Rulan wouldn't have come back yet.
In response to her mother's words, Rulan just smiled and didn't care at all. She said she was thirsty and asked the maid to pour her some water.
"Wash your face quickly after drinking the water. Your hair is stuck to the water." Mrs. Wang said unhappily.
It is now late March and the sun is shining brightly today. Rulan played for more than an hour and sweated a little. Some strands of hair were stuck to her forehead.
"I know, I know." Rulan was a little impatient. She drank some water and went to wash her face with Minglan.
"You're only a little over a year away from coming of age, and you still don't seem to be growing up."
Madam Wang shook her head and saw Molan sitting quietly beside her out of the corner of her eye, feeling that she was a bit annoying.
Ever since the last incident, Sheng Hong has not lifted the house arrest on Lin Xiaoniang.
At first, Molan went to Sheng Hong every few days to plead for her mother, but later she became more obedient.
Given Madam Wang's personality, she naturally didn't want to bring Molan with her, but Sheng Hong used the fact that she was his biological mother as an excuse, so she had to bring her along even though she wasn't happy about it.
After Molan arrived at the polo field, she was very well behaved. She didn't go out to play, but just sat quietly in the tent.
Madam Wang asked her to go out, but she refused, which made Madam Wang very depressed.
It’s not that Madam Wang is so kind. After all, the polo club is a place for upper-class women to socialize, and the ladies will visit each other.
Although Sheng Hong is still a fifth-rank official, he is nothing in Bian Jing.
However, because Sheng Changbai is the companion of the Eastern Palace and her daughter is the future prince's concubine, many noble ladies still come to talk to Madam Wang.
Now that this person is here, she has to introduce Molan.
At their age, it is not easy to praise their appearance when meeting them, and most people praise their children.
Molan likes reading, although it was influenced by Lin Xiaoniang, but when she sits there quietly, she also has a poetic air.
When those noble ladies come, they will naturally give some compliments.
After hearing this, Mrs. Wang felt as uncomfortable as if she had eaten a fly, but she still had to pretend to be happy.
Naturally, the more I looked at Molan, the more annoying she found him.
Since it is an eyesore, you should not look at it any more, so as not to cause yourself trouble. Madam Wang retracted her gaze and looked at Sheng Changbai beside her, smiling and saying, "Bai'er, how long will it take for the results of the imperial examination to be announced?"
The results of the imperial examination are usually announced half a month later, so how could Madam Wang not know this?
She asked this just to make things difficult for Molan, after all, Sheng Changfeng was unable to attend this time.
Moreover, Lin Xiaoniang and Molan’s current life is also thanks to Sheng Changfeng.
Because of this, Molan had a big fight with Sheng Changfeng and they haven't even spoken to each other for a while.
Mrs. Wang's usual style is to make life difficult for anyone who makes me uncomfortable.
Sheng Changbai was smart and he knew what Madam Wang meant, but he had no choice but to answer and talk to Madam Wang.
After listening to this, Madam Wang smiled and asked Sheng Changbai if he was sure or something.
While the mother and son were talking and Molan looked a little gloomy, Madam Liu said, "Madam, an eunuch has arrived. It seems that he is heading for our tent."
Upon hearing this, Madam Wang looked outside and saw a eunuch walking towards them from the opposite side, across the polo field.
There was no match going on at the polo field at this time, so there was no need to take a detour.
"Bai Er, is that the one beside the Crown Prince called... called..."
Madam Wang thought the man looked familiar, but she couldn't remember his name. Sheng Changbai said, "That's Sanshui, who is by the side of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
"Yes, yes, yes!" Madam Wang nodded and asked excitedly, "Did His Royal Highness the Crown Prince send someone to talk to Rulan?"
Sheng Changbai was not sure either, and said, "It may not be that they are coming to our tent, let's take a look first."
"Of course it is. The official positions of the families in the nearby tents are only slightly higher than your father's. There is not even a lord family." Madam Wang said.
As he was talking, Sanshui had already crossed the polo field and arrived under the platform of the tent. He walked up the stairs, and his target was the Sheng family's tent.
Madam Wang and Sheng Changbai quickly stood up to greet them.
"Meet the eunuch!"
"Madam Wang and Second Young Master Sheng are so polite!" Sanshui returned the greeting and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince invites Second Young Master Sheng, Fifth Young Master, and Sixth Young Master to have dinner together at Jinming Lake."
"Yes!"
Madam Wang said excitedly, "Go and call the fifth and sixth girls!"
In recent years, every time Zhao Xing came to the polo club, he would have lunch and rest at the Jinmingchi Villa.
Some people will also be invited to have dinner at Jinmingchi.
But they were basically all men, and only one woman, Zhang Guifen, was invited.
Now that her daughter had also been invited, Mrs. Wang was naturally very excited.
As for Minglan, she was ignored by her.
"Then I'll go back and report." Sanshui said.
……
On the way to Jinming Lake, Zhao Xing still rode in the same car with Yu Yanran.
Although Zhang Guifen was the future Crown Princess, they were not married yet, so it was not convenient for them to ride in the same car.
Yu Yanran is now his concubine, and they both sleep in the same bed, so there is naturally nothing wrong.
Several carriages followed Zhao Xing's carriage, which were the ones Zhang Guifen and his party rode in. The carriages arrived at the Jinming Lake Courtyard and drove directly into the Jinming Lake without stopping, and stopped at the viewing platform.
The so-called viewing platform is a three-story loft built on the lake.
Jinming Lake was originally built for naval training, and Taizu and Taizong often came to watch the naval training.
Later it was converted into a royal villa, and the original viewing platform was rebuilt into a three-story loft, but the name remained unchanged.
After the carriage stopped, Zhao Xing and Yu Yanran got off, and Zhang Guifen and others also got off.
Zhang Guifen got off the carriage and looked at Rulan and Minglan who got off the carriage behind.
When she saw Minglan, Zhang Guifen was stunned.
It’s not that she knew Minglan. As mentioned earlier, Zhang Guifen had specifically learned about the candidates for concubines that Zhao Xing had already chosen, but Minglan was not among them.
If it was any other occasion, she might be able to accompany her sisters to attend. But in this kind of occasion, apart from the men like Qi Heng, only Zhao Xing's future woman could come.
"Take them to the third floor first, and have a chat with Gu and Yuan Ruo." Zhao Xing said to Zhang Guifen.
Although the two did not get married, Zhang Guifen was the future Crown Princess after all, so Yu Yanran naturally could not be the one to host the reception.
He asked Zhang Guifen and Yu Yanran to go up first, also wanting to give them time to get to know each other.
I can't introduce them myself.
"Yes!" Zhang Guifen responded, looked at Rulan and Minglan and said, "Two sisters, come with me."
Rulan and Minglan bowed to Zhao Xingfu and followed Zhang Guifen into the attic.
"Let's go too!"
Zhao Xing called out to the others and led the way forward.
"Yuanruo, Zecheng, how did you do in the imperial examination this time? Are you confident?" Zhao Xing asked.
Speaking of which, this was the first time Zhao Xing met Qi Heng and others after the imperial examination.
(End of this chapter)