Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 195: First Update

Chapter 195: Chapter 195: First Update

"Princely Heir, Sister Lin Xiang is already at the door." Xi Feng rushed over like the wind, about to pull the curtain, with one hand already grabbing it.

"Xi Feng, we’re all servants here, why make it difficult for each other? If I can’t take the Princely Heir away today, Madam will definitely scold me. Then I will have to accuse you two fools," Lin Xiang said bluntly, holding onto the curtain firmly.

"Sister Lin Xiang, our Princely Heir is changing clothes," Gu Dao immediately said ingratiatingly. Lin Xiang blushed upon hearing this, turned her back, but did not leave.

"Then I will just wait here for the Princely Heir. After all, if the Princely Heir doesn’t go, I will be scolded when I return," said Lin Xiang indignantly.

Gu Dao helplessly glanced at his own Princely Heir.

Zong Yunqian had already dressed himself, tied his own belt, and carelessly tied up his hair with a Jade Crown, then walked outside.

"Let’s go."

Lin Xiang stared, dumbfounded, at the approaching Zong Yunqian.

"Princely Heir, are you going out like this?" Lin Xiang looked at Zong Yunqian’s clothes and the crown on his head.

"What’s wrong? These are the clothes you all sent over," Zong Yunqian said, feeling nothing amiss, and turned around to show Lin Xiang.

Unable to help laughing and crying, Lin Xiang pulled Zong Yunqian back into the room, took off the Jade Crown, combed his hair again, and changed a couple of accessories on his belt, adding a narrow band woven from gold and red silk threads to the belt. Immediately, Zong Yunqian appeared much more dignified.

"Sister Lin Xiang, you are really skilled. The clothes are the same, but after your touch, our Princely Heir looks like a completely different person," Xi Feng sincerely praised.

"Let’s go—" Zong Yunqian then walked out as he still had things to attend to.

Lin Xiang’s face turned slightly red, but she glared fiercely at Gu Dao and Xi Feng.

"The Princely Heir has left, and you two are still standing here."

Gu Dao and Xi Feng immediately ran out.

...

Inside the mansion of the Zong Sheng Aristocratic Family, ancient trees provided continuous shade. Even in the sweltering summer, the entire mansion was enveloped in the coolness of the trees, making ice unnecessary.

The banquet was set up in the outer corridor of the inner courtyard, surrounded by pure white gauze. Furthermore, the garden also had pavilions specially arranged for the ladies from prominent families to play and rest.

Eldest Madam Zong had organized the banquet swiftly, naturally, there wasn’t enough time to prepare more intricate details. However, some things were deeply ingrained in the heritage of the Aristocratic Gentry Clans, needing no external embellishments. Even a bowl or a pair of chopsticks placed on the table had its own story.

Zong Yunqian didn’t take the route through the back garden but went directly to the main courtyard through a small path by the side gate. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw the Old Duchess of Duke of Zong sitting in the main seat, with his mother, Eldest Madam Zong, next to her, and six or seven noble ladies from other Aristocratic Families.

"Look, what did I tell you? Here he comes," the Old Duchess exclaimed as soon as she saw someone approaching the entrance and waved towards Zong Yunqian at the door.

"Grandson pays respects to Grandmother," Zong Yunqian said, walking straight in and respectfully knelt to greet her.

"Oh, stand up, stand up. This isn’t some grand occasion; help him up quickly," Old Lady Zong said, her eyes smiling into slits, naturally knowing that her grandson was honoring her.

Nanny Zeng by Old Lady Zong’s side personally went to help Zong Yunqian up.

"Nanny Zeng, you are overdoing it. It’s only right for the Grandson to pay respects to Grandmother," Madam Zong followed, her eyes also filled with laughter, how could anyone not love such a boy?

"Princely Heir Zong’s filial piety is truly commendable," the surrounding ladies immediately praised.

Zong Yunqian, helped by Nanny Zeng, approached his grandmother and then also greeted Eldest Madam Zong.

"Yunqian, meet a few of the Noble Ladies," Old Lady Zong said, and the noble ladies dared not remain seated, hurriedly standing up.

"Please, sit down. You are the elders and that is fitting." Old Lady Zong smiled and waved her hand as she spoke.

"This is Madam Zong Zou of the Shiping Aristocratic Family, Madam Zhang of Hejian, Old Madam Tang of the Wuxing Aristocratic Family, and Old Madam Helin of the Liugui Aristocratic Clan."

Upon hearing this, Yunqian duly paid his respects one by one. The noble ladies, having witnessed Yunqian’s demeanor and style, were already very satisfied. After all, he was a young master from an aristocratic gentry clan, with a temperament already quite remarkable, and even more so with his handsome appearance.

"Old Lady Zong, the Princely Heir is truly a man of distinguished appearance, a figure of the dragon and phoenix," one praised.

"Yes, yes, he has the presence of the Duke of Qing in his younger days."

"Oh no, no, the child cannot stand such praise," she humbly dismissed.

Eldest Madam Zong gave her son a look and stepped forward first, with Yunqian slowly following behind.

"Follow me to meet some of the ladies from prominent families." Eldest Madam Zong did not trust this task to anyone else, thinking it safer to handle it herself, which was merely a walk around the garden.

The customs in Nanzheng had become much more open; it was no longer necessary for the families of betrothed couples to avoid seeing each other before engagement, and it was common for men and women to sit together at social gatherings, even if they weren’t grand occasions.

It was quite popular to meet and observe, especially for the ladies from aristocratic gentry clans, seeing each other in person was already a common occurrence.

"Mother, why don’t I go meet them myself?" Yunqian protested. "What’s the point if you take me there? It won’t show anything genuine."

"Nonsense, there’s no reason to let you go see them by yourself," Eldest Madam Zong scolded, frustrated yet affectionate, knowing her son’s mischievous ways from a young age. If he wasn’t personally involved, it would probably cause even more trouble later on.

"Mother, I would naturally run there myself; I’ll hide in a corner secretly so that these ladies don’t see me. This way, I can understand what these ladies are truly like on ordinary days. Don’t you think?"

Eldest Madam Zong hesitated, finding some sense in his words. In her moment of hesitation, Yunqian immediately turned and left.

"Mother, it’s settled then..."

"You come back here, come back..." Eldest Madam Zong called out twice, but Yunqian was already out of sight. Gu Dao and Xi Feng, who had come out with him, were utterly confused. How had the Princely Heir disappeared so suddenly?

"Don’t just stand there, go after him, bring him back, and don’t let him do anything inappropriate."

Gu Dao and Xi Feng immediately chased after him, but instead of heading to the garden, he was striking out towards his own courtyard.

Of course, the Princely Heir was not going to meet any noble ladies; they still had to leave the estate.

"Heir, wouldn’t going out like this..." Xi Feng was worried about being scolded and was somewhat anxious.

"What’s there to fear? We’ll just cross right over the treetops." Yunqian, well-practiced, had already climbed a tree and was swiftly crossing over several tall trees, about to leave the garden, when suddenly several voices talking approached below the tree.

"I heard that the Commandery Princess of Prince Duan went to Siyan Lake that day."

Yunqian wasn’t concerned with what was being said below, but as long as the people below the tree didn’t leave, he couldn’t either.

"How could that be? Princess Chao Ren was confined in the palace by the Empress Dowager; how could she possibly come out?" another asserted confidently.

"It wasn’t just me who saw her; Miss Zhang, Miss Tang, and even Princess Helin saw her too."

"Are you sure?" the skeptic asked, still disbelieving. "You must have mistaken her for someone else. How could the Crown Prince possibly let her out?"

"What’s so impossible about her coming out?" Yunqian peered down from the tree. Prince Duan? That commandery princess? "That princess seems to be about our age, naturally, it’s all about the arrangements for future marriage..."

"What..."

"Sister Jin Shan, are you really unaware? Not only do clans like ours look down on that princess, even ordinary families in the court wouldn’t want her."

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