Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 242 Second Update

Chapter 242: Chapter 242 Second Update

The Empress Dowager’s flower viewing event carried a few more explicit implications than the last boating trip.

She invited not just the most venerable ladies from prominent families but also some of the young wives from these families. Only a few Old Madams from the Shiping Aristocratic Clan, the Zong Sheng Aristocratic Family, and Hejian Aristocratic Family were invited to attend. The rest, such as the Liugui Aristocratic Clan, Fu Feng Aristocratic Family, Jiumu Aristocratic Clan, Nanan Aristocratic Family, and so on, had their legitimate daughters invited, and even some legitimate daughters from noble ladies of less distinguished origin had not received an invitation.

Thus, everyone who could attend was naturally elated, but even so, before coming, they were all diligently reminded by their mothers to be careful with their words and actions.

Therefore, on this day, early in the morning, many aristocratic families started to get dressed and made up from before dawn, making sure not to stand out too boldly and steal the spotlight from others, focusing instead on subtlety in their appearance.

Lady Zou got ready early in the morning, wearing an embroidered Cloud Brocade robe over an indigo skirt with understated patterns, exuding restraint and elegance. After getting ready, she personally went to her daughter’s courtyard and saw Nanmen Yuyan in a new robe of blue sky and cloud patterned brocade, with a skirt made of dark flowered silk pleats—an outfit gifted by Her Majesty the Empress Dowager.

Lady Zou nodded in satisfaction and personally selected a gold hairpin with gathered silk for her daughter.

"Mother, is this too conspicuous?" Nanmen Yuyan shyly lowered her head. The gold hairpin was also a gift from the Empress Dowager, and its implication was clear—thinking about this made Nanmen Yuyan’s face turn even redder.

Lady Zou placed her hands on her daughter’s shoulders. Even though her son was filial and capable, he couldn’t compare to the warmth her daughter brought her.

"Yuyan, today you will follow your mother. There is no need to be too cautious. Show the poise of our Shiping Aristocratic Family, and let the Empress Dowager see your abilities," Lady Zou said, looking at her daughter in the mirror, beautiful as a blooming flower, filled with confidence.

The Zong Sheng Family’s impending marriage might change, but she believed that the marriage alignment of the Shiping Aristocratic Family would not. As the legitimate daughter of the Nanmen Family, she had the potential to be a future empress and naturally fit the role of the Crown Princess Consort.

"Mhm," Nanmen Yuyan nodded, understanding her mother’s meaning.

However, she hadn’t thought that much about it—the position of Crown Princess Consort, the future Empress of Nanzheng State. In her heart, she thought of the warm and honest man whom she admired, who appeared majestic with the world in his eyes, his mere presence inspiring loyalty and admiration.

Nanmen Yuyan thought that maybe today she would be able to see Zheng Congyuan, and perhaps the Empress Dowager’s arrangement, following the decree to marry off Heir Zong, was preparing the way for her own decree to marry the Crown Prince.

As the sky lightened, the sedan chairs of various aristocratic families had already set off one by one, each accompanied by the most reliable servants from their households. The pace of the sedan chairs was not fast, preserving time to deal with any eventuality.

The ladies from prominent families were quite nervous. Though it wasn’t their first time entering the Imperial Palace, and some had even entered the palace during the Empress Dowager’s birthday and national celebrations accompanied by their parents, they had seen Emperor Jingzhi when he was in good health.

But this time was different. This time they were at the age of marriage, and it was their first official entry into the palace, which could influence whether they would leave a good impression in front of noble ladies and the Empress Dowager. Even if they were not chosen by the Empress Dowager, it would still be an extremely prestigious matter.

Xia Zhiqian followed behind the sedan chairs of various ladies from prominent families, nearly at the very end of the procession. In fact, by the time they reached the official road in front of the palace, all the ladies from the aristocratic families had already gathered, forming a tacit order.

By right, given the current status of the Jiumu Aristocratic Clan, they shouldn’t be positioned at the very end, but the Jiumu Aristocratic Clan was low-key, and with only a widowed mother and orphan, being a newly risen family, they were naturally relegated to the back.

Zhang Linghui of the Zhang Family of Hejian assumed the third position. Being more familiar with the palace than others, the Zhang Family marriage had long been clandestinely aligned with the Fu Feng, Ma Family, with both families sharing a close rapport. Therefore, she had no interest in the decree marriage of Heir Zong or the marital arrangements for the Crown Prince. Moreover, today’s most awkward were not her but Miss Tang of the Tang Family and Princess Helin.

Zhang Linghui felt somewhat pleased; on usual days, those two would have overshadowed her, but now they were being surpassed by that Commandery Princess, as if years of resentment had suddenly dissipated.

When Zhang Linghui stepped out of her sedan chair, she thought about whether she should comfort those two ladies considering they didn’t have any real hatred for each other; it was merely a comparison amongst the noble ladies of the aristocratic families.

Zhang Linghui first glanced at the young ladies from prominent families who had arrived. Her outfit was also made from fabric bestowed by the Empress Dowager. Although it wasn’t as flashy as Nanmen Yuyan’s, it still stood out amongst the group of ladies, especially with Zhang Linghui’s advantage of being a head taller.

Once Zhang Linghui made up her mind, she sought out Princess Helin and Tang Wei.

Xia Zhiqian was somewhat introverted and not used to such scenes. Even if she tried to remain calm, there were some things she couldn’t control by herself, such as her lack of exposure to and experience of high society.

Therefore, Xia Zhiqian intentionally headed toward the fringes of the gathering to hide.

Zhang Linghui finally found Princess Helin and Tang Wei, but the ladies from prominent families had already surrounded them. Together, they formed an undeniable attraction, with their youth and beauty shining in their prime.

It seemed that they didn’t need her comfort after all.

"Wei Sister, what’s there to compare with such a commandery princess? That Heir Zong must be blind..."

"Shh, don’t you know? It’s not that Heir Zong has gone blind, but rather, he can’t open his eyes anymore..."

"Sister Lin, what do you mean by that?" Some ladies from aristocratic families naturally couldn’t get hold of more important news.

"Haven’t you heard? It’s said that Heir Zong is nearly done for, and now he’s trying to find someone with a special birthdate to bring him luck." The lady from the aristocratic family, whose name Zhang Linghui couldn’t remember, was quite accurate in her details.

Zhang Linghui smiled, finding the gossip to be well-informed.

"I was wondering why they would pass over the fine Princess Helin and Miss Tang for that commandery princess... Whispered murmurs blended with laughter, spreading vibrantly like a field of brightly blooming flowers in the summer."

"Princess, shall we go back?" Nanny Yun was getting uncomfortable listening to the chatter. She had thought this was an opportunity to network with the young ladies from aristocratic families, but it appeared she had been too optimistic.

Zheng Nianru didn’t mind it. In fact, she felt rather good, admiring the garden’s most beautiful flowers inside the Imperial Palace for the first time in a straightforward manner, rare species blooming in the most appropriate season.

Even if it was just to see these flowers, Zheng Nianru felt the trip was worthwhile.

"There’s no need to leave, what they’re talking about is the truth, after all." Zheng Nianru blinked, realizing that squabbling over such trivial matters was pointless at her age.

"Look, in a few days, who knows when Heir Zong might just..."

"With the Zong Sheng Family in such a hurry, they probably won’t even wait until the wedding day—"

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.