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Princess Pingning did not wish to linger in the garden with the other noble ladies; today, she was genuinely worried about her mother. As the only daughter of the Duke of Qi, she had received a nominal position as a Salt and Iron Transport Officer shortly after Emperor Jing ascended the throne, but it held no real power or favor. Since then, her mother, the Grand Princess, rarely smiled and seemed increasingly melancholic.
With her mother's health declining, every time she saw her cousin, Prince Jiu, she couldn't help but sigh in despair. The princesses and young ladies of the royal family treated Princess Pingning with superficial politeness, but privately looked down on her for lacking favor in front of Emperor Jing. They especially scorned her as the sole legitimate daughter of the Duke of Qi. If it weren't for her mother's status as a Grand Princess, who would bother to attend a mere county princess's birthday banquet?
In this grand feast, where imperial power was treacherous and the emperor's heart inscrutable, Princess Pingning could only live cautiously as a minor noblewoman within the Duke of Qi's household. She enjoyed the honor that imperial power bestowed upon her while worrying about her mother's situation and health. If it weren't for today's banquet, she might have almost forgotten that Prince Jiu was about to marry Miss Gu Qingning.
She nearly forgot that Prince Jiu had asked her to find Gu Qingning for him. With that thought in mind, Princess Pingning quickened her pace to catch up with Gu Qingning.
Feeling a bit uneasy, she said apologetically, "Sister Qingning, let me accompany you."
Just as Gu Qingning nodded in agreement, the Tenth Princess spoke in a calm tone, "Sister Pingning, Mother loves peonies most. Would it be possible for you to pick some petals from your garden to take back for making pastries?"
Princess Pingning smiled and replied that it was fine.
Seeing that Princess Pingning seemed troubled, Gu Qingning calmly said, "You don't need to disturb everyone just for me. Sister Yiwen can help me find a place to change my clothes."
Princess Pingning hesitated before saying, "Then I'll go greet the guests first. If there's anything else you need, just send someone to tell me."
The banquet had not yet concluded; there would still be time to talk with Gu Qingning later. For now, it was most important to attend to those young ladies and avoid any gossip that might make her mother uncomfortable.
Gu Qingning nodded in agreement.
"Let's go pick some peonies together," said the Tenth Princess as she pulled Princess Pingning along.
The other noble ladies began to disperse as well, pairing off with their maids to wander elsewhere to admire flowers and enjoy tea. Only Gu Yan remained by Gu Qingning's side after having just been near the Tenth Princess.
"Sister, are you alright?" she asked, having missed the chance to check on her sister when she was with the Tenth Princess.
Now she rushed over to feign concern for Gu Qingning; it felt insincere and disingenuous.
Gu Qingning was drenched in sweat and did not wish to engage further; she simply replied that she was fine.
It must be said that Gu Yan had mastered the art of appearing innocent while harboring ulterior motives. Previously, Gu Qingning had never guarded herself against those from the Marquis of Zhongyuan's household and had thus fallen into her schemes step by step.
Upon returning home, Gu Qingning had learned of Gu Yan's dreams of becoming an empress; she knew she had to shatter those illusions first.
In the inner chamber, as Gu Qingning changed her clothes, she suddenly sensed that the fragrance from the five-ding incense burner was off. She calmly put on her garments and opened the door, intending to call for Bai Zhi and Lu Yan, only to find that there was no one outside; even Zhang Yiwen had vanished without a trace.
The Imperial Consort.
Just as Gu Qingning was about to close the door, a familiar voice rang in her ears.
She opened the door again and looked up in the direction of the sound, only to see Feng Ren standing at the entrance.
"How does your master have such foresight, knowing I needed a helper?" Gu Qingning said with a faint smile.
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