"Just for this dignity, these noblewomen are very skilled at disguising their malice under the guise of being gentle, innocent, straightforward, or young and ignorant."
In summary, no one has ever made such a statement as Chen Linbo, who poked through all the harmonious atmosphere feigned with a single sentence.
Silence for several seconds, Yun girl widened her eyes in astonishment and stammered for the first time, "How... how could that be?"
As she spoke, she unconsciously cast a look around for help, and a favored noblewoman with good relations spoke up to smooth things over: "Miss Chen really has been thinking too much. Miss Yun's infatuation with a good line is well-known among us, and it was not aimed at you intentionally."
Chen Linbo extended the tone and said "Oh---" and then said, "Hmm, I thought you two were flirting and purposely trying to set me up so I could embarrass myself."
The crowd was stupefied.
That's true, but it's not appropriate to say it like that.
Chen Linbo finished speaking and, before the crowd could react, asked the girl who had just come to Cloud girl's rescue as if nothing had happened, "By the way, did you mean I have a small mind when you said that just now?"
The scene was once again filled with an oppressive silence.
The girl's expression was almost subconsciously panic, waving her hand and saying, "No, no, how could that be? Hahaha."
She also couldn't help but cast a look around for help, but whether it was because of her warning example or something else, even though there were many people gathered around her, none of them had the courage to step forward and smooth things over at that moment.
As the atmosphere grew increasingly silent, a clear and curious voice echoed from a distance: "Huh? What are you all doing gathered there? Why is it so quiet all of a sudden?"
Thank goodness!
No matter who, when hearing that voice, the three words "Saved!" popped into their heads in a very intuitive way, and then they looked at the person who had come.
It turned out to be the hostess of the banquet, the Duchess of Fule, accompanied by two ladies.
Duchess Fule, unaware of the background, but seeing a crowd of people surrounding Chen Linbo, thinking of all the past disdain and contempt towards Chen Linbo from these people, immediately frowned and asked again: "What are you all doing here?"
This remark carried a tone of rebuke, causing the gathered noblewomen to exchange looks in confusion, feeling a bit reluctant to respond.
But Prince Anping stepped forward and smilingly addressed Rong Huiyan, "We just heard Miss Chen recite a verse, so we came over to discuss it."
Upon hearing this, the other noblewomen echoed in agreement: "Yes, yes. We were originally discussing a congratulatory poem for the Duchess, but we came over to hear Miss Chen recite a poem."
"Reciting poetry?"
Rong Huiyan couldn't help but feel somewhat surprised.
She knew Chen Linbo's temperament well and understood that she didn't enjoy the refined pastime of reciting poems and rhymes. Watching others do it was one thing, but for her to participate was entirely another.
But she had been well taken care of by Anping when she was young, and therefore unconsciously trusted Anping somewhat. So when Anping said this, she didn't think much of it and couldn't help but look at Chen Linbo with a smile, her expression looking somewhat surprised and delighted: "Do you have a poem for me?"
The Yun girl, upon hearing this, perked up, eagerly saying, "Indeed, Miss Chen has known the Duchess for many years and is willing to spare her thoughts for you. Such an opportunity is rare and not to be missed. Let's also have a taste of it."
Chen Linbo: (...)
Who could have thought that, with the situation turning unexpectedly, it was Anping's turn to be embarrassed and ridiculed, all for her previous attempts at persuasion.
Chen Linbo sighed to herself, saying, "The poem I wrote is for you to hear alone."
Rong Huiyan noticed something was off and faintly squinted her eyes, suspiciously looking at Anping. Only then did she happily nod at Chen Linbo: "Okay, wait until tonight. I'll listen to you recite it alone!"
She said this, turning her head with a half-smile and half-scorn look towards Yun girl: "You should broaden your horizons and learn what to say and what not to say."
The Yun girl's face turned pale.
Chen Linbo blinked her eyes and deliberately said to her, "It seems that Miss Yun hasn't had the luck of experiencing it from me. Such an opportunity is rare, but you missed it."
The Yun girl was infuriated by Chen Linbo's tone and color blossomed on her face, but she dared not say anything as Rong Huiyan was beside her and had already said such words.
Anping also felt a bit embarrassed.
She knew from the last time they were at a palace banquet that Rong Huiyan and Chen Linbo had a good relationship, but at that time, their status and positions were different, and they didn't interact much. She only thought it was a common friendship, but she didn't expect Rong Huiyan to trust Chen Linbo so unquestioningly today.
Thinking about this, the expression on Prince Anping's face couldn't help but darken slightly, but she quickly plastered a gentle smile on her face: "Today is your birthday, Duchess Fule. It's not worth getting angry over such small matters. I heard when you arrived that you had received a rare green chrysanthemum, with an ethereal appearance and exquisite beauty. Could you be so kind as to show it to me?"
She had overheard the attendants discussing how delighted Duchess Fule was to have received the green chrysanthemum, knowing that Rong Huiyan truly loved chrysanthemums, and so she deliberately changed the subject to ease the tension.
Truthfully, this topic did hit a chord with Rong Huiyan.
She immediately relaxed her expression and smiled at Prince Anping: "Of course."
Prince Anping heaved a slight sigh of relief and was about to continue with the topic, when she heard Rong Huiyan go on, "That green chrysanthemum was specially searched for by Miss Chen after much difficulty for me. It is indeed ethereal in appearance and exquisite in beauty."
Prince Anping, Duchess of Fule, couldn't help but stiffen: (...)
The other noblewomen also: (...)
Rong Huiyan didn't look at her anymore, but with a smile on her face and her eyes twinkling, she blinked at Chen Linbo before turning to speak with the two ladies.
The two ladies included the wife of the current Left Prime Minister and a little girl dressed in light green clothes who accompanied her.
The little girl was cute and lively, wearing a green garment that looked like fresh shoots in spring, making her even more playful.
Chen Linbo looked at the little girl's eyes and couldn't help but take a longer look around the crowd.
The little girl was now looking around curiously, and incidentally, her gaze collided with Chen Linbo's for a moment.
The little girl was slightly taken aback, but she gave her a big smile.
Chen Linbo was also taken aback and, without thinking, returned a smile.
As people continued to chat, the servants soon brought over the green chrysanthemum.
The green chrysanthemum was indeed exquisite.
Placed on a jade table, the dark inkstone pot holding the green chrysanthemum was transparent, and the flowers were spreading out their petals.
The leaves were carved like jade, the flowers like gold thread woven, and there were sparkling stars in the center, shining under the light. Even with the faint glow of a rosy hue, it looked like a faint glow, and the misty vapor from the pot kept spreading.
Rong Huiyan laughed proudly.
A perceptive servant whispered softly beside her, "Miss Chen sent the green chrysanthemum, and the Duchess had it kept in ice to preserve its ethereal quality."
People's appreciation for beautiful things is unbiased. Even though the noblewomen who were once at odds with each other couldn't help but become immersed in the beauty of the green chrysanthemum at this moment.
