Seeing s.h.i.+ Qingxue's indifferent expression, s.h.i.+ Baojin also knew that obviously she didn't have such an important status in her heart.

She had to look to s.h.i.+ Baoning for help: Baoning, if my virtue was ruined in front of Empress Dowager, did you think that you would get any benefits from this?

"Qingxue, wait a minute." s.h.i.+ Baoning called s.h.i.+ Qingxue.

She frowned and whispered, "It's the palace banquet right now. All the n.o.ble people are here. We should not mind others' business."

s.h.i.+ Qingxue, "..."

She was going to be mad. Who was minding others' business?

It wasn't them who had stolen the paintings, and it wasn't them who had started the irony first. How were they minding others' business?

s.h.i.+ Baoning's att.i.tude which showed that she just wanted to let go of this made s.h.i.+ Qingxue angry and speechless. She simply didn't want to take care of the matter anymore, and went aside to chat with Mo Yuzhen. She tried to calm herself down by not seeing them.

"First Lady, Sixth Lady was helping you just now. How could you say this to break her heart?" The servant Jing Zhuang who followed s.h.i.+ Baoning also felt it unfair and could not help reminding s.h.i.+ Baoning in a low voice.

s.h.i.+ Baoning sighed helplessly, "Then what can I do? Right now, Empress Dowager is talking with the madams happily. Obviously she wants to let go of it. If I mention it again, wouldn't I just ruin her mood?

Besides, Baojin is also my younger sister. Even if she did something wrong, she should be taught privately. There's no need to talk about it in public and make our family lose face in front of others."

Jing Zhuang didn't agree with her, "Why wasn't Third Lady reminded that you were also her sister?"

Since she dared to do such a shameless thing, she had to be mentally prepared to be caught.

"It was me being so careless that I lost my painting anyway. Besides, the painting I handed in was not my credit. I really feel ashamed, and what reason do I have to blame others?" s.h.i.+ Baoning blamed herself instead.

Jing Zhuang, "..."

At this time, she finally understood Qingxue's speechless feelings, but she couldn't leave just like Qingxue did when she felt unfair.

She still had to be patient, "First Lady, you need to be more careful in the future. After all, not everyone is sincerely good to you like Sixth Lady. Like this time, she would rather have less chance to thrive for favor of Empress Dowager than making you lose face.

She has paved the way for you several times, and these are all her good intentions. If you still put her in the same position as other sisters', I am afraid that it would break her heart!"

To be honest, when Jing Yi found that the painting was gone, Jing Zhuang thought that her master had to suffer a great loss this time, but she did not expect that s.h.i.+ Qingxue could use only half an hour to create another painting for her master to hand in when it was impossible to find the original painting.

What was even rarer was that the painting won the first place, making s.h.i.+ Baoning the most favored person at the entire palace banquet for Qiqiao Festival.

s.h.i.+ Baoning remembered that she found a ghostwriter at last, and her face turned red again, with embarra.s.sed whispering, "I, I see. I know it clearly in my heart!"

Jing Zhuang turned her head away thoughtfully, pretending not to see the embarra.s.sment of s.h.i.+ Baoning. She smiled and said something else, "Six Lady is really gifted. Not only does Empress Dowager like her, but even Princess Yuzhen who is the hardest to please is also in a good relations.h.i.+p with her."

"Well, Qingxue has always been smart, and she is good at saying nice words. It is hard for anyone to dislike her!" So s.h.i.+ Baoning would only ask s.h.i.+ Qingxue before the banquet.

But she didn't expect s.h.i.+ Qingxue to do so much for her at first: First she thrived for favor for her in front of Empress Dowager, and then she gave up her contest in order to make her partic.i.p.ate in the compet.i.tion at ease when she was capable to win the first place.

How could s.h.i.+ Baoning not know such deep relations.h.i.+p?

Thinking of Qingxue's disappointed look when she intended to let go of s.h.i.+ Baojin a few moments ago, she was a little anxious, and wished to go to s.h.i.+ Qingxue and apologize immediately.

But before s.h.i.+ Baoning put her idea into practice, the palace banquet had come to an end, and Mo Yuzhen could not wait to grab s.h.i.+ Qingxue back to Yuzhen Palace.

s.h.i.+ Baoning's wish failed again, and she could only take the two servants back home with her families.

After the palace banquet, Ling Ruiyin returned to Ci'an Palace tiredly, and as soon as she took off her costume, the news came from Mammy Chang, saying that Princess Royal wanted to meet her.

Ling Ruiyin thought for a moment, wondering secretly: Although Mo Shujun was her sister-in-law, they did not communicate with each other very often. Mo Shujun even did not attend today's palace banquet, but she came to meet her at this time. Did she fancy a prince and come for her beloved granddaughter's marriage?

"By the way, Xue is fifteen years old this year. It's time to consider her marriage!" Ling Ruiyin couldn't help but smile.

As she asked someone to invite Mo Shujun in, she also said to Mammy Chang, "Xue is so smart and cute, and I like her very much. I don't know which prince in capital city can match her. If he is not good enough, I won't permit it.

There are also several grandsons of mine who are at proper ages, and I want to pick a good match for Xue from them!"

Mammy Chang smiled while listening to Ling Ruiyin's words, but she became surprised in her heart.

She had known that Ling Ruiyin liked s.h.i.+ Qingxue, but she did not expect her to put Sixth Lady in such a high position?

Had she reached the point where she could pick one as she wished from the adult princes?

Ling Ruiyin had begun to plan, but when Mo Shujun arrived, she did not mention s.h.i.+ Qingxue's marriage at all, but talked casually, "Ruiyin, I haven't seen you for a long time. You look a lot better. Did anything pleasant happen just now?"

"This year's palace banquet is indeed smoother than those in previous years. I watched those young ladies have fun, as if I were a few years younger. But Shujun, you have become idler these years, and you don't often come to the palace even when there's a palace banquet."

Mo Shujun sighed softly, with a bit of helplessness, "I'm getting older these years, and my body is not as strong as in previous years. I feel tired after walking several steps. So I hardly ever go out, and I wish for your forgiveness."

After all, she was the only sister of the Deceased Emperor. Hearing that, Ling Ruiyin showed her care and said, "Why didn't you tell me that your body is uncomfortable? Did we hire those doctors into the palace to do nothing? Although you are married into the s.h.i.+ Family, the palace will always be your home. Don't regard us as outsiders. If you feel uncomfortable, just hand in a sign. Don't make yourself suffer."

Mo Shujun hurriedly said that she wouldn't.

"It seems that I don't have to be so worried about it. This time, Xue invited a skilled doctor for the s.h.i.+ Family, and it's not my turn to be concerned about your health. Maybe I will wait for the skilled doctor's medical treatment one day!" Ling Ruiyin intentionally said a few jokes to ease the atmosphere.

However, Mo Shujun's face became serious, and couldn't see the joy at all.

Ling Ruiyin stopped the small talk, and asked seriously, "Shujun, you come to me at this time. Is there anything important?"

Mo Shujun nodded, and said, "Exactly, I come here for your graceful permission today."

"Well? What permission?" Ling Ruiyin thought that Mo Shujun was finally going to talk about s.h.i.+ Qingxue's wedding, and she smiled a little more joyfully on her face.

To her surprise, Mo Shujun wasn't talking about s.h.i.+ Qingxue's marriage. Instead, she said, "According to the rules, as Princess Royal, if I had a daughter, she would be the Infanta. But all because of my fate, I only have three sons in my whole life. So the position of the Infanta has not been determined yet.

My eldest granddaughter s.h.i.+ Baoning, whom you already met today, is a fantastic girl. She is eighteen years old, and her health gets a lot better recently. I suppose she should be in the position of the Infanta. Ruiyin, what do you think of it?"

After Mo Shujun said these words, she looked up at Ling Ruiyin, and showed the intention for inquiry in her eyes.

However, Ling Ruiyin was silent. She silently looked at Mo Shujun for a long while, then said in a low voice, "I thought you would give the position of the Infanta to Xue."

Mo Shujun paused, and slightly took back her smile. She lowered her eyes and said, "Of course Qingxue is also wonderful, but she is not the eldest one. The position should be given according to the respect for seniority. If she is named to be the Infanta, I am afraid it will be difficult to convince others."

"It makes sense, but..." Ling Ruiyin sighed heavily, thinking that her sister-in-law was good in all aspects, but sometimes she valued the seniority rules even more than her, and it made her less funny.

But she didn't talk about it, she just said, "The position of the Infanta is the privilege given to you by the Deceased Emperor. You can give it to whomever you want. I won't have any disagreement."

"That being the case, Ruiyin, I would bother you to issue an imperial decree and tell the public."

Ling Ruiyin waved her hand, saying that it was not hard, and then she mentioned another thing, "The Empress and Imperial Concubine Liu both mentioned in front of me that they would like Third Prince or Fourth Prince to marry Xue as a princess. Do you have any thoughts about it?"

Mo Shujun raised her eyebrows in surprise, and subconsciously answered, "But Qingxue has just turned fifteen!"

Ling Ruiyin thought that she was just loath to be part with s.h.i.+ Qingxue, and smiled, "She is not too young. There are plenty of n.o.ble girls married at the age of 15."

"This..." Mo Shujun showed bewilderment on her face. She seemed to want to refuse and couldn't find any reasons, and finally said, "But Qingxue has five elder sisters, and none of them are married. It is not good to let her marry even earlier than them. Even though it is not ruled that the younger one should not be married if her sister doesn't get married. But it may have some bad influence if others know it.

We can't make her get married alone, while her other sisters' weddings are not arranged, right?"

Regardless of these behindhand customs, Ling Ruiyin did not think of it for the time being.

After a quick pause, she had to choose a compromising way, "We can make a decision right now, and when Xue turns to eighteen, she could get married until all her other sisters are married."

Speaking of this, Ling Ruiyin couldn't help but laugh and said, "Otherwise, I should be anxious if the marriage of Xue, such a wonderful girl, is not determined yet!"

Since Empress Dowager had said so, Mo Shujun couldn't refute. She could only ask, "I wonder which prince you want Qingxue to marry?"

"Oh, this is really difficult for me to choose!" Ling Ruiyin also felt it awkward, and a.n.a.lyzed, "Mothers of Third Prince and Fourth Prince have already showed their wills, and the two princes are both excellent. Fifth Prince is not bad. Although Sixth Prince is a little bit young, he is not a bad option. And Ninth Prince..."

Mo Shujun suddenly felt it funny, "Well, Ruiyin, if I remember correctly, Ninth Prince is just seven years old this year, right?"

Ling Ruiyin laughed, "But he has determined in front of me early. He likes Xue very much. When he grows up, he wants to marry her as his wife, so he asks me not to marry Xue to other man."

Surely such words of a kid should not be taken too seriously, and Ling Ruiyin no longer mentioned it. And then she said with a serious look, "If you think they are still not good enough, Crown Prince is at the age of 22 this year, and he's not married yet. He is also the future Emperor, and he is mature and calm. He certainly won't make Xue feel wronged."