After a long while, Commandery Princess Qingjiang asked in a trembling voice, "You... You know Xubai?"

"Six years ago, His Highness once did me a favor. We also happened to meet in Marquis Boling's mansion some time ago." Holding the jade pendant, Song Yixiao said at a loss, "But... But the jade pendant..."

Frightened by the suddenly fierce look of Commandery Princess Qingjiang, she subconsciously stopped talking.

"It's none of your business. Excuse yourself first!" Luckily, Commandery Princess Qingjiang's outrage was not because of her. After a while, the Commandery Princess finally held back her anger and waved her hand, saying in a surprisingly weak voice, "Put away your jade pendant. Don't tell anybody about it... This matter can't be officially approved until I go back to the imperial capital. Do you understand?"

Song Yixiao bit her down lip harshly and suppressed her outburst surprise and doubt, "Jian Xubai! Isn't he going to marry a princess?"

Even if he didn't marry a princess, Lu Kou'er seemed to have a crush on him. He was targeted by so many n.o.ble ladies. How come such a man would send her the jade pendant?

Moreover, even Commandery Princess Qingjiang didn't show any intention of objecting?

She was so muddle-headed that she forgot to answer.

Commandery Princess Qingjiang only thought that she was too happy so she repeated her words in a louder voice. Seeing Song Yixiao leave with her face as red as a turkey-c.o.c.k, she took a deep breath and summoned Zhenli to meet her.

After the maid came in, closed the door as told and advanced to her smilingly as usual, Commandery Princess Qingjiang raised the horsetail whisk and hit the maid with it!

Zhenli was startled, "Your Highness?"

"Who asked you to recommend Song Yixiao to me?" Silent and angry, Commandery Princess Qingjiang didn't put down the horsetail whisk until she was too tired to raise her arm anymore. Then she sat down slowly and snapped in a cold voice, "Tell me!"

Now Zhenli was lying on the ground with blood on her head and all over her face, seriously wounded with a little breath. She was grieved first and couldn't feeling stunned to hear the shout!

Since she was highly valued by Commandery Princess Qingjiang, she was quite smart. Instantly, she thought of Jian Xubai who she saw outside just now and instantly felt startled!

She knew the commandery princess's temper so well, so she wouldn't dare to conceal anything from her. She struggled to crawl forward for a few steps, crying, "Your Highness, it's... it's Dowager Consort of Hengshan!"

Sensing the cold killing intent in Commandery Princess Qingjiang's eyes, Zhenli hastened to explain, "I am wronged! I have asked the people of the Dowager Consort and they insisted that Miss Song lived in her own room and didn't meet any outsider. They also said that she was beautiful and talented, who only wanted to marry into the purple. So, I... If I knew she was the one chosen by Duke Jian, I would never dare to do such a thing!"

"This old woman!" Commandery Princess Qingjiang was greatly furious and patted on the desk with a curse, "She almost makes me turn against my brother. What a despicable old woman! Does she just regard me and my son as pushovers? I must make her suffer after I go back to the imperial capital!"

Song Yixiao returned to the feast with an unsettled state of mind. Now Jiang Muting was impatient of all this waiting. Upon seeing Song Yixiao, she asked hastily, "How are you?"

"I am fine." Song Yixiao patted her hand as a comforting gesture, "Her Highness only asks me to persuade you into letting go. After all, there are so many guests at the feast. If anything disgraceful happens today, not only Her Highness will lose face but also the guests at the feast will be inevitably implicated. So..."

"Baoying told me about it just now." Jiang Muting felt relieved to see that she didn't look like being punished, "But I was too irritated back then. Luckily, you helped ease the situation, or I would offend Her Highness!"

Well, Jiang Muting had already offended Commandery Princess Qingjiang unknowingly. Her Highness just pointed out that she was too ignorant!

However, Song Yixiao didn't intend to remind Jiang Muting. After all, with Baoying around, the Jiang Family would bring Jiang Muting to apologize to Commandery Princess Qingjiang.

Hence, she didn't need to talk too much.

She only smiled and said, "Anyone would be unhappy to face such trouble. You were too p.i.s.sed off at that time so you didn't think carefully enough."

Jiang Muting was about to speak when a girl dressed in a green blouse and yellow skirt nearby couldn't wait to come over with her train lifted, "Hey! Muting, when will you stop talking to Miss Song and think of me?"

"We've only talked a short while. What's the rush?" Jiang Muting was obviously familiar with her. She patted her familiarly before introducing the girl to Song Yixiao, "This is my bestie, Wei Yinlian. She is the daughter of the imperial counsellor and her sister is Her Highness Crown Princess."

Song Yixiao immediately showed respect, "Nice to meet you, Miss Wei!"

"Me too!" Wei Yinlian looked her up and down curiously, "Muting told me that she was framed by Cui Jianlian today and she got away with the trouble because of your idea?"

"It's nothing." Song Yixiao said humbly, "I merely hit the mark by a fluke. It would be an empty talk without Sister Muting and Baoying."

"Let's pa.s.s it!" Probably having been reminded by Baoying, Jiang Muting finally became smart and elbowed Wei Yinlian to warn her, "I have told you about Yixiao's family. We are not afraid of the Cui Family but she is not! If you want to know more, just go back and ask me. Don't mention it here. There are too many people around!"

Wei Yinlian rolled her eyes at Jiang Muting, "Why sent the maid to help upon receiving the message just now and also advised Baoying to borrow a snake? Now you want to kick down the ladder?"

Then she added, "The Cuis are not fools. In light of your intelligence quotient, you didn't even know about giving face to Commandery Princess Qingjiang. You may be easily framed. Since you have got away from the trouble, the credit must go to Miss Song! Even if I don't mention it here at all, Miss Song will be resented anyway!"

Jiang Muting was shocked while Song Yixiao still remained peaceful. Wei Yinlian couldn't help admiring the latter's calmness and said enthusiastically, "My family is not powerful in court but my sister will mediate before the n.o.ble Consort. The Cui Family must show some respect anyhow! I have a younger brother who is about your age. I am not boasting, but he is indeed the most handsome and honest one among my brothers..."

"Wait!" Jiang Muting said in surprise, "What do you mean? Are you setting her up with your brother?"

"Or why am I waiting here for such a long time?" Wei Yinlian pouted her lips, "You think I stay here only to keep you company?"

The Wei Family had one member being the crown princess, who also gave birth to a legitimate son. She would become the empress for sure. In order not to incur jealousy, the other sons and brothers of the family must keep low profile in terms of marriage, who couldn't marry those n.o.ble girls of high birth.

Song Yixiao's father's current father-in-law was Advisor to the Crown Prince and Prince of Hengshan who raised her was on good terms with the Crown Prince. The political stand of her parents didn't conflict with the Wei Family.

As to Song Yixiao herself, she was taught in the girl's school of Prince of Hengshan. Yet, as she was not blood of Prince of Hengshan, she was not highborn enough. Besides, she had shown her intelligence and adaptability to changes in the matter of Jiang Muting's being framed. Now that Wei Yinlian had seen her appearance and grace with her own eyes, Song Yixiao was more than suitable to be the daughter-in-law of the Wei Family!

Since Wei Yinlian met her, how could she let go of this opportunity?

However, as she mentioned setting Song Yixiao up with her brother, it also gave Jiang Muting a reminder, "Even if you want to set her up with anyone, you must queue in line! I have two elder brothers who are unmarried or unengaged!"

"Your third elder brother has more than one concubine now! And it is you who tell me about it!" Wei Yinlian was well prepared. Upon hearing what Jiang Muting said, she refuted without hesitation, "Your fourth elder brother, not adept with pen or sword, always hangs out outside. How can you introduce such brothers to Yixiao? Are you trying to return kindness with hatred?"

"Pfff! Your brother is only 13 years old. Who knows how he will become?" Jiang Muting flushed with anger, "The concubines of my third elder brother are having contraceptive medicine, and they will be expelled before he gets married! My fourth elder brother is not mature enough, but if he is married, will my parents not discipline him?"

Song Yixiao was speechless.

The dispute of these two girls was totally unnecessary.

Song Yixiao still had the jade pendant of Duke of Yan hidden in her sleeve!

Luckily, Baoying stepped up to mediate, "Your Ladys.h.i.+ps, please be careful of where you are. Is it appropriate to talk about this here?"

Even these two girls were being selected at the feast today. How could they have the mood to find a sister-in-law?

Moreover, "Miss Song was asked to stay and talk with Her Highness. Maybe Her Highness also has kept Miss Song in mind?"

Although Song Yixiao was not highborn and even in an embarra.s.sing situation, given that she could make it to the feast, she must be qualified to be selected. Especially after the incidence that Cui Jianlian slandered Jiang Muting, Song Yixiao showed herself well in front of Commandery Princess Qingjiang. As long as this commandery princess didn't hate her and said something nice for her, great chances were that Song Yixiao would become a side concubine even if she couldn't be a princess consort!

Reminded by Baoying, Wei Yinlian and Jiang Muting finally came to their senses, saying with regret and delight, "We can't be families but it will be a good thing if you can marry into the purple."

Song Yixiao accepted their wishes with a forced smile and yet felt rather flurried. Jian Xubai gave her the jade pendant in front of Commandery Princess Qingjiang, whose intention went without saying.

The question was why he did so?

It was not that she was too self-abased to believe that Jian Xubai had a thing for her, but that he didn't show any affection for her in the last encounter with her a few days ago.

Now he just decided to marry her? How could she believe it?

Was it because he was touched by her intelligence after he heard the conversation between her and Commandery Princess Qingjiang while hiding behind the screen?

No way!

Jian Xubai was raised in the imperial palace and taught by the Empress Dowager. Moreover, he was held as hostage in Wuhuan for more than five years. Song Yixiao felt that the conspiracies he had seen must be much more than her knowledge over the two lives!

How was it possible that he would fall for her because of her petty trick?

"Or he has found that I saw the two persons in the pavilion that day?" Song Yixiao felt on pins and needles when thinking of this, "Yes, it must be so. It is not difficult for him to do away with me, but it may bring him trouble if my death causes suspicion of his opponents and they find out his secret!"

"But if he marries me and then kills me later, in terms of her popularity among the n.o.ble ladies, it will quite easy for him to make a murder for love affair!"

"Then he can pretend to sob in front of my grave and compose a few poems for memorial. In this way, he can eradicate the thorn in his side at ease and gain him good reputation. People will also say that I am not lucky enough to take his deep love!"

"He is so malicious!"

She couldn't help gripping the okra yellow jade pendant and made up her mind, "I can't marry this man! Otherwise I will be killed sooner or later!"

The problem was how to return the jade pendant to him in light of his ident.i.ty.

Moreover, she must find someone to protect her from Jian Xubai's murdering as soon as possible...

Immersed in rumination, Song Yixiao suddenly thought of that Lu Kou'er invited her to the feast together this morning.

According to Jiang Muting, it was because the servant sent by Yuan Xue'e waited at the entrance of Zhanchun Venue and asked her to look after Song Yixiao that she searched for Song Yixiao in the forest.

If those people departed too late and couldn't catch up with Song Yixiao, why did they rush to the entrance of Zhanchun Venue?

It must not be that they could only ask Jiang Muting for favor because they failed to catch up with Song Yixiao but that the bodyguards sent by the dowager consort for Lu Kou'er, Lu Chai'er and Song Yixiao's trip stopped the message from being delivered to Song Yixiao!

The messenger could only wait outside and ask Jiang Muting who was on good terms with Yuan Xue'e for favor!

Song Yixiao gripped the silver cup tightly and became grim, "Could it be that the Dowager Consort let me come to the feast just in order to help Jian Xubai do away with me?"