Chapter 199 Princess Support
The ninth princess was named Teng Shiyao. She was the queen's daughter, and her brother from the same mother was the crown prince of the Eastern Palace. Therefore, the ninth princess Teng Shiyao had an extremely noble status since she was born.
Usually, the emperor and the empress dote on this daughter very much, and the prince also dotes on his own sister, so the ninth princess is also a very domineering person in the palace.
As the saying goes, there can't be two tigers in one mountain. Princess Ningjia and the Ninth Princess are of similar age and have equally overbearing personalities, so the Ninth Princess always dislikes Princess Ningjia.
Princess Ningjia was a person who bullied the weak and feared the strong. Normally, she only bullied the noble ladies who were lower in status than herself. But when she met the Ninth Princess, she had no choice but to be humble and submissive, because her status was not as high as the Ninth Princess's.
After Zhao Yanran entered the palace, she did not mention the incident of the table being taken. She only said that she would invite the princess to go to the newly opened teahouse in two days to drink tea and listen to opera.
She deliberately said to the princess with an apologetic look, "Shiyao, I'm afraid I have to inconvenience you this time. The business of the Half-day Qinghuan Garden is so good that Yanran didn't book a table close to the stage. We can only sit a little further away from the stage to drink tea and watch the show."
The Ninth Princess said, "Yanran, it's okay. If you can think of inviting me to go with you to some fun places outside the palace, I will be very happy."
Her personal maid Bizhu deliberately defended the injustice and said, "Miss, we clearly booked the table closest to the stage. It's all because of that Princess Ningjia who was too domineering and snatched the table you booked."
"Yanran, is what Bizhu said true?"
Zhao Yanran deliberately glared at Bizhu and said, "Bizhu, who told you to talk too much?"
Bizhu said aggrievedly, "Miss, I am just standing up for you."
Then she turned to the Ninth Princess and said, "Ninth Princess, you also know our young lady's personality. She has always been kind to others and doesn't like to compete with others. But that Princess Ningjia was really too bullying, so she sent a little maid to the mansion to inform us that she liked the table that the young lady had reserved very much, and that table belonged to her. Our young lady didn't want to cause trouble, so she chose to swallow her anger."
When the Ninth Princess found out, she was furious. "Who does Zheng Jiayin think she is? She's just a little princess, but she dared to snatch the table you reserved for Yanran."
Zhao Yanran persuaded, "Shiyao, Princess Ningjia is a princess after all, her status is much higher than mine, I am just a small prime minister's daughter, she likes my table, I will give it to her, you don't have to be so angry."
"No, Yanran, you are afraid of her, but I am not. Don't worry, she can't take your things away."
Then, the Ninth Princess said to the maid behind her, "Haitang, quickly send someone to Prince Duan's Mansion to warn Zheng Jiayin, saying that the table at the Half-Day Qinghuan Garden was reserved by me, and even if Zheng Jiayin has a hundred guts, she won't dare to grab a seat from me."
"Yes, Princess. I will send someone to pass on the message right away."
Zhao Yanran deliberately said in a pretentious manner, "Princess, forget it. Don't let this hurt the relationship between you and the princess. It's okay for Yanran to sit in a remote corner, but Your Highness, you are a proud daughter of heaven. I'm afraid you will have to sit in the corner with me."
"Yanran, you are just too kindhearted. Zheng Jiayin bullied you so much, but you just endured it. If Bizhu hadn't said it, would you have just swallowed your anger?"
Zhao Yanran said aggrievedly, "Shiyao, Princess Ningjia has the status of a princess and the support of Prince Duan. Although I am the daughter of the prime minister, I can't actually compete with her. I just don't want to cause trouble for my family."
"Yanran, you have my support. Besides me, the Crown Prince will definitely support you. If that doesn't work, you still have my mother."
Zhao Yanran smiled and said, "Well, Shiyao, thank you for supporting me."
After receiving the message from the Ninth Princess' maid, Princess Ning Jia had no choice but to return the table to Zhao Yanran.
She gnashed her teeth and said, "Zhao Yanran, this bitch, pretends to be a white lotus all day long. If she had the guts, she should come and ask me for the position herself. She only knows how to complain and let others speak for her."
Her maid Cai Lian also echoed her, "Princess, the most pretentious woman in the whole capital is Zhao Yanran. She thinks she is the most talented woman in the capital, and always pretends to be gentle and considerate, making all the men in the capital admire her. But she has eight hundred schemes behind her back."
"So what do you think we should do now? We finally managed to get closer to Brother Yu, but now our table has been taken back."
Cai Lian quickly offered a plan, "Princess, we can't afford to offend the Ninth Princess, but we are not afraid of Qian Yuying. Although Qian Yuying is the legitimate daughter of the Great General, her biological mother is just a concubine of General Qian. In order to make this illegitimate daughter marry better, Madam Qian put her under the name of the legitimate wife of the Great General."
"Cai Lian, I'll leave this matter to you. If you do it well, this princess will reward you handsomely."
"Yes, Princess, Cai Lian will definitely live up to your expectations."
Qian Yuying's biological mother was the concubine of General Qian. Before that, she had always been a concubine's daughter and had no chance to make friends with noble ladies in the capital. It was not until Aunt Tong begged Madam Qian to give her the name of the general's wife that she became the legitimate daughter of the general's mansion.
When Qian Yuying learned that Princess Ning Jia wanted to reserve a table for her in the teahouse, she immediately gave it up happily.
She flattered him, "If the princess likes that table, just take it. Please go back and tell the princess that Yuying has always admired the princess and wants to make friends with her."
"Okay, I'll deliver your message to you, but I can't control whether the princess is willing to be your friend or not."
"Well, as long as you can help pass on the message, Yuying will be very grateful."
After returning, Cai Lian really told the princess what she had said. Princess Ning Jia said with satisfaction, "Well, Qian Yuying is quite sensible. Go and tell her now that on the day the teahouse opens, let her drink tea and watch opera with me."
"Yes."
Finally, the day of the opening of Banri Qinghuan Garden arrived. The entire teahouse was packed with people.
Zhao Yanran had an appointment to wait outside the palace gate for the Ninth Princess to come out today, but unexpectedly the Ninth Princess called her own brother the Crown Prince as well.
When Zhao Yanran saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, she immediately bowed and said, "Greetings, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
The prince held her hand and said gently, "Yanran, outside, there is no need for us to be polite. Just call me cousin."
Yanran nodded obediently, "Yes, cousin."
Zhao Yanran knew that her father and the queen had always wanted her to marry the prince. After the prince ascended the throne, their Zhao family would be able to have another queen.
But in her heart, she only has brotherly feelings towards the prince, and the person she has always liked is Prince An.