My Love Rivals Have All Reborn - Chapter 36.2

During Xie Yu’s illness, many court officials had sent tonics, and tonight’s banquet was to thank them. Most of the prominent people in court attended. Even Xiao Mingwang came and was personally welcomed into the estate by Xie Yu.

Prime Minister Yan arrived. Princess Jingyang claimed to be ill and stayed home. Just before the banquet was about to start, Princess Gaoyang slowly arrived with her entourage. Xie Yu set aside the other guests to personally welcome her.

Princess Gaoyang was magnificently dressed. The peacock embroidered on the hem of her skirt was lifelike. The large peonies were also very striking. As her extravagant carriage stopped at the gate of the Xie estate, the luminous pearl on it immediately caught the eye.

Xie Yu bowed by the carriage. Gaoyang straightened the gold hair ornament on her head. Looking closely, the ornament was studded with many rubies, and the brightest one was a luminous pearl.

The luminous pearl on the carriage shone brightly in the dim light, making the pearl on her hair ornament appear dull. But there was no helping it; the hair ornament couldn’t accommodate such a large pearl.

Upon entering the hall, Gaoyang apologized to the crowd: “I’m a little late. Please forgive me. The light from the luminous pearl on my carriage will be gone by dawn.”

Xie Yu: “…”

The crowd: “…” That is excessive showing off. We can’t bear to watch.

Gaoyang was a Princess and held a noble status, but Xie Yu was the host. Thus, Gaoyang’s seat was near the front, only a step away from Xie Yu. Even so, she seemed a little dissatisfied: “The Grand Tutor’s seat is quite large. Why don’t we sit together?”

Xie Yu was naturally fair-skinned. Today, she was wearing a sapphire green dress, with a jade belt cinching her waist. Her figure was slender. Illuminated by the candlelight, she was at her most beautiful. Everyone wanted to take one more look.

Xie Yu did not refuse. She stepped back half a step and invited her to sit: “That is fine, Your Highness, please.”

“Oh, why is Grand Tutor Xie speaking so sweetly today? I think you are much more beautiful than a few days ago.” Gaoyang’s red lips were moist. She winked at the dignified Grand Tutor Xie, taking her hand as if to walk in together.

Her demeanor was alluring and seductive.

Xie Yu’s smile was slight. Not only did she not refuse, but she held her hand: “Your Highness is jesting.”

Even after reaching their seats, Gaoyang did not let go of her hand. Instead, she held it tighter, causing the onlookers to twitch.

After sitting down, Gaoyang became more unrestrained, reaching out to touch Xie Yu’s wrist. The skin there was even more delicate and smooth. Xie Yu remained still. With her free hand, she picked up a wine cup, took a sip, and whispered: “Your Highness, if you flirt with your subject, are you not afraid that Proprietor Zhao Er will pluck the luminous pearl from your carriage?”

Gaoyang was startled, feeling a hint of wariness. “The Grand Tutor knows me well. Do you like me and are jealous of Zhao Xiran?”

Xie Yu withdrew her hand, looking forward, giving Gaoyang a cool side profile: “Your subject is abstinent.”

Gaoyang scoffed: “Abstinent, yet you let me touch you?”

Xie Yu said: “If your subject’s heart belonged to someone, I would not sit at the same table as you.”

“That sounds reasonable.” Gaoyang suddenly realized. But then, she reconsidered: Wait, that day at the banquet, I clearly saw her clinging to Xiao Kunning’s hand. Abstinent, my foot.

The banquet began. Maidservants filed in, pouring wine and serving the guests.

The leader was Bishu. Gaoyang was stunned at first sight, instinctively rising to look at her.

With the ministers present, Bishu kept her eyes downcast, but her features were still clear. The crowd paid no attention to this maidservant, but seeing Princess Gaoyang looking lost in thought, they all looked at her.

Prime Minister Yan disdained Princess Gaoyang’s love for beauty and sneered internally, but he also looked up.

With one glance, he was also mesmerized.

Many people saw the peculiarity and looked closely at the maidservant’s features, inevitably recalling the long-deceased Princess Leyang.

Several old ministers had served three generations of monarchs and had personally witnessed Princess Leyang’s elegance. The maidservant before them resembled her by fifty percent, especially the shape of her eyes and eyebrows.

Xie Yu picked up her wine cup and took a drink, looking displeased. “What is it, Your Highness?”

Gaoyang snapped back to attention, seeing Xie Yu’s light expression. She forcefully suppressed the doubt in her heart. Over there, Bishu was pouring wine for Prime Minister Yan.

The crowd saw the young woman standing beside the purple sandalwood table, tall and upright. Wine poured from her flask. Prime Minister Yan’s wine cup inexplicably trembled. Gaoyang saw this and sneered: “Prime Minister Yan, why are you shaking? Do you think the soul of Sister Leyang has come to claim your life?”

“Your Highness is talking nonsense again.” Yan Huaizhen regained his composure and drank the entire cup of wine. Bishu poured wine again. A dagger suddenly dropped from her sleeve. She immediately picked it up and lunged toward him.

Xie Yu noticed and immediately slammed the table: “Stop!” She dashed forward, trying to block the attack. Gaoyang grabbed her, gloating: “What’s the rush, Grand Tutor? She won’t stab him to death.”

It was strange for an assassin to drop her dagger. There must be another reason.

The water tonight was murky, and this was just the beginning.

The dagger scratched past Prime Minister Yan’s cheek, leaving a red streak of blood. With one dodge, others rushed forward to restrain Bishu.

Bishu struggled wildly, shouting that the dog thief should pay with his life and that she was avenging her mother. She kicked out, trying to push people away. Her hair was messy, and her appearance under the gauze lantern looked exactly like Princess Leyang. Gaoyang, seated high above, clapped her hands and cheered. Xie Yu said helplessly: “Your Highness, please stop making a fuss. Don’t you see Prime Minister Yan is injured?”

Princess Gaoyang retorted: “It’s just a scratch. Where did this maidservant of yours come from?”

Xie Yu said: “She was gifted by His Majesty.” When the estate was established, to show the Emperor’s benevolence, Zhao Mian bestowed a dozen people for service.

In this way, the blame would not fall on Xie Yu. Gaoyang clapped her hands again, walked down from her seat, and stared at the maidservant pinned to the ground. She lifted her face, examined her, and asked: “Are you twenty-two this year?”

Bishu spat, which served as her response.

A playful smile appeared in Gaoyang’s eyes. She pulled out a handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped the dirt from Bishu’s face, poking her eyebrows: “Is your mother Zhao Changjin?”

Bishu couldn’t move. She turned her face away from the handkerchief, still maintaining silence. Gaoyang, however, laughed: “A satisfying patricide. You have the same temper as your mother.”

At this point, anyone who didn’t understand would not hold a high position. Princess Leyang’s personal name was Zhao Changjin. The reference to patricide and “your mother” suggested that the maidservant before them was the child born from the illicit relationship between Princess Leyang and Prime Minister Yan.

Yan Huaizhen clutched the wound on his face, trembling from the pain. Hearing Gaoyang’s nonsense, he immediately cursed: “Gaoyang, don’t talk rubbish! This woman attempted to assassinate me. She should be executed for her crime.”

Gaoyang pushed the crowd aside, helped Bishu up from the ground, and tucked the handkerchief into her hand. She mocked: “You may disregard the affection between father and daughter, but I must remember the relationship between aunt and niece. It is inconvenient to disturb His Majesty tonight. When dawn breaks, I will enter the palace and ask His Majesty. As for execution…” She paused, looking at Yan Huaizhen in his seat: “If you dare kill her, I will lead people to storm your residence and kill all your legitimate and illegitimate sons, leaving you with no one to mourn your death.”

Xie Yu walked closer, gently mediating: “This matter is too much of a coincidence. Princess Gaoyang needs to wait a little longer.”

“Wait for what?” Gaoyang snapped back at Xie Yu. Seeing her cool yet gentle demeanor, she didn’t want to scold the beauty, but her bias toward Prime Minister Yan made her uncomfortable. She directly cursed: “Xie Yu’s blindness is due to her youth! Everyone here has seen Princess Leyang. Is it possible that this child doesn’t resemble her?”

Her features were extremely similar, she was twenty-two, which aligned with the age when Princess Leyang gave birth, and she was shouting to avenge her mother. This forced people to make a connection.

Yan Huaizhen was in pain and anxious, his gaze toward Bishu trembling. His entire body shook, while Bishu looked at him with hatred: “If I don’t die, you will die. You should have thought of this day when you drugged my mother.”

“Shut up, evil woman! I am honorable and upright! You dare to speak nonsense…”

In his fury, Prime Minister Yan couldn’t find a way to defend himself. After all, who would have thought that matters from twenty years ago would be brought up? The others, unaware of the situation, silently retreated to the side.

The hostess, Xie Yu, was even more at a loss. She asked Princess Gaoyang to return to her residence first: “Your subject will inform His Majesty about this matter later. As for her, she must stay.”

Princess Gaoyang refused, pulling Bishu, intending to leave. Xie Yu stepped forward to block them: “Your Highness, please do not make things difficult for your subject.”

“So what if I make things difficult for you? If Grand Tutor Xie has the ability today, then stop me too! But I must take this girl with me.” Gaoyang swept her sleeve and pushed Xie Yu aside with such force that Xie Yu staggered. Nuongqin on the side supported her.

The entire room of people watched helplessly as Gaoyang took the female assassin away. Prime Minister Yan cursed under his breath in pain, his expression sinister.

Xie Yu said regretfully: “Prime Minister Yan, please forgive me. I will certainly capture the assassin and bring her back.”

The banquet ended there. Yan Huaizhen left the estate with a scar on his face. Xie Yu personally saw him to his carriage and had Nuongqin personally escort him.

In the empty room, the dagger used to stab Yan Huaizhen remained. Xie Yu bent down and picked it up. A few drops of blood still lingered on it.

This was Yan Huaizhen’s blood.

Before noon the next day, the news of Prime Minister Yan drugging Princess Leyang years ago had spread to the common people.

Today was supposed to be Xie Yu’s class. The students waited for a long time but did not see the Master arrive. Zhao Can ran in from outside, excitedly saying: “My Aunt Leyang’s daughter is back.”

Xiao Kunning’s eyelids twitched. She hadn’t heard of this person in her past life. Where did she come from?

Zhao Can continued: “Last night, the Master hosted a banquet. An assassin attacked Prime Minister Yan at the banquet but failed. This morning, it was discovered that the assassin is Aunt Leyang’s daughter—oh, and Prime Minister Yan’s daughter, too.”

Shen Yunzhi suddenly spoke up from the side: “Does that count as the Yan family’s legitimate eldest daughter?”

Oh, the Princess of Yanping position was likely going to change hands again.