Consort of a Thousand Faces

After nearly spitting out those words through gritted teeth, Ning Anlian swiftly ordered the palace maids to help her out of the hall.

 

Everyone watched her departing figure and acutely felt like she was fleeing after a defeat. With a smile on his lips, Chu Linglong turned his gaze onto Pei Qianhao.

 

This powerful and influential Prince Hao hardly spoke at tonight's feast. Seeing as how the few times he did were to put Ning Anlian down, it seems that this new Eldest Imperial Princess is truly lacking compared to Ning Rulan.

 

Ning Anlian sauntered on the palace path, the bright moonlight casting its glow on her purple robes. The dress was so pretty that any woman who saw it would fall in love with it. But now, despite being in the pretty robes, Ning Anlian's face was pale. Just thinking about what had just happened was enough to induce a suffocating feeling in her chest.

 

"Eldest Imperial Princess, be cautious of the pebbles." The palace maid who was helping her spoke softly. She could feel that the Eldest Imperial Princess was displeased.

 

Ning Anlian nodded and took more care with her steps. Her ankle didn't hurt as much as before, and could walk back to her repose palace.

 

But then, just as she took a few steps past the Imperial Garden, she caught a glance of a woman dressed in blue. 

 

"What's wrong, Your Highness?" Seeing that Ning Anlian had stopped, the palace maid looked towards the Imperial Garden and asked.

 

Ning Anlian pointed at the woman beside the flower beds. "Go, and summon that woman over."

 

The palace maid's gaze landed on the woman in question. This woman's robes are not palace clothing, and she's not a palace maid either. Who else would come to the Imperial Garden this late at night?

 

"Hurry up!"

 

The palace maid trembled and approached the woman fearfully. It can't be a ghost, right? The woman's figure became clearer to her the closer she got. She was about to speak when the woman suddenly moved and turned, almost scaring her to death!

 

When the palace maid took a clear look at the woman's face, she was stunned. This… Isn't she the woman who replaced the Eldest Imperial Princess for the dance? Why has she changed her clothes and stayed in the Imperial Garden?

 

Su Xi-er looked ahead and happened to see Ning Anlian. She is heading back to her repose palace so soon? Was she unable to handle the noble guests from other countries? A glimmer of sarcasm flashed across her eyes.

 

"Miss, the Eldest Imperial Princess has asked for you." The palace maid regained her composure and stretched out a hand, gesturing her to head over.

 

Su Xi-er nodded her head. She sure came at the right time.

 

Ning Anlian watched as Su Xi-er came towards her, her steps light and dainty enough to cause a certain phrase to surface in her mind. A trail of lilies grows at every footstep. 

 

Her mind conjured an image of Su Xi-er gracefully dancing, captivating everyone’s eyes as she did so.

 

Ning Anlian bit down on her lip, forgetting about the pain in her ankle as she glared at Su Xi-er.

 

This siren had already planned to steal my spotlight when she deliberately injured my ankle! How dare a lowly maidservant try to flip the heavens upside down! This Princess will see how daring you are now!

 

As soon as Su Xi-er arrived before her, Ning Anlian ordered sharply, "Lowly palace maid, kneel!"

 

The only thing that greeted her order was the sound of the rustling leaves.

 

Su Xi-er chuckled. "Why do I have to kneel to you? Are you my master?"

 

"Siren, you wanted to take this Princess’ place in the dance, even purposely injuring my ankle to do so! What hidden motives do you have?!" Ning Anlian lashed out through her gritted teeth, her face full of hatred.

 

Why did a Ning Rulan die, only for Su Xi-er appear? There are always sirens like them snatching what belongs to me!

 

"It seems that you have a bad memory, so let me remind you that the source of all of this was you. You were the one who invited me into the restaurant; and you were the one who attacked first. Who can you blame when you were the one who couldn’t finish what they started?"

 

Her statement had shut Ning Anlian up. "You…" She was at a loss for words, unable to lift the boulder that seemed to be crashing down on her chest.