Chapter 50: The Sky May Fall, But the Grand Tutor Will Hold It Up

“Do you want to go?”

Jiang Shiyuan, Hong Dou, and Qin Mama were seated around a table, their six eyes fixed on the invitation lying on it.

Even if Jiang Shiyuan didn’t know the current situation in the court, she wasn’t foolish.

Late at night, a jade appreciation event, and Xie Jinghuai couldn’t even pretend properly.

It was highly likely that news of her marriage to Grand Tutor Pei had spread, and the Fifth Prince didn’t want to see the match happen, intending to cause trouble for her.

Xie Jinghuai had always been petty, loving to pick on easy targets.

Was Jiang Shiyuan an easy target?

Ah, yes, she truly was.

Not only Jiang Shiyuan, but even Hong Dou could tell that there were ill intentions behind this invitation.

“What good intentions could the Fifth Prince have? When General and Madam’s bones hadn’t even turned cold, the Lu family was spreading rumors everywhere, slandering them with baseless accusations, and Concubine Lan was also targeting us in the palace. We cannot go.”

Qin Mama agreed: “No, no, we shouldn’t go. As the old saying goes, a direct attack is easy to avoid, but a hidden dagger is hard to guard against. Better to be cautious.”

With no one at home, they were always cautious.

At such a critical moment, they couldn’t afford any mistakes.

“Then what method should we use to decline?” Jiang Shiyuan asked, frowning.

After all, position and power mattered. Xie Jinghuai, as a prince, held a prestigious rank. His invitation was one that no one in the capital dared to refuse.

Last year, Miss Sun from the Duke’s residence had feigned illness to decline his invitation, and the Fifth Prince, under the pretense of concern, sent the imperial physician to the Duke’s residence and force-fed her a bitter medicine.

Two years ago, a young lady from the Ministry of Rites had failed to drink the wine offered by Xie Jinghuai at a banquet, and later mysteriously fell into a lake, choking on water and nearly losing her life.

Xie Jinghuai, with his narrow mind and vengeful character, couldn’t tolerate any disobedience.

Just as Jiang Shiyuan was worrying, a voice suddenly called from outside: “Miss, the guard from the Grand Tutor’s residence requests an audience.”

Hearing the words “Grand Tutor,” Jiang Shiyuan didn’t hesitate. “Quickly, please let him in.”

Not long after, a tall, young man in black entered. He exuded an impressive, commanding presence.

Jiang Shiyuan recognized him immediately. He was one of Pei Grand Tutor’s men, named Yu Liang. He had been the one to escort her back last time.

“Greetings, Madam!” Yu Liang respectfully greeted her.

Jiang Shiyuan blushed slightly, straightened her posture, and replied with a dignified air, “No need for such formalities, Yu Liang. It’s so late; is there something urgent?”

Yu Liang stood and replied, “The Grand Tutor has a message for you, Madam.”

Jiang Shiyuan was curious. Had Pei Che left her a message?

“What message does the Grand Tutor have?”

Yu Liang spoke slowly, “The Grand Tutor said, Madam may poke at an ant’s nest, but the sky in the capital is high, and you may not be able to poke it down. Even if you do, the Grand Tutor will hold it up.”

Jiang Shiyuan pursed her lips, a small smile curling at the corners of her mouth.

Had he already anticipated that someone would harbor ill intentions?

She had to admit, it felt quite satisfying knowing there was someone supporting her.

“Then I’ll go to the banquet tomorrow.”

Jiang Shiyuan made up her mind. Tomorrow, she would stop being the soft target and act like an iron wall.

…

Time flew by, and before she knew it, it was already the following evening.

The sunset bathed the sky in a brilliant glow as Jiang Shiyuan stepped out of the General’s residence. Pei Ziye immediately dismounted his horse and kindly set up the stepping stool for her.

The Pei family had also received an invitation, but Pei Zanxue was under house arrest, and Pei Ziye had never liked such banquets. However, his uncle had left instructions, so he had no choice but to come along to protect her.

“Little Aunt, let me protect you today,” Pei Ziye said.

Jiang Shiyuan laughed. “You can still ride horses? I suppose you didn’t receive too many blows with the twenty lashes?”

Pei Ziye smiled slightly. “One must be flexible. Some lashes cannot be avoided, but others can. If I had received all the lashes, I’d have been turned into a meat paste by now.”

Jiang Shiyuan mounted the carriage, and they traveled smoothly. When they arrived at the Fifth Prince’s residence, the lanterns had already been lit, and the street outside the palace was bustling with people, all dressed in their finest attire.

Though the Fifth Prince had two concubines, his primary wife had yet to be decided. Today’s banquet, therefore, had everyone speculating, and all the young ladies who had come were dressed to the nines.

When the carriage stopped, Jiang Shiyuan disembarked just in time to run into Princess Xie Ruoruo, who had also just gotten out of her carriage.

Xie Ruoruo adjusted her hairpin, which sparkled with a dazzling east pearl.

Seeing this, someone immediately stepped forward to flatter her.

“Princess, this east pearl is beautiful. Was it a gift from the Empress?”

Xie Ruoruo tilted her head arrogantly, casting a glance at Jiang Shiyuan. “Of course not. It’s from one of my admirers, who insisted on giving it to me. I thought, at least it’s a kind gesture, so it would be a pity to throw it away.”

Jiang Shiyuan chuckled inwardly, understanding the unspoken message, and also adjusted the seven-colored gemstone pin in her hair.

When Xie Ruoruo noticed, she couldn’t help but smile faintly.

“The imperial kitchen has prepared some new pastries. Since it’s rare for us all to gather today, I brought some for everyone to try.”

Xie Ruoruo personally took the pastry box and distributed it.

Although she wasn’t highly favored, Xie Ruoruo was still a princess, raised under Concubine Lan’s protection, so people around her readily fawned over her. Before anyone even tasted the pastries, they were already showering her with compliments.

In the blink of an eye, only one piece was left in the box.

Xie Ruoruo glanced at Jiang Shiyuan, raised her chin haughtily, and said, “There’s one left. It’s for you.”

With that, she walked up to Jiang Shiyuan and shoved the last piece of pastry into her hands.

Jiang Shiyuan reached out to accept it, only to find a small note hidden underneath the pastry.

She quickly took the note and respectfully said, “Thank you, Princess. Your hairpin is beautiful and makes you look even more radiant.”

“Yours isn’t bad either.”

Xie Ruoruo was pleased, and with that, she turned around and quickly walked off.

After she was out of sight, Jiang Shiyuan opened the note.

[Don’t drink the wine or eat anything. If you do eat, only eat what your good friend gives you.]

Jiang Shiyuan smiled, glancing at the pastry in her hand. It was the white rabbit pastry they used to make when they were young.

“Let’s go in,” Jiang Shiyuan said to Pei Ziye.

“Ah? Okay.”

Pei Ziye seemed to be searching for someone. After dismounting, he had been looking around, and it wasn’t until a while later that he regained focus.

“Strange, why is Jiang Shiyuan walking in with Pei Ziye?”

From afar, Zhou Jingshen had already spotted Jiang Shiyuan and Pei Ziye. Even amidst a crowd of beauties, Jiang Shiyuan stood out, and he noticed her immediately.

Shen Luchu, who had just disembarked from his carriage, also saw them.

“Luchu, when did Jiang Shiyuan get to know Pei Ziye?”

Among all of them, Shen Luchu was the one most familiar with Jiang Shiyuan. Zhou Jingshen asked without thinking.

Shen Luchu pursed his lips, his dark eyes fixed on the figures ahead.

He didn’t know when Jiang Shiyuan had become acquainted with Pei Ziye. He didn’t even remember when Jiang Shiyuan had met anyone other than him and his circle.

He realized he knew so little about Jiang Shiyuan’s life. All he could remember was that she liked perfume and horseback riding, but he had always discouraged her from those hobbies.

“Jiang Shiyuan is going to marry Pei Ziye,” Su Liluo suddenly said, catching them off guard.

Zhou Jingshen and Shen Luchu were both in disbelief.

Shen Luchu’s face immediately darkened, his expression hard to read.

Zhou Jingshen said, “Miss Su, are you joking? How could Jiang Shiyuan marry Pei Ziye? Pei Ziye is a playboy. There’s no way Jiang Shiyuan would ever look at him…”

“What’s wrong with Pei Ziye?” Su Liluo interrupted Zhou Jingshen, looking at Shen Luchu with a mocking smile. “At least Pei Ziye doesn’t have his mother following him around everywhere.”

Shen Luchu turned around to see, at some point, a carriage had appeared behind them, and Princess Wenhe had just stepped out.