Chapter 97 - Deliver A Letters for A Love Rival

Translator: Henyee TranslationsEditor: Henyee Translations

Literati elegance pervaded the courtyard of the Lin Mansion, especially the rockery and bamboo forest.

‘When Qiao Jinniang and Qiao Ruoyi arrived at the Lin Mansion, Consort Qi happened to come out with Bao’er in her arms.

Seeing Qiao Jinniang, Consort Qi came over and said respectfully, “County Mistress, are you also here to give Miss Lin wedding gifts?”

Qiao Jinniang was really not used to Consort Qi’s fawning smile.

Not seemingly embarrassed at all, Consort Qi held Qiao Jinniang’s hand affectionately and kept complimenting her as if not noticing how embarrassed Jinniang was. She even lowered her body to help Jinniang tidy up the tassels on her shoes despite her status as a prince’s consort.

This humble attitude made Qiao Jinniang doubt if Consort Qi was possessed by a ghost like how it was written in a novel she once read

After Consort Qi left, Qiao Ruoyi whispered to Qiao Jinniang,

“Theard that when Imperial Concubine Wan was demoted, so was Consort i’s father.

“I didn’t expect that Consort Qi, who was always arrogant, after experiencing the fickleness of the world, would be willing to fawn on you.”

Not many people knew about what happened at the palace banquet.

Qiao Jinniang had no sympathy for Consort Qi.

However, since Consort Qi could judge the situation and come to pursue peace with her, Qiao Jinniang wouldn’t bother with giving her a hard time.

After entering Lin Qiaopan’s courtyard, Qiao Jinniang saw many acquaintances.

Among the people who came today, there were many royal family members.

After seeing Qiao Jinniang, Fulu looked a bit ashamed and avoided eye contact with her.

Princess Jinghua stood up to greet Qiao Jinniang. “Jinniang.”

Qiao Jinniang and Qiao Ruoyi saluted Princess Jinghua and Fulu together.

Qiao Jinniang looked at Fulu up and down and said, “I haven’t seen you for three days. You have lost a lot of weight, Princess.”

Princess Fulu touched her face. “Did I really lose weight? I have been eating a lot recently because I get really anxious when I don’t eat. I thought I must have gained weight. I didn’t expect I would lose weight instead.”

Princess Jinghua asked, “Is the food in the Guest Welcoming Building really so delicious? Lin Mo went to the Guest Welcoming Building at midnight last night to eat their dishes.”

Fulu breathed a sigh of relief. “I thought I was the only one who was crazy about the dishes they made. Lin Mo made them cook for him at midnight? I should have done that too. I missed the dishes they made so much that I couldn’t fall asleep last night.”

“There are a lot of people going to the Guest Welcoming Building at night.”

Princess Jinghua was a little unhappy when she said it.

“My cook is from the imperial palace. How is it possible that the food he made is not comparable to a common restaurant? Does he have to go to the Guest Welcoming Building at midnight to eat the dishes they made?”

Fulu said, “That’s because the dishes in the Guest Welcoming Building are really delicious, especially the Sorrow-Forgetting Soup. After drinking it, I felt like I was on cloud nine.”

Qiao Jinniang felt that something was not right. No matter how delicious a dish was, it wouldn’t make people feel like on cloud nine, right?

Jinniang and Qiao Ruoyi walked to the door of Lin Qiaopan’s courtyard and waited for the maid to report to Lin Qiaopan, and soon the maid came out to invite them in.

‘When Qiao Jinniang entered, she saw a simple but elegantly-decorated house, and an oppressing yet dignified sensation overwhelmed her.

Lin Qiaopan, who was wearing an ornate golden headdress, walked over gracefully. Her legs seemed barely to move under her skirt when she walked

Lin Qiaopan saluted Qiao Jinniang. “Nice to meet you, County Mistress.”

Jinniang said, “Don’t be too polite. These are the wedding gifts Duke Anyuan Mansion prepared for you. I hope you’ll like it, Miss Lin.”

Lin Qiaopan had her maid take it, and she said, “Thank you, County Mistress.”

With that, Lin Qiaopan sized up Qiao Jinniang with the corner of her eye.

This wasn’t the first time Lin Qiaopan had seen Qiao Jinniang. She had seen her at banquets.

At that time, she secretly exclaimed that bloodline mattered.

Although Qiao Jinniang grew up as a commoner, with her bearing, she looked exactly like a real duke’s daughter.

But a few days ago, she learned that she was Lu Chen’s wife when he was in Lin‘an.

After that, Lin Qiaopan became picky about Qiao Jinniang. When she saw her today, she felt that Qiao Jinniang was not dignified enough and her makeup was too coquettish.

She was already His Royal Highness’ woman, how could she not behave herself? How could women in the royal family wear such coquettish makeup?

She was not dignified at all.

Qiao Jinniang didn’t know what Lin Qiaopan was thinking. Even if she knew, she would just laugh it away.

She didn’t have much to talk with Lin Qiaopan anyway, so she just listened to her and Ruoyi chats.

Qiao Ruoyi said to Lin Qiaopan,

“Sister Qiaopan, as you know, my fourth elder sister is very willful, please be careful of her mammies.

“Over the years, my mother had been busy fighting with Concubine Qian and had been negligent in the education of her children. She blindly trusted the mammies from the Zheng family. My fourth sister’s petulance was due in large part to the instigation of her mammy from the Zheng family.”

Lin Qiaopan said, “I don’t want Prince Mediocre’s love, so I won’t compete with Qiao Ruoshui for his favor.

“Ruoyi, you know my heart. Although I can’t disobey the imperial decree, my heart still belongs to His Royal Highness.

“Lwill pry and deliver useful information for His Royal Highness in Prince Mediocre Mansion.

“Even if I can’t marry His Royal Highness in this life, I’ll make him remember me forever. ”

Qiao Jinniang coughed and choked on water.

Lin Qiaopan handed a letter to Qiao Jinniang. “County Mistress, neither you nor Ruoyi are outsiders, so I don’t have to hide my real thoughts from you.

“Here is a letter I wrote to His Royal Highness. Can you pass it on to His Royal Highness for me?”

Qiao Ruoyi said, “Sister Qiaopan, it’s not appropriate. Didn’t you hear that His Royal Highness hates my second sister?”

Lin Qiaopan said, “Those are just stupid stories made up by stupid commoners. His Royal Highness asked His Majesty to confer the posthumous title of Earl Lin‘an to Country Mistress’ adoptive father, which shows that the relationship between the County Mistress and His Royal Highness is not as

rumored by the outsiders.”

“Can you deliver this letter for me, County Mistress?”

Qiao Jinniang shook her head and said, “No.”

Lin Qiaopan was stunned for a moment, not expecting Qiao Jinniang to refuse her so bluntly.

“Don’t get me wrong, County Mistress. I can assure you no word in the letter will annoy the Crown Prince.

“I just want to tell His Royal Highness that even after I become Consort Mediocre, I will still miss him. I’ll be his eyes in the Prince Mediocre Mansion.”

Qiao Jinniang said coldly, “I’m sorry I can’t help you, Miss Lin, because I’m a jealous woman!

“Although I can’t stop you from liking my husband, I can’t help you convey your feelings to him.

“By the way, Miss Lin, you’d better give up on the idea of becoming my husband’s spy. My husband doesn’t take Prince Mediocre seriously at all.

“So he doesn’t need you to ‘pry and deliver useful information’ for him. And I hope that Miss Lin can live your life and be your husband’s good wife.”

Hearing Jinniang keep calling Lu Chen “my husband’, Lin Qiaopan was stunned

Qiao Jinniang glanced outside and said, “Miss Lin, your wedding is tomorrow. I better not disturb you any longer. Ruoyi, let’s go.”

Qiao Ruoyi, who was dumbfounded, came back to her senses and quickly kept up with Qiao Jinniang. Was she too young to understand Lin Qiaopan’s thoughts?

She was going to be married tomorrow, but today she asked Jinniang to deliver a letter to His Royal Highness for her to tell him how much she loved him. If this news spread, she would only be laughed at by others.. If this was known by Prince Mediocre, wouldn’t she have a hard time once she was

married?