Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 351 The First Signs of a Poisonous Scheme
In the afternoon, the sun was blazing.

Xue Sui, accompanied by Jinshu, Xiao Zhao, and Ruyi, met up with Xue Yuelou in front of the hanging flower gate.

Seeing that Xue Yuelou had come alone, she smiled and asked, "Where's Ming-ge'er? Why didn't he come with you?"

“He’s being kept at home by his teacher to study.” Xue Yuelou, dressed in a light green dress, softened her expression as she spoke of her son, whose condition had improved. “These past few days he’s been talking about Dr. Shu’s sugar pills, and he’s been all smiles whenever he sees the medicine bowl.”

After saying that, she looked around, leaned closer and took Xue Sui's arm, and lowered her voice.

"My eyelids were twitching before I left home today. I'm afraid this lotus-viewing banquet hosted by Ninth Sister isn't a good omen..."

"We'll just have to deal with whatever comes our way," Xue Sui said calmly.

The carriage came to a smooth stop at the Prince of Wei's residence.

On the towering vermilion gate, copper nails leaped out with dazzling spots of light.

The two handed over their invitations and were led inside by the old woman who was showing them the way.

The old woman was dressed in a brand-new fine cloth shirt, her face beaming with a warm smile, displaying a well-trained respect.

"Second Miss, Master Miaozhen, this way please. Princess Duan just arrived and is talking with our Princess in Fuxiang Pavilion. Several young ladies are also waiting inside."

"Thank you."

After walking through corridors and courtyards, we entered the inner courtyard and discovered that Xue Yue'e had invited a whole room full of female relatives.

Besides Xue Yuechen, there were several cousins ​​from other branches of the family, as well as several young ladies related to the Prince of Wei's household.

Upon seeing them enter, Xue Yue'e adopted the airs of a princess consort of Wei, slowly waving the jade-handled fan in her hand, her chin slightly raised.

"Second sister, sixth sister, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting for you for so long."

Xue Yuelou curtsied respectfully: "Your Highness, please forgive me. Ming-ge'er had a stomachache when I left, which caused a slight delay."

Xue Yue'e didn't ask about Ming Ge'er's recent situation. Instead, her gaze passed over her and landed on Xue Sui. She smiled and said, "Sixth Sister, your Zen robe is truly elegant and refined. It makes you look like a newly opened jade bowl in the pond. You are just like a fairy who walks on water."

What kind of fairy?
The praise was ostensibly a compliment, but it was actually a dig at her identity as a nun.

Xue Sui clasped his hands in a gesture of respect: "Your Highness is too kind. For a person from the secular world, coarse cloth is sufficient to cover one's body. It is Your Highness who, with your phoenix-patterned gold-embroidered robes, is naturally noble and elegant. I imagine that you and His Highness Prince Wei are newly married and deeply in love..."

Xue Yue'e's face darkened slightly.

Newlyweds? A rooster performs the wedding ceremony!
"Swallows' love? Li Yan is still recovering from his injuries, so where would he get the idea of ​​'swallows'?"
Xue Liu was clearly stabbing her in the heart!

The eyes of the girls from the collateral branches and the ladies around them flickered subtly between the two.

Although they did not know that Li Yan had been beaten by Xue Sui, they had vaguely heard rumors that the King of Wei and his wife were not on good terms after their marriage.

Xue Yue'e's face darkened slightly, she gripped the fan handle tightly, and gave a forced smile.

"Sixth Sister is too kind. We're sisters, no need for formalities. Please take a seat."

Xue Sui walked calmly toward the reserved seat.

My gaze inadvertently swept over the waterside pavilion.

The Floating Fragrance Pavilion is built by the water, with windows on all four sides. The upturned eaves are reflected among the green lotus leaves in the pond. A gentle breeze carrying water vapor blows on your face, and a thin bamboo curtain hangs halfway, blocking the scorching sun.

A huge ice chest stood in the middle, emitting white mist.

On the table were fresh fruits and various snacks, and on the silver tray were braised chicken feet, marinated duck tongues and various kinds of exquisite meat dishes.

It has to be said, it was quite a grand affair.

Several rough-looking old women were scattered around the artificial hill and under the shade of the trees, seemingly sweeping up fallen leaves, but their eyes kept glancing towards the pavilion.

At the corner of the corridor, two men dressed as guards of the royal palace, with swords at their waists, stood with their arms crossed. The sunlight made their foreheads oily, yet they remained motionless at the entrance of the waterside pavilion, like stone statues.

The defenses are loose on the outside but tight on the inside.

Today's event is probably more than just a lotus-viewing banquet.

She smiled almost imperceptibly and sat down calmly.

The maids filed in, serving chilled drinks to cool off. The sweet and sour aroma instantly filled the air, washing away the awkwardness of the moment before.

"Come, come, sisters, try this chilled plum drink..." Xue Yue'e greeted them warmly, picking up a long-handled silver spoon and pointing.

"This is made with the finest dried plums and hawthorns, along with rock sugar and well water, and chilled overnight. It's the perfect way to cool down and quench thirst..."

"These candied cherries and braised chicken feet were all gifts from the palace..."

The women chatted and laughed, their cups dangling in the air, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Seeing that Xue Sui didn't move, Xue Yue'e deliberately raised her voice and said, "I know that Sixth Sister is a hermit, and I was afraid that the smell of meat and wine would offend you, so I specially prepared a vegetarian meal for you. Sister, you won't find it too simple, will you?"

Xue Sui had just seen it.

On the table in front of her were only a few plates of vegetarian snacks and a pot of tea, completely different from the delicacies and fine wines on the tables of others. But what was most striking was not the vegetarian setting.

Instead, it was the pot of white lotus in full bloom in the corner of the table.

In a fine Jun ware celadon basin, white lotus petals, as white as snow, layer upon layer, with a touch of tender yellow in the center, bloom in a cool and solitary beauty, mingling with the rich fragrance of incense wafting from the waterside pavilion, wisps and strands...

Not like ordinary products.

But it was deliberately placed in front of her...

Xue Sui's gaze lingered on the flowerpot for a moment, his mind filled with doubts.

Xue Yue'e certainly disliked her.

She had helped her smooth things over regarding the wedding dress incident, and no matter how much she resented Li Yan for taking it out on herself, it was nothing compared to her resentment and jealousy towards Xue Yueying…

At least, it doesn't come to the point of going to great lengths to set a trap.

Unless... there's someone else pulling the strings behind the scenes.

"Sixth Sister, you also think this white lotus is rare, right?" Xue Yue'e's voice rang out at the right time, with a hint of deliberate boasting.

"These were specially ordered by the Prince to be transported from the south by fast horses. There were only two of these in total. I thought that since Sixth Sister is a Buddhist, she would appreciate the simplicity and purity of these pots, so I placed them in front of you."

After saying these words...

If Xue Sui does not appreciate the gesture, he will be ungrateful and disrespectful.

"Your Highness has gone to great lengths." She smiled faintly.

Before they could even pick up their bowls and cups, a voice interrupted from the entrance of the waterside pavilion.

"Isn't it a rare find? So clean and tidy, it's such a nice sight to behold..."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Xue Yueying holding Yu Ge'er's hand as she walked in gracefully. She glanced at the pot of white lotus, looked at Xue Yue'e, and then her gaze fell on Xue Sui, a malicious smile on her lips.

"Unlike some people who pretend to be noble on the surface, but are actually filthy inside..."

The pavilion fell silent instantly.

Xue Yue'e's expression changed drastically, and her hand holding the fan tightened slightly.

"Why are you here? Who let you in?"

She did not invite Xue Yueying at all today.

I certainly wouldn't want her to come and cause me trouble...

"Princess Wei invited all the sisters in the household to admire the lotus blossoms. As the elder sister, how could I not come and bask in her glory?"

Xue Yueying ignored her angry glare, walked up to Xue Sui, picked up a chilled grape and popped it into her mouth, but glanced at Xue Yue'e with a knowing smile.

"What? Ninth Sister, you're putting on airs like a princess, and you can't even tolerate your own sister? Or are you afraid that I'll say something I shouldn't?"

"Fourth Sister." Xue Sui suddenly spoke, her voice not loud, but clearly interrupting Xue Yueying's harsh tone at the end.

Moreover, he even called her "sister," which was quite rare for him.

"Since Fourth Sister likes these flowers, and they are an elegant item that the Prince went to great lengths to find, they should be given to Fourth Sister to enjoy. This seat will be given to Fourth Sister."

With a single sentence, he casually pushed this hot potato away.

It also precisely hit the nail on the head regarding Xue Yueying's possessiveness towards Li Yan and Xue Yue'e's sore spot of being neglected...

Two in one strike.

She rose slowly and calmly, and sat down in the empty seat next to Xue Yuelou.

“As a monk, I am not used to the delicacies served at banquets, nor do I need to be attached to such things.”

Xue Yue'e's face turned somewhat unpleasant, but she couldn't very well chase people away in public, so she could only suppress her anger and signal the maid to bring more tea.

Xue Yueying, with her thick skin, glanced at her, pursed her lips, and sat down without any hesitation. She reached out and fiddled with the petals of the white lotus, speaking in a sarcastic tone.

"It's rare to see such a sensible sixth sister. She knows to give me the best things. Unlike some people who go to great lengths to dress in gold and adorn themselves with phoenix feathers, thinking they can hide their petty nature. Little do they know, a chicken is a chicken, no matter how high it climbs, it will never become a phoenix..."

“You…” Xue Yue’e stood up straight in anger, her finger trembling as she pointed at her.

"Who are you calling a chicken? You lowly bastard..."

"What kind of behavior is this, making such a racket!" Xue Yuechen suddenly spoke in a deep voice, exuding the authority of an elder sister as she coldly surveyed the crowd.

"Today's banquet is a refined gathering to appreciate the lotus blossoms, not a place for you to bicker and throw tantrums. In this sweltering heat, if you've lost your enthusiasm, we should probably call it a night..."

(End of this chapter)