This is clearly not right. Seeing Song Yanjiao looking so weak, Song Chaoyu felt worried for her.
As if sensing Song Chaoyu's gaze, Hu Xiaoye, who was accompanying Song Chaoyu and about to get married, also looked in Song Yanjiao's direction. "Don't you think Princess Ning looks a bit off? She looks quite frightening now! Originally, she was confined to the Ning Prince's mansion, but the Empress, seeing her pregnancy and feeling pity, allowed her to come here. But how did she become like this?"
Song Chaoyu also shook her head, withdrawing her gaze from Song Yanjiao, and instead patted Hu Xiaoye's hand. "We're here to present gifts for the wedding of Princess Tiele and Prince Wen seven days from now. Speaking of which, your wedding is still a month away, but have you thought of anything you want? I'll give it to you as a wedding gift."
Hu Xiaoye, with her simple mind, immediately smiled upon hearing Song Chaoyu's words and waved her hand at Song Chaoyu. "No, no. I'm afraid you'll have already given birth by the time of my wedding and won't be able to attend! Alas... my mother insisted on this date, coinciding with Princess Tiele's wedding. I'm afraid my wedding day won't be as grand as Princess Tiele's."
Hu Xiaoye had always loved lively occasions, so it was not surprising she thought this way.
Song Chaoyu patted her hand again as if to comfort her, and then sat with her in a corner.
Even though Song Chaoyu sat in a corner, as soon as she arrived, people naturally came to greet and talk to her.
Everyone said she looked very spirited and hoped for the child's arrival soon.
Naturally, some people also compared her with Song Yanjiao. Song Chaoyu just smiled and listened to them, not saying anything else.
Instead, Song Yanjiao's resentful gaze increasingly fell upon Song Chaoyu.
Fortunately, it wasn't long before the Empress arrived with Princess Tiele.
Indeed, today's flower appreciation banquet was to present gifts for Princess Tiele.
Song Chaoyu had already prepared her gift: a pair of Ruyi double-colored rays entering the clouds hairpins.
The craftsmanship of hairpins was best done by the palace artisans of the Great Yue Dynasty.
Thinking that Princess Tiele was from the Southern Kingdom and had grown up by the sea, she had chosen the design of rays entering the clouds, which also carried a good omen.
Princess Tiele was delighted to see the pair of hairpins and found them truly lovely.
But just as everyone was enjoying themselves harmoniously, someone, without knowing who started it, suddenly turned their "attention" to Song Yanjiao, who had been sitting silently in the corner.
A woman's voice suddenly rang out: "The gift from Princess Chang is truly excellent! But don't forget, we have another princess here! Princess Ning is Princess Chang's elder sister, and you two are sisters-in-law. When Princess Ning was still unmarried, she was a model for all the young ladies in the capital! Why has there been no movement from her today? Let's also see what Princess Ning has brought!"
Song Chaoyu followed the sound and saw that it was Zhang Qiuhe, who had once studied at her family's girls' school.
She was also married now, but to a less prominent family, and it was heard that her life was not going well.
She used to have a good relationship with Song Yanjiao, but Song Chaoyu had occasionally heard about her.
Her husband was a prodigal son who not only squandered all his family's wealth but also used up most of her dowry.
This Zhang Qiuhe, too embarrassed to ask her family for money, had borrowed a lot from Song Yanrou.
However, Song Yanjiao was not a wealthy person either, and later realized that Zhang Qiuhe was not easy to get along with, so she gradually stopped lending money to Zhang Qiuhe.
For some reason, Zhang Qiuhe then found her way to Song Yanjiao.
Song Yanjiao's own life in the Ning Prince's mansion was not going well, so how could she help this Zhang Qiuhe?
When she refused Zhang Qiuhe, Zhang Qiuhe naturally held a grudge.
Given Zhang Qiuhe's temperament, Song Chaoyu feared she would be happy if Song Yanjiao lived a bad life.
So, having such a good opportunity to cause trouble today, why would she miss it?
As soon as Zhang Qiuhe finished speaking, all eyes turned to Song Yanjiao.
In fact, the Ning Prince's mansion was not lacking in good things.
However, Song Yanjiao's relationship with Mu Hansu had been deteriorating, so Mu Hansu naturally would not give those good things to Song Yanjiao.
And whether it was because Song Yanjiao was suffering from her pregnancy or because she had been confined to the mansion, she had not realized the true purpose of the Empress's banquet today!
At this moment, she looked blankly at the people around her, first touching the jade bracelet on her hand, then touching the hairpin on her head, and finally took off the hairpin.
Clearly, she had not specifically prepared a gift for Princess Tiele.
"Is Princess Ning going to give that peony and golden sparrow hairpin to Princess Tiele as a wedding gift?"
Before Song Yanjiao could put the hairpin into the box, Zhang Qiuhe sneered disdainfully. "Let's not even mention how long you've been wearing this hairpin, it's already an old item. Just looking at the quality of this hairpin, it's really inferior to the pair of hairpins Princess Chang sent earlier. Why is the Ning Prince's mansion so stingy?"
These words naturally made Song Yanrou lose face.
She couldn't help but touch the jade bracelet she was wearing, only to realize that its quality was not as good as the hairpin on her head, and her expression became even more displeased.
She regretted not inquiring beforehand.
But they were confined to the Ning Prince's mansion, and even Mu Hansu ignored Song Yanjiao, only knowing to lock her in that small courtyard. How could Song Yanjiao hear anything else?
She finally put the hairpin back on her head and then smiled awkwardly. "I... came in a hurry today. If Princess Tiele and Prince Wen don't mind, can I owe it to you for now? I will definitely send the wedding gift to Princess Tiele tomorrow after returning to the mansion!"
"Tsk—"
Her words, however, drew a sneer from Zhang Qiuhe. "I never expected that the dignified Princess Ning, coming to the palace today, would actually have to postpone even a small wedding gift? Looking at your Ning Prince's mansion, which is supposedly a princely estate, to do such a thing is simply laughable!"
Zhang Qiuhe's words were excessive, but no one around spoke up for Song Yanjiao.
After Song Yanjiao married into the Ning Prince's mansion, her little schemes were seen through by everyone.
Now, she had very few friends in the capital, and had offended many people. How could anyone speak for her?
Even the Empress turned a blind eye, making Song Yanjiao feel unprecedentedly isolated and helpless.
This time, even Song Chaoyu pretended not to hear their argument.
Song Yanjiao finally stood up, supporting her belly, and stared at Zhang Qiuhe with a dark expression. "Then what else do you want me to do? Even if I didn't bring it today, it wasn't intentional. Why must you keep pestering me?"
She was not one to be bullied. Her direct confrontation made Song Chaoyu shake her head, thinking her foolish.
Clearly, Zhang Qiuhe did not intend to indulge Song Yanjiao.
She rolled up her sleeves and sneered again. "What? Are you going to tell me that because you're carrying the Emperor's heir, you're special? I'm telling you, I won't fall for that! Don't put on a show here!"