Chapter 352: The Princess Consort's Defense

Seated in the places of honor were Princess Qi and a graceful, noble-looking middle-aged woman, who must be the Guardian Lady.

Beside the Guardian Lady sat the jewel-adorned Shen Qingluan. Standing behind Shen Qingluan was the same maid who had led Gu Fei earlier, now bent over and whispering something to her mistress.

When she saw Gu Fei enter, the maid glanced over nonchalantly. The next instant, her eyes flew wide in disbelief, as if she had seen a ghost.

Shen Qingluan also saw Gu Fei and whipped her head around to glare angrily at the maid.

The maid couldn’t hide the terror on her face. She stammered in a low voice, “Miss, I… I clearly locked her in the Tiger Garden just now! I swear it, it’s the absolute truth! How can this be? How could she be here—”

Shen Qingluan hissed, “You fool! I’ll deal with you later!”

Beside them, the Guardian Lady noticed someone had entered. She squinted, appraising Gu Fei. “Oh? Which family’s young lady is this? She’s quite a pretty little thing.”

Beside the Princess Consort, Xiao Qing’s eyes curved into a smile. “This is the owner of the Furui Silver Building, Miss Gu.”

The Princess Consort’s lip twitched as she looked at Gu Fei. ‘How did this girl get here? Logically, with her status, she shouldn’t have been able to get an invitation.’

Gu Fei walked straight toward Shen Qingluan. Approaching her, she curtsied. “Miss Shen, your phoenix hairpin is ready. Please inspect it.”

Shen Qingluan stared at her, her expression sour. She then shot a look at her head maid.

The head maid immediately bristled and scolded, “How dare you! You have no sense of propriety! You see the Princess Consort and the Guardian Lady, and you still haven’t knelt?”

Gu Fei pressed her lips together. ‘A person has to know when to bow their head.’ She lowered her gaze and was just about to kneel when the Princess Consort, from her seat of honor, quickly raised a hand. “No need. We’re here to enjoy ourselves; we don’t have to be so rigid with the rules.”

‘The last incident had caused her son to have a big fight with her. Right now, she intended to do Gu Fei a favor so she could go back and take credit for it with her son.’

Gu Fei’s knees had just started to bend when she heard the Princess Consort’s words. Without a moment’s hesitation, she straightened back up. Head still lowered, she offered the box forward with both hands.

Shen Qingluan waved her hand impatiently. The head maid behind her came forward and took the box.

Gu Fei curtsied again and turned to leave. She had only taken two steps when Qin Ying, who was sitting not far away, spoke up with a frown, “Are you Manager Gu of the Youjian Inn?”

Gu Fei turned her head. “And you are, Miss…?”

At this, Qin Ying’s frown deepened. Just now, when Xiao Qing had mentioned “Miss Gu,” her own maid had whispered in her ear, “Miss, Miss Gu really did come.”

She had looked over, but this wasn’t the beauty she had seen that day.

Instead, this was a girl ten times more beautiful than that beauty, a girl whose presence made one feel shamefully inadequate.

She wore only a simple dress of fine cotton, with two small velvet flowers pinned in her hair and no other adornments.

Yet even this simple attire could not conceal her city-toppling beauty.

The enemy was unexpectedly powerful. This, however, only stirred Qin Ying’s fighting spirit. She stood up and smiled faintly. “I hear that Miss Gu’s literary talents are outstanding. Since you’re here, why not compose a few poems before you go? It would be a fine opportunity for everyone to witness your scholarship.”

Gu Fei looked at her for two seconds, then glanced at the maid behind her. Wasn’t that the very same girl who had run to the inn to deliver an invitation to her the other day?

She raised an eyebrow in a smile. “You must be Miss Qin?”

“I don’t know where you heard such nonsense, Miss Qin. I am but a simple farm girl who can barely recognize a few words, let alone compose poetry.”