A uninvited guest entered the room. This person sat before the table with his back to Li Man'er, his appearance obscured. He stood tall and straight, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He wore a narrow-sleeved, waist-cinched robe dyed with the sun's rays and embroidered with geometric patterns. His feet were clad in thick-soled, upturned boots, and he wore a vermillion gold *xiaoyao* hat. On his hand, he wore a ruby ring as red as a pigeon's blood.
The finger adorned with the ring was rhythmically tapping on the tabletop, as if he wanted to ensure no one overlooked his presence.
Li Man'er was furious. She sat up abruptly from the bed and glared at the man, "His Ninth Highness has gone too far! Trespassing into a woman's private chamber in broad daylight, what do you want?" Even though she only saw his back, Li Man'er recognized him at once.
Indeed, the uninvited guest was none other than the Ninth Prince, Qi Yihan.
Qi Yihan did not turn around. He sat calmly and steadily, his voice unruffled, "What could I possibly do to a green-faced monster?"
Green-faced monster?
Li Man'er blinked in surprise, then remembered the mask she had applied to her face. She instinctively touched it, and the faint green paste on her fingertips reminded her that she was the "green-faced monster" Qi Yihan referred to.
"Why has Your Highness come uninvited?"
"The matter you asked of me last time, I have already handled. Have you seen the invitation from Princess Wuyou?" Only then did Qi Yihan turn around. He frowned slightly with a hint of disdain, as if he couldn't bear to look directly at Li Man'er's green face.
How pretentious!
Green is environmentally friendly. A green face is better than a green hat, isn't it!
"So the invitation was sent by Your Highness's men." Li Man'er nodded. "I received it. May I ask why Your Highness wants me to attend the princess's poetry gathering? I am untalented and lack refinement, I cannot partake in such elegant affairs."
"It was the Empress Dowager who decreed the marriage. It is not easy to have the Empress Dowager retract her decree."
Was he trying to bargain with her?
Li Man'er let out a strange laugh. "Your Highness had better keep your promise, for you were the loser back then."
Qi Yihan maintained his expressionless demeanor, not even lifting his eyelids. He merely said, "Princess Wuyou is deeply favored by the Empress Dowager. Entrusting this matter to her is the most appropriate course of action."
So, was it successful or not?
"Your Highness speaks ambiguously. Has the engagement been broken or not?"
Qi Yihan's gaze was icy, as if he were about to kill someone. "How many years has it been since anyone dared to speak to me like this?"
Oh, that sounds familiar!
*Woman, you have successfully captured my attention.*
*Woman, you are playing with fire.*
*I want all information on this woman within two minutes.*
Li Man'er showed disdain, her green face on full display. "Your Highness is deflecting. You haven't gotten to the point. I am not a clever person. Your Highness might as well tell me directly. Has the engagement been called off or not?"
"I heard that the eldest daughter of the Li family was chasing after the young duke everywhere before. How have you suddenly changed your mind?"
"Your Highness must have misheard!" Li Man'er rolled her eyes. "Gossip becomes truth when repeated. The noble ladies of meritorious families are sometimes no different from common women. I went to find Tong Qiao only to discuss the annulment of our engagement. He refused to admit it due to pride and then told everyone I was chasing him, clinging to him. He should look at his own appearance; why would I cling to someone like him?" She couldn't help but roll her eyes again.
My goodness, this green-faced monster rolling her eyes repeatedly was almost too much even for the usually composed Ninth Prince.
"If what you say is true, then all the rumors outside are false, and the young duke was simply mistaken about your intentions?"
"Why is Your Highness indulging in gossip?" Li Man'er did not answer his question directly but instead hinted, "It is rumored in the capital that Your Highness is cruel and kills without blinking. Yet, from what I can see, Your Highness is quite reasonable."
Good heavens, the green-faced monster is blinking now.
Qi Yihan coughed twice. "In short, remember to attend the appointment. The princess will provide further instructions regarding the remaining matters."
"Alright!" Li Man'er waved her hand. "I bid Your Highness farewell. May Your Highness have a safe journey."
Qi Yihan had never encountered a young lady so devoid of propriety and etiquette. While those women might be insincere, they at least maintained outward decorum and politeness. This one, with her green face and eye-rolling, was truly spirited.
As Qi Yihan rose to leave, he reached the window when a lazy voice sounded from behind him, "Your Highness, control your people. If they dare to come here and cause trouble again, it won't be as simple as being dumped in an alley behind a brothel."
Qi Yihan's expression finally showed a slight change. He turned to look at Li Man'er, only to see the green-faced woman suddenly grin at him without warning, revealing a row of white teeth...
The scene was somewhat bizarre. Qi Yihan pushed open the window and left without looking back.
Li Man'er stared at his retreating back, musing that the Ninth Prince might have a touch of mysophobia and was fleeing in a bit of a panic.
In the blink of an eye, it was the day of Princess Wuyou's banquet. Early in the morning, after a simple wash and breakfast, Li Man'er went to pay her respects to Madam Cui.
She felt Madam Cui was acting strangely. Two days prior, she had complained of a headache and refused to see her, and since then, she had made various excuses to avoid her. She didn't seem to dislike her, but rather seemed to be evading something.
If Madam Cui refused to see her again today, Li Man'er would be quite certain of the reason.
As expected, Madam Cui did not see her. Instead, she sent Wang Mama to instruct Li Man'er to place more ice basins in her room and drink more mung bean soup, as the hot weather could easily lead to heatstroke.
Li Man'er gazed thoughtfully at Wang Mama, raising an eyebrow and asking, "Is Grandmother truly well?"
Wang Mama's gaze faltered slightly.
For some reason, being looked at by the elder young lady made her heart tremble, as if she had lost all sense of backbone.
"The old madam is fine, please rest assured, young lady. As people age, they often suffer from minor gastrointestinal issues. The weather, whether hot or cold, is not suitable. A few days of rest will help."
Li Man'er was now even more convinced that Princess Wuyou had sent an invitation to their household. However, Madam Guo likely did not wish to bring her along and had chosen to conceal this news.
She was probably going to be disappointed!
"Oh! In that case, please convey a message to Grandmother for me, Wang Mama."
"Please speak, young lady." Wang Mama felt she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Li Man'er smiled faintly and said, word by word, "Princess Wuyou has sent me an invitation to attend a poetry gathering today. I dare not refuse the princess's invitation, but I must report this matter to Grandmother first. Please do not worry, Mama, I will be quick and return promptly, and I will not cause any trouble for the household."
Wang Mama's eyes widened in astonishment. "What? The princess sent you an invitation?" She had relaxed too soon.