Chapter 84- Where Did You Sneak In From? – Transcendental Translations

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Chapter 84

Princess Shangyang sighed softly and said, “Mother was worried it wouldn’t be safe for me to travel alone. Since Ninth Brother was free, she had him accompany me.”

That made sense. Jiang Ruohua smiled warmly and said, “It’s no trouble. Prince Yun is, of course, most welcome. However, there are mostly women here today. If Your Highness enjoys horseback riding, there are trainers on the estate. If their hospitality falls short, I ask for Your Highness’s understanding.”

“No worries, no worries,” Prince Yun replied cheerfully, his demeanor carefree as always. “If someone can show me around, I’ll be satisfied. I won’t disturb you ladies.”

Given the difference in gender, no men from the Jiang family had accompanied them. Jiang Ruohua instructed the steward to arrange for two estate workers to guide Prince Yun around.

Luckily, it was Prince Yun—his easygoing nature made him seem the least like a royal. It seemed unlikely he would cause any trouble.

“Ah… my wife looks stunning today too!”

Hmm?
Jiang Ruohua froze for a moment, glancing around uneasily, but she didn’t see the false Prince Yan.

Impossible. The imposter Prince Yan should be busy dealing with the drought; why would he be here?

Yet, this sort of ridiculous, fawning inner voice was something she had only heard from the fake Prince Yan.

Smiling and chatting with Princess Shangyang, Jiang Ruohua quickly reasoned it out. The last time she’d met the imposter, he had disguised himself. Surely Princess Shangyang wouldn’t knowingly bring someone she didn’t get along with, like the real Prince Yan, to the gathering.

The fake Prince Yan must have disguised himself as someone else and sneaked in.

But wasn’t he always complaining about being tired? How did he find time to come here with the drought situation looming?

“So worth it! My wife is radiant as ever today!”

Jiang Ruohua maintained her warm smile, but internally, she rolled her eyes.

This guy was far too easy to please.

Forget it, she decided. There was no need to search for him. If he had indeed come for her, he’d make himself known when the opportunity arose.

“Your Highness, please try this,” Jiang Ruohua said with a bright smile, addressing Princess Shangyang and the group. “This tea is something I acquired before the New Year, imported from another country. It has a unique flavor and is said to have health benefits, including prolonging life. I’ve saved it for this occasion.”

Zhang Wanyuan lifted her teacup and sniffed it, smiling. “Then I must give it a try. It smells delightful.”

As the others sampled the tea, Jiang Ruoting hesitated. She glanced at Princess Shangyang, a flicker of discontent in her eyes. She brought the teacup to her nose and sniffed it cautiously, only to find the scent unsettling. After a sip, her stomach churned.

“Ugh…” She quickly covered her mouth, nearly retching.

“Oh dear,” Jiang Ruohua set her own cup down and quickly asked someone to bring a spittoon. “Second Sister, spit it out quickly.”

She hurried over and gently patted Jiang Ruoting’s back. “It’s my fault. This tea isn’t like the usual kinds we drink. Some people might not enjoy the taste. Second Sister, don’t force yourself. Have the servants prepare some regular tea for you instead.”

“Ting Sister, are you alright?” Xie Shuyan asked with concern.

Princess Shangyang also set down her teacup and looked over. The others didn’t seem to find the tea particularly unpleasant. While it wasn’t universally adored, the novelty intrigued them.

“I’m fine,” Jiang Ruoting said, her eyes slightly red with frustration. Her voice was soft and pitiful. “Is it just me, or does this tea taste strange? I almost thought it had gone bad…”

The group didn’t share her sentiment, but they expressed concern for her. Jiang Ruoting’s eyes shifted as she turned to Princess Shangyang. “Does Your Highness find it agreeable?”

“I find it quite refreshing. It’s unique,” Princess Shangyang said with a slight narrowing of her eyes before smiling. “It seems the tea isn’t to Jiang Second Miss’s taste. Are you feeling better now?”

Jiang Ruoting adjusted her posture, forcing a smile. “I’m fine now, Your Highness. As long as you enjoy it, I’m relieved.”

Her words carried an undercurrent of criticism, implying poor preparation and a lack of consideration. She seemed to suggest that it was fortunate she, rather than the princess, found the tea unpalatable.

“I think it’s delicious,” Ning Zhiyao, who had been quiet until now, piped up softly. “Anyway, as Sister Ruohua said, it’s not some rare, precious tea. We’re just trying something new.”

“Ruohua, please have the servants bring Jiang Second Miss something else,” Princess Shangyang said with a slight smile, refraining from delving further into the matter.

“Of course,” Jiang Ruohua responded, issuing instructions to the servants. She had no interest in embarrassing Jiang Ruoting, nor in offering anything superior. After all, nobody here was oblivious to the implication behind Jiang Ruoting’s words.

Princess Shangyang clearly had no intention of pursuing the matter either. She was well aware it was just a thinly veiled performance.

The other preparations Jiang Ruohua had made were largely appreciated. Everyone, regardless of preference, gave polite acknowledgment, and the group enjoyed themselves. Princess Shangyang, too, showed no airs of superiority and blended well with the group.

The only outlier was Jiang Ruoting.

Jiang Ruohua made an effort to include Jiang Ruoting, and so did the others. Ironically, this only deepened Jiang Ruoting’s frustration. After a few exchanges, she made an excuse about feeling hot and left the room.

“Ting Sister…” Xie Shuyan called after her, a hint of confusion and disappointment in her voice. Everything had been fine—why was Jiang Ruoting acting this way?

“I’ll check on her,” Jiang Ruohua said. “The horse trainers may still be getting ready, but they shouldn’t take much longer. Perhaps Your Highness and the others can go ahead while I find her and join you shortly.”

“Alright,” Princess Shangyang agreed with a knowing smile. “She is your sister, after all. You wouldn’t want her to feel left out.”

How interesting, Princess Shangyang mused. Even in the same household, the disparity between the two sisters was glaring.

Jiang Ruohua left but didn’t go directly to Jiang Ruoting. Looking around, she noticed Jiang Ruoting wasn’t in sight. If she didn’t want to be found, then she must have her own reasons.

“Let’s go,” Jiang Ruohua said to one of her maids. “Find a place and summon the steward to meet me.”