Song Ruwei gently tugged on Song Ruqi’s sleeve, biting her lip, her expression somewhat fearful.
"Second sister, forget it. I don’t want this hairpin anymore."
Song Ruqi shook off her hand and said, "Why not? You were the one who spotted it first, and our Prime Minister’s Mansion can certainly afford it."
The other party is the young lady from the Commandery Princess Mansion, a County Lord, someone they couldn’t afford to offend.
"Song Ruqi, your sister does have some sense and tact, knowing she can’t compete with this County Lord." Zhao Mingyao said, holding a Butterfly Lovers red and blue gemstone tassel hairpin, swaying it with a half-smile.
Song Ruqi sneered, "Compete? We were already going to take this hairpin, but you snatched it away. The illustrious County Lord Zhao truly lives up to the reputation of liking to take what others have their eye on." Zhao Mingyao’s face turned green. "Song Erqi, who took it? Dare you say one more word?"
"Who likes to snatch is clear in their heart," Song Ruqi mocked with a laugh, "After all, this isn’t the first time."
Zhao Mingyao’s face turned red with anger, her eyes glaring at Song Ruqi as if they were about to shoot fire. This remark brought to mind some embarrassing incidents from the past.
Two years ago, when the Song family’s eldest daughter, Song Ruqian, and the eldest son of the noble Gu family, Gai Lanqing, were engaging in marriage discussions, both sides were already interested, just short of formally exchanging engagement letters. At that time, Zhao Mingyao, daughter of the Commandery Princess Chunping, happened to meet the distinguished gentleman, Gai Lanqing, and fell in love at first sight, pressing her mother to visit the Gu family to seek marriage.
Speaking of the Commandery Princess Chunping, she was the daughter of Zhou Jing, the founding non-royal prince, who was bestowed with the title of Prince Zhou by the late Emperor when rewarding ministers. Prince Zhou had only one daughter, Zhou Jinxin, who was granted the title of Commandery Princess, and later married Zhao Junsong, the eldest son of the Uncle’s Mansion, as the principal wife.
Zhao Junsong was naturally amorous and romantic. Out of respect for his father-in-law’s authority, he did not act rashly, but once Prince Zhou passed away, he promptly took a cousin he had long had an affair with as a noble concubine, having an illegitimate eldest son. At that time, Commandery Princess Chunping was so furious she moved back to the Commandery Princess Mansion, even causing a commotion in the palace, resulting in the noble concubine being punished with house arrest for two full years. During those two years, the relationship between Commandery Princess Chunping and Zhao Junsong somewhat eased, and then they had Zhao Mingyao, their only daughter, who was granted the title of County Lord, with the honorary name He Hui.
Zhao Mingyao always lived with her mother at the Commandery Princess Mansion, only returning to the Uncle’s Mansion during holidays, feeling great disdain and aversion towards the illegitimate siblings in the family. Being favored, she developed an arrogant and domineering character.
Zhao Mingyao fancied Gai Lanqing, and Commandery Princess Chunping, out of love for her daughter, could only have someone test the waters, finding out that he was still engaged in marriage discussions with the Song family and decided not to pursue it further.
However, Zhao Mingyao believed that since the two families were not yet married, there was still a possibility, stubbornly threatening with death to force Commandery Princess Chunping to seek an imperial decree for marriage, inadvertently hastening the engagement between the Song and Gu families, who instantly exchanged engagement letters in a high-profile manner.
Upon seeing the two families engaged, Commandery Princess Chunping attempted to request a decree based on old ties with the former Prince, but Emperor Chu did not consent, instead receiving a round of ’earnest advice’ from the Empress Dowager.
The incident caused quite a stir at the time, but Zhao Mingyao, after a period of causing trouble, eventually let it go, as she was still a young girl then. However, the enmity between the two families was set, and Zhao Mingyao hated Song Ruqian and the entire Song family for blocking her ideal marriage match.
Therefore, in public, Zhao Mingyao would always oppose the members of the Song family, just as she was doing now.
Song Ci learned about this series of feuds and grievances from the Palace Nanny, and under the nanny’s puzzled gaze, acted as if she had suddenly realized, "So it’s that girl, I must be getting senile, I had forgotten."
Your confident demeanor almost made me believe it.
"There’s no need for me to snatch it. Have you paid for this hairpin? If not, then it’s not yours. I’ll pay double the price, and you tell me, who will he sell it to?" Zhao Mingyao’s sharp voice resonated.