Help! The Frosty Noble's Son Is in Love With Me!-Chapter 332: Young Lady Pei Teaches the Princess Manners
A commoner princess returning to the palace was like a massive stone thrown into water, creating enormous ripples within the court.
In the presence of the Emperor, all the concubines wore uniformly friendly expressions, but once back in their own palaces, it was a different story.
"Just a commoner princess, yet she’s receiving such enormous ceremony."
"It seems the Emperor still remembers that consort from the fiefdom, being so attentive to the daughter she left behind."
"So many years have passed, who knows if it’s truly his bloodline? The Emperor doesn’t fear accepting a false one back."
...
The discussions within each palace were quite lively, filled with complaints kept behind closed doors; they wouldn’t dare speak such words in front of outsiders, lest they lose their heads.
As it was said, Consort Zhang was the angriest one.
Before the commoner princess’s return, she was the Emperor’s most favored concubine, but she became the subject of ridicule with the princess’s arrival.
Consort Zhang also had a daughter, but when had her daughter ever been as grand as this commoner princess?
It was enough that the two great generals of the time greeted her; but the Emperor even left the palace to welcome her, a grandeur she had never witnessed, not for her daughter, certainly.
"A dead woman has no right to compete with me. It’s just a temporary novelty, who knows how it will turn out afterward," Consort Zhang said, though in her heart, she was deeply uncomfortable.
In the past, Consort Zhang was fond of the same man as the Eldest Princess, but once a woman marries and has children, her heart shifts; as things stand now, she could no longer remember that man’s face, her heart was full of only the Emperor.
The Seventh Prince did not concern himself with the matter of the commoner princess. "Mother, there’s no need to worry. It’s just a princess, and a seventeen or eighteen-year-old one at that; she will be married off before long."
Consort Zhang snapped back to reality; indeed, just a princess, why should she be bothered? It wouldn’t affect the Emperor’s love for her nor her son’s status, what was there to fear?
Even if she cared for that love, the daughter had returned, but she hadn’t; she might well have been long dead.
"Speaking of which, a commoner princess of this age should have long been engaged and married. She’s not from a prominent family reluctant to part; there’s no reason for a farmer’s girl to remain unmarried and become an old maid."
No wonder news can’t be kept in the palace; how long has the commoner princess been back? Yet her background has been dug out by all sorts of people.
"She’s allegedly engaged, but due to a death in the family, the mourning delayed it," the Seventh Prince said, never lifting his eyes from his book.
Consort Zhang fell silent upon hearing this.
Meanwhile, Consort Xian, the mother of the Eldest Prince, spoke of this matter as well, although she wasn’t much of a talker and merely expressed pity.
The Eldest Prince just smiled, "We should look after this younger sister more in the future."
Consort Xian laughed, "That’s how it should be."
The palace attendants who heard this felt in their hearts that Consort Xian and the Eldest Prince were truly kind-hearted people.
In the Queen’s palace, she also instructed the Fifth Prince to take good care of Princess Zhuyu in the future, to which the Fifth Prince agreed.
Xiao Family.
Mrs. Xiao was extremely surprised to learn her son had saved the commoner princess’s life; she was so surprised that she forgot to check on her son’s injuries first. "Commoner princess?"
Ji Nishang immediately sent for a doctor. She disregarded anything about a princess, focusing instead on more pressing matters.
During this commotion, Mrs. Xiao finally noticed her son’s wound and looked as if the sky were falling, "My son—"
Ji Nishang was also deeply pained, "Such a deep wound, those scoundrels are truly detestable. I heard there were many guards, why didn’t they protect my cousin?"
Mrs. Xiao added, "Who were those people accompanying them? For failing in their duty to protect, they should be punished!"
Xiao Shiqing didn’t regard the wound as significant and had no intention of letting his family know, but somehow the news got out, and they knew as soon as he walked in the door.
"It’s just a small wound, it’s nothing, mother need not worry."
"How can it be a small wound? It’s this severe; if the wound were any deeper, your hand would be severed. With your status, even if saving a princess, you shouldn’t use your body as a shield. What were others doing, letting you take the blow? Who went out with the Princely Heir this time, call them here for me to see!"
"Mother, we didn’t take personal guards on this outing, there’s no need to ask."
All were imperial bodyguards in disguise. A smaller target is better; how could they take personal guards?
Mrs. Xiao finally had nothing to say.
She also heard that the Emperor planned to host a banquet for the commoner princess, likely inviting most of the court, including ministers’ families, certainly including the Xiao family.
Mrs. Xiao wished to see what this so-called commoner princess looked like, the one worth her son risking everything to protect.
She intended to attend the palace banquet when the time came.
Ji Nishang lowered her eyelids, contemplating.
The next day, Princess Zhuyu got up early to learn the rules.
Nanny Gui, in her usual strict style, did not relax her discipline just because this was a princess painstakingly found by the Emperor. Upon entering the princess’s palace, she saluted the princess and then laid down the ground rules.
"The princess is of noble birth; logically, you are the master, and we are the servants. However, I serve under the commands of the Empress to instruct Your Highness in royal etiquette. These etiquettes are intricate, and if I am strict in teaching the rules, I hope the princess will be patient, as I only wish for Your Highness to master them soon, so you may bring honor to the Emperor and the Empress at future palace banquets."
Princess Zhuyu, upon hearing this, was a bit flustered and unsure of what to do; she even attempted to bow to Nanny Gui. Luckily, a lady-in-waiting stopped her, for when should a master bow to a servant?
No one present said anything, but Princess Zhuyu sensed the impropriety and blushed with embarrassment.
Nanny Gui sighed softly and began the day’s lessons.
Don’t think etiquette is easy to learn; it also depends on one’s perception. The same action may be performed excellently by some, while others appear stiff, devoid of grace.
A noble lady’s behavior is meticulous, let alone a princess. Representing the royal face, she attends various banquets. Even if not the exemplar of all women, how could she face it if outshone by the daughters of other families?
After a morning of lessons, if this wasn’t the lost princess the Emperor painstakingly retrieved, Nanny Gui would have scolded her already, as she learned too rigidly.
"The princess need not be nervous; being relaxed will yield better results."
Hence, one’s upbringing environment is essential; regardless of bloodline, without exposure to etiquette training from a young age, learning it later is simply different.
Princess Zhuyu was truly trying, yet everything felt off, and she near cried from frustration.
Seeing this, Nanny Gui dared not scold further.
Despite three days of lessons, not a bit of progress was made, and mistakes became even more frequent.
After observing for several days, a lady-in-waiting brought Nanny Gui aside to discuss, "Continuing this way won’t work; if the banquet arrives and the princess is yet unlearned, we shall bear grave responsibility."
"But etiquette is learned bit by bit. Do you have another method?"
"I noticed the princess fears us somewhat. After all, she’s young and of a different generation, just returned to the palace, so being unsettled is normal. Perhaps inviting someone her age to teach might help."
"Someone of the same age?"
"Yes, Nanny, think carefully among the young ladies you’ve trained before; who learned the best? Maybe we could invite her."
The best performer?
Nanny Gui couldn’t help but think of the Young Lady Pei.
Could Young Lady Pei teach the princess etiquette?
