"No, I must find a way to bring him in. Someone, come here!"

The Young Master of Pearfall Palace issued the order, and immediately, a servant stepped forward to his side. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Go. Think of a way to bring Ling Xue into the banquet hall. That little beauty rarely attends such events. It’s rare for her to come today; if we let this chance slip by, there will hardly be another opportunity in the future. I don’t care what method you use—just make sure my plan progresses smoothly!"

"Yes, Young Master!"

The servant quickly left, and not long after, Ling Xue’s friend—the one who brought Ling Xue here—approached her side.

This was a girl whose looks could be considered passable, the illegitimate daughter of an Earl’s family, far below Ling Xue in status. However, by chance, after the two met, this girl clung to Princess Ling Xue day in and day out, for reasons unknown.

This woman treated Ling Xue exceedingly well and never asked her for anything. Over time, Ling Xue came to acknowledge her and regarded her as a friend!

Ling Xue didn’t have many friends to begin with, so once she accepted someone, she never doubted them.

As for whether this woman harbored other motives for staying by Ling Xue’s side, Ling Xue never cared. In her eyes, the world was inherently kind.

Of course, Ye Luo was the exception!

In Ling Xue’s eyes, Ye Luo had always been nothing short of a scoundrel!

...

"Princess, why are you here alone? Could it be that you dislike the atmosphere of the banquet?"

The woman’s eyes flickered. Truth be told, she was aware of the Young Master of Pearfall Palace’s intent tonight, but she felt no guilt about it. After all, the day she first approached Ling Xue, her motives were anything but pure.

Perhaps initially, she simply wanted to use Ling Xue’s status to gain some small benefits. But as the advantages piled up, ambition inevitably sprouted.

This time, the Young Master of Pearfall Palace had offered her something she absolutely could not refuse. Thus, she didn’t hesitate to lead Ling Xue here.

Of course, she was fully conscious that if the Young Master’s plan failed, the promised reward would never materialize!

Friendship?

What a load of nonsense. In this woman’s eyes, profit was what mattered most.

In truth, she had always been deeply jealous of Ling Xue!

Why did everyone have to revolve around her? Why was Ling Xue superior in every way—status, beauty—you name it?

Why did the men who approached her always want information about Ling Xue?

No, she couldn’t accept it!

So what if Ling Xue was a Commandery Princess? She was still a woman!

She wanted to ruin her and extract as much benefit from Ling Xue as she could!

Ling Xue could never suspect that the girl she always considered a friend harbored such dark thoughts. At this moment, Ling Xue was still preoccupied with how to explain things to Ye Luo, completely oblivious to the flicker in that woman’s eyes.

"Xiao Xue, why did you come out here? I’m fine. Go enjoy yourself; I’ll head inside in a little while."

Ling Xue smiled warmly at the girl.

But of course, Xiao Xue wouldn’t leave so easily.

"Princess, what’s wrong? Weren’t you fine when we arrived? If you truly dislike it here, I can accompany you back home!"

"No need. I’m merely waiting for someone. Besides, you mentioned that the man you fancy would be here today. Since that’s the case, there’s no need for you to stay with me. You should focus on getting closer to Sir Chen!"

As it turned out, the reason Xiao Xue managed to lure Ling Xue here involved mentioning the man she liked.

According to Xiao Xue, she had been enamored with someone for years. Their families were well-matched in terms of status, and they grew up as childhood sweethearts. Both families also hoped the two would end up together.

However, although Xiao Xue had feelings for Sir Chen, she wasn’t sure about his thoughts. She aimed to use this banquet as a chance to test the waters and invited Ling Xue along to cheer her on.

The reasoning was quite sound and felt like a genuine plea for help. That was why Ling Xue agreed to come.

But whether or not such a person named Sir Chen actually existed was something only Xiao Xue knew in her heart.

"Yet if the Princess doesn’t go, how... how would I dare?"

Xiao Xue displayed a timid look, as if she were genuinely scared.

Ling Xue bit her lip. On one hand, her friend was asking for help. On the other hand, Ye Luo occupied her thoughts. Ling Xue wanted to assist Xiao Xue yet feared misunderstanding with Ye Luo. Torn, she was unsure what to do.

Seeing Ling Xue hesitate, Xiao Xue’s heart leaped with joy. She quickly added, "Princess, you said you were waiting for someone—who is it? Since they intend to join us, let’s head inside first. When they arrive, they’ll naturally come to find you. So there’s really nothing to worry about! Besides, who could possibly be worth you waiting here like this?"

Ling Xue didn’t want to bring up Ye Luo, fearing Xiao Xue might mock her for it. So, she could only glance into the distance helplessly. Seeing that Ye Luo had yet to appear, Ling Xue resigned herself and stepped inside.

...

"Inform your master that the Princess seems to be expecting someone. He must act quickly—the person has already been brought here. If he fails, don’t blame me for lacking integrity!"

"Understood. Don’t worry—our Young Master will not forget his promise. You’ve brought Princess Ling Xue here successfully, completing your task. Just wait; your reward will arrive soon!"

Then, the servant promptly headed back to relay the message to the Young Master of Pearfall Palace.

But the truth was, he didn’t need to deliver the news; the Young Master of Pearfall Palace had already spotted Ling Xue.

Now that the main target had arrived, the banquet could officially commence.

In fact, for the Young Master of Pearfall Palace, even if all the other attendees combined their worth, it still wouldn’t compare to Ling Xue’s value!

To him, Ling Xue was the sole focus of this banquet.

Immediately, the Young Master’s plans began rolling into motion.

"Wow, it’s Princess Ling Xue! The Princess rarely attends this sort of banquet. It’s a great honor for us that she graces us today. Princess, may I offer you my warmest regards? Here’s to you—a toast in tea rather than wine!"

At once, a person—clearly prepared well in advance—approached Ling Xue’s side.

Since this person was also a woman and spoke courteously, Ling Xue could only respond with a faint smile and drank the tea in acknowledgment.

But this was merely the beginning. Soon, more people began gravitating toward Ling Xue.

Compliments flowed continuously. Ling Xue, long accustomed to such occasions, didn’t suspect a thing.