“Fifth Sister, let’s sit down for a while!” Shao Jie’er sat down on a chair and said with a smile.

Shao Wanru looked at her calmly and nodded. However, she didn’t sit down but walked forward.

When she reached the outside of the balcony, she saw several strong branches of plum blossoms leaning in from the outside of the balcony. There were a few yellow plum blossoms scattered on the branches. They were plain and light, which was very pleasant.

There was a clear pool of water outside the balcony. Standing in the corner of the balcony, one could appreciate the plum blossoms and the lake water, which was more uplifting.

There was a winding waterside pavilion in the lake. The plum trees made people feel more and more calm and peaceful. Even though it was winter and it was not suitable to enjoy the scenery at the waterside pavilion, the waterside pavilion was a natural piece of scenery. Although there was no mountain, there was a sense of harmony between the lake and the mountain.

“It’s so beautiful there. Fifth Sister, should we go and appreciate it?” Shao Jie’er appeared beside her at some point. She reached out and pointed at the curved waterside pavilion below.

Shao Wanru looked in the direction she was pointing. The place she was pointing at was close to the side of the lake, and it was also close to their place. There were a few red plum blossoms on the shore, which were bright. Coupled with the blue flowing water in front of her, the scenery made people feel gorgeous inexplicably.

It was the blooming season. The red plum blossoms were like fire, and the branches were shooting up into the sky.

“Okay!” Shao Wanru nodded, raising up her watery eyes, and walked slowly.

Shao Jie’er was slightly stunned. She didn’t expect that Shao Wanru would agree so quickly. She looked at Shao Wanru in confusion. When she saw that her attention was focused on the waterside pavilion below, she turned her eyes and smiled happily. She reached out to try to hold Shao Wanru’s hand intimately, only to see that Shao Wanru turned around and avoided her hand coincidentally.

“Is Second Sister 17 years old now?” Shao Wanru asked casually as she walked out.

Shao Jie’er felt suffocated when she heard that, feeling extremely uncomfortable. Her age had become the biggest taboo in her mind. The so-called “old lady” had now become her identity. In the past, she was so mean to the Misses who had not been married at the age of 16 or 17 in other mansions. Now, she treated this matter as her own taboo.

As soon as she thought of this, she would grit her teeth with hatred.

If Shao Yanru’s marriage couldn’t be settled, Madam of Duke Xing had reason not to find a husband for her as Shao Yanru’s younger sister. So this matter was delayed until this time.

The smile on her face disappeared. She looked at Shao Wanru coldly and stopped walking. “Fifth Sister, I’m not 17 yet!”

“Oh, it turns out that Second Sister is not yet 17 years old. I thought…” Shao Wanru smiled and said.

“What did you think?” Shao Jie’er moved her feet and said with an unfriendly expression.

“I thought Second Sister was already 17 years old. I don’t know much about the customs of the capital. But in Jiangzhou, girls of your age should have been married early. I think Second Aunt dotes on you and Big Sister. So she wants to keep you in the boudoir longer.” Shao Wanru seemed not to sense Shao Jie’er’s anger and still spoke with a smile.

Shao Jie’er’s face was about to explode with anger. She grasped the handkerchief in her hand with a spasm and glared at Shao Wanru with hatred. Her words almost came out from her teeth. “Fifth Sister, you did it on purpose, didn’t you?”

“What did I do on purpose?” Shao Wanru looked back and turned her eyes to Shao Jie’er, as if she didn’t understand why she suddenly got angry.

Seeing her angry face, she gently pressed her lips with a handkerchief and said with a smile, “What’s wrong with you, Second Sister? Do you think it’s my fault? I’m the youngest one. Even if I cultivate in seclusion, I can’t delay you. Besides, my mourning has nothing to do with you. Whether I’m engaged or not also has nothing to do with you!”

Shao Wanru’s words were all about herself, but the meaning in her words made Shao Jie’er almost slap her.

She suppressed the anger in her heart and glared at Shao Wanru with her red eyes in extreme hatred. Of course, she knew why her marriage was delayed.

It was not Shao Wanru, who stood in front of her, but Shao Yanru. As long as Shao Yanru did not marry for a day, she could not get married before Shao Yanru. She thought that she had not married until now because of Shao Yanru. She had once cursed Shao Yanru in her heart, but Shao Yanru was the eldest legitimate daughter of Duke Xing’s Mansion and the apple of Old Madam’s and Madam’s eye. She did not dare to do that.

Therefore, she could only fawn on Shao Yanru. She hoped that after Shao Yanru got married, she could get a good marriage from Madam and get married decently.

“Fifth Sister, what do you mean?” But at this time, Shao Wanru triggered her anger rudely.

“Second Sister, do you know why Big Sister does not get married? Which prince does our manor fancy? If Big Sister still wants to wait and continue to delay, what will you do? I’m only 14 years old now, so I’m not in a hurry. Besides, I have my grandmother to worry for me!”

Shao Wanru’s smile became more and more clear and elegant as she stepped down the stairs.

Her voice was not high and even a little light. As she went downstairs, her voice became lower and lower. However, every word fell into Shao Jie’er’s heart. As soon as they fell, they were rooted in Shao Jie’er’s heart, which pained her. Her eyes were full of hatred and jealousy, almost overflowing out of her eyes.

So what if Shao Wanru was not favored? She had Rui’an Great Elder Princess behind her. She had heard in the mansion that Rui’an Great Elder Princess had the right to decide Shao Wanru’s marriage. It was the result of Duke Xing’s Mansion’s recession. Therefore, even if she got engaged before many sisters, the mansion could not control or blame her.

From this respect, Shao Wanru was much better than her!

But why could Shao Wanru have this right? She was the elder sister. If her youngest sister married first, how could she, as the elder sister, bear it? She would definitely be laughed at more. She was a concubine’s daughter originally, so she might not be able to marry someone.

“Big Sister is bound to get married this time!” she hurried to catch up with her and said coldly.

Shao Wanru stood downstairs under a yellow plum tree. She raised the corner of her mouth and looked at Shao Jie’er indifferently as if she were looking at a joke.

When Shao Jie’er came over, she said slowly, “Big Sister herself does not know whether she is going to marry Prince Yue or Prince Zhou. If there is no result between the two of them, how can the mansion marry our important Big Sister to any one of them? I heard that Big Sister had been raised in Grandmother’s mansion for a period of time. She had been with Prince Yue and Prince Zhou since childhood. It doesn’t matter if she needs to wait for a long time. Second Sister, do you have a childhood sweetheart who is waiting to marry you into the mansion?”

After Shao Wanru finished speaking, her watery eyes almost saw through Shao Jie’er. The plum blossom was imprinted in her eyes, so was Shao Jie’er. The plum blossom in her eyes didn’t make Shao Jie’er feel beautiful. She only felt cold all over, and her anger almost disappeared in an instant.

Such straightforward words directly struck her heart!

Although the mansion did not say it clearly, Shao Jie’er had seen it every day and paid special attention to it. How could she not understand Madam’s hesitation about Shao Yanru’s marriage? She knew that Madam wanted to choose the more reliable one among the two princes. But at this moment, she could not figure out who was more reliable.

If she really could not figure it out, Shao Yanru would always stay single. Then she would be waiting for her year after year. With their childhood affection, coupled with Shao Yanru’s talent, appearance, and the background of the whole Duke Xing’s Mansion, it was not difficult for Shao Yanru to get married. But she was different.

She didn’t have a powerful person to protect her.

It was most possible that among all the sisters, she would not be able to get married. The two sisters of the third branch were also the daughters of the principal wife. Their parents would naturally worry about them. What’s more, they were younger than her. If Shao Yanru really waited the whole time, they could even imitate Shao Wanru and get married forcibly. Although Old Madam would be unhappy, she could not stop them. After all, Shao Wanru was a leading card.

But as for herself, who could decide for her!

“Second Sister, let’s go. Let’s go to admire the plum blossoms. The scenery of the waterside pavilion is good. If Big Sister could also come here to enjoy the scenery, it would be great. The two of us are not enough!” Shao Wanru turned her eyes and laughed. Suddenly, she was no longer aggressive.

Shao Jie’er clenched her fists tightly and then slowly put them down. “It’s true that if Big Sister appreciates this with us, it will be better.”

“Then why don’t we invite Big Sister to come over? My third sister and fourth sister can accompany Honored Consort Shu!” Shao Wanru’s eyes turned to the waterside pavilion. Originally, the waterside pavilion in winter was not very eye-catching, but because of the red plum blossoms on the shore, the whole waterside pavilion seemed to be alive.

The scenery was gorgeous and outstanding.

“It’s indeed a good idea!” Shao Jie’er smiled with a trace of determination in her eyes. She really couldn’t let Shao Yanru go on like this. If Shao Yanru didn’t get engaged, Shao Jie’er herself would not get married. Anyway, she was in the palace now, and Madam couldn’t find out about it. She just took advantage of the situation and could blame it on Shao Wanru after the accident.

Anyway, this was proposed by Shao Wanru.

She asked her servant girl to invite Shao Yanru to come over. Shao Jie’er and Shao Wanru walked to the waterside pavilion next to the plum blossom forest.

She stepped onto the pavilion and walked forward. Not far away, there was a small pavilion inside, which had been arranged. There was a veil outside the pavilion, and she could vaguely see the fruits and desserts on the stone table inside. It should be the place that Honored Consort Shu had arranged early for them to enjoy.

Shao Jie’er pointed at the pavilion with a smile and said, “Fifth Sister, let’s go in and have a seat, what do you think?” She looked at this place and knew that it should be the right place.

“Okay!” Shao Wanru nodded and followed Shao Jie’er to step forward.

The two entered the pavilion and sat down. Yujie lifted the veil a little more and sat on the fence. She looked at the beautiful lake in front of her. There were a few plum blossoms in a high-necked beautiful vase on the stone table. They were elegant, charming, and pleasant. It was indeed a good place to enjoy the scenery.

They could see the scenery more clearly than they did in the tall attic just now since they were closer to it.

As soon as they sat down, they saw a palace maid leading Shao Yanru slowly to this place on the shore outside the waterside pavilion. Shao Yanru, who was well-dressed, was very attractive, even though she was just a figure in the distance. The beautiful woman came gracefully, and no matter when she came, she was extremely pretty…

The two people in the pavilion were not the only people who saw her!