Gluttonous Crown Princess

both hands and sobbed, “No, it’s not what you think.
You’re a part of me that I carried for nine months, my own flesh and blood, how could I possibly not love you…”

*****

After coming out of the main house, Tao Ti had no idea where to go, so she simply asked Zishuang to take her to the back garden for a walk, hoping she might find some peace and quiet.

Unexpectedly, this back garden was not only not quiet, but on the contrary, extremely lively.

“Did you all see that just now? Fifth Sister seems to have become a completely different person!”

“That’s right, I think so too.
Although she has always been rather pretty, but today, dressed like this, she seems much prettier than before!”

“Tch, what’s so strange about that? ‘Clothes make a man just as a saddle makes a horse’, everything she’s wearing was prepared by the palace, if I were to wear them, I’d look just as good.”

The ladies of the four branches of the marquis family had gathered around to chat, and naturally, the topic of conversation wouldn’t skip past the day’s main character.

“But did she really try to kill herself with poison? Her complexion looks very good to me, you can’t tell that she tried to commit suicide at all.”

“I’m not very sure either, I’d only vaguely heard about it.” The one speaking was the second branch’s eldest daughter, Tao Ti’s cousin, Fourth Lady Tao.
She squeezed her embroidered handkerchief, lowered her voice and said, “Anyway, on the night of her marriage, Eldest Uncle ran to Eldest Aunt’s room and threw a big fit, and also said something like the whole family is going to be implicated…”

As soon as these words were said, the expressions on the ladies’ faces changed, fearful and resentful.

“If she really did something like that, we’re all going to be killed by her! She usually looks so quiet, how can her heart be so vicious.”

“Exactly! She’s been engaged to the crown prince since childhood, and should’ve been resigned to it long ago, why did she have to deliberately stir up trouble…”

“I once heard Second Brother say that the crown prince is dignified and elegant, just like an immortal.
Seeing him today, it is indeed so.
He’s not only handsome, but also so gentle, and actually personally helped her down the carriage.
Sigh, it’s a pity that the crown prince is weak and sickly, otherwise, he would be the most perfect gentleman in this world.”

“Humph, if the crown prince is as healthy as a regular person, how would a woman like Fifth Sister be worthy of being Crown Princess? I’m afraid she wouldn’t even be worthy of carrying the crown prince’s shoes!”

These mean words caused the ladies to cover their mouths as a burst of low titters swept through them.

Behind the fake rockery, Tao Ti’s lips twitched as she listened.
She wanted very much to rush up and retort, I’m not worthy of being Crown Princess, then, are you?

In fact, that’s just what she did.