Chapter 763: She Is the Sister of a Good Friend of Mine

Chapter 763: She’s the Sister of a Close Comrade

Early the next morning, Luo Shi, dressed impeccably and wearing a practiced smile, waited in the pavilion outside Xingxing’s guest courtyard.

Only when the maid from Xingxing’s courtyard announced that the Princess had woken up and completed her ablutions did Luo Shi lift her skirts and walk toward the main house with perfect composure.

Xingxing’s dining table was overflowing with dishes.

Luo Shi smiled warmly yet appropriately, “We weren’t sure what the Princess prefers, so we prepared a variety…”

Xingxing replied, “The Emperor promotes thriftiness. This is far too extravagant.”

Luo Shi watched Xingxing’s face closely, then quickly added, “The Princess needn’t worry about waste. In our household, any uneaten food is always distributed to the servants. They get to enjoy good meals as well, so nothing goes to waste.”

Xingxing’s frown deepened, unsettled.

Though the Yu family had risen to wealth, they had all endured hardships in the past. Even their most abundant breakfasts had never been this excessive—just a little extra to avoid shortage.

Luo Shi’s table arrangement, covering every inch with dishes, was truly wasteful.

Waste disgusted Xingxing.

She pointed to three items: “The soup dumplings, shrimp wontons, and golden rolls. These will suffice.”

Recognizing her resolve, Luo Shi hastily selected a few dishes as well and had the rest cleared away.

Though the Yu family didn’t adhere to strict mealtime silence, Xingxing wasn’t keen on conversing with Luo Shi. She ate quietly.

Luo Shi joined her for breakfast, snuck glances at Xingxing throughout the meal.

When Xingxing had posed as Feng Yongyong, the merchant's daughter, her manners naturally hadn’t matched those of the capital.

Now, Xingxing deliberately kept Luo Shi guessing, to keep Luo Shi off-balance, adopting the refined dining etiquette she had learned specifically for palace visits.

In short, it was a calculated performance—ensuring Luo Shi was left utterly bewildered!

Sure enough, Luo Shi’s smile faltered and reformed.

After breakfast, Luo Shi suggested with feigned enthusiasm that since Princess Fusui had come to Anjiang, many local officials’ wives wished to greet Her Highness. Yesterday’s welcome banquet had been rushed, and she now wanted to host a proper one, giving the ladies a chance to meet the Princess.

Xingxing smiled faintly. “Your hospitality honors me, Madam Luo. My visit has already imposed enough on Prefect Pang and you. As a guest, I’ll defer to your arrangements.”

Luo Shi’s face lit up with joy. She rose and bowed. “Then I’ll humbly thank you for your generosity on behalf of Anjiang’s ladies.”

Setting aside their similarities, Luo Shi now prayed Xingxing was the genuine Princess Fusui.

As for that merchant's daughter Feng Yongyong? May she never return!

Hosting this banquet would not only please the Princess but also showcase Luo Shi’s favor in her eyes. No other official’s wife in Anjiang would outshine her then.

Luo Shi’s laughter rang hollow as she lingered, chatting with Xingxing a while longer before excusing herself to prepare for the banquet.

Xingxing, relieved to be free of her, agreed readily.

Once Luo Shi left, the surroundings seemed much quieter.

Xingxing exhaled, finally alone, then turned to Qing Shuang. “Come, let’s take a stroll around the estate.”

She had indeed visited the prefect's residence once before, but at that time, she was acting as the merchant's daughter Feng Yongyong, "called over" by the Magistrate's Wife Luo Shi "to be looked over."

To keep up appearances, Xingxing hadn’t explored the prefect's residence then, leaving directly after the banquet ended.

Now, as Princess Fusui, she was an honored guest who had to be treated with the utmost care by the entire prefect's household.

Without a second thought, Xingxing took Qing Shuang to stroll around the front courtyard.

The front courtyard of the prefect's residence was quite spacious, with a well-manicured and impressive garden.

After just one walk through the garden, Qing Shuang lowered her voice and whispered to Xingxing, "Princess, the rockery in this garden is suspicious. When I passed by earlier, the sound of footsteps sounded off. There’s likely a secret passage beneath it."

Xingxing gave a slight nod. "Good, I understand."

Qing Shuang then stepped back half a pace behind Xingxing, falling back into her role as an attentive maid.

As a guest in the prefect's residence, Xingxing didn’t linger long in the front courtyard before not entirely unexpectedly running into Pang Jinkang.

Pang Jinkang, however, appeared nervous, avoiding direct eye contact with Xingxing as he cupped his hands and bowed deeply to greet her.

Xingxing remained cool and distant.

Previously, she and her fourth brother had interacted with Pang Jinkang to pump him for information.

But after noticing Pang Jinkang’s weird behavior toward her, Xingxing had even worried she might have "led him on" and claimed to have a fiancé.

Yet, she never expected this seemingly honest and dim-witted Little Fatty to be so ruthless—colluding with his family to arrange hired thugs posing as bandits to ambush her carriage!

Back then, this Little Fatty had kept calling her fourth brother "Brother Feng," acting like they were long-lost brothers!

And yet, for the sake of a woman who didn’t even like him, he could turn around and plot murder against his so-called bosom friend!

What was Xingxing supposed to say? Should she call him heartless or downright wicked?

Thus, at this moment, she truly had no interest in dealing with Pang Jinkang.

Fortunately, appearing as Princess Fusui now, it was perfectly reasonable for her to act aloof and haughty.

So Xingxing coolly watched Pang Jinkang bow and said flatly, "You may rise, Young Master Pang."

Pang Jinkang straightened up, hovering awkwardly to the side with a hesitant expression, as if struggling to speak.

Qing Shuang couldn’t stand seeing others like this. She wanted to ask, *Why are you blocking our Princess’s path? What do you want?*

But recalling that her last direct question—though not reprimanded by the Princess—had caused a tiny, tiny bit of trouble, she held her tongue. Instead, she shot Pang Jinkang an impatient look, hinting he should scram if he knew what was good for him.

Stammering, Pang Jinkang finally found an excuse.

Gritting his teeth, he took another step forward and bowed deeply again. "I must apologize to the Princess—"

Xingxing raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Pang Jinkang’s face flushed red. "Yesterday, when I saw the Princess, you resembled someone I used to know. I was momentarily distracted and acted disrespectfully. I beg the Princess’s forgiveness."

Xingxing remained expressionless. "Someone you used to know? Who?"

Pang Jinkang hesitated before murmuring, "She was... the younger sister of a dear friend of mine."