154. Continuing to indulge in self-delusional fantasies
When she entered Baili Jin's bedchamber, she saw Baili Jin meticulously dressing and making up under the attendance of several maidservants.
Qian Yueshuang felt extremely satisfied that her daughter had the sense to adorn herself so carefully. Her daughter was truly clever and quick-witted; she had grasped her intentions so swiftly!
"You girls, dress the young lady properly. You must not ruin the young lady's wonderful marriage and bright future! However, you had better be quick with your hands! Make sure you do not keep the Ninth Prince waiting too long! Otherwise, if the Ninth Prince takes offense, you will be the ones to answer for it!"
In her wild elation, Qian Yueshuang put on airs and spoke with formidable imposingness to the maidservants dressing Baili Jin. It was easy for her to talk; judging by her words, no matter what happened, if this matter failed, it would ultimately be the fault of the maidservants.
"Hurry, pick up the pace."
The moment Baili Jin saw Qian Yueshuang step through the door and heard her reprimand the maidservants, she immediately understood that the Ninth Prince must have arrived! Moreover, the Ninth Prince must have specifically named her and demanded to see her! That was why her mother had come personally to summon her!
"What's the rush? Jin, mother tells you, you must not be impatient with such matters. You just need to keep a clear head, but as for putting on airs, you must carry yourself with full dignity. Mother tells you, the harder a woman is to attain, the more a man will cherish her. Take your time to dress and make up properly, and let the Ninth Prince wait for a while."
Seeing her daughter anxiously urging the maidservants, Qian Yueshuang changed her tune and began to instruct Baili Jin instead.
"Mother, did the Ninth Prince truly send you to call me out to see him?"
Looking at her own lovely face in the mirror, Baili Jin still felt as if she were in a dream, unable to quite believe this reality.
"Of course he did! The Ninth Prince was in such a hurry! Your father invited the Ninth Prince to tea for a chat, but the Ninth Prince had not the slightest inclination to drink tea, let alone chat with your father. Mother could see it plainly—the Ninth Prince is entirely single-minded and utterly impatient to lay eyes on you!"
Qian Yueshuang beamed from ear to ear, her eyes crinkling into narrow slits. What sweet vindication! Qian Yueshuang had always known she was destined for greatness. Look at her—she had risen from a concubine to the status of a legitimate wife! And now, she had given birth to such an exceptional daughter. With this, she was certain the Master would never regret raising her to the position of first wife all those years ago!
"But since the Ninth Prince was so eager to see me, why did he wait a whole month before coming to find me?"
Baili Jin pouted her lips with a hint of spoiled petulance. "Once my relationship with the Ninth Prince is secure in the future, I must properly question him about this!"
If the Ninth Prince had come for her sooner, she wouldn't have had to go to such lengths to ingratiate herself with the Fourth Prince, the Fifth Prince, and the others. Her only worry now was that the incident of falling into the sewage pond might reach the ears of the Fourth Prince, the Fifth Prince, and the Heir of Prince Yun through their gossip. If that happened, her image in the Ninth Prince's heart might be tarnished. It was all the fault of that useless, ugly wretch, Baili Tianchang!
Baili Jin certainly knew how to let her imagination run wild, and she thought quite far ahead indeed. Before the matter was even settled, she was already plotting to put on airs in front of Nalan Dijiu.