Free Web NovelChapter 50: Chapter 41: This Damned, Ill-Fated Connection
The wide variety of carriages was a real eye-opener. One could roughly gauge a family’s status from the carriage’s design, materials, and decorations.
Song Yunzhao didn’t go out often, but she had still learned this essential life skill.
The servant the First Madam had sent out to investigate returned quite a while later, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat. Bowing his head, he reported, "Madam, they are letting the carriages through one by one, so it’s a bit slow. However, Jincui Garden has opened another gate. It should be our turn in about four hours."
’Four hours?’ ƒгeewebnovёl.com
’That’s outrageous.’
Song Yunzhao was stunned. ’We really have to wait for four hours?’
"Why is it so slow?" the First Madam asked.
Song Yunzhao could tell that even the First Madam hadn’t expected such a long delay.
"This lowly one spent two taels of silver to ask the guards. They said it’s because of the baggage inspection. Some of the young ladies brought a great deal of things, so they have to take some items out. That’s what’s causing the delay."
Because this scene was in the book, Song Yunzhao wasn’t surprised. However, the expressions on Song Yexi’s and Song Qinghan’s faces were not good. Clearly, they had also packed a lot.
At that moment, the First Madam turned to look at the girls. "Go and sort through what you’ve brought. Make sure you have the essentials." After speaking, she turned back to the servant and asked how much each person was allowed to bring inside.
Song Yunzhao heard Song Yexi mutter, "I thought my mother was just trying to scare me. I can’t believe it’s actually true. I wouldn’t have brought so much if I’d known. But if we can only bring that little, what are we supposed to do once we’re inside?"
Each person was only allowed one bundle, with a weight limit of four jin. It was indeed very little.
Song Qinghan, standing to the side, didn’t look quite as upset. After all, her mother and maternal grandmother had both warned her, and she herself had carefully considered what to bring. Still, she had held out hope and prepared a lot of extra things anyway.
Song Yunzhao, however, wasn’t too worried. She said with a smile, "It’s not like they’re going to let us starve during the selection, are they? I’m sure they’ve made arrangements for us."
Song Yexi saw her point, but things arranged by others could never be as comfortable and personal as what one prepared for oneself.
After getting the information, the First Madam turned to the three girls and said, "Return to your own carriages and rest. Do not get out unless necessary."
The three of them nodded in agreement and boarded their carriages with the help of their maids.
Song Yexi’s eyes darted around. Instead of getting into her own carriage, she lifted her foot and climbed into Song Yunzhao’s.
Seeing this, Song Qinghan frowned slightly. She paused for a moment, and when neither of the others invited her to join, she boarded her own carriage with a sullen expression.
As soon as Song Yunzhao entered the carriage, she rolled up one side of the curtain partway. From the outside, one could only see her chin, but by tilting her head slightly, she could see everything outside from within the carriage.
Song Yexi saw this and copied her, rolling up the curtain on the other side. "You’re always full of ideas," she said with a laugh. "This is a great method."
Song Yunzhao chuckled, then lifted her chin to gesture at the carriages outside.
Song Yexi poked her head out to look and saw that many other families had also lifted their carriage curtains. Some, who were less particular, had rolled theirs all the way up.
"Why is the wait so long?" Song Yexi couldn’t help but complain again. ’If I’d known, I would have eaten a bigger breakfast.’
"It’s probably because people from all the surrounding Prefectures and Counties have rushed over," Song Yunzhao replied.
"That’s true. It’s a golden opportunity to ascend in a single step. Any family eligible to participate would surely rush over." Song Yexi sighed. ’With so many people, it’ll be even harder to stand out.’
’I consider my looks to be above average, but the palace would never keep two girls from the same family.’
While listening to the unusually talkative Song Yexi complain, Song Yunzhao scanned the surroundings. ’I wonder if I’ll be lucky enough to miss the heroine and her crowd today,’ she thought. ’Please don’t let us run into each other.’
The carriage moved forward slowly. Song Yunzhao watched the First Madam get out and walk toward the front, quickly disappearing around a bend.
Song Yexi had clearly seen it too. She asked suspiciously, "What is my mother going to do?"
Song Yunzhao had a guess but couldn’t say it out loud. She just said, "Eldest Aunt is probably going to check on the situation up ahead. We should just wait quietly in the carriage."
’Whatever you do, don’t get out of the carriage,’ Song Yunzhao thought. ’If we run into the heroine, there’s no telling what might happen.’
Just as she was thinking this, Song Yunzhao’s eyes casually swept over the crowd. Suddenly, her gaze snapped back to a spot she had just passed. Unfortunately, that carriage was moving quickly, and the face had vanished in a flash. When she tried to look again, it was gone.
’Did I see that wrong?’
’How could I have seen He Lan Yun’s face? That can’t be right. In the book, He Lan Yun was dead set on marrying Ji Yunting and didn’t even participate in this selection.’
’I must have been seeing things.’
