Nan Hua, who was lazily staying beside Empress Xiao Qiang while listening, slowly turned her eyes in one direction. Her clear black obsidian eyes reflected the other party’s figure clearly.

“Second Young Miss Lao has heard a lot of rumors.” Nan Hua was calm.

The other party, Second Young Miss Lao, was looking at Nan Hua with a frown. He was actually hoping for Nan Hua to be angry and refute her or anything that could start a conflict. However, the other party merely stare at her calmly.

This made her feel like she was punching cotton.

“Indeed. This is a well-known rumor in the talk with some other noble ladies in the Capital City. Since First Young Miss Nan hadn’t stayed in the Capital City for a long time. A lot of people are wondering how your condition would be.” Second Young Miss Lao kept on looking at Nan Hua, waiting for the other party to lose her temper.

But Nan Hua didn’t react as Second Young Miss Lao had expected. Instead, Nan Hua merely tilted her head and then nodded. “I see.”

I see?

Second Young Miss Lao was baffled.

On the other hand, Xiao Qiang’s eyes grew a shade colder. She had thought that these people wouldn’t play any tricks in her presence. But it seemed that she would have to tell them that they were not allowed to do so in the future.

Hmm, she had to handle this first.

“Ben Gong have prepared tea for everyone. Ben Gong hope that everyone will be able to enjoy it.” Empress Xiao Qiang smiled faintly.

The conversation was successfully shifted just like that.

Second Young Miss Lao’s face turned darker, but she didn’t dare to say anything and followed her mother to praise Empress Xiao Qiang.

Nan Hua watched and lightly raised the cup in front of her to take a sip. Those rumors actually came from around six years ago when she came out of her father’s residence. Her head was bandaged because of a wound on her head.

That was what made people think that she had scars.

Well, it was not wrong. She did have some scars in her back, legs and arms. Aside from those she obtained from Nan Shu Cheng’s Residence, the rest were from the training she had from time to time.

Well, these people would never know if she didn’t pull her sleeve.

And was there really any need for them to know about it?

The banquet was held for Empress Xiao Qiang, so the entire focus of the banquet has always been her. And aside from asking Nan Hua to come at first, Empress Xiao Qiang didn’t speak with Nan Hua again.

This made others confused about her views towards Nan Hua.

Was it really only because of her status?

“It has been some time since the banquet started. Ben Gong’s body is stiff with sitting all the time. Let’s take a short walk.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

They all stood up.

Nan Hua followed calmly. Empress Xiao Qiang didn’t walk far and only headed towards the garden at the back courtyard. It was filled with various plants and flowers that Empress Xiao Qiang liked.

Her eyes followed the direction of the other women and wondered why these people liked to interact with others even though they all barely knew each other. The way they interacted would make people think that these women were all very close to each other.

However, they were actually from various families.

Some might even be enemies, but they acted as if they were best friend.

At this time, Empress Xiao Qiang stopped because there was another person who walked not far from them. She curtsied politely, “Imperial Mother Yan.”

The other women quickly followed suit.

Empress Dowager Yan looked in their direction and smiled. “Xiao Qiang, I didn’t expect to see you this morning.”

“Daughter had just walked around to show these ladies, Imperial Mother Yan,” Empress Xiao Qiang was very polite.

Empress Dowager Yan also didn’t made things difficult for Empress Xiao Qiang. In front of these ladies, she acted amiable with Empress Xiao Qiang and even reminded the other party to be careful.

It looked like Empress Xiao Qiang had been accepted.

Nan Hua looked at the farce in front of her and wondered whether the two of them had already discussed about it in advance. This performance would certainly give people the impression that the two Imperial Family members were in harmony and strengthen their impression of Empress Xiao Qiang.

At the same time, this made them believed that Empress Xiao Qiang was in the same group as Empress Dowager Yan.

The people who previously supported Empress Dowager Mei would be feeling more awkward now that Empress Dowager Mei’s power had been continuously suppressed.

‘What a good method.’

Of course, Nan Hua didn’t have any intention to get involved.

Her eyes turned to the side when she saw Second Young Miss Lao came closer. Looking at the other party’s hand, Nan Hua lightly moved away to the other side.

“Wa…”

Gubrak!

“Ouch, what are you doing?” the young lady whom Second Young Miss Lao bumped with asked loudly. She was already feeling embarrassed being humiliated in front of so many people, so she didn’t bother to be polite.

Second Young Miss Lao was stunned, but she then put on an aggrieved expression. “I… I didn’t do anything. You’re the one who pull me.”

“Pull you? Who are you?”

The question struck Second Young Miss Lao.

She looked at the girl in front of her carefully and realized that she had fallen to the wrong direction. Her brain short circuited at that very moment as her mouth stuttered, “I…I…”

Nan Hua watched from the side and really wanted to know where the Second Young Miss Lao put her brain in. Any shallow scheme like this could be easily found by her.

Though…

She turned to the group of people in the crowd, her eyes narrowed slightly.

She’s just a puppet.