At the beginning, I was a rich female prisoner

The cold north wind whistled over the ancient city walls, bringing the breath of winter to the capital. Snowflakes fluttered down like catkins, covering the entire city with a layer of white silver. This day was the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month - Laba Festival.

She stood in front of the window, quietly gazing at the snow outside. This was the first winter snow she had seen since she came to the ancient times. It was especially beautiful and spectacular in this prosperous and mysterious capital. The snowflakes fell one after another, like the feathers of an angel, light and elegant.

Pedestrians hurried along the street, all wearing thick cotton-padded clothes, wearing bamboo hats or holding up oil-paper umbrellas to resist the cold. Red lanterns hung at the doors of shops on the street, emitting warm light, which contrasted with the snow, forming a unique picture.

The mountains in the distance were covered with snow, like giant ice creams, making people want to take a bite. The lakes were also frozen, and fish seemed to be swimming under the crystal clear ice. Everything became so peaceful and tranquil.

She felt the cool touch of the snowflakes falling on her cheeks, and an inexplicable feeling of emotion welled up in her heart. The snow seemed to freeze time, making her forget the loneliness and anxiety of being in a different world. She thought of her past life, those busy and noisy days, but now they seemed as distant as a dream.

In this strange era, she experienced many hardships and obstacles, but also gained growth and insights. The snow scene in front of her made her understand that the beautiful moments in life are often fleeting, and we should cherish every moment and feel the world around us with our hearts.

Although the winter in Beijing is cold, it also has its own unique charm. The snow not only decorates the city's scenery, but also purifies people's hearts. In this ancient world full of challenges and opportunities, she will cherish the present beautiful moment even more.

"Princess, the Crown Prince's carriage has arrived outside the mansion. Please proceed." A man who looked like a guard hurried in and reported to Yu Yunxin respectfully.

After Ruan Ming got the news, he hurried to Yu Yunxin and whispered, "Princess, the carriage sent by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been waiting for a long time. It seems that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is very eager to see you, Princess!"

Yu Yunxin smiled slightly, thinking that this prince was really impatient. She turned to the two personal maids, Qiu Shuang and Chun Yu, and said, "Let's go. Don't keep the prince waiting for too long."

So, the three of them stepped out of the room and walked towards the door. As soon as they arrived at the door, they saw a gorgeous carriage parked there, surrounded by guards dressed in brocade clothes. Seeing them come out, a palace maid stepped forward to open the door, bowed and said: "Princess, please get in the car. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been waiting in the palace for a long time."

Yu Yunxuan and Wang Yuanxiang saw all of this.

"Damn it! Why does Yu Yunxin get such treatment and have His Royal Highness the Crown Prince send people to welcome her into the palace? This is so unfair!" Wang Yuanxiang stomped her feet in anger, her eyes full of jealousy.

Although Yu Yunxuan didn't show it as obviously as Wang Yuanxiang, she was also indignant. She thought to herself: What was so special about Yu Yunxin that she could be favored by the Crown Prince?

Looking at Yu Yunxin's receding back and the gorgeous carriage, Yu Yunxuan and Wang Yuanxiang felt more and more depressed. They knew that after Yu Yunxin entered the palace this time, she would probably get more favor and opportunities, while Yu Yunxuan might be gradually marginalized.

Wang Yuanxiang thought that this time when she entered the palace, she must ask Concubine Wang to make things difficult for Yu Yunxin.

Yu Yunxin got on the carriage gracefully. Not knowing the jealousy of Wang Yuanxiang and her daughter, Qiu Shuang and Chun Yu followed closely behind her with the gifts that Yu Yunxin had carefully prepared and entered the carriage. With the driver's shout, the carriage slowly started and drove towards the palace. Along the way, Yu Yunxin felt a little complicated.

While Yu Yunxin was thinking, the carriage had already arrived at the palace. After the carriage stopped, the palace maids came forward again to help them get off. Yu Yunxin adjusted her skirt and walked into the palace gate with Qiu Shuang and Chun Yu...

The palace is magnificent and golden. The wives of the third-rank officials now go to the Queen's palace to present New Year gifts to the Queen. This is also an annual tradition.

The women of the Lin family are relatively close to the Ye family, after all, the two families’ wedding plans are approaching.

Yu Yunxin was led by the palace maid to the queen's bedroom. The palace was filled with a faint fragrance and the gorgeous decorations were dazzling.

The queen sat on the throne, looking at Yu Yunxin with a kind smile. Yu Yunxin walked forward and performed a standard palace etiquette, "Greetings, Her Majesty the Queen."

"Stand up, no need to be so polite." The Queen smiled and raised her hand to signal, "I didn't expect that the princess is such a beautiful lady. No wonder Sheng'er always talks about you in front of me."

After Yu Yunxin presented the gift, she sat down next to the queen under the guidance of the nanny beside the queen. She looked up at the people present, most of them were familiar faces, many of them were distinguished guests of Xinxing Cloth Shop and Pinyuxuan.

A group of gorgeously dressed ladies were surrounding the queen, discussing the content of Mingyanglou's new play, "Journey to the West".

At this time, Concubine Wang arrived with a group of wives and concubines from the Prince Rui's residence and two female members of the Wang family, followed by Wang Yuanxiang and her daughter.

Yu Yunxuan stared closely at Yu Yunxin, who was sitting next to the queen. Her eyes were like sharp arrows, as if they were going to pierce through the other person's soul. In Yu Yunxuan's eyes, Yu Yun's beautiful face also became distorted at this moment, filled with jealousy that could not be ignored.

Yu Yunxin could clearly feel that although Yu Yunxuan tried hard to hide her true feelings, the strong jealousy was pouring out from her eyes like a flame, and it was difficult to contain it. This fire of jealousy seemed to burn Yu Yunxin's entire body.

However, facing such obvious jealousy, Yu Yunxin did not show any surprise or anger. On the contrary, she felt an inexplicable pleasure in her heart, because she knew that it was because of her existence that Yu Yunxuan felt this way. She wanted Wang Yuanxiang and her daughter to see that no matter where she was, she was the one who was truly worthy of attention and envy.

Concubine Wang smiled, her eyes revealing a hint of cunning. She fiddled with the handkerchief in her hand while observing the reactions of the people in the palace. Then, she cast her eyes on the queen who was sitting not far away and said softly:

"Sister, look at how lively the atmosphere in the palace is! Today is the Laba Festival, and the plum blossoms in the Aoxue Courtyard in the harem are in full bloom, with a fragrant smell and beautiful scenery. Sister, you are usually busy with the affairs of the harem, why don't you go with me to enjoy this rare beauty? On the one hand, you can relax your body and mind, and on the other hand, it can add some interest to your life. What do you think?"

The queen nodded and said, "That's great. Someone, please go to Aoxue Courtyard."

Yu Yunxin heard this and turned around and told Chunyu behind her to fetch the red peony fur sweater. The sweater was bright red as blood, and was embroidered with blooming peonies, each of which was lifelike and gorgeous, as if you could smell the fragrance of flowers; and these peonies were carefully outlined with pure gold lines, shining with golden light, showing a more elegant and luxurious aura! Just one look at it, and you can't help but sigh that this is the real "national beauty"!

"My princess, this gift you gave me is really a pleasant surprise!" The queen gently stroked the gorgeous red peony fur sweater, her eyes full of love. She smiled and continued, "This fur sweater is not only bright and eye-catching, but also exquisitely crafted. It is simply a priceless treasure. I guess the princess must have spent a lot of thought on it, right?"

After that, the queen carefully examined the fur coat in her hand, as if she was appreciating a precious work of art. She noticed that each peony flower was so lifelike, and she seemed to be able to smell the faint fragrance of flowers; and the fur was soft and smooth, as light and elegant as the clouds in the sky. Without stopping, she put on the fur coat.

The noble ladies who were dressed in gorgeous clothes and had elegant temperaments gathered around, their eyes fixed on the gorgeous fur coat that the queen was wearing, and they kept making sounds of admiration.

"Wow! This fur coat is so beautiful!" a lady in royal blue brocade exclaimed, "Its fur is so pure and has such a great gloss. It's simply a work of art!"

Another lady in a light green dress also echoed, "Yes, the Queen looks even more elegant and graceful in this dress! This dress really suits you!"

Another person praised: "The design of this fur sweater is so exquisite, the details are handled just right, and the craftsmanship is amazing! It must be made by a master, right?"

Wang Yuanxiang and Yu Yunxuan didn't expect that this little bitch Yu Yunxin would be so generous. This red peony fur sweater is worth a fortune.

Yu Yunxuan touched the jewelry on her head with her hand, thinking that she was wearing a set of gouache jade headdress. If Yu Yunxin was rich, she could easily cheat her out of a fortune. It would be great if she could become a princess, then the halo that belonged to Yu Yunxin would be hers. Thinking of this, she secretly revealed a strange smile at the corner of her mouth.

At this moment, the queen was surrounded by everyone's praise, with a happy and satisfied smile on her face. She gently stroked the soft and smooth fur on her body, secretly grateful for the good intentions of the maker. In this cold season, this warm and comfortable fur coat not only gave her physical care, but also made her feel unparalleled dignity and honor.

The queen thought: Such an original gift is rare, the princess is indeed the best among the ladies. She couldn't help but like the princess even more, and decided to let this clever and skillful princess become the crown princess in the future.

Concubine Wang narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze fell on the gorgeous fur coat on the queen, and a trace of envy flashed in her eyes. She slowly turned her head and glanced at Concubine Bai and Princess Rui beside her, and couldn't help but sigh in her heart: "These two daughters-in-law really have no taste at all! The princess hasn't even married yet, but they are so generous to give such a precious fur coat to the queen; and they have been married to the palace for many years, but they haven't even given her a decent fur coat."

Thinking of this, Concubine Wang's face became gloomy, and she was secretly planning a plan in her heart. She knew very well that in this deep palace, if she wanted to consolidate her position and gain more favor, she must have more support from other forces. If the prince got this Princess Xingguo, his position would probably be unbreakable in the future.

Now, the two daughters-in-law were even more dissatisfied, not to mention the other concubines in the Rui Palace. So, a sinister and cunning plan gradually took shape in her mind...

When everyone arrived at Aoxue Courtyard, their eyes were attracted by the plum blossoms blooming in the light snow. They were like elves in the cold wind, standing proudly and emitting bursts of fragrance.

Concubine Wang gazed at the beautiful scene before her, then turned to the Queen and said, "Sister, it is rather monotonous and boring for you to just quietly appreciate the plum blossoms like this. How about we compose an impromptu poem here with plum blossoms as the theme?" Her voice was crisp and pleasant, with a hint of provocation.

The queen smiled slightly, with a hint of admiration in her eyes. She thought to herself that this Concubine Wang was quite talented, and her suggestion was quite original. So she nodded and said, "Very good. Since my sister is interested, you should go first."

Concubine Wang readily agreed, and after a little thought, she chanted softly: "I am trapped in a forest of ice and snow, not mixed with the fragrant dust of peach and plum trees. Suddenly, a fragrance spreads overnight, bringing spring to the world." As soon as she finished speaking, a burst of admiration rang out all around.

The queen gently stroked the plum blossom in her hand and recited slowly: "The faint fragrance of plum blossom is about to spread, and the silk of willow is just beginning to dry with dew. I only thought that the remaining powder was painted on the gold bricks, and it seemed like light frost wiped the jade railings." Her poems are concise and profound in artistic conception, which makes people intoxicated by them.

Others followed suit and showed off their talents. For a moment, the Aoxue Courtyard was filled with poetry and laughter.

This is a duel between the Queen and Concubine Wang. No one dares to seek a sense of presence from the two most honorable people in the harem, but some people just love to show off.

Yu Yunxuan smiled, and gracefully lifted her body and said, "Empress and Concubine, the poems you wrote are so good. I am not very knowledgeable and cannot write poems, so I would like to sing a song here to show my humility."

"Oh! Can you sing songs with plum blossoms?" The queen looked at Yu Yunxuan and asked.

Yu Yunxuan nodded, and then she opened her cherry-red lips and sang a song. This was specially prepared by Yu Yunxuan for today. But she didn't know the taste of these noble ladies. These days, they were spoiled by the singing girls from Mingyanglou or Jiaofangsi.

This kind of song, whether it is the music or the lyrics, is really ordinary because it has no tune at all.

Li Wan whispered in front of Cheng: "It doesn't sound good at all. How dare you come here to embarrass yourself with your appearance?"

"I thought you sounded so good, but you dare to show off in front of me." The queen said angrily.

Madam Ye quickly stepped forward and reported to the Empress with a smile on her face: "Empress, the capital has been very lively recently, especially around Mingyang Tower. Whether it is opera or singing and dancing performances, they are all wonderful! Today, I have specially spent a lot of money to invite Xiao Xiao, a famous singer and dancer from the Jiaofang Bureau, to attend this Laba banquet, hoping to add some festive atmosphere to the banquet."

"It's getting late, everyone, please follow me to Yanqing Palace for dinner!" The Queen Mother was looking forward to the dance at today's dinner. She didn't take the previous incident to heart and quickened her pace to Yanqing Palace.

Concubine Wang looked at Wang Yuanxiang. She didn't want to say anything more. She had never seen such a stupid woman. She was eager to make a fool of herself. She had nothing to say.