11 Yue Bing Yu Takes the Initiative
The three empires came to congratulate. The one to welcome them was Prince Ming Feng Yi Xuan but how could Feng Yi Xuan do such a thing? Thus, the responsibility fell onto Lan Mo Xian and Jing Wu An’s shoulders. The two bore the hards.h.i.+p without complaint as they came to welcome the three empires.
From Yue empire, the one coming was Princess Yue Bing Yu. Xue Empire is a prince of Xue Empire, Xue Yu. Unexpectedly, Hua Empire didn’t send any delegates over. The Crown Prince of Hua only had someone send his congratulatory gifts.
After looking into it, Lan You Nian learned Hua empire wasn’t peaceful at the moment. Though Hua Xiu Yi already sat onto the position of Crown Prince, the Emperor at the top didn’t seem pleased with Hua Xiu Yi. For a Crown Prince to fight with an Emperor, the pressure on him must be great. But one can tell Hua Xiu Yi’s capabilities couldn’t be underestimated.
Feng Yi Xuan helped Lan You Nian into her dress and styled her hair. Looking over carefully to check everything was in its proper place, he pulled on Lan You Nian’s hands and sat into the carriage heading to the Imperial Palace. The three empires have come to give their blessings. He as Prince Ming must attend. And Nian Nian must accompany by his side.
When Feng Yi Xuan and Lan You Nian arrived at the palace hall, everyone has already arrived. Even Emperor Feng Xia Qi and Empress Yue Bai Lian were already seated. More importantly, even the Dowager Empress was there. Lan You Nian felt speechless. Because she knew there was going to be a banquet today, she was prepared to get up bright and early but Feng Yi Xuan didn’t allow it, pressing her down, letting her sleep until she naturally woke up and then took her to the palace. This was just perfect. They’ve become the pair to attract the most attention.
Yue Bing Yu carefully looked over Lan You Nian, this future wife of Prince Ming, the legendary Miss Miao Yin. One had to admit Lan You Nian was truly born beautiful, even more beautiful than she who was the previous number one beauty.
Lan You Nian wore a white light gauze dress, elegant and beautiful. She donned a hundred flower skirt embroidered with a hundred type of flowers, adorned with a silver belt around her narrow waist. A jade pendant belonging to the matriarch of Prince Ming manor dangled from her waist. Her white hands were being held in Prince Ming’s hand. The white jade hairpin on her head and the white outfit complemented each other.
As for Feng Yi Xuan, he wore a black brocade robe with a black belt wrapped around his torso. Hair adorned with a jade coronet, flying with the wind. The only thing that was not so gregarious was the ugly pouch at his waist. Feng Yi Xuan’s deep eyes were as bright as the stars in the sky, tightly gripping people’s hearts. His thin lips were pursed. Others were unable to read his thoughts. His figure was tall and straight as a jade mountain, so graceful than it made others drunk and unable to tear their eyes away.
“Prince Ming and junzhu have arrived. Please be seated!” Feng Xia Qi smiled as he shot the two a helpless expression. These people were all here to give their blessings for his coronation so could these two be obedient and not cause trouble for him?
“Imperial Brother!” “Your Majesty!” Feng Yi Xuan and Lan You Nian paid their respects. Feng Yi Xuan dragged Lan You Nian over to the seat specifically reserved for them. Prince Ming and junzhu’s seats were arranged together. This was specifically instructed by the Emperor.
Before Feng Yi Xuan and Lan You Nian could sit down, the Grand Dowager Empress seated above opened her mouth, “As a prince of an empire and junzhu of an empire, to arrive so late, do you put His Majesty and this widowed empress in your eyes?” Ever since the event of last time, the Grand Dowager Empress not only disliked Lan You Nian, she too found Feng Yi Xuan loathsome.
Feng Yi Xuan didn’t give any regard to the Grand Dowager Empress’s reprimand as he continued to pull Lan You Nian onto her seat. It was Feng Xia Qi who said, “Grand Dowager Empress, there’s no need to be angered. This is this emperor’s fault. Recently, Prince Ming has been busy with matters this emperor handed over to him, so he has been extremely busy. There is nothing to blame for being late. As for Lan junzhu, it was this emperor who consented to her coming with Prince Ming. Speaking of which, these two haven’t done anything wrong.”
The Grand Dowager Empress’s face turned ugly from Feng Xia Qi’s words. Anyone who saw could tell Feng Xia Qi was protecting the two. It’s a pity that even it was clearly biased, no one dared to say anything. The one protecting them was the Emperor himself, Feng empire’s ruler.
“I hear Feng empire’s Lan junzhu is highly cultured but today, this princess’s eyes have been opened. Lan junzhu as an unmarried woman sits beside Prince Ming, isn’t this inappropriate?” Yue Bing Yu was filled with jealousy as she looked at Prince Ming who didn’t spare her a glance from the beginning to end as his eyes were entirely filled with Lan You Nian. Yue Bing Yu felt Prince Ming must be ensnared by Lan You Nian’s face. She was the one who loved Prince Ming the most. She must steal Prince Ming back!
Lan You Nian finally spared Yue Bing Yu a glance. Yue Bing Yu clearly was especially attentive to her looks today. Her hair was done into a flying cloud hairstyle. From her slender and pure white neck hung a thin blue satin, making the beautiful neck swan-like, extremely charming. Wearing a blue floor-length gown with tiny stars embroidered on the hems of the skirt, exquisite and enchanting. Arms slender as jade lotus roots loomed from under the tulle-like dress. She had a graceful figure but her temperament was really loathsome.
“Princess Bing Yu’s att.i.tude makes this junzhu think of Princess Qian Ling. Is this the att.i.tude of your Yue empire?” Lan You Nian nibbled on the fruit Feng Yi Xuan handed to her as she uttered contemptuously. She really disliked such wordy women.
“Yes, Princess Bing Yu is too brusque. This is Feng empire’s junzhu. Her status is personally decreed by the Emperor. Is Princess Bing Yu dissatisfied with His Majesty’s arrangements?” Yue Bai Lian sat beside Feng Xia Qi as she scolded, putting on the airs of an dignified Empress
“Imperial sister…” Yue Bing Yu gaped disbelievingly at Yue Bai Lian. Though she wasn’t familiar with this imperial sister, weren’t they both princesses of Yue Empire? If Yue Bai Lian didn’t help her, there would be no chances of her winning.
“This empress is His Majesty’s wife, Feng Empire’s empress, not Princess Bing Yu’s imperial sister. Asking Princess Bing Yu to watch your words!” Yue Bai Lian was dressed in a red empress’s palace dress looking down at Yue Bing Yu. These brothers and sisters were only hypocritical people. She now had a husband and friends. Her family was Feng Empire. There was no connection between her and Yue empire.
Yue Bing Yu looked at Yue Bai Lian. They were both princesses, while she was Imperial Father’s most favored princess, yet the most unfavored Princess Bai Lian became Feng empire’s empress. Yue Bing Yu didn’t feel good inside. She didn’t like any woman living better than her. She believed the best things in the world should belong to her.
A flash of disdain entered her heart before she recovered her gentle appearance. She didn’t want Prince Ming to see her being so ungraceful.
“Is Feng Empire’s empress devoid of grat.i.tude? Feng empire’s empress is my Yue empire’s princess. Aren’t you afraid of being laughed at by the world?” Yue Bing Yu’s voice was firm as if she was one of the righteous people.
Feng Xia Qi slapped the jade table, enraged, snapping in displeasure at Yue Bing Yu, “The Empress is this emperor’s wife. Has the book of female discipline not taught Princess Bing Yu to submit to the husband once married? The Empress is already married to this emperor. She is now this emperor’s empress, Feng empire’s mother of the country. Does Princess Bing Yu want to cause trouble for this emperor’s empress on this emperor’s good day?”
Feng Xia Qi’s defense of her warmed Yue Bai Lian’s heart. The Emperor and Empress shared a look. All of the ministers knew the Emperor and Empress to have deep affections and felt Feng empire’s future will be prosperous.
Yue Bing Yu, despite becoming irritable over Prince Ming, she wasn’t a stupid woman, so Yue Bing Yu put away her inner feelings and smiled enchantingly, and said apologetically, “This princess overstepped. I’m just very happy from seeing imperial sister, asking Feng empire’s Emperor and Empress to to be magnanimous!”
Feng Xia Qi saw Yue Bing Li retreat. It wouldn’t be appropriate if he reprimanded her now. He was the Emperor of an empire. If he were to have some conflict with a princess who came to give her blessings, it would lose his gentlemanly reputation, though he wasn’t a gentleman.
“It’s fine but this emperor hopes Princess Bing Yu can think before you speak. These people have come to give this emperor their blessings!” Feng Xia Qi’s words meant this was over but it also meant to warn Yue Bing Yu not to cause any more trouble.
After all the empires have given their blessings and presented their gifts, Yue Bing Yu couldn’t hold herself back as she curtsied to Feng Xia Qi, “Emperor of Feng Empire, this princess came to Feng empire for the peace marriage between our two empires. Asking Feng empire’s emperor to grand my wis.h.!.+”
Feng Xia Qi frowned, “This emperor already has an empress. The empress is virtuous and a perfect example of a woman. This emperor declares Feng empire’s imperial harem will not have any consorts or concubines, only an Empress!”
Following Feng Yi Xuan’s example to marry one person, Feng Xia Qi’s only marrying one Empress made the ministers horrified. Prince Ming was only a prince so it was reasonable for him to marry only one woman but the Emperor was the son of Heaven. He needed to propagate for the imperial family. How can he only have one woman?
“Please ask Your Majesty to reconsider!” all the minister rose and kowtowed, hoping Feng Xia Qi will take back his decree.
“His Majesty’s actions are simply too willful. His Majesty is the son of Heaven, needing to have children for the imperial family. How is it possible with only an Empress?” The Grand Dowager Empress looked at Feng Xia Qi in displeasure, not understanding why the child who was so obedient has become as hard to understand as Feng Yi Xuan, that child.
“This emperor’s edict is already announced. Do my beloved subjects want this emperor to turn back on my word? This emperor is an Emperor of an empire. How can I refute the words I’ve already said?” With an outpour of Feng Xia Qi’s kingly air, the ministers didn’t dare to say anything more. Perhaps the Emperor was only temporarily thinking like this. Once he met a beautiful woman, he’ll definitely take her into the palace.
This was the first time Lan You Nian felt the kingly air around Feng Xia Qi. It looks like Feng Xia Qi has been concealing himself in the past. Only this way could he and Feng Yi Xuan escape many a.s.sa.s.sinations.
“This princess admires Feng Empire Emperor’s love but this princess came under orders of my imperial father to form a peace marriage with Feng empire. If this princess can marry into Feng empire, Imperial father will give several cities as dowries!” Yue Bing Yu declared proudly. This price was enough. If Prince Ming married her, he didn’t need a single soldier or troop to obtain several cities. A smart person would know what to do.
Yue Bing Yu’s words made people suck in a breath. Several cities! This was such a great temptation. The ministers looked at the Emperor, hoping he would marry this princess but Feng Xia Qi still smiled, wordlessly, refusing to marry.
“This emperor appreciates Yue empire’s emperor’s good intentions but this emperor already has an empress…” Feng Xia Qi’s face remained unchanged.
“No, the one I want to marry is not Feng empire’s emperor but Feng empire’s Prince Ming!” Yue Bing Yu looked at Feng Yi Xuan bashfully, very daring as she confessed her feelings. She knew if she didn’t take the initiative, she would not be able to marry this man.