Xie immediately led Chu Jie forward, exchanged greetings with Ji Shuyu, exchanged some polite words, and then sat down next to Ji Shuyu!

Qu Feiqing pulled Yun Qianmeng to sit next to Ji Shuyu, raised her eyes and looked around the side hall, she saw that many female relatives of officials had arrived, most of them were familiar faces, but this time Su Qianyue, Yun Ruoxue and others were missing, even Hai Tian did not show up!

It was just that without Hai Tian, ​​the atmosphere in the side hall seemed more harmonious. In addition, the New Year was approaching, and the women from various mansions were busy congratulating each other, so the atmosphere of mutual comparison was not very strong!

"I wanted to go to the Marquis' Mansion to pay a visit to the old lady and the Marquis, but we just came back from Youzhou a few days ago, and my husband is busy with state affairs, and Jie'er and I are also busy familiarizing ourselves with the affairs of the palace, so we were delayed. I hope Madam won't mind!" Xie looked at Ji Shuyu with a smile in her eyes and spoke very sincerely!

Ji Shuyu smiled lightly as she listened to Xie's humble words. Her good upbringing slowly emerged from her smile. After Xie's voice fell, she politely said, "Second Madam, you're joking! Lord Chu is very busy with official duties, and Madam and Miss are tired from traveling. Naturally, they need more rest! Besides, Meng'er will need Second Madam's more care in the future. Please don't find it troublesome!"

"Madam Hou, you're joking. Meng'er is smart and clever, and everyone loves her. How could we find it troublesome?" As she spoke, Xie's gaze gradually turned to Qu Feiqing, who was sitting next to Ji Shuyu. A trace of admiration flashed in her eyes, and she couldn't help but praise her out loud, "Miss Qu is truly beautiful and elegant, and her noble aura is unforgettable! Unlike our Jie'er, she has been a naughty child since she was a child. She really acts like a boy and is a headache for us!"

Concubine Qu was quietly drinking tea with Yun Qianmeng at the moment. When Xie suddenly praised her, she could only put down her teacup and replied with a smile, "Thank you, Second Madam, for the compliment! But Miss Chu is also a beautiful lady, so Second Madam is really too modest!"

After hearing Qu Feiqing's reply, Xie looked back at Chu Jie, who was sitting beside her. Seeing that she was quite well-behaved at the moment, she smiled and said jokingly, "This child is usually lively in the Chu Mansion, but she has never left Youzhou since she was a child. Seeing such a big scene today, she is a little nervous. I hope Madam Hou and Miss Qu will not laugh at me!"

Chu Jie listened to her mother's words, and her eyes couldn't help but lift up slightly from the handkerchief in her hand, and smiled shyly at the people in front of her. Her eyes, which seemed to contain honey, were bright and shining, which made others like her even more. Even the ladies sitting farther away couldn't help but cover their mouths and discuss which family this girl was from. Although her appearance was only above average, but just this smile could make people dazzled, she really should not be underestimated!

"Second Madam, you're truly too modest. I think Miss Chu is quite generous and decent. I just wonder how old Miss Chu is and if she's engaged!" This was all the information a noblewoman could ask each other, but even these seemingly casual conversations contained countless pieces of information and intelligence! Ji Shuyu naturally noticed the reactions of the others and asked with a smile, seemingly unintentionally.

Unexpectedly, when this issue was brought up, Xie shook her head with a wry smile, then said with a headache, "This girl is very naughty. She's already fifteen and still unmarried. It really makes me worry a lot!"

Hearing this, Ji Shuyu smiled in agreement, and then said in a slightly more cheerful tone, "It's the same as our concubine!"

Qu Feiqing was whispering to Yun Qianmeng. When she heard her mother say this, a slight blush flashed across her face, and then quickly turned pale. A hint of loss passed through her eyes, and the smile on her lips gradually faded a little, and she seemed to be worried!

Yun Qianmeng couldn't help but feel a little worried, fearing that Qu Feiqing would lose her composure in such an occasion. She looked out the window of the side hall and exclaimed in admiration, "I didn't expect that the snow outside would turn into heavy snow in the blink of an eye. It's truly a rare sight!"

Yun Qianmeng's voice was neither loud nor soft, but when it sounded in the side hall, which was not very noisy to begin with, it attracted everyone's attention and looked outside. Although this was not the first heavy snowfall since the beginning of winter this year, it was the first time for most of the women of the imperial families to see the snow scene in the palace. A hint of surprise appeared in everyone's eyes to varying degrees. Some of the more lively ladies had already walked quickly to the door of the side hall, admiring the snow scene outside with joy on their faces!

Seeing Yun Qianmeng diverting everyone's attention, Qu Feiqing smiled at her with a hint of gratitude in her eyes. Yun Qianmeng then pulled Qu Feiqing up and apologized to Ji Shuyu with a smile, "Aunt, Meng'er and cousin will be back soon!"

Ji Shuyu looked at Yun Qianmeng with a rare look of curiosity, and was slightly surprised, but did not stop her. She just nodded with a smile!

"Sister-in-law, I wonder if Jie'er can go with you!" At this moment, Chu Jie also stood up, walked to Yun Qianmeng, pulled her sleeve and begged!

Yun Qianmeng shook her head in amusement, raised her hand and tapped her nose, then said with a smile, "If you're not afraid of the cold, come with us!"

Seeing Yun Qianmeng nod, Chu Jie happily took Yun Qianmeng's arm, and the three of them walked towards the door of the side hall together!

"Look at how beautiful the wintersweet flowers are blooming in the yard. Let's go pick some and bring them back!" Seeing the heavy snow outside gradually covering the original road in the yard, the young ladies all showed happy expressions on their faces. Especially in this snowy scene, there was a faint fragrance of wintersweet wafting in, which made everyone want to pick them. They called the palace maids to get their cloaks, just waiting to take a walk in the snow!

"Sister-in-law, let's go too!" After putting on her cloak, Chu Jie was the first to step out of the side hall with the help of a palace maid. She rushed into the snowy world with a small umbrella made of light pink palace satin. She was the first to come to the wintersweet flowers in the yard. She raised her hand to pick a blooming wintersweet flower, then put it under her nose and smelled it gently, with a satisfied smile on her lips!

"Oh, let's go enjoy the snow scene!" The other lagging ladies were afraid that the wintersweets in front of them would be picked by Chu Jie, so they hurriedly put on their cloaks and rushed into the courtyard as fast as they could, supported by palace maids holding umbrellas. The young ladies wore brocade cloaks of different colors and patterns and stood in the snow. For a moment, the static snow scene became full of spiritual energy and even more pleasing to the eye!

In just a blink of an eye, the wintersweet flowers in the courtyard were filled with all kinds of beautiful and noble ladies from famous families. However, Qu Feiqing and Yun Qianmeng, who had been standing at the door of the side hall, did not take a step forward!

"Hey, there are more there!" Looking at the crowded scene, Qu Feiqing looked around and found that there were wintersweet flowers planted in the courtyard connected to the side hall. She happily pulled Yun Qianmeng and hurriedly passed under the eaves, crossed the archway, and went straight to the wintersweet that was blooming alone!

It was the season when wintersweets were in full bloom. The place where they stayed was filled with the fragrance of wintersweets. The faint fragrance floated in the air and lingered at the tip of the nose. It was really indescribably comfortable!

"Cousin, this is the imperial palace after all, let's not wander around!" Seeing Qu Feiqing's happy expression, Yun Qianmeng didn't want to ruin it!

But this is the imperial palace after all, so they still need to be careful, so as not to accidentally bump into the precious ladies and get themselves into trouble!

"It's okay! This place is quite a distance away from the harem, and it's a side hall without any special scenery. Usually, few people come here! Besides, we are just appreciating the plum blossoms, not doing anything bad!" Qu Feiqing, who always behaved too well, became a little different today. As if she wanted to break through her previous image, she pulled Yun Qianmeng towards the wintersweet that was blooming most luxuriantly in the corner of the courtyard!

Yun Qianmeng looked at her worriedly, and then looked at the two little palace maids following closely behind her with a questioning look. Seeing them nodded slightly at her, she felt a little relieved. However, she still stayed by Qu Feiqing's side, fearing that something might happen to her!

Standing under the wintersweet tree, Yun Qianmeng could smell a strong fragrance. She couldn't help but raise her hand and lower a branch of wintersweet in front of her eyes. She admired the wintersweet on the branch carefully and felt its courage to bloom alone without fear of the cold wind!

"Meng'er, look, there are Xinkou wintersweets over there. Let's go and take a look!" At this time, Qu Feiqing's gaze was looking at the wintersweets in another side hall in the distance. Yun Qianmeng looked in the direction of her finger and saw several Xinkou wintersweets standing proudly in another courtyard. She was used to the elegance of Suxin wintersweets. Although this Xinkou wintersweets was not as precious as Suxin wintersweets, it was also a rare and precious variety, which made people's eyes light up!

But seeing that Qu Feiqing was about to move forward, Yun Qianmeng grabbed her hand and reminded her in a low voice, "Cousin, we can't go too far! The palace banquet will start soon, or my aunt will get worried if she can't find us!"

But Qu Feiqing rubbed against Yun Qianmeng's side, half hugged Yun Qianmeng and said coquettishly, "Good Meng'er, I know you are doing this for my own good, but the wintersweet flowers are really beautiful. Let's go back after we see that one, okay?"

After saying that, he opened his eyes wide and looked at Yun Qianmeng pleadingly, his expression was extremely pitiful!

Seeing her pitiful appearance, Yun Qianmeng could only smile softly and nodded. Qu Feiqing immediately walked towards the wintersweets. However, just as she reached the gate of the courtyard where the wintersweets were planted, she suddenly cried out in pain and fell straight forward...

Seeing this, Yun Qianmeng was horrified and immediately rushed forward. Before Qu Feiqing fell to the ground, she grabbed her wrist with all her strength and pulled her body straight. However, she found that her brows were furrowed and her face was full of pain. She immediately asked, "Cousin, what's wrong with you? Did you bump into something?"

Qu Feiqing seemed to have really bumped into something. She bent her upper body slightly, and her hands couldn't help but touch her ankles through her cloak. She gritted her teeth and answered Yun Qianmeng's question, "My feet hurt!"

However, even though the pain was deep in her heart, Qu Feiqing had to endure it due to her upbringing as a lady from a noble family. Otherwise, if others saw her losing her composure like this, the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion would be embarrassed as well!

"Did you walk too fast just now and didn't see the road clearly? There is a layer of snow on the ground now. Even if there are stones under your feet, you may not be able to see clearly! Let's go back as soon as possible!" Seeing that Qu Feiqing's eyes were half-closed due to pain, Yun Qianmeng couldn't help but feel a little confused. However, she could only say this to the two little palace maids behind her. However, her shrewd eyes looked around carefully. She saw that the courtyard in front of her, which no one had been to, was covered with a thin layer of white snow. It was understandable that Qu Feiqing didn't see the road clearly because she walked in a hurry just now!

However, Yun Qianmeng's eyes suddenly shot out a sharp look, staring closely at the two soybean-sized stones at Qu Feiqing's feet. Unlike the road under her feet, they were not covered under the white snow, but rolled down at Qu Feiqing's feet. There were even traces of them left on the snow that had not been stepped on by anyone!

Yun Qianmeng became alert almost instantly. Most of the roads in the palace were made of bluestone and cobblestone roads, and they were usually cleaned very cleanly by the palace servants. Such small accidents would never happen. Otherwise, if those precious masters were hurt, these palace servants would not be able to survive!

Especially since today is the New Year's Eve dinner, it is even less likely that the palace servants would make such a mistake. Although Qu Feiqing was walking in a hurry just now, she would definitely not look at the road under her feet. I'm afraid someone wants to stop them from entering this courtyard!

Looking at the two young palace maids supporting Qu Feiqing, Yun Qianmeng concealed the sharpness in her eyes and replaced it with her usual calmness. She quickly took in the surrounding scenery. She immediately became suspicious of the scenery behind the rockery in the courtyard, but her face remained calm as she calmly ordered, "Let's go back!"

When Qu Feiqing saw Yun Qianmeng suddenly give her a look and heard her say this, she knew that it was her fault for not listening to her advice, so she no longer refused and let the two young palace maids help her walk back!

"Oh, my silk is gone!" But halfway through the journey, Qu Feiqing suddenly spoke up, realizing that the silk she had just held in her hand had fallen somewhere. She deliberately searched in her sleeves for a long time but couldn't find the silk she was going to use today. For a moment, her expression was full of anxiety!

Although it is just a piece of silk handkerchief, if it is picked up by someone with ulterior motives, I am afraid it may be used for a lot of purposes, and may even ruin Qu Feiqing's reputation!

"Maybe it fell at the gate of the yard just now! Please send my cousin back to the side hall first, I will be back soon!" Yun Qianmeng nodded slightly towards Qu Feiqing, then turned and walked towards the yard!

The two palace maids also knew the importance of a woman's reputation, so they did not stop Yun Qianmeng and let her go!

But before I reached the archway of the garden, I saw a familiar figure standing under the corridor of the side hall outside the garden, quietly looking at the scenery inside the garden!

Who else could that slender and graceful figure be but Hai Tian?

At this moment, she was facing away from Yun Qianmeng, wearing a peacock feather cloak, her black and shiny hair was tied up in a unique bun, and her hair was adorned with several glittering and priceless pearl hairpins. Even those who had not seen her appearance would probably be attracted by such a beautiful back!

At this time, Hai Tian was standing alone under the corridor. Although the surroundings were unusually quiet, Yun Qianmeng noticed that her left hand was clenched into a fist and placed on the pillar beside her. The white knuckles formed a sharp contrast with her quiet back. She was afraid that Hai Tian had seen something that made her angry, otherwise how could she, who always knew how to hide her emotions, easily show her anger?

There was a very slight sound coming from the snow. Yun Qianmeng immediately hid behind the wall of the side hall, but she only heard a palace maid inviting Hai Tian to sit down. She did not hear Hai Tian's answer, but heard a sound of footsteps gradually moving away. Presumably, Hai Tian had left this place with the palace maid!

To be on the safe side, Yun Qianmeng came out again after a while. Facing the weird courtyard, her originally relaxed brows couldn't help but frowned slightly. But this time she didn't take the risk to step forward. After taking another look, she turned around and went back to the side hall!

"Found it?" Seeing Yun Qianmeng coming back, Qu Feiqing pulled her to sit down together and asked softly in words that only the two of them could understand!

In order to prevent Qu Feiqing from worrying, Yun Qianmeng just smiled and then shook her head!

At this time, the eunuch in charge led the palace maids in, respectfully bowed to all the ladies, and then asked the palace maids to lead everyone to the imperial garden!

Everyone was puzzled and didn't understand why the emperor insisted on holding the New Year's Eve dinner in the Imperial Garden when it was snowing heavily outside!

Although they had some complaints in their hearts, everyone still followed the palace maids and walked towards the imperial garden in order of rank!

But when they arrived at the Imperial Garden, they were attracted by the beautiful scenery in front of them. They saw seats for everyone to sit on placed around the Imperial Garden, but there was a curtain in front of the seats, probably to block the heavy snow falling from the sky. The delicacies already placed on the seats were still steaming, and the armchair behind the desk was padded with thick cushions. The careful ladies found that there was a heater under the desk and chairs, so they would not feel cold even outside in the cold winter!

And through the curtain, you can still clearly appreciate the snow scene in the imperial garden. The wintersweets that bloom alone against the frost are emitting bursts of fragrance with their unique fairy-like appearance, embellishing the imperial garden that was originally covered with snow. It is truly a rare and beautiful sight!

"Ladies and young ladies, please take your seats!" At this time, the eunuch in charge spoke in a shrill voice. After seeing the admiration in the eyes of these picky ladies and young ladies, the eunuch in charge knew that they were very satisfied with the arrangements for this New Year's Eve dinner!

But when everyone was about to sit down, they found that Hai Tian and Princess Hai had already arrived at the Imperial Garden first. At this moment, they were sitting upright in their seats, quietly admiring the snow scene in front of them!

"It's been a long time since we last saw Princess Heshun!" No one knew who started it first, but everyone began to whisper about Hai Tian, ​​as if they were very curious about Princess Heshun who was about to leave Western Chu for Northern Qi!

"What can we do? She is about to get married, so naturally she wants to stay with the Sea King and his wife and enjoy their care! Alas, what's the use of having a noble status? It's better for us to live in peace and security, at least we don't have to be separated from our loved ones!" Another lady spoke with a little melancholy, looking at Hai Tian and the Sea King's wife with sympathy in her eyes!

"You don't understand this! Princess Heshun jumped from a princess to a princess. Such an honor is not something that everyone can enjoy! Now even the emperor treats Prince Hai and Prince Hai with courtesy. Using a daughter to exchange for the honor and favor of an entire family is a sure-win deal!" Another lady's slightly sarcastic voice immediately interrupted, and her eyes were full of envy and jealousy when she looked at Hai Tian!

"Look at the peacock feather cloak she is wearing. It is a tribute this year. There is only one of its kind in the world. It is woven with peacock feather satin and gold-inlaid thread. It is not easy to obtain, and it is a priceless treasure! But now it is worn by Princess Heshun. It can be seen that the emperor still loves Prince Hai and his family after all!" It was Qu Yan's wife Tan Xianglian who spoke this time. As the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Qu Yan naturally knew all about these tributes. As his wife, Tan Xianglian was the legitimate daughter of a doctor in the Ministry of Revenue. She had been exposed to many such precious treasures since she was a child, so she naturally talked about it at this moment!

However, when she said this, her eyes glanced at Yun Qianmeng unintentionally, with a hint of provocation and complacency in her eyes!

Ji Shuyu and the others naturally noticed Tan Xianglian's little trick. For such a person, even arguing with her would only lower one's status. However, Yun Qianmeng was not a person who would suffer a loss. Seeing Tan deliberately mentioning the emperor's grace that the Sea King's family had received in front of her, Yun Qianmeng gradually showed a faint sneer at the corner of her mouth. She glanced at Tan coldly without any intention of retreating. This made Tan's heart tighten suddenly. She remembered that Yun Qianmeng's current husband was Chu Feiyang, so she withdrew her gaze awkwardly and stopped talking about this matter!

Everyone wanted to hear Tan continue talking, but seeing that she had shut up at this moment, they all sat back at their own tables with some lack of interest!

However, Yun Qianmeng sighed in her heart, feeling that Chu Feiyang's name was really useful. She only glanced at Tan and she became more restrained!

"Is your foot feeling better, cousin?" Yun Qianmeng asked softly while looking at Qu Feiqing who was sitting next to her. Her eyes couldn't help but turn to the feet hidden under her dress!

"It's okay! It won't be a big deal after the pain! I..." Qu Feiqing suddenly stopped talking while she was speaking, her eyes fixed on the entrance of the imperial garden!

Seeing that her expression was unusual, Yun Qianmeng looked over and saw that all the officials walked in one after another under the leadership of Chu Feiyang, Neptune, Chen Wang and others, and in the crowd, he really saw Nie Huaiyuan's shadow!

The group of young ladies behind the curtain looked at the men entering the room, their faces blushing with shame. However, there was a curtain in front of them today, so they ignored their shyness. They opened their eyes wide and stared at the men they liked, looking at them carefully, and a satisfied smile appeared on the corners of their mouths!

The ladies would open their eyes wide and look for young talents in the crowd who could match their daughters. Then they would secretly note down their names and ask people to investigate them carefully after returning!

Following the officials into the venue were the six people who won the first, second and third place in the civil and military examinations of this year's imperial examinations!

All six of them were talented young men. Their good looks and tall figures immediately aroused heated discussions among the ladies and wives present. However, compared with the ladies who paid more attention to both talent and beauty, the wives paid more attention to their family background!

Among them, Han Shaomian, who had the best family background and outstanding appearance, became the son-in-law candidate in the minds of these ladies!

"Cousin, look, isn't the top scorer in the civil service exam the young man we met on the long street before?" Unlike others, Yun Qianmeng's gaze immediately fell on Han Che. She felt that he had a cold and aloof expression, with an air of "keep away from strangers", but he was not an arrogant person. She believed that his arrogance only came from his self-confidence rather than his contempt for others!

Such a person instantly stood out among a group of candidates who walked in with smiles on their faces. Even Han Shaomian, who had a gentle face and handsome appearance, was in danger of being suppressed by him!

"Hey, isn't that him?" Qu Feiqing, whose mind was not on Han Che, was slightly surprised when she saw the familiar face!

Yun Qianmeng noticed that her thoughts turned to Han Che, so she continued, "Back then, I only knew that he was a poor but intelligent candidate. I never thought he would actually become the top scorer. This person really can't be judged by appearance!"

Hearing Yun Qianmeng's sigh, Qu Feiqing also smiled. She picked up the teacup in front of her and gently opened the lid. Looking at the steaming green tea inside, she took a sip elegantly and then said, "It's just that I heard from my eldest brother that Han Che lived in Prince Chen's Mansion for a while! I'm afraid..."

Even if I admire Han Che, if he has already established his own camp, I am afraid that the two sides will be hostile!

Yun Qianmeng, however, smiled nonchalantly and then said, "Since he's a talented person, he'll naturally attract the attention of those who value talent! Besides, I think Han Che is quite good. He doesn't seem like the type to curry favor with powerful people. Furthermore, he hasn't been appointed to an official position yet, so it's a bit early for us to make a conclusion now!"

The circumstances of the imperial examination this year are special. In previous years, the examination would have taken more than half a year, but this year it will be completed in just two or three months. You can imagine how difficult it is for the candidates!

Han Che was able to win the championship in one fell swoop, and it was believed that he had real talent and skills. In addition, his performance on the long street made Yun Qianmeng quite admire him!

Moreover, Han Che moved into Prince Chen's mansion because of the fire in the inn. It would be unfair to classify him as a member of Prince Chen's party because of this incident!

As she was speaking, Yun Qianmeng suddenly became keenly aware of several extremely cold and sinister gazes coming from the opposite side. However, when she raised her head to look over, those gazes had disappeared without a trace, which only made her feel even more unhappy!

Just as she was about to look away, Yun Qianmeng discovered that Chu Feiyang was sitting opposite her, staring at her with a smile in his eyes. Yun Qianmeng's cheeks turned slightly red, and she glared at him with a hint of anger, then looked away and continued chatting with Qu Feiqing!

"Prime Minister Chu, should you be more careful? After all, this is an important place in the imperial palace. How can you be so frivolous?" From the moment Prince Chen stepped into the imperial garden, his eyes found Yun Qianmeng. Seeing her smile and frown lightly, with a faint charm emanating from her brows, she was so beautiful that it was beyond words. However, Prince Chen couldn't help but remember that it was not him who made her so dazzling. He hated Chu Feiyang beside him even more in his heart. If this person hadn't done something in the middle, the charm on Yun Qianmeng should have been given by him!

"Your Highness, I don't understand what you mean! When have I been frivolous? I would like to ask Your Highness for advice!" Chu Feiyang picked up the teacup in front of him with his slender fingers. He gently blew away the tea leaves on it, and then took a sip. His narrow eyes turned slightly, and he looked at Jiang Muchen who was sitting next to him with a faint smile!

"You and I know the truth very well, why does Prime Minister Chu ask questions when he already knows the answer?" However, King Chen snorted coldly, not giving Chu Feiyang any face at all, and directly rejected him with a cold word!

Chu Feiyang shrugged nonchalantly, then took another sip of hot tea. He then turned to the people from Northern Qi sitting on the other side and said with a smile, "It is said that the Crown Prince is planning to leave Western Chu tomorrow!"

What Chu Feiyang said was not nonsense. He could ask such a question, which must have been confirmed and carefully considered!

At this moment, Qi Jingyuan's face was icy, with a faint bloodthirsty light in his eyes. After hearing Chu Feiyang's words, the look in his eyes did not diminish but intensified. He turned his eyes full of hostility towards Chu Feiyang. Seeing the other party's nonchalant smile, Qi Jingyuan could not help but sneer, "Of course!"

"The prince is so considerate! He lets Princess Heshun go back to Northern Qi after New Year's Eve. I believe that King Hai is very satisfied with the prince!" Seeing that Qi Jingyuan's attention was on him at this time, Chu Feiyang's eyes were bright and full of confidence that made people dare not look directly at him, but made Qi Jingyuan alert. He didn't understand why this resourceful man said such irrelevant words!

However, Qi Jingyuan was also an extremely intelligent person after all. In just a blink of an eye, he understood Chu Feiyang's intention. The hostility in his eyes instantly dissipated. He looked at Chu Feiyang with the unique dignity of the Northern Qi prince and slowly said, "Prime Minister Chu is no less than that. His love for his wife is touching!"

But Chu Feiyang just curled his lips and smiled, raised the teacup in his hand and saluted Qi Jingyuan in the air, and drank a sip of tea from each other, but each of them had his own plans in mind!

Aquaman listened to their casual chat attentively, not afraid of the turbulent flow between them. His face always maintained an elegant and gentle expression, making people feel that he was kind and humble, without any of the majestic aura of the general who dominated the battlefield in the past!

"It's such an important day today, why hasn't King Chu come?" Putting down the teacup in his hand, the Sea King asked Chu Feiyang with a nostalgic tone, "I heard that Lord Chu returned from Youzhou a while ago. We used to get along when we were young, but twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye. I haven't seen him for a long time! Plus, I stay in the Sea King's Mansion all day, so I feel even more isolated!"

Seeing Hai Quan's modesty, the coldness in Prince Chen's eyes gradually gathered, but Chu Feiyang still smiled in response, looking at Prince Hai with his usual smile, "Your Highness is still so well-informed. My father has only been back for two or three days, but Your Highness has already known about it while he was in the palace. I really admire you!"

Such an insinuation would have angered an ordinary person long ago, but the Sea King seemed not to hear the meaning. He just smiled gently and immersed himself in the memories of the past. "This is just what Chen Xi told me when he came back! Otherwise, I am afraid that even if your father returned to Youzhou again, I would not know! But this time, Prime Minister Chu's wedding was really too hasty. I didn't even have time to prepare a gift! Prince Chen, don't you agree?"

Having said that, Hai Quan looked at Jiang Muchen who was sitting quietly beside him. There was an imperceptible wisdom hidden in his smiling eyes. However, Jiang Muchen's face was frozen with ice at this moment, and there was no other expression. It was impossible to detect his emotional fluctuations at the moment!

"Father, have you forgotten? Prince Chen also married a charming concubine not long ago! I believe the etiquette between the prince and Prime Minister Chu can be waived!" At this time, Hai Chenxi, who was sitting behind the King of the Sea, spoke lightly. His handsome face and noble status immediately made the ladies opposite look at him. However, this wealthy son-in-law in the eyes of others was only keen on talking with men, and turned a blind eye to the beauties in front of him!

"Hmph! He's so powerful that he's almost overshadowing your brother!" Looking at the interaction between Hai Chenxi and Hai Quan, the Princess of the Sea opposite her spoke in a low voice with anger in her eyes!

"Why should mother care? Didn't you also say that as long as I secure my position as the Crown Princess of Northern Qi, even if Hai Chenxi gets more favor from father, he can't take away the position of Crown Prince from elder brother?" At this time, Hai Tian's eyes were fixed on Chu Feiyang. He saw him smiling like a spring breeze among a group of men, and the expression on his face was full of confidence that others did not have. The gleam in his eyes was like a stream of light that made people indulge in it!

The man in front of her could have clearly become her husband, but due to some strange circumstances, she was forced to marry far away in Northern Qi. After parting today, I'm afraid she will never have the chance to meet him again in this life!

Thinking of this, Hai Tian felt a sudden pain in her heart. The silk handkerchief in her hand was stirred violently by her, and the frost on her face became even colder!

Especially when she thought about the scene she had just seen behind the rockery in the side hall, Hai Tian felt as if she had been slapped hard in public. This kind of insult was unprecedented for her!

But at this moment, she was sitting in the imperial garden, unable to expose that man's despicable behavior. Otherwise, not only would Emperor Yugan not let her go, but even her own father would not forgive her!

The hatred in her heart surged up in waves, but she still tried hard to suppress the anger that was about to overflow from her body. The look in her eyes gradually lost the judgment of an ordinary person. Hai Tian immediately looked around for the target, but saw Yun Qianmeng sitting not far from her. Her eyes were immediately full of sinisterness and shot over!

Yun Qianmeng accepted Hai Tian's resentment towards her with a faint smile. Knowing that she must have lost her balance, she did not do anything to deliberately provoke her anger, so as not to lose her composure in front of others!

The newly crowned No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 scholars sat at the end of the officials but didn't say much. They just looked carefully at everyone in the imperial garden, their minds racing through countless twists and turns!

"I really want to congratulate Brother Han for winning the top spot in the civil service exam!" The person sitting next to Han Che was naturally Han Shaomian. He smiled warmly and raised his hand to congratulate Han Che!

Hearing Han Shaomian's voice, Han Che reluctantly withdrew his gaze, suppressed the ecstasy in his heart, and replied with a faint smile, "Congratulations!"

After he finished speaking, he picked up the teacup and used the action of drinking tea to hide the ecstasy in his eyes!

It was her, it was really her! She really was the eldest daughter of the Prince of Fuguo's Mansion!

Such certainty made Han Che, who was usually calm and composed, become a little out of control. The glimpse he got that day was forever engraved in his heart. Today, he finally found her figure in the vast crowd. How could he not be excited?

In order to find her, he also resisted the pressure from King Chen for many days and refused to join King Chen's faction, for fear that he would accidentally become hostile to her if he did not understand the situation clearly!

But when he saw her today, Han Che couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief in his heart, and suddenly felt that everything he had done was worth it. A happy smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and even the tea sliding in his mouth seemed to be added with honey!

However, Kong Fan who was standing aside noticed the extremely subtle change in Han Che. He didn't understand who in the imperial garden could make the usually cold-hearted Han Che smile faintly, and felt surprised for a moment!

However, looking at the noble Han Shaomian standing beside him, Kong Fan raised his teacup and said, "Congratulations, Master Han, for winning the first place in the martial arts exam!"

Han Shaomian looked at Kong Fan showing his goodwill to him, with a smile on his face, but his words were a little cold. He raised his teacup and gestured to Kong Fan, "Thank you, Brother Kong!"

"The Emperor, the Empress Dowager, the Empress, Concubine Rong, and the King of Chu have arrived!" At this moment, the shrill but loud voice of Eunuch Yu came from the entrance of the Imperial Garden!

The laughter in the Imperial Garden suddenly died down. Everyone stood up and knelt down to greet Emperor Yugan and the others. "Your Highness, long live the Emperor!"

"Everyone, get up! Today is New Year's Eve, so there's no need to be restrained!" After Emperor Yugan stepped onto the dragon throne, he spoke in a joyful tone!

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Upon hearing this, everyone stood up respectfully, and then sat down in silence, unlike the loud talking and laughing just now!

"Before the meal starts today, I have something to announce!" Looking at everyone sitting at the table, Emperor Yugan smiled slightly, then glanced at Eunuch Yu!

Upon receiving the order from Emperor Yugan, Eunuch Yu immediately stepped forward and said to the crowd below, "Han Che and Han Shaomian, the top scorers in the imperial examinations, come forward and listen to my command!"

Unexpectedly, Emperor Yugan announced the decree as soon as he entered the Imperial Garden. Han Che and Han Shaomian looked at each other, and they immediately stood up and walked quickly to the front of Emperor Yugan.