Chapter 320 The Mistress of a Wealthy Family Turns Her Own Side After Opening the Book (18)

Once everyone had arrived, the Empress finally made her appearance.

As the mother of the nation, she naturally exuded an air of elegance and nobility. Adorned with a phoenix crown and a wedding robe, she immediately drew everyone's attention and they all shouted, "Long live the Empress!"

The three children stared curiously at the Empress sitting at the head of the table when suddenly her gaze swept over them, startling Lu Xu so much that he quickly lowered his head and dared not look again.

Three young men sat beside the Empress.

Just then, a girl in a pink dress couldn't help but mutter to herself.

"Look! The Eleventh Prince! The Seventh Prince and the Eighth Prince!"

A group of young women sat together, secretly laughing and discussing amongst themselves.

"His Highness the Eleventh Prince is truly handsome and dashing!"

"It should be described as dashing and debonair!"

"Yes, yes, yes! His Highness the Eleventh Prince is known for his ability to roam among countless women without ever getting attached! Who would have thought he'd actually come this year? Does this mean His Highness the Eleventh Prince has settled down and is preparing to get married?"

These girls were all noble ladies of marriageable age in the capital. Their faces were flushed with shyness and their excitement was just like that of modern-day fangirls when they see their idols.

Jin Shu cracked melon seeds as she sized up the three princes in front of her.

The oldest looked to be in his early twenties, while the youngest, the eleventh prince, looked to be no more than seventeen or eighteen. He had fair skin and lips, handsome features, and a pair of narrow, almost bewitching eyes that seemed to hold a spring-like quality even when he wasn't smiling. He wore a striking lake-green robe with a black fox fur cloak over it, making him look like a young fox just beginning to experience the ways of the world.

The Seventh Prince and the Eighth Prince, sitting on either side, were also young and handsome, but they paled in comparison to the Eleventh Prince.

Sure enough, the obsession with good looks is the same throughout history. Even a lady from a respectable family can't help but drool when she sees a handsome man.

The princes who are here are obviously here to find wives.

Jin Shu quietly moved closer to listen to the girls gossiping about their private matters.

"Didn't the Eighth Prince come last year? I remember he married the Minister's daughter last year. Why is he here again this year?"

"You didn't know that? They're divorced! The Minister's daughter behaved improperly in front of the Emperor and was reprimanded by the Empress."

Although the Eighth Prince is not the Empress's biological son, he was raised by her side since childhood, so naturally everything is done according to her wishes.

Those whom the Empress dislikes, the Eighth Prince will naturally not keep for long.

The others suddenly realized.

"No wonder. But I still want to know why the Eleventh Prince suddenly appeared here. Didn't he say in front of the Empress that he must marry the best girl in the world in this lifetime?"

"I have a guess, could it be that there's a girl he likes among us?"

"Yes! Maybe, very possible! My goodness, I wonder which lucky girl will catch the eye of the Eleventh Prince!"

"Don't talk nonsense. My mother has a good relationship with the Empress's older sister. I heard that it's because the Eleventh Prince has reached the age but has been reluctant to get married. His Majesty was furious and ordered the Eleventh Prince to get married this year. The Empress had no choice but to coax him to do it."

In the end, this news is the most reliable.

Jin Shu listened with great interest. She had just finished cracking open the melon seeds in her hand and was about to clap her hands and have another piece of honeydew melon when the Empress on the stage suddenly spoke.

"At the beginning of the new year, everyone should feel free to raise a glass in celebration."

Jin Shu raised her glass along with everyone else and toasted the Empress.

After the drinks are finished, it's time for the songstresses to perform.

The leading songstress, dressed in a thin gauze that revealed her slender, fair waist, danced gracefully to the music of the musicians.

Sitting beside the Empress, the Eleventh Prince sipped his wine leisurely and watched the dance below the stage, completely oblivious to the eager ladies around him.

After the dance, everyone boarded a painted boat and cruised along the lake. During the cruise, young men and women sat around a table and played a game of "flying flowers" (a traditional Chinese drinking game), seeking resonance between their souls through their individual charms.

At that time, the national situation was still relatively open, and men and women who were attracted to each other would directly exchange tokens of affection, and unknowingly sit together while exchanging glances.

This vibrant scene of blooming flowers had nothing to do with Jin Shu.

She ate and drank as usual, enjoying the scenery on both sides of the river with her three children. Compared to the bustling matchmaking event next door, it was a completely different world.

The painted boat reached its destination and finally slowly docked beside a spacious open space.

This year was different from previous years. Everyone was excited and followed the others off the boat. When they got to the shore, they found that it was a fenced-off horse farm. The area had already been set up, with high viewing platforms built on both sides of the farm. The Empress and her three princes sat on the high platform, while the others took their seats below.

Jin Shu's seat was relatively far back. After all, the current Empress might not even have a memory of such a distant relative as the Lu family. Therefore, her seat was naturally not as good as those noble ladies from aristocratic families who could chat with the Empress about everyday matters.

These ladies, each accompanied by their daughters, tried every means to get close to the three princes.

If a princess were to become a member of the family, the family's status would certainly rise to a higher level.

Madam Liang was one of them. Besides her son who had become the top scholar in the imperial examination, she also had a daughter of marriageable age. Because she was related to the Empress by marriage, Madam Liang took her daughter to toast the Empress and took the opportunity to drink a cup with each of the three princes.

The ladies and young women sitting on the outer edge could only watch anxiously.

Although I may not be able to marry Your Highness, there are many noblemen present. If I can find someone of equal social standing, then this trip will not have been in vain.

Jin Shu was yawning and waiting listlessly when she suddenly noticed that many people in front of her had turned around and were staring at her.

Jin Shu wasn't the type to be overly sensitive or suspicious; she was quite certain that she was currently the center of attention.

She was a little dazed, and yawned sleepily. Just then, a lady in front of her spoke loudly.

"Madam Lu, the archery competition has begun, and only your three young masters are missing."

Jin Shu blinked, and after a moment of processing, she understood what had happened from the other person's few words.

“My son is still too young to participate in these kinds of activities.”

"Her Majesty the Empress just said that all men, regardless of age, must participate in the horseback archery competition. The son of the Consort is about the same age as yours, and he also participated."

Hurry up, we're only missing your house.

Jin Shu lowered her eyes and looked at her three sons beside her, or more precisely, at Lu Gu beside her.

Is it okay?

Upon hearing this, Lu Gu felt displeased.

"If they can do it, why can't I?"

"They learned it from a young age. You have no parents, so who taught you riding and archery?"

Lu Huai and Lu Xu were, after all, direct descendants of a collateral branch of the Lu family, and they were introduced to riding and archery at the age of five or six.

(End of this chapter)