Chapter 397 Leaving the Palace

No matter how big the event, the capital city is always the place where life recovers fastest. Officials in the capital stay up all night, eating and drinking, to present a facade of prosperity to the emperor.

As night falls, the entire city of Shengjing is decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, becoming even more lively than during the day.

The streets were bustling with people, and every household was brightly lit, presenting a scene of prosperity and grandeur.

The brothels along Baihua Lake were all open for business. The women were all beautiful and charming, their smiles as bright as flowers as they solicited business. Male guests came and went in an endless stream, making it a truly lively place.

A magnificent carriage was parked by the street. Lianye and Aoxue accompanied Jiang Fenghua in the carriage, watching the bustling street with men and women. A faint smile appeared on her lips. Compared to the palace, the lively atmosphere outside the palace was more humane and full of life.

She had long been accustomed to that kind of life without the warmth of human interaction, so she didn't want to integrate into this fleeting and ephemeral human life, because she would never belong here in the end, so there was no need to linger.

Lianye asked her, "Now that the Crown Princess has left the palace, let's go have some fun! It's a rare opportunity to explore."

Jiang Fenghua had no intention of having fun. She came out of the palace not to relax, but to make her mask on more secure, to hook Xie Shang's heart and emotions, because Xie Shang at this stage still had the right to talk about love.

Once he becomes emperor, his hands and feet will truly be bound, and at that time she will no longer be able to exploit his mortal emotions.

In his previous life, Xie Shang also began to take in many concubines after becoming emperor. Now Jiang Fenghua understands that Xie Shang's decision to make Su Tingwan empress was not because he loved her so much, but simply to stabilize the Su family army on the border. Their vows of eternal love were all just fleeting clouds. He would not give up his harem for any woman. After becoming emperor, he would become more and more cold-blooded and ruthless.

He had forgotten his first wife, or perhaps he had never cared about her. So when he made Su Tingwan empress, he didn't think about his first wife. He fulfilled his responsibility by giving her the title of virtuous consort, and he felt that he had not mistreated her.

He never mistreated any of the concubines in the harem.

So now she needs to seize the last bit of his affection so that her position as empress is secure.

Ao Xue asked, "Will His Highness come?"

“He will come,” Jiang Fenghua said confidently.

As night grew darker, they were all getting hungry. Lianye said, "This servant will go and buy some food for the Crown Princess!"

"Go ahead! It's a rare treat to be out of the palace, so go and have some fun! Buy whatever you like." Jiang Fenghua instructed Lianye like a kind and benevolent elder, forgetting that she was only seventeen or eighteen years old.

Aoxue was cold by nature, but she never expected that the Crown Princess could be even colder than her. Thinking of what Ye Ying had said to her, her heart would flutter like a deer.

Seeing their blushing faces, Jiang Fenghua said, "Don't let Ye Ying protect you secretly. You and Ye Ying can take advantage of the night to go for a stroll and cultivate your relationship."

Ao Xue was stunned, "We don't have any feelings for each other..."

"I heard it from Lin Yu, Ye Ying confessed to you." Jiang Fenghua said with a smile, "Don't be shy, it's the age when you're just starting to fall in love. It's actually quite nice to find someone you like who also likes you and be together sweetly, enjoying wonderful times together."

Ao Xue was stunned. "Is that so?" She felt that His Highness the Crown Prince liked the Crown Princess, and the Crown Princess liked His Highness. Why couldn't they be together happily?

"Isn't that how it is?" Jiang Fenghua retorted. That's what she thought in her previous life, but reality and imagination are ultimately worlds apart. They weren't her and Xie Shang. There is always true love and happy marriage in the world.

Ao Xue said seriously, "Actually, I liked Ye Ying a long time ago. I thought he was good at martial arts, kind to people, and took good care of us. I admired him and liked him. But now I think that admiring and liking someone is different from loving someone. I haven't found the person I love yet. When he confessed to me, my heart raced, but I was also hesitant and timid. I wanted to back down instead of getting closer. Maybe I don't love him very much."

Aoxue is intelligent, studious, and hardworking, but she is also simple-minded. "I like the Crown Princess very much, and I like and believe her without knowing why."

Jiang Fenghua grasped her hand, "Thank you, Aoxue, for liking and trusting me."

Ao Xue said softly, "Thank you also for helping my sister, Crown Princess."

Jiang Fenghua was stunned. Had Lin Yu said something to her? Strictly speaking, Ao Xue was Xie Shang's secret guard, so Lin Yu shouldn't have said anything inappropriate to her.

Ao Xue added, "Lin Yu was able to enter the military camp because she said she received guidance from the Crown Princess." However, it's strange that she knows martial arts; shouldn't the Crown Princess also know martial arts?

Aoxue had many questions, but she kept them to herself. In any case, her younger sister was still alive and living a more carefree and unrestrained life than she had, which made her very happy.

She was comforted that her younger sister had never suffered hardship, never been cold or hungry. She didn't care who was helping her behind the scenes or who her true master was.

Ao Xue thought: Her heart must be slowly leaning towards the Crown Princess.

As for Ye Ying, she has no intention of having any relationship with him now. Ye Ying is currently the Crown Prince's guard. When the Crown Prince becomes the Emperor, their status will naturally be incomparable to what it is now and what it was in the past.

Who can guarantee that Night Shadow won't take multiple wives and concubines after gaining power? So she won't get involved in this mess. Just like Lotus Leaf, Lin Feng's affection is always on her lips, but how many women also like Lin Feng?

The Crown Prince also loved the Crown Princess, but while he professed his love for her, he was also fathering children with other women. She couldn't even imagine what would become of her, a powerless and insignificant woman, after marriage.

Jiang Fenghua, unaware of what the girls were thinking and not wanting her own emotions to affect the two normal girls, smiled and said, "Now that we've arrived at the bustling Hundred Flowers Lake, I'll accompany you for a stroll, or perhaps we can go boating on the lake and release lanterns."

Xie Shang and Zhu Zhenzhen were going to argue for a while longer. If Zhu Zhenzhen shed a couple of tears and brought up her father, who was an imperial censor, Xie Shang would have to comfort her again, and might even forget their agreement.

She even thought: she might not be able to have any romantic conversation with Xie Shang tonight.

Jiang Fenghua did not disappoint Wuxin's feelings. She wore the clothes he had prepared for her and covered her face with a veil to hide her stunning beauty. This was a good way to avoid trouble.

Jiang Fenghua, supported by Lianye, slowly stepped down from the carriage and stood on the street, still attracting the attention of many people.

Although no one knew her identity or appearance, she wore a simple white dress that flowed like a fairy, and her eyes were like clear water. Her elegant and noble temperament captivated everyone, making them dare not profane her.

Seeing the crowd looking in their direction, Aoxue, dressed in a smart outfit and holding a sword, looked majestic and imposing, while Lianye also exuded the aura of a head steward.