Chapter 305 The Rival Knows the Rival Best

"Your Highness may have forgotten," Yinzhe's voice echoed in the silence, "You have another errand to perform tomorrow."

Qin Zhaoyue suddenly realized.

Yes, tomorrow is the day when the second princess of Shuofeng Kingdom will arrive in Fengjing.

As a member of the reception delegation, she had to show up for both moral and legal reasons.

By then, all the royal heirs will be there, so their safety should be guaranteed.

"Okay," she sighed softly and stretched her waist which was sore from sitting for a long time. She could still endure it for a night.

Standing up, I cast my gaze towards the dark night outside the window.

"The night is long and I have no desire to sleep. Lord Yinzhe, would you like to discuss the loneliness of the late night with me?"

Qin Zhaoyue's voice rose slightly, with a hint of laziness and teasing, "How about you tell me your story first?"

The only response she received was silence.

"I'm talking to you."

"Hey, are you deaf?"

…

After a night of hard guarding, there was no movement in the two ambushes.

At the end of the Yin hour, Canglan and Yaoguang reported back and escorted Qin Zhaoyue back to the princess's mansion quietly.

In the bedroom, Qin Zhaoyue was extremely tired and yawned, allowing Sui Mo and others to serve him.

Because it was an important occasion, Nanny Liu was invited again to take charge.

The Mo group served warm fragrant water and carefully cleansed the princess's face and applied powder.

The powder is the peach blossom powder made in the palace, and the rouge is the delicate red of peony, which is thinly smudged on the cheeks and the corners of the eyes, just like dewy petals in the early autumn morning light.

The eyebrows are drawn with spiral ink, the brow peaks are slightly raised, and a begonia flower cut out of gold foil is lightly dotted on the forehead.

Her hair was tied up in a towering bun, her black hair was like clouds, with a red gold and kingfisher feather hairpin in between, and red gold and ruby ​​earrings of the same color hanging on her ears.

Because it is early autumn, although it is not yet very cold, the morning breeze is also cool.

She wore a chest-length skirt of apricot-yellow silk with a pearl pattern inside, and a wide-sleeved scarlet gauze shirt embroidered with twined branches of precious flowers outside, and a light silk shawl with mud and gold and silver clouds on her arm.

She wore a gold-embroidered belt around her waist and cloud-shaped brocade shoes with slightly raised tips adorned with tiny pearls.

After having some breakfast, Qin Zhaoyue and his party left the princess's mansion at noon.

A princess from an enemy country certainly could not be treated with the highest standards, so this task fell on the shoulders of several royal heirs who had established their own palaces.

At the city gate, everyone who should have arrived was already there, and unsurprisingly, Qin Zhaoyue was the last to arrive.

The two leaders of the reception delegation were both familiar faces, Pei Xueqi and Meng Jian, one a scholar and the other a military officer. Isn’t that a coincidence?

One is the steward of the Taimiao of the Ministry of Rites, and the other is the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards.

Neither of them held high official positions, but one was the legitimate son of Prime Minister Pei, and the other came from the Meng family, a family of military men with a long history of nobility. Their status was high enough.

Seeing Qin Zhaoyue's carriage arrive, both of them stepped forward to greet him.

"We're all acquaintances, there's no need to be so formal."

Qin Zhaoyue waved his hand casually, with a look of laziness and fatigue that had not yet faded.

She hurriedly greeted her brothers and sisters, then gathered her shawl around her, put her hands in her pockets, and dozed off leaning against Sui Mo.

The officials around who were unaware of the situation were able to control their expressions well, as they were well aware of this man's reputation.

It was considered good enough to be dressed neatly and arrive at the city gate on time.

Pei Xueqi's eyes were as gentle as water, and from time to time they "inadvertently" fell on the silhouette of the maid who was taking a nap leaning against her.

Meng Jian stood as straight as a pine tree, with the solemnity of a military general.

But his lips were tightly pursed, and the knuckles on his hand gripping the hilt of the knife at his waist turned slightly white due to the force, revealing the turmoil in his heart.

Meng Jian was indeed unhappy.

The old man in the family issued strict orders, forcing him not to get involved in the affairs of the royal heir.

After returning from the disaster relief work, he rested at home for two days and then went straight to the camp in the capital to train troops.

It was not until he was transferred out this time that he learned about the latest situation in the capital from his confidants.

I thought he was on par with Pei Xueqiao, but unexpectedly this guy was transferred from the Hanlin Academy to the Ceremonial Department!

As soon as he took over, he had to prepare for the imperial examination and receive Princess Shufeng, both of which were practical tasks.

Given the deep foundation of Prime Minister Pei's mansion, it is not surprising that he can gain real power even if his official rank is not high.

What is strange is that Prime Minister Pei, who has always been cautious and prudent, seems to have acquiesced to this matter this time!

His two sons, one was raised in the Hanlin Academy, and the other was studied in the Imperial College. The profound meaning of this was known to everyone in the court and the country.

Meng Jian had a lot of contact with Pei Xueqi, and judging from his words and actions, he was not hiding his shortcomings, but he was indeed a little dull in government affairs and human relations.

It can be seen that the old prime minister did not teach Pei Xueqiao everything he knew and pave a smooth path for him. Why did he allow Pei Xueqiao to get involved in practical politics now?

Meng Jian had no desire to delve into the affairs of the court. The Meng family had generations of loyal and valiant men, and their foundation was deep. Even in the face of great turmoil, the emperor would not abandon them. He was concerned about Pei Xueqiao's actions. Could it be that he still wasn't giving up? Was this change aimed at the Sixth Princess?

Meng Jian caught a glimpse of the boy's restless eyes, and a nameless anger rose in his chest, and his hand gripping the knife handle tightened a little.

hateful!

That's why they say that rivals in love have a tacit understanding with each other. People outside made all kinds of guesses, but only Meng Jian guessed the truth at the first time.

Just like when Helian Chaolu entered the capital, Princess Shufeng's carriage had actually arrived outside Fengjing City long ago.

When the time was set, all the welcoming guards stood in solemn order at the gate of Fengjing City.

Qin Zhaoyue arrived almost on time. Less than half a cup of tea later, he saw smoke and dust rising in the distance, and a column of carriages escorted by elite cavalrymen came slowly towards him.

Meng Jian's eyes fixed, he took a step forward, and shouted in a deep voice: "Form a formation!"

As soon as the order was given, the surrounding imperial guards moved in unison, their armor clanging and their steps in unison, standing on both sides of the welcoming team.

The long spears are like a forest, and an awe-inspiring murderous aura arises, which is extremely majestic.

Qin Zhaoyue raised his eyelids lazily.

Tsk... I have to say, this kid Meng Jian is quite handsome when he leads his troops.

The convoy slowly slowed down when it was just a stone's throw away. The arrangement and scene were much more grand than when they were escorting Helian Chaolu.

The first rider was Li E, the commander of the Xuanwu Army.

His body was as solid as an iron tower. Although he was only about five feet tall, his bulging muscles seemed to contain tremendous strength.

Even though he had reached the city gate, his expression did not relax at all, and his senses were fixed firmly on the carriage behind him.

"Put away your guns! Put away your swords!" Li E ordered in a deep voice.

"Yes!" The soldiers under his command responded in unison, their voices shaking the whole area and their imposing manner was overwhelming.

The carriage went twenty steps away and stopped completely.

Li E dismounted from his horse, and Meng Jian also stepped forward to meet him.

The two men clasped their fists and gave a neat military salute.

"The commander of the Xuanwu Army, Li E!"

"Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, Meng Jian!"

Li E reached into his bosom and took out a bronze fish token and a wax-sealed silk document from his armor, and handed them over solemnly.

Meng Jian took it and carefully examined the pattern of the fish symbol and the wax seal with the ceremonial officer beside him. After confirming that they were correct, he nodded and returned it.

"Captain Li has had a hard time on this journey."

"It's my duty and my responsibility."

At this time, the curtain of the most luxurious carriage in the middle was gently lifted by the maid.

Xiao Yunshuo, the second princess of the Shuofeng Dynasty, walked down gracefully.

In stark contrast to the simple elegance he wore when Qin Zhaoqiong had a quick meeting that day, Xiao Yunshuo was dressed in gorgeous attire today.

He was dressed in a deep indigo-colored gold-brocade robe, the body of which was embroidered with a circling wolf totem woven with gold and silver threads, reflecting a cold luster in the early autumn sun.

The collar, cuffs and hem of the robe are trimmed with thick and fluffy snow-white wolf fur, and a wide belt inlaid with colorful gems is tied around the waist.

Her black hair was braided into a complicated bun, interspersed with colorful ribbons and small golden bells.

A red-gold eagle hairpin with wings spread out, ready to fly, is inserted diagonally in the middle of her bun. The eagle's eyes are inlaid with rubies, looking sharp and intimidating.

Although her face was lightly powdered and her lips were painted red, she still had a sense of alienation and coldness unique to the North.

Her temperament is as elegant as the frosty chrysanthemum in autumn, and she has her own style.

Qin Zhaoyue, who was originally leaning on Sui Mo's body, stood up a little straighter. His eyes swept over Xiao Yunshuo, and then he withdrew his eyes with a lack of interest.

Well, it is quite beautiful, with an intellectual beauty as delicate as an autumn chrysanthemum, yet with a strong character.

But it's in line with expectations, so there's nothing surprising about it.

How can one be without integrity?

Da Gan and Shu Feng are considered enemy countries, and they dare to penetrate deep into the heart of the capital. Qin Zhaoyue can't do this job anyway.

However, Qin Zhaoyue's originally lazy and inattentive eyes suddenly lit up.

I saw the curtain of another low-key carriage in the back move slightly, and a man stepped out with a bow.

As soon as he appeared, he was like a dazzling light that split the solemnity of the surroundings.

What a handsome and elegant man he is, one of a kind in the world!