He was gentle and refined, with an elegant demeanor. In particular, his deep eyes were like the most dazzling starlight in the night. Just by looking at you quietly, he could make you completely fall for him.
He was tall and slender with distinct features. Dressed in a prince's brocade robe and a jade belt, he looked like a masterpiece of nature.
How can a man be so good-looking?
Suddenly, Lu Jinpei saw a faint smile appear on the corner of "Prince An's" mouth, and he even nodded slightly to her!
Lu Jinpei froze in disbelief. Was he looking at her?
Is it smiling at me?
Good heavens, could it be that Lu Xiaoyun was divorced and sent back to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion because he fell in love with Lu Jinpei and wanted to give her the position of Princess Consort of Teng'an?
Lu Jinpei's whole body trembled slightly. She bit her lower lip tightly to keep herself from immediately standing up and walking to Prince An. She nodded heavily and told him: She was willing!
Zhu Yu glanced at Lu Jinpei, who was sitting beside him, almost going crazy with excitement: "What are you doing? Are you having an epileptic seizure?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Jinpei felt as if she had been doused with a bucket of cold water. She glared at him fiercely, but fearing that Prince An would see it and tarnish her perfect image as a noble woman in his eyes, she quickly lowered her head.
Lowering her voice and gritting her teeth, she said fiercely, "Lu Xiaoyun, you're the one having an epileptic seizure! If you keep talking nonsense, I'll teach you a lesson when we get back to the manor!"
Her face was flushed; anyone who didn't know her would think she was shy.
Zhu Yu snorted coldly, "Who will deal with whom is still uncertain. Your mother was locked up in Cuizhu Residence with just a few words. With your level, pfft, you're not even worth a second glance."
He looked up at Lu Xiaoyun across from him, who kept glancing at him, and then at Lu Jinpei beside him, whose face was flushed red with excitement.
He understood.
Then the corner of his mouth twitched violently.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Qi Shaocheng looking over at him; he was staring straight at him!
Zhu Yu's face immediately darkened, and he glared back fiercely.
Qi Shaocheng lowered his head.
"The Empress Dowager has arrived! The Emperor has arrived!" As a sharp eunuch's voice rang out, all the officials and their families knelt down and shouted three times, "Long live the Empress Dowager!" and "Long live the Emperor!"
The old emperor, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, arrived with the empress dowager, who was wearing a palace dress with cranes and gold trim.
The Empress Dowager's hair had long since turned white, and she simply adorned her hair with a gold hairpin on each side. She had a kind face and her complexion was much better than before.
The Empress Dowager smiled and said to the kneeling officials and their families, "Get up, all of you, get up. It's the New Year, and I've come to join in the fun. There's no need for formalities."
The emperor smiled and said, "Rise, all of you, and sit down."
The guests then expressed their gratitude and took their seats, separating the male and female guests.
The emperor waved his hand and said, "Let the banquet begin."
The song and dance performance began, and toasts were exchanged, but it was nothing more than words of congratulations, which even Lu Yuyan found utterly boring.
Halfway through the banquet, Ren Yong'an gracefully rose from her seat, walked to the center of the hall, and bowed to the emperor and empress dowager at the head of the table, saying, "Your subject, Ren Yong'an, wishes the Great Zhou Dynasty to live ten thousand years, and the emperor and empress dowager to live a long and auspicious life. I would like to play a tune on my zither."
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "Miss Ren Yong'an from the Left Prime Minister's residence has exceptional musical skills. She once became famous throughout the land with a single piece of music. I am fortunate to hear her play today."
Ren Yong'an glanced at Lu Xiaoyun, then bowed to the Empress Dowager with a shy expression and said, "Your Majesty, I once had the honor of playing a duet with Prince An on the qin and xiao. Today, I wonder if I may have the honor of playing another duet with Prince An?"
Everyone looked at Lu Xiaoyun, wondering what Prince An felt after being tricked by Ren Yong'an for over ten years.
Before the New Year, at the gate of Prince An's mansion, one of Prince An's personal guards performed a double role, and his lifelike performance caused a sensation throughout the entire capital city.
Some even compiled these stories into storytelling segments or vernacular tales, which circulated widely among the young ladies and wives of noble families.
I wonder, since this Miss Ren from the Left Prime Minister's residence personally pushed Prince An to Lu Xiaoyun, who does she herself want to marry?
But looking at it today, I find it a little hard to understand.
Some people looked at each other in bewilderment after thinking about this.
The matter caused quite a stir outside the palace, but apart from Consort Xian, the mother of the Second Prince Zhu Heng, and Consort De, the mother of the Third Prince Zhu Chen, no one else in the palace knew anything about it.
Especially the Empress Dowager, who would want to bring such sordid matters into the palace to discuss with her?
Lu Yucheng's hands under the table were already clenched into fists. Was Prince An not already fooled by Ren Yong'an enough, and was he so eager to marry her into the Prince An's mansion that he wanted to divorce his own sister?
The Duke of Zhenguo's gaze remained fixed on "Prince An," wanting to see how His Highness would react. He gripped his arm and tightened the "Letter of Divorce" in his sleeve.
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten. Yu'er plays the flute exceptionally well. However, he has been in the army these past few years, and with the war raging, it's been quite a while since he's played it, hasn't it?"
The Empress Dowager's words were quite clever, and Lu Xiaoyun pursed her lips.
Ren Yong'an, however, did not understand the meaning behind the Empress Dowager's words. He smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty, Prince An has a photographic memory, let alone something as simple as playing the flute. I reckon his skill level is even better now than when he played with Yong'an back then."
After speaking, Ren Yong'an turned to Lu Xiaoyun: "Brother Yu, don't you think so?"
The Empress Dowager smiled faintly: "Yu'er, is that so?"
Lu Xiaoyun then stood up, not even glancing at Ren Yong'an, and walked straight to the front.
She was tall and blocked Ren Yong'an completely.
Ren Yong'an felt his breathing was disordered.
“Grandmother, it’s true that I haven’t played the xiao (vertical flute) in a long time. I do have a photographic memory, but only for people and things I care about. As for the qin and xiao duet with Miss Ren,” she smiled coldly, “I’ve long forgotten about it.”
These words were a real slap in the face to Ren Yong'an.
Ren Yong'an's face turned pale, and tears welled up in her eyes: "Brother Yu, how could you forget? These past few years, when you were alone in the Northwest, I often thought of you when I couldn't sleep at night. I even remember Brother Yu's every smile and frown."
Lu Xiaoyun seemed not to have heard: "However, he has been spending time with the Princess at the mansion during this period. He plays the flute, and his grandson plays the zither. They often play the zither and flute together. He plays the flute better than his grandson."
Zhu Yu smiled, pursing his lips.
Ren Yong'an looked at Lu Xiaoyun in disbelief, and at Lu Xiaoyun, who was sitting steadily below and smiling slightly at "Prince An".
When did their relationship become so close? At the Prince An's residence, Prince An was playing the zither, and Lu Xiaoyun was playing the flute.
Shouldn't he hate Lu Xiaoyun, that poisonous woman, to the core?
How could he do this? How could he face the person who waited for him for ten years?!
Lu Jinpei, who was sitting next to Zhu Yu, turned pale upon hearing this. What did Prince An say? He was playing the zither and flute with Lu Xiaoyun in the Prince's mansion?
Does Lu Xiaoyun deserve such a handsome and dashing man?
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