Chapter 91 IF Line (2): "Your Highness, you are really amazing."
The birthday banquet was about to begin, and members of the royal family and officials took their seats one after another. The ladies of the court also attended in their finest attire, bringing their unmarried daughters with them.
In matters concerning the selection of the Crown Prince's consort, the young ladies all wore brocade robes and jewels, striving to present their best selves. If they could win the favor of the Empress and the Crown Prince, it would be an honor for their entire family.
"His Majesty has arrived! His Majesty the Empress has arrived—" With a sharp and long shout from the palace eunuch, the previously slightly noisy hall instantly fell silent, and everyone stood up to pay their respects and shout "Long live the Emperor!"
Emperor Jingyou wore a dragon robe with a round collar and narrow sleeves, exuding an aura of majesty and awe. Beside him, the empress wore a bright red robe embroidered with gold cloud and dragon patterns, and her dragon and phoenix crown was adorned with hundreds of dazzling pearls and gemstones. She was dignified and elegant, like a deity.
"His Majesty is strikingly handsome, and the Empress is a beauty of unparalleled grace; no wonder His Highness the Crown Prince is so dashing..."
Crown Prince: "..."
Glancing to her side, the little girl stared intently at the Emperor and Empress who were approaching hand in hand. Everyone else held their breath and dared not make any comments, but she was filled with emotion.
The prince frowned slightly, but his gaze inadvertently fell on a section of her fair and translucent skin behind her ear, and for a moment he was dazzled.
He was lost in thought for a moment, then quickly and discreetly looked away.
Yun Kui then saw King Moshan and Princess Qionghua from Xiliang Kingdom, who had come from afar to celebrate the Empress's birthday.
King Moshan had dark skin, a broad back and a thick waist, and his beard was tied into seven or eight braids. His breathing was much louder than that of an ordinary person, which Yun Kui scoffed at.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is still the most handsome, hehe, I'll steal a glance, he's handsome, hehe, let me take another look..."
Crown Prince: "..."
Although King Moshan and Princess Qionghua were siblings born of the same mother, they did not look alike. Princess Qionghua was dressed in a red riding outfit, with eyebrows that reached her temples, upturned eyes, a healthy wheat complexion, and a pair of bright amber eyes. She was covered with jingling silver ornaments and red and blue gemstones, and her whole person was as bright and beautiful as a blooming Gesang flower.
As the banquet began, the ministers raised their glasses in celebration, and King Moshan presented the Queen with an extremely rare five-colored jade screen as a birthday gift to express the sincerity of Xiliang.
As the music of string and wind instruments began, the dancers stepped gracefully into the hall. Princess Qionghua had also prepared a passionate and unrestrained Western Region dance, which drew continuous praise from the guests.
However, Princess Qionghua swayed her waist and eventually came to the Crown Prince's side, holding a glass cup filled with wine, which she offered to the Crown Prince's lips.
Yun Kui stared in disbelief at the tense and exciting scene, and even took a step back, trying to make room for Princess Qionghua.
The Crown Prince was indeed as rumored to be indifferent to women; he remained unmoved even with a beautiful woman in front of him, like an ice sculpture.
"It is said that the people of Xiliang are unrestrained and free-spirited. Seeing them today, I can confirm that their reputation is well-deserved. I wonder if His Highness the Crown Prince will be moved."
"If the Western Liang princess were to remain in the Great Zhao, it would be unreasonable to merely grant her the position of a concubine. How could the future mother of the nation be a princess from a foreign land?"
"Charge! Pounce on them mouth to mouth!"
The crown prince listened calmly to the voices from all sides until a sudden girl's voice broke through the overwhelming discussion. A vein throbbed on his forehead, and he closed his eyes in annoyance.
Turning away now would be impolite, so the Crown Prince gripped his cup tightly, trying to ignore the strong scent of perfume emanating from the Princess of Xiliang.
Princess Qionghua had long heard that the Crown Prince of Dazhao was not interested in women, but she never expected that he would be even more difficult to seduce than the Buddha statue in the temple. She was unwilling to give up, so she took a cherry, which was also red and luscious, from the glass cup and slowly brought it to his lips.
The Crown Prince remained unmoved, while Princess Qionghua, feeling bored, took two bites of the cherry and swallowed it whole.
Yun Kui was still watching the commotion when Princess Qionghua suddenly widened her eyes, her face flushed red, and she coughed incessantly while clutching her throat.
Those nearby quickly noticed the anomaly, and King Moshan immediately stood up and strode forward, "Qionghua!"
Emperor Jingyou immediately ordered his chief eunuch, Fugeng, "Quickly, fetch the imperial physician!"
Just as everyone in the hall thought that Princess Qionghua had suddenly fallen ill or had accidentally eaten something poisonous, the Crown Prince quickly realized something and was about to take action when the girl in red beside him swiftly stood up, hugged Princess Qionghua from behind, and repeatedly punched her upper abdomen with her fists.
Xuan and the princess, who were standing nearby, were all filled with terror. King Moshan, unaware of what had happened to his sister, was about to abandon the audacious girl. However, just as he reached out his hand, before he could even touch the girl's arm, he was stopped by a horizontal hand. His wrist was in excruciating pain, and he was unable to move.
King Mo Shan glared angrily and roared through gritted teeth, "What does Your Highness mean by this?"
Yun Kui had no time to explain, and kept repeating the actions in her hands until the foreign object was ejected from Princess Qionghua's throat, at which point she slowly stopped.
Qionghua Gong gasped for breath, tears streaming down his face from the pain. Yun Kui, still shaken, wiped the fine sweat from her brow and met the Crown Prince's dark, phoenix-like eyes.
The Crown Prince then slowly withdrew his hand, and the Prince of Moshan broke free of his restraints and immediately went to look at his sister: "Qionghua, what's wrong with you?"
Princess Qionghua, having survived the ordeal, gasped for breath, her chest finally calming down. Still shaken, she stammered, "I...I ate..."
Yun Kui noticed the cherry pit on the ground, walked over and picked it up. She opened her palm and showed it to the Emperor, Empress and Prince Moshan. She mustered her courage and said, "Princess Qionghua choked on a cherry while eating it. I remembered the method my mother taught me before, and in a moment of panic, I took the initiative to help the princess get the cherry pit out."
Princess Qionghua's eyes were red, and she whispered, "Just now... it was indeed because I ate too fast. Royal brother, she saved me..."
Upon hearing this, King Moshan's expression softened slightly. He looked at the girl he had almost roughly thrown away earlier with surprise, his tiger eyes brightening as he stared intently at the beautiful young woman: "Thank you for saving me, young lady. I was rude just now."
Yun Kui was indeed still shaken, and nodded with pursed lips.
King Moshan then bowed to Emperor Jingyou and the Empress, saying, "I was rash, please forgive me, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, and His Highness the Crown Prince."
Emperor Jingyou waved his hand and laughed, "It's alright. The princess had an accident, and it's only natural for you, as her elder brother, to be anxious."
At the same time, Emperor Jingyou also breathed a sigh of relief. Princess Qionghua was the most beloved little princess of the King of Xiliang. If something happened to her at the banquet, Dazhao would have a hard time explaining it.
He never expected that it would be the muddle-headed daughter of Marquis Wuning who would make such a great contribution.
Several feet away, the Marquis of Wuning and his wife saw their daughter's outrageous behavior from afar and were almost scared out of their wits. Just now, she was the closest to the princess, and the couple thought that their daughter had tripped the princess! It wasn't until they saw the cherry pit that she had spat out and heard their daughter's explanation that the couple breathed a sigh of relief.
The Empress looked at Yun Kui with admiration: "You remained calm in the face of danger and made a great contribution. Both the Empress and His Majesty will reward you handsomely."
Yun Kui knew she shouldn't be smug at this moment, so she quickly lowered her head humbly and said, "It's all what I should do, I don't ask for any reward."
"But a reward would be even better."
The crown prince chuckled.
The Empress looked at the Crown Prince with suspicion. If she hadn't heard it herself, she would have thought that the cold laugh came from someone else.
Emperor Jingyou pondered for a moment and said to Prince Moshan, "Princess Qionghua has been frightened. Why don't you go back to the side hall to rest first? The imperial physician will arrive soon. Why don't you ask the imperial physician to check the princess's pulse to make sure that she is alright? What do you think?"
Princess Qionghua tugged at King Moshan's sleeve and nodded to him.
Having already embarrassed herself by failing to provoke the Crown Prince, Princess Qionghua was now even more humiliated by having a cherry pit stuck in her throat. She no longer wanted to be the subject of gossip and spectators at the banquet.
Knowing his sister's thoughts, King Moshan led his men away first.
I just glanced at the little girl who saved the person before leaving.
With her fair skin, rosy lips, and youthful appearance, she looked no more than fourteen or fifteen years old. Her voice was sweet and soft, and her arms and legs were slender, her waist so delicate it could be encircled by a single hand. Even at this banquet filled with beauties, she was no less stunning than anyone else. I wonder what it would be like to have her pressed down beneath me.
Upon hearing his thoughts, the Crown Prince's eyes flashed with a cold light.
Yun Kui was also frightened by Mo Shan Wang's predatory gaze, and carefully sat back down.
With Princess Qionghua unharmed, everyone's worries were relieved.
The singing and dancing continued during the banquet.
Princess Xuanhe leaned closer and said, "Yun Kui, you're amazing! How did you know she had a cherry pit stuck in her throat, and how did you know to do that?"
Yun Kui truthfully replied, "My mother has some medical knowledge, and she taught me these first aid methods. When someone in the manor choked on a fruit, that's what my mother did."
Princess Xuanhe exclaimed in surprise, "So that's how it is!"
Several noblewomen behind them overheard their conversation and couldn't help but think of the background of the Lady of Wuning Marquis.
Back then, Marquis Wuning was the youngest and most handsome martial arts champion in the entire Great Zhao Dynasty. He was the dream man of all the noble ladies in the city, and even a princess could marry him. But no one expected that Marquis Wuning would eventually marry a country girl. It is said that Marquis Wuning met a female doctor by chance when he went out to suppress bandits. In order to repay the life-saving grace, he brought her back to the capital.
Everyone initially thought that the female physician was taking advantage of their kindness to force Marquis Wuning to marry her, and they were just waiting to see her make a fool of herself. However, they never expected that the two would be as loving as ever for more than ten years. Marquis Wuning never took concubines or kept mistresses. They only had this one daughter. Marquis Wuning's wife also rose from a village woman to a second-rank noblewoman. Later, when she went to the palace for a banquet, she used some rural method to cure the empress's headache and won the empress's appreciation.
The Sheng family was already at the height of its power due to the Marquis of Wuning's illustrious military achievements. The Marquis of Wuning's wife had also cured the Empress's chronic illness. Even a good-for-nothing young lady from the Sheng family was chosen to be the princess's study companion. On this occasion, she accidentally saved the Princess of Xiliang.
People couldn't help but sigh, thinking that this mother and daughter must be blessed with good fortune, as all the good things in life had fallen into their laps.
Yun Kui drank a cup of tea to calm her nerves, but she was still a little scared when she recalled the dangerous scene just now.
She glanced to her side, her gaze falling on the Crown Prince's cold, aloof profile. After a moment's thought, she mustered her courage and quietly raised her cup to him, whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Your Highness, I must thank you for what you said earlier. This humble woman offers you a toast..."
If His Highness hadn't stopped Mo Shan Wang in time, her small frame might have been beaten to a pulp.
Although His Highness the Crown Prince was also tall and imposing, he appeared much more refined than a burly man like King Moshan. Unexpectedly, he easily subdued the muscular King Moshan with his first move.
Yun Kui would never have believed it if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes.
Although His Highness the Crown Prince was unmoved by her gratitude and didn't even look up, Yun Kui still praised him from the bottom of her heart: "Your Highness, you are really amazing."
"What were she whispering about with His Highness the Crown Prince?"
"Your Highness doesn't even drink Princess Qionghua's wine, so why would you drink the wine she offers?"
"You're not trying to seduce His Highness, are you?"
As the whispers reached his ears, the Crown Prince calmly put down his cup, turned his head, and saw the little girl wink at him with her starry eyes.
The Crown Prince reminded him in a deep voice, "Sit up straight."
Yun Kui pursed her lips and obediently replied, "Oh."
...
After the birthday banquet, Yun Kui left the palace with her parents and truthfully recounted how Princess Qionghua had choked on a cherry pit at the banquet that day.
Lady Wu Ning sighed, "So that's how it is. Luckily you were quick-witted and nimble-fingered, otherwise Princess Qionghua might have already..."
Marquis Wu Ning embraced his wife and praised her with a smile, "You've taught her well, Madam. Our daughter has put what she's learned into practice and stepped forward bravely. She's a good child too."
Yun Kui rarely received so much praise, and she couldn't stop smiling. "I wonder what His Majesty and the Empress will reward me with. Will it be gold ingots, silver ingots, or jewelry? Although I say I don't want it, I still want it a little."
Lady Wu Ning tapped her daughter's nose: "You little money-grubber."
On the Empress's birthday, the entire court was granted a three-day holiday.
Marquis Wu Ning, Sheng Yu, was summoned to the palace early the next morning and returned with a stern expression.
Lady Wu Ninghou's eyelids had been twitching since last night, and she felt that something was wrong. When her husband returned, she hurriedly asked, "What happened?"
Marquis Wu Ning looked at his daughter, who was eating snacks, and sighed, "King Mo Shan wants to marry Yun Kui."
"What?" The mother and daughter spoke almost simultaneously.
Lady Wu Ning: "What did His Majesty say? Is this a done deal? Why would Prince Mo Shan suddenly want to marry Yun Kui?"
Yun Kui thought of the burly, loud-voiced man at yesterday's banquet, and was so frightened that she dropped the pastries in her hands.
Marquis Wu Ning said, "Don't worry. Since His Majesty has summoned me to the palace to discuss this matter, there is still room for maneuver."
He glanced at his daughter and said, "Perhaps it was because you saved Princess Qionghua at yesterday's banquet that King Moshan took a liking to you and decided to ask for your hand in marriage."
Lady Wu Ning sighed, never expecting that her daughter's act of kindness in saving someone would lead to such a disaster.
Yun Kui clung to the arm of Lady Wu Ninghou, her voice trembling with tears, "Mother, I don't want to marry him..."
Marquis Wu Ning said, “The King of Moshan has a large number of concubines and is not a good match for me. His Majesty knows that I have only one daughter and cherishes her dearly. He would not easily let Yun Kui marry a foreign land, so he summoned me to the palace to discuss the matter.”
Lady Wu Ning immediately asked, "How did the discussion go?"
Marquis Wu Ning said, "For now, His Majesty can use the excuse that Yun Kui has not yet come of age to delay for a few more days. If the Prince of Moshan comes to ask for marriage again, we must also find a way to deal with it. It would be best to finalize Yun Kui's marriage in the near future and announce to the outside world that the engagement has already taken place, so that the Prince of Moshan can give up completely."
Lady Wu Ning looked at her daughter with a heavy heart: "But Yun Kui is still young. We haven't even found a suitable match yet. How can we find her a suitable husband in such a short time? I'm afraid those families of equal social standing are unwilling to hastily arrange a marriage for her..."
Marquis Wu Ning could only say, "I'll check with my colleagues and subordinates these next few days to see if they have any eligible young men in their families."
Yun Kui wiped away her tears, her eyes red-rimmed. "Father, I won't marry an ugly man. I want someone young, handsome, tall, and upright. He can't be as boorish as King Mo Shan, nor too thin and weak. Ideally, he should have your looks and physique..."
Marquis Wu Ning: "..."
Not to boast, but a man of such imposing appearance as himself is a rare find in the entire capital.
Lady Wu Ning sighed inwardly. Her daughter had inherited her habit of judging people by their appearance first. But time was of the essence, and where could she find a young, handsome man who was not yet engaged?
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Who will she marry? It's so hard to guess! [pity]
My short story, a similar lighthearted and sweet romance, titled "Female Assassin, But a Silly Beauty," is available for pre-order! Please add it to your favorites! Also, please consider adding it to your author's favorites. Thank you for your support, my darlings! [Sprinkling flowers]
After losing her memory, Mingxi was told two things—
Her name isn't Mingxi, but Mingqi, a female assassin entrusted with an important mission by the organization.
Her mission was to become a seductive undercover agent and assassinate the powerful and ruthless Marquis of Dingbei.
Mingxi (guilty version): Huh? Me?
After losing his memory, Mingxi forgot all his martial arts moves. He was too weak to lift anything, and fearing that people would discover he was actually a useless nobody and that the organization would kill him, he could only tremblingly raise his knife to ensure he could complete his mission.
She infiltrated the Dingbei Marquis's residence as a beauty and successfully gained the Marquis's favor with her looks, during which time she frequently received missions from the organization.
Task 1: Poison the wine of the Marquis of Dingbei
Mingxi thought it was unacceptable; the Marquis of Dingbei liked to feed her personally, and what if he poisoned her too!
Task Two: Slit the throat of the Marquis of Dingbei while he is sleeping.
Mingxi still couldn't do it. She couldn't bring anything to the Marquis's bed, not even clothes. How could she hide a knife?
The organization had no choice but to issue her an ultimatum: poison the Marquis of the North, causing him to die from exhaustion!
Mingxi: I'm going through this now, let's see how it goes...
However, as Mingxi waited and waited, instead of dying from exhaustion, her own belly grew bigger day by day.
Mingxi tearfully tried to return to the organization, but the man blocked her way, forcing her into a corner. "You flirt and run? There's no such thing as a free lunch."
Mingxi and her child were trapped in the Marquis's mansion. In the end, she became the Marquis's wife in a daze and was spoiled rotten.
Mingxi: I feel ashamed before the organization (∩_∩)
Reading reminder: The female protagonist suffers from amnesia, but she is not the assassin; the assassin is someone else.
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