Chapter 167 New Year's Eve
Three days later, New Year's Eve arrives.
The relationship between the Shou'an Marquisate and the Queen Mother has always been very good. Xiao Mingcheng didn't know whether the Queen Mother simply wanted to see her bedmate, or whether she listened to the Marquis's wife and wanted to do something to Yueli. In any case, before leaving the house, he kept reminding Yueli:
"When you get to the palace, stay by my side and don't go anywhere. If you need to change clothes or sober up, you must have a maid accompany you, understand?"
Yueli was sitting in front of a diamond-shaped mirror, drawing her eyebrows. She hummed impatiently, "You've said that countless times in the past three days."
Xiao Mingcheng changed into his official uniform, walked up behind her, and took the indigo from her hand. "I'm worried that you might be too nervous about entering the palace for the first time, but it's okay. The Empress Dowager is kind and I will always be by your side."
It was not the first time for him to draw Yueli's eyebrows. The woman's eyebrows were slender, so just a few strokes of the brush made them look very beautiful.
Yueli looked at herself in the mirror a few times and was quite satisfied.
She changed into a smoky purple brocade dress and wore a jade headpiece of the same color, which made her look more gorgeous than usual.
"Does it look good?" After finishing her tidying up, Yue Li came out from behind the screen and turned around in front of him.
Xiao Mingcheng hummed, came over and held her hand: "Let's go, the carriage is waiting outside."
Yueli followed him and pouted. She had been dressing up for the whole morning, and he just said "hmm" as a perfunctory response!
There were two carriages parked at the gate. Logically, one should be for the women of the mansion, and the other should be for Xiao Mingcheng and Shou'an Hou. But when Xiao Mingyue saw Yue Li coming, he started to look at them with displeasure.
"I won't ride in a carriage with her."
Xiao Mingcheng looked at her with a cold face: "Then you go there by yourself."
Xiao Mingyue was extremely angry and didn't know why the Queen Mother wanted to meet this woman. What status did she have to be worthy of entering the palace with her?
"Mother!" Xiao Mingyue turned around and went to Madam Hou to act coquettishly, "Anyway, I don't want it."
The Marquis's wife has always doted on Xiao Mingyue, and she doesn't like Yueli either. It's just because she was really angry when Xiao Mingcheng came back last time, so she didn't bother to cause trouble for Yueli.
"Okay, just ask someone to arrange a carriage."
After the Marquis's wife gave the order, the servants went to prepare. Seeing Yue Li's face full of disapproval, Xiao Mingcheng frowned.
If the carriages in the mansion were to be used, they had to be ordered in advance, and the items in the carriages had to be prepared in advance. Using them temporarily would be much simpler. Furthermore, if Yueli went alone in the carriage, others would see her and start to talk about her, speculating that she was not valued in the Xiao Mansion.
"No need." Xiao Mingcheng interrupted, then looked at Shou'an Hou, "Father, mother and sister, please come together. Yueli and I will sit together."
Shou'an Hou had nothing against Yue Li. After all, it was normal for a man to have a few beautiful girls around him. Besides, his son was very capable, so he didn't need to worry about anything.
Then Shou An Hou said, "That's it. All right, hurry into the palace and don't waste time."
In the carriage, Yueli leaned against the window and looked outside curiously.
This was her first time entering the palace and also her first time seeing the capital during the day.
Compared to that night, the daytime was even more lively. The festive season was approaching and there was joy everywhere.
In just two quarters of an hour, the carriage stopped in front of the palace gate.
Looking at the towering palace gate, Yueli slowly began to get nervous.
"Don't be afraid." Xiao Mingcheng led her out of the carriage.
Outside the palace gate, the guards checked his badge before letting him in.
Marquis Shou'an went to the former court, and Xiao Mingcheng was supposed to go with him to meet his colleagues, but he was worried about Yue Li and insisted on staying with her.
Xiao Mingyue caught a glimpse of the two people whispering behind her, curled her lips, and complained to the Marquis's wife in a low voice: "Mother, look at my brother, he doesn't love me at all now."
The Marquis's wife patted her hands and said, "Alright, after the New Year, when you've exchanged engagement letters with Minister Liu's family, you'll have a legitimate sister-in-law. Are you still worried about not being able to handle her? For now, just be patient and don't always make your brother unhappy."
Xiao Mingyue snorted and didn't want to talk.
The palace road was so long that it seemed as if there was no end in sight. After walking for an unknown amount of time, Yueli's calves were sore, but she finally arrived at Yeonbok Hall.
Inside the hall.
The Queen Mother was sitting on the couch, leaning against a porcelain pillow, talking to the nanny beside her. When she saw them, she immediately smiled happily: "You're finally here."
"Greetings to Her Majesty the Queen Mother."
Yueli followed Xiao Mingcheng and saluted. She had never learned the palace etiquette before and only learned a little bit in these three days.
But the Queen Mother's gaze immediately fell on her.
This woman is so beautiful.
The Marquis's wife sat down with a smile: "Mingyue had been talking about coming to the palace to pay her respects to you since early morning, but she was delayed for a while when she left the house."
As she said this, she glanced calmly in Yueli's direction.
Yue Li and Xiao Mingcheng sat opposite each other. She took a sip of the tea served by the palace servant, and her eyes suddenly lit up.
It was refreshing and delicious, not at all bitter like the tea she usually drank.
Yueli took another sip, completely unaware that the topic had been brought to her.
"Is this Miss Yueli?" The Queen Mother asked in a kind tone.
Xiao Mingcheng gently touched Yueli, and Yueli quickly stood up: "Yes..."
"Come here and let me take a look."
Yue Li glanced at Xiao Mingcheng, and seeing him nod, she slowly walked into the hall.
The Empress Dowager looked her up and down. She was indeed beautiful. No wonder Xiao Mingcheng traveled thousands of miles to bring her back from Jiangning.
"This is our first meeting, and I haven't prepared anything. This bracelet is a gift for you." The Queen Mother took off a jade bracelet from her wrist. The quality was very good. Yue Li took it.
"Thank you, Queen Mother."
The Queen Mother just said a few polite words and continued talking to the Marquis's wife Xiao Mingyue.
Yueli sat there feeling bored. She looked at the palace. Although it was not gorgeous, exquisite ornaments could be seen everywhere. It was low-key yet luxurious.
Her eyes were full of amazement.
This astonishment lasted until the palace banquet began and they arrived at the Golden Throne Hall.
Looking at the magnificent palace, Yueli suddenly felt that her cognition of the past sixteen years was challenged.
It turns out that this is the richest imperial city in the world.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Mingcheng saw her stop and turned around and said, "It's almost time. Let's go in quickly. It would be bad if we were later than His Majesty."
Yue Li nodded. She was sitting next to Xiao Mingcheng, and Xiao Mingcheng was a second-rank official, so his position was very close to the front.
Soon, with the sound of a shrill announcement, everyone stood up and knelt.
"Your Majesty has arrived—"
This was the first time Yueli saw him since they separated that day.
The man was wearing a black dragon robe and a crown on his head. He had an upright posture and an imposing aura.
Yueli only took a quick glance and quickly lowered her eyes. She felt her heart trembling in her chest.
When the emperor passed by her, Yueli lowered her head even more.
But she seemed to feel his gaze linger on her for a moment.
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