Half an hour later, the surroundings were brightly lit, and everyone had entered the hall and taken their seats…
"I have invited you all here today not only to treat you to a delicious meal, but more importantly, because my daughter, Huang Ling'er, is now sixteen years old and has no one she is interested in. I would like to ask you all to be my witnesses and for your consideration!"
After saying that, the little princess sitting next to her looked surprised, then realized what she meant and blushed, saying with embarrassment and annoyance.
"Mother, what are you talking about? It's not like Ling'er can't get married. I want to stay with you for a few more years!"
As everyone knows, Princess Ling'er is only fifteen years old this year, which is just the right age. In another year or two, she will become a young lady. In order to prevent her from being gossiped about like the eldest princess, the eldest princess was anxious but helpless. Therefore, she specially held a gathering today and invited the ladies of prominent official families in the capital!
All the matriarchs present had an "I see" look on their faces. They thought to themselves, "The princess is getting older and older. She wouldn't invite us here just for a meal. It turns out it's for the little princess's marriage!"
Thinking of this, everyone's eyes couldn't help but turn to the young princess, with a hint of scrutiny and contemplation.
To become the matriarch of a family, every woman has to go through a lot of scheming and intrigue to get there. At this moment, they are all subconsciously weighing the pros and cons!
The young princess was the eldest princess's daughter, born late in life, and is spoiled rotten! Her temperament is inevitably a bit arrogant, and she might be difficult to discipline in the future. However, because of this, her status will certainly be beneficial to her son! In the court, she will inevitably receive some favors from the eldest princess…
At that moment, everyone realized this! The scene suddenly became somewhat silent, making the young princess blush with embarrassment and nervousness, while the eldest princess smiled again.
"Ling'er has been by my side since she was a child. She has her own opinions on managing the household and assessing situations. She is also deeply favored by His Majesty the Emperor. Although she is a bit spoiled, she is still young and it is inevitable that she will be a little anxious! Besides, Ling'er is well-educated and reasonable, and her skills in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting are quite famous in the capital..."
She suddenly stopped halfway through her sentence, her slightly cloudy eyes gleaming as she looked down at the attentive matriarchs below, instantly exerting a silent pressure on everyone.
The atmosphere became a little tense. Except for the woman in the middle-back position on the right, who was holding an abalone, skillfully preparing it, and putting it in a bowl with rice, eating it with great relish...
This time, the princess quickly noticed the strange figure and looked up in surprise. Who was this woman who was so ignorant of etiquette?
Before she could even ask a question, a loud shout came from not far away…
"Her Highness the Eldest Princess has arrived!"
In an instant, everyone subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at the main entrance...
Upon hearing this, the eldest princess subconsciously frowned and looked over with a slightly displeased expression.
The woman at the entrance was dressed in a striking red outfit. Her exquisite beauty instantly attracted everyone's attention. She had a curvaceous figure, sharp and arrogant eyes, and her fiery red dress accentuated her flamboyant and arrogant demeanor.
Her long, black hair fluttered in the wind, clearly indicating she was an unmarried woman; her willow-leaf eyebrows suggested she was a difficult person to please!
"Qingning greets Aunt. With such a rare opportunity today, why didn't Aunt invite Qingning to come? It's so formal!"
As she said this, she strode forward, ignoring the displeasure on the princess's face. After bowing, she stood up with a smile, her eyes fixed on the princess, showing no embarrassment at having suddenly barged in.
The eldest princess frowned and subconsciously glanced at the little princess huddled up beside her. Seeing the guilty look on her face, she knew that it was the shrewish eldest princess she had informed!
With this in mind, she could only sigh helplessly, knowing full well that today's matchmaking event was doomed to fail!
"Someone! Bring a seat for the eldest princess!"
Although she was a princess of a great nation, her younger brother was the true emperor, and his favorite was the eldest princess, Qing Ning. Even she, as the older sister, couldn't do anything about this niece.
Upon hearing this, the eldest princess chuckled and prepared to take her seat. Her gaze casually swept over the surrounding mistresses, who all snapped back to their senses and hurriedly stood up to offer their greetings.
Princess Qingning smiled and waved her hand. As everyone took their seats, she noticed Old Madam Wang in the middle on the right. However, this time, instead of going up to her to curry favor as usual, she turned her gaze to the area behind Old Madam Wang…
A woman dressed in purple silk sat quietly behind her. Her face was free of makeup, yet still fair and radiant. The purple dress made her appear mysterious and elegant. Her long black hair was firmly tied back, giving her the appearance of a married woman…
Princess Qingning raised an eyebrow upon seeing this. Was this the woman with the legendary ambiguous relationship with Wang Yan? Wasn't she supposed to be forty? (She said thirty-eight, but she rounded herself up to forty!) How could she look so young? Judging by her demeanor and appearance… she was at most on par with her. Why would Wang Yan look at her with any respect?!
Thinking it over, she observed Qin Qing's every move and expression more carefully, and after a while, she realized the difference between the two of them...
She is the most noble and powerful princess of the Heavenly Dragon Kingdom, flamboyant and proud, sharp and assertive, with stunning beauty and a graceful figure! Few can rival her!
The woman in front of her had more feminine grace and gentleness than her. She had a calm and low-key demeanor, beautiful but not ostentatious appearance, and a plump but not fat figure. Overall, she looked very gentle and virtuous, the complete opposite of her!
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes slightly, feeling extremely uncomfortable and unbalanced! That Wang Yan actually liked the exact opposite type of her; no wonder she hadn't even gotten a glance from him despite being so proactive.
It's no wonder she was thinking like this. As a princess who had spent years navigating palace intrigues and scheming, she had developed a keen eye for detail from a young age. She could tell the difference between herself and Qin Qing in just one glance.
But her inner pride would never allow her to give up on a man as strong and powerful as Wang Yan! Only a man like him was worthy of her!
Thinking of this, she lowered her eyes slightly, concealing the endless depth within them…
The seat that the eldest princess arranged for her was right next to the young princess, since according to her status and rank, the eldest princess, Qing Ning, should have been seated in the superior position!
When the young princess saw her sit down, she quickly whispered something.
"Cousin! It's that woman! You have no idea I've tried her, she's no pushover, she just..."
While secretly approaching the eldest princess, he recounted everything that had happened that day, completely forgetting that the main purpose of the banquet was to find her a husband.
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