Imperial Capital 20. Hundred Flowers Festival (1)

Dingguo Palace

"I understand. Let's go down."

In the quiet and somewhat lonely water pavilion, the man in blue said calmly while looking at the lake outside the window.

A trace of helplessness flashed across Grandma Sun's face, which was a bit harsh because of her seriousness. She looked at the lonely figure in front of her and hesitated to speak. In the end, she said nothing and walked out sadly.

"It seems that Madam Sun has a good impression of Miss Ye San. You know, it's not easy to get Madam Sun to speak for her." On the other side, Feng Zhiyao was still wearing a gorgeous dress, smiling lazily at his best friend. Mo Xiuyao turned around and looked at him, his eyes calm and gentle, "So what?"

"So what?!" Feng Zhiyao sat up and glared at him, even his usually lazy voice became much higher, "A Yao, Miss Ye San is your future wife, and you will spend the rest of your life with her. Are you really not going to go and see her?"

"If she is really as good as you say, do you think... you will let me marry her smoothly? Don't forget that there is the Xu family behind her." Mo Xiuyao said calmly.

"What do you mean?" Feng Zhiyao frowned. Could it be that he was up to something else?

Mo Xiuyao lowered his eyes and looked quietly at his hand on the armrest of the wheelchair. "On the day when Prince Li's palace proposed marriage, Concubine Xianzhao specially summoned Ye Li."

Feng Zhiyao curled his lips in disdain, "Isn't it possible that Mo Jingli regretted it again? Even if he really regretted it, so what? Does he think that the Dingguo Palace and the Xu family are really his playthings?"

Mo Xiuyao's deep and gentle eyes were filled with a hint of coldness. "The cancellation of the engagement was originally decided by Mo Jingli. At the beginning... the late emperor's marriage to Ye Li to Mo Jingli was not without reason." When Ye Li was born, Ye Wenhua was just a new noble of the third rank. How could the late emperor choose a legitimate wife with such a humble family background for his beloved prince? Of course, it was for Ye Li's maternal grandfather, the Xu family. Unfortunately, the Xu family gradually withdrew from the court in recent years, and most people in and outside the palace have forgotten how much influence the Xu family has.

"If that's the case, why would the Emperor give Miss Ye San to you alone?"

"If Third Miss Ye is really a woman without talent, beauty or moral integrity, and has been broken off from engagement, why doesn't the Emperor just give her to me?" Mo Xiu Yao asked calmly.

Feng Zhiyuan shrugged nonchalantly. The people in the royal family were not very normal anyway. "So do you want to go to the Peony Garden or not? Do you want to meet your fiancée?"

Mo Xiuyao turned his head and looked at the lake in silence. Feng Zhiyao saw it and nodded in understanding. Ever since that incident, Ah Yao has been feeling more and more awkward.

Ye Li looked at the table in front of her with a headache. The large table was divided into two sides, each with a set of clothes and corresponding accessories. On the left was a set of clothes with white background and blue flowers. On the snow-like clothes, light blue butterflies were dancing. The sunlight from the window shining on the clothes made people feel as if they were seeing butterflies flapping their wings and about to fly. Jing'er and Tian'er carefully held the dress. Tian'er, the youngest, was surprised and said, "This butterfly is not embroidered. It's so beautiful." Qingxia smiled and said, "This is kesi, which is very expensive. Generally, kesi has extremely gorgeous images. It is rare to see such a simple and elegant dress like the one Miss is wearing. And the thread seems to be very special." The dress was as light as a feather in the hand, but it didn't look thin at all. It was obviously not made of ordinary materials. Qingshuang looked left and right curiously, and turned her head to look at Ye Li, "The ones sent by my aunt and the prince are very beautiful. Which one do you want to wear?" Ye Li looked at the snow silkworm blue butterfly kesi dress sent by her aunt, and her eyes fell on the brocade box on the right. Inside the box, the light blue water cloud satin is embroidered with a low-key and delicate silver peony pattern. The cuffs and hem are lightly outlined with elegant auspicious cloud patterns, which are simple and low-key, but at first glance, one can feel incomparable elegance and comfort.

"Let's take this one. Keep this one that my aunt gave me and wear it on my uncle's birthday next month." Ye Li made a decision quickly. It was necessary to spend some time on clothes, but it was unnecessary to waste too much time on it.

The maids hurriedly and carefully put away the white clothes with blue butterflies, and brought out the clothes sent by Prince Dingguo's Mansion to help Ye Li change clothes.

A moment later, Ye Li came out from behind the screen amid the maids' exclamations. The light green color was just right for Ye Li's calm and elegant temperament, and the delicate silver thread pattern on it made the simple style of the clothes not monotonous. A kind of low-key luxury, Ye Li sighed softly in her heart. Even though the Dingguo Palace was not as good as before, the gifts sent were all extraordinary. "Is this Shuiyun Satin?!" Jingwen, who had been standing aside and was a little bit helpless, exclaimed.

Qingxia was also somewhat shocked. The three treasures of Nanzhao, namely, the brocade of the gullwing, the water cloud silk, and the lotus silk, were one of the most precious specialties of Nanzhao. Moreover, they were not traded between the two countries, but only given as gifts between the two countries every year. As the first of the three treasures, the water cloud silk would not exceed ten pieces even in the palace every year.

Ye Li glanced at Jing Wen with a smile, "You have a good eye."

Jingwen's face changed slightly, and she forced a smile and said, "I also saw it once at the Fourth Miss's place. It was given to the Fourth Miss by Empress Zhaoyi." She had indeed seen it at the Fourth Miss's place, but it was not a piece of clothing but just a piece of silk. Although Shuiyun satin is called satin, it is different from the luxurious and heavy general satin. Instead, it is soft and elegant. If you don't look closely at the hidden gorgeous patterns, you can't tell that it is Shuiyun satin. The Fourth Miss was awarded a piece of Shuiyun satin by Ye Zhaoyi last year, but it was not enough to make clothes, and Ye Ying was reluctant to give it away, so she just asked someone to carefully put it away. Ever since Jingwen took the initiative to bring the past to Qingyixuan without informing her, Ye Li did not say anything, but Jingwen had been very careful, fearing that the Third Miss would find an excuse to punish her. However, she did not expect that her surprise would attract Ye Li's attention.

Ye Li nodded and ignored Jingwen who was a little nervous, and turned around and sat in front of the bronze mirror. Qingxia and Qingshuang held the ornaments sent by Dingguo Palace and picked out the appropriate ones to tie her hair.

Jingwen stood quietly in a corner, watching the busy girls working in an orderly manner, feeling somewhat embarrassed and unwilling. Her eyes fell on the jewelry box placed casually on the table and she lowered her head quickly, not daring to look at it again. However, she didn't know that Ye Li, who was sitting in front of the bronze mirror, had seen her expression, which she had not been able to conceal.

Qingshuang deftly inserted the last jade hairpin into her hair and said with a satisfied smile: "Miss, you will definitely eclipse all the ladies in the capital today."

"What nonsense are you talking about? If others hear this, they will laugh to death." Ye Li glanced at Qingshuang who was full of confidence and scolded softly.

Qingshuang winked playfully and said with a smile: "In Qingshuang's eyes, Miss is the most beautiful woman in the world."

"It doesn't matter whether it's beautiful or not, as long as it's acceptable." After everything was packed up, Ye Li stood up and said, "Let's go, don't be late."

Qingshuang and Qingxia hurriedly followed Ye Li, and Qingshuang didn't forget to mutter in a low voice, "I wonder if Prince Ding will come to participate in the Hundred Flowers Festival."

Qingxia glanced at Ye Li who was walking in front of her and whispered, "The Hundred Flowers Festival is a gathering of the young ladies in the capital. Although some famous people are invited to attend every year, it seems that Prince Ding has never participated."