if line (four) The old cow wants to eat young grass.
When Princess Yuzhen saw the person outside the door clearly, she was shocked. It was really His Majesty. It would be fine if it was Yun Yi, but why did His Majesty come here too?
"Greetings, my royal brother." Although Princess Yuzhen grew up under the empress dowager's care, her relationship with His Majesty was not very close, and she had always been more in awe of him.
"No need for formalities. My sister rarely comes down the mountain, so why didn't you let me know in advance?" Chen Dingyao spoke to Princess Yuzhen, but his eyes glanced behind the group. Sure enough, there he saw the figure he had been thinking about. The corners of his mouth curled up. "I heard that today is Miss Song's coming-of-age ceremony. I am honored to be able to join in the fun."
Chan Zhen originally lowered her head and tried to make herself look inconspicuous, but she didn't expect His Majesty to still mention her. Thinking of her experience in the palace that day, her heart immediately rose. Could His Majesty be here to settle a score with her?
However, since His Majesty mentioned her name, she had no choice but to step forward and salute him: "Your Majesty, your humble servant greets you."
In an instant, two similar gazes were cast on her.
Seeing her lowered head and timid voice, not at all as bold as she had been that day in the palace, Chen Dingyao smiled, "It was my fault for interrupting Miss Song's coming-of-age ceremony."
Chan Zhen could have covered up his disrespectful behavior that day by being drunk, but now, in the public eye, he dared not act recklessly. He said respectfully, "Your Majesty, it is my honor to be here at my coming-of-age ceremony. How can I blame Your Majesty for anything?"
Since Chen Dingyao had seen her bold side, how could he not see that she was saying one thing and thinking another? However, in public, the girl was shy, so he had to be more considerate of her reputation and not ruin her coming-of-age ceremony.
"I had thought that since I hadn't seen Yuzhen for a long time, I brought a gift. Coincidentally, today is Miss Song's coming-of-age ceremony," Chen Dingyao looked at Yuzhen. "Will Yuzhen not blame me for wanting to give this gift to Miss Song as an apology?"
Upon hearing this, Chan Zhen immediately raised his head and looked at Princess Yu Zhen helplessly: "Your Highness..."
Princess Yuzhen didn't know what her brother was up to, but she never refused his words. Moreover, Miss Song's ceremony was interrupted today, and as the main guest, she felt guilty. So she said, "Your Majesty, what are you talking about? Today is Chanzhen's wedding day. How can I care about these things?"
After saying this, she pulled Chan Zhen to her side and said to her comfortingly, "Just consider it as a token of my brother's kindness. Please accept it with peace of mind."
Chan Zhen cautiously raised her eyes to glance at His Majesty, and happened to meet his gaze. Clearly, there was openness in their gaze, but for some reason, her heart skipped a beat, as if it had been burned by a tongue of fire. Hastily, she retracted her gaze, lowered her eyelids, and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I thank you very much."
Seeing her reaction, the smile in Chen Dingyao's eyes deepened, and he gestured to Guo Kai beside him to present the gift.
"What a coincidence! The gift I originally prepared for Yuzhen was a hairpin." Chen Dingyao ordered Guo Kai to open the gift box. Inside was an exquisitely crafted gold and jade crabapple tassel hairpin. "Why don't you use this hairpin to tie Miss Song's hair today?"
The last and most important step of the ceremony is to tie the hair with a hairpin. Chan Zhen originally planned to use the hairpin given by his mother, but since His Majesty had a new proposal, Chan Zhen had to follow it.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for the gift." Chan Zhen looked at the crabapple-shaped hairpin. Was it really a coincidence? She had also met His Majesty under the crabapple blossoms that day, but His Majesty had originally given this hairpin to Princess Yu Zhen. Perhaps she was overthinking it.
The moment he saw the crabapple hairpin, Yun Yi, who had remained silent all the time, couldn't help but clench his hands.
What a coincidence! The gift he had prepared was also a hairpin. However, with his father present, it was not appropriate to give out his gift at this time.
"May I go in and continue to watch the ceremony?" Finally, having legitimately handed the hairpin over, Chen Dingyao couldn't wait to see how it looked on her head. It was a pity he couldn't put it on for her himself. However, there was still time, and he would have plenty of opportunities in the future.
"It is my great honor to have Your Majesty come in person." Chan Zhen naturally couldn't say no.
After the storm, Zenzhen's coming-of-age ceremony could finally proceed, but her nerves, which had finally calmed down, returned. The reason was simply because of the man sitting directly below her, facing her.
Chan Zhen half-lowered his eyes and didn't dare to look at the audience, but he could still feel the man's gaze, which was silent and invisible but had such a heavy power.
Xuan Yang stood behind her and combed her hair into a high bun again. Then came the last step, and Princess Yuzhen put a hairpin in her hair.
The crabapple hairpin was extremely luxurious. The entire flower was carved from jade, and the pistil was inlaid with a white pearl. Golden buds hung under the slender tassels, and a slight movement emitted a crisp and pleasant sound.
No matter who gave this hairpin to Chan Zhen, he would definitely love it.
The moment she put on the hairpin, Chen Dingyao narrowed his eyes unconsciously and gripped the armrest beside him tightly.
Sure enough, she looked more beautiful with that hairpin than he had imagined.
Yun Yi sat beside him and was the only one who could see all his subtle reactions.
He saw it clearly. The way his father looked at Miss Song was clearly the look of a man looking at a woman, with a strong desire to conquer.
Father... Yun Yi clenched his hands, feeling powerless for the first time. What could he possibly use to fight his father? But if he had to give up... He glanced at the beautiful girl on the stage, and a wave of resentment welled up in his heart.
My father was already old, and it was clear that she was the most suitable for him. He had taken a liking to her at first sight. He hadn't married yet, and unlike my father, who had many children from the harem, she would probably prefer to be the Princess of Jin rather than my father's concubine. When he ascended the throne, she would be the empress of high status. What my father could give her, he would be able to give her sooner or later, and it would be more and better than what my father could give her.
He didn't want to let go so easily, even if his opponent was his father.
Finally, after the ceremony was over and he bid farewell to His Majesty and the guests, Chan Zhen breathed a sigh of relief. He returned to his room, took off the hairpin on his head, and held it in the palm of his hand to admire it.
What exactly does it mean that His Majesty gave her this crabapple hairpin?
Zen Zhen didn't dare to mention his experience in the palace that day to anyone. He thought he would never see His Majesty again in this life, but he didn't expect His Majesty to come so unexpectedly today.
Chanzhen thought of His Majesty's attire today. Although he was wearing casual clothes, his aura was very imposing, which was very different from his gentle appearance in the palace that day. Especially those eyes full of majesty, which always made her feel uneasy when they looked at her.
Just as I was thinking about the purpose of His Majesty's visit today, I suddenly heard the maid beside me scream in surprise.
"Miss, this hairpin given by His Royal Highness Prince Jin is so beautiful!"
"His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin?" Chan Zhen just remembered that His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin had come to the ceremony with His Majesty today. Her mind was completely focused on His Majesty at the time, and she hadn't paid much attention to the silent Prince. "Did he also send a gift?"
The maid brought the gift from His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin. Chan Zhen took a look and found it was a peach blossom hairpin, the workmanship of which was no less exquisite than the crabapple hairpin given by His Majesty.
"What a pity..." Chan Zhen shook his head and asked the maid to put the hairpin away.
Unfortunately, she prefers crabapple to peach blossom.
Elsewhere, Chen Dingyao and Princess Yuzhen left and returned to the palace together. They sat opposite each other, but the atmosphere wasn't as harmonious as outsiders might imagine. Princess Yuzhen held her back stiffly, maintaining a respectful demeanor.
Chen Dingyao drank his tea slowly, and after a while he asked her calmly, "What does Yuzhen think of Miss Song?"
Yu Zhen recalled his different attitude towards Chan Zhen today, and thought about his recent plan to choose a concubine for Yun Yi. She thought that he had chosen Chan Zhen to be the Princess of Jin. After careful consideration, she said, "Miss Song is dignified, kind, and has a decent family background, but..."
"Yuzhen, just go ahead and talk." Chen Dingyao saw her hesitation, paused the teacup that was handed to her mouth, and motioned for her to continue.
Since he said so, Yu Zhen became bolder and sighed, "Miss Song is too delicate and gentle. I'm afraid she is not suitable to enter the palace."
"Delicate?" Chen Dingyao chuckled as he took a sip of tea. "Only delicate people deserve to be cherished and protected."
Only he can protect such a delicate beauty.
Yu Zhen knew that the Jing'an Marquisate had no intention of sending Chan Zhen to the palace, and she truly did not want to see her friend from Xuan Yang get dragged into the chaos of the imperial family. She tried to dissuade him, saying, "I heard that Concubine Shu has chosen a girl from Duke Xue's mansion as Yun Yi's principal wife. I'm afraid she might be unhappy with Chan Zhen."
"Yun Yi?" Chen Dingyao placed the teacup back on the table and looked at her with a half-smile. "Do you think I chose her because of Yun Yi?"
"What does my royal brother mean?" Needless to say, Yu Zhen had clearly seen the desire in his eyes, and her heart suddenly tightened.
"Mrs. Xiao has been dead for many years, and my harem hasn't welcomed a new master in a while." Chen Dingyao said frankly, "I wonder if Yu Zhen can be worthy of Chan Zhen's position?"
"Royal brother!" Yu Zhen thought of the girl who had just come of age today and felt sorry for her. "She is still too young."
Chen Dingyao frowned: "I am not old either."
He was in his prime, and although he was a little older than her, it wasn't a problem. Since she was younger, he could pamper her a little more, and there was nothing wrong with that.
"But..." Yu Zhen never dared to go against his ideas, but Chan Zhen was considered a close friend by Xuan Yang, so she had to give her more consideration. "Chan Zhen has a naive personality. Can the emperor really bear to let her get caught up in endless harem fighting?"
"I will protect her," Chen Dingyao replied, "As long as I am here, no one can touch her."
"People's hearts are fickle," Yu Zhen sighed. "Brother, do you still remember what our father said to you when he was still alive: 'If you love someone, you want him to live; if you hate someone, you want him to die.' You love her now, but when she grows old, can you guarantee that your feelings for her will remain unchanged?"
She had witnessed her brother's rise to the throne when he was young and his rise to power today. She had seen so many concubines come and go, and so many beauties he had rejected and forgotten. She couldn't bear to see Chan Zhen become one of them.
Chen Dingyao was silent for a long while before he said, "I can't guarantee it now, but I must get her."
Seeing that she couldn't persuade him, Yu Zhen could only sigh and say, "Then my royal brother, have you asked Chan Zhen if she is willing to enter the palace as a concubine?"
Chen Dingyao recalled her coming-of-age ceremony, when she wore the crabapple hairpin he had given her, and her graceful and beautiful look as she lowered her eyes and smiled. A smile flickered in his eyes.
"Why wouldn't she want to?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
