At the banquet, Emperor Jin of Xuan Yue raised his cup.
With a beaming smile, he said, "Welcome, distinguished guests, from afar. Our nation is deeply honored. We have specially prepared this banquet today to express the sincerity of our Xuan Yue Kingdom. May the friendship between our two countries last forever, and may we work together for peace and prosperity."
Jingyuan and the others smiled and raised their glasses in response.
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "Our two countries have always lived in harmony. This marriage is the icing on the cake. May our relationship be like this glass of fine wine, growing ever more mellow and ever new."
Emperor Jin nodded in agreement, then turned his gaze to Princess Xuanqing, who was sitting beside him, and Prince An, Qi Yu, who had come from afar.
Qi Yu was dressed in a dark green brocade robe, looking handsome and dashing, while Xuan Qing was dressed in a pink palace gown, looking gentle and charming.
The more the Emperor of Jin looked at the two, the more satisfied he became; they were a perfect match.
He smiled and praised, "Prince An is truly a handsome man, a perfect match for our Xuanqing."
The officials present unanimously agreed, praising the two men repeatedly.
Qi Yu bowed his head modestly and thanked Emperor Jin: "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. I am unworthy of such praise."
Sitting not far away, Li Xi turned her gaze to Meng Zhelan at another table.
She remained calm and composed, leisurely enjoying the food in front of her.
She knew Lan'er had feelings for Prince An, although she pretended to be indifferent on the surface, but...
Li Xi really wanted to be with her, but in this era, many things couldn't be done recklessly.
At the banquet, the envoys from both countries exchanged ideas about each other's culture and customs, and laughter filled the air.
During the banquet, musicians from Xuan Yue Kingdom played melodious tunes, and dancers performed graceful dances, adding a rich artistic atmosphere to the event.
The guests and hosts enjoyed themselves immensely that night, and Jingyuan's group returned to the embassy.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, Li Xi tiptoed into Meng Zhelan's room like a cat.
Sweetie was fetching water for her to wash up when she saw Li Xi come in, so she went out to keep watch for the two of them.
"Lan'er, are you... alright?" she asked softly, pursing her lips.
"Me? What could possibly happen to me? I'm eating and dressing well. I must say, the fox fur coats from Xuan Yue Kingdom are truly exquisitely crafted and very warm. When I go back, I'll bring a few back for Ling'er, Sister Lianyi, Chu Ran..." Her voice grew softer and softer, like a mosquito's hum, until she could no longer speak.
Li Xi pulled her into a tight embrace, and Meng Zhelan's tense emotions collapsed like a crumbling building.
She buried her head in Li Xi's shoulder, tears silently streaming down her face, soaking Li Xi's clothes.
Li Xi felt her body trembling slightly, and a pang of sorrow welled up in her heart.
"Lan'er, don't cry, I'm here." Li Xi gently stroked her hair and comforted her softly.
Meng Zhelan didn't speak, but just held Li Xi tightly, as if she wanted to pour out all her grievances and anxieties.
After a long while, she said with a slight sob, "Am I too useless? I once swore that I would never develop feelings for a man in my life."
But I don't know when it started, my heart slowly drifted towards him. I once thought I could silently stay by his side and watch him find his own happiness, but now, I find myself unable to let go…
She gently hugged Li Xi back and took a deep breath.
She continued, "Princess, she is an exceptionally good woman, beautiful and virtuous. She and he are truly a match made in heaven. I should bless them, but why does my heart ache so much?"
Li Xi gently patted her back, as if comforting a wounded little animal.
"Lan'er, who can truly understand matters of the heart? We always fall into them without realizing it, finding it hard to extricate ourselves. But you must believe that time is the best healer; it will slowly soothe your pain."
Then, Li Xi recalled the feeling she had when browsing videos online in her previous life, the feeling that she could fall in love with several people within a minute.
She suddenly exclaimed excitedly, "Lan'er, look at the men of Xuan Yue Kingdom! They are all tall and mighty, and handsome, like Pan An reincarnated!"
Where I'm from, people often say, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket; instead, broaden your horizons and appreciate the wider world."
Hearing Li Xi's unconventional and shocking remarks, Meng Zhelan, who was heartbroken, couldn't help but laugh through her tears: "What are you saying? Do you want me to keep male concubines?"
"A gigolo? Yes, that's it. Look, we're rich women now, isn't it normal for us to do some new things?" Li Xi said, sounding quite resentful.
Meng Zhelan lightly punched Li Xi and scolded, "What are you talking about? It's all nonsense."
Li Xi sighed, somewhat unwillingly, and said, "Actually, I was just saying it. You know, I'm a man now, and with that identity, how could I possibly keep a male concubine? The world's scorn would drown me. Here, homosexuality is not something accepted by the world."
In her past life, she envied those wealthy women who went to watch male models dance, and she only regretted that she didn't have that ability.
Hmm? Male models? She suddenly had a brilliant idea; she'd definitely talk to the president about it when she got back…
After thinking it over and over, Meng Zhelan finally asked, "Xi'er, where did you come from?"
Li Xi was momentarily speechless at the question, stammering, "I...I..."
Seeing her distress, Meng Zhelan quickly comforted her, "If you don't want to talk about it, I won't force you. Everyone has their own secrets and difficulties."
However, after careful consideration, Li Xi decided to be honest with Meng Zhelan.
She took a deep breath and said slowly, "Would you believe what I'm saying? Even if these things are beyond your comprehension?"
"Yes!" A simple yet firm word came from Meng Zhelan's mouth.
She gazed into Li Xi's eyes, her face full of sincerity and trust, "No matter what you say, I will believe you."
Li Xi was deeply moved and breathed a sigh of relief: "Actually, I am not from this era. I don't know how much time has passed between the era I live in now and the era I lived in in my previous life."
In my time, there were no records of anything about this place; perhaps the civilization of this dynasty was not yet known to the outside world.
In fact, the original owner of this body had already passed away after falling off a cliff last year, while I died suddenly due to overworking, and my soul happened to possess this body.
"If you hadn't saved me, I would probably have been seriously injured and dead by the time I got here."
After hearing what Li Xi said, Meng Zhelan's eyes widened. Her mouth opened slightly, and she was momentarily at a loss for words.
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