Xuanqing raised his head and met the Empress Dowager's gaze. A hint of evasion flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.
She took a deep breath, making her tone calm yet firm, "Qing'er has come here for two reasons. First, to celebrate His Majesty's birthday and offer our dynasty's blessings. Second, Father Emperor hopes to establish a marriage alliance with Jingyuan Kingdom to strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries."
At this point, Xuan Qing paused, his voice gradually lowering.
He continued, "Qing'er knows that this is an important task and a major event between the two countries."
After saying these words, Xuan Qing lowered her head again. In truth, she didn't want to leave Xuan Yue Kingdom to marry into this place, especially since...
The Empress Dowager understood the responsibilities and mission of the royal princess, and also understood her inner contradictions and struggles, so she did not continue to ask questions, but changed the subject.
"Come, let me introduce you." The Empress Dowager pointed to Meng Zhelan beside her and said, "This is Doctor Meng. She is not only a renowned doctor with superb medical skills, but also my best friend."
She then asked with a laugh, "Do you all call yourselves 'best friends' now? Haha, this old woman is learning your new term too."
Meng Zhelan smiled and replied, "You're right."
She then slightly curtsied to Xuan Qing, saying, "This humble woman, Meng Zhelan, greets Your Highness, the Princess."
Xuan Qing smiled and nodded gently. "Doctor Meng, there's no need for such formality. May I ask you for your guidance?"
Meng Zhelan was slightly taken aback, but quickly understood Xuan Qing's intention. She smiled and nodded, "Of course, if Your Highness has any questions, I will do my best to answer them."
The two women began to chat, while the Empress Dowager watched them with a smile.
"Grandson greets His Majesty the Empress Dowager." It was Prince Liang who spoke, having just seen Xuanqing arrive.
King Liang, dressed in magnificent court robes, walked with a steady and powerful gait, each step revealing the majesty and nobility of royalty.
He wore a polite smile, but a sly glint flashed in his eyes.
"Princess Xuanqing, so you're here too." King Liang's voice was gentle yet powerful, each word seemingly carefully crafted.
He nodded slightly to show respect, but without being overly reserved.
Xuanqing rose and bowed, her movements elegant and graceful, neither humble nor arrogant, displaying the demeanor of a princess.
"I hope Your Highness is well," she said softly, her voice as melodious as a clear spring.
Meng Zhelan also bowed, then stood quietly beside the Empress Dowager, as if she were nothing.
The Empress Dowager, observing the interaction between the two, understood the Prince of Liang's intentions.
She waved her hand: "Shen'er, why don't you accompany Qing'er to the Imperial Garden for a stroll? This old woman doesn't need your company. Today is the Emperor's birthday, it's quite a lively occasion."
The King of Liang looked at the two women beside the Empress Dowager, one noble and elegant, the other otherworldly and refined. His gaze occasionally swept over them, and deep in his eyes, there was a hint of amazement and admiration.
This Doctor Meng was a favorite of the Empress Dowager, and a thought suddenly occurred to him: if he could take this beauty as a concubine, perhaps he could become even closer to the Empress Dowager.
King Liang was making plans in his mind, but his face remained expressionless.
He smiled and responded to the Empress Dowager's instructions, then turned to Princess Xuanqing and said, "Princess, please."
Xuanqing nodded and walked ahead with impeccable manners. The two of them left the main hall one after the other and headed towards the Imperial Garden.
In the Imperial Garden, hundreds of flowers were in full bloom, a riot of colors and a delightful fragrance. The Princess strolled among the flowers, her gaze lingering on the blossoms, seemingly forgetting that someone was beside her.
Upon seeing this, King Liang chuckled softly, "The princess seems to really like these flowers."
The princess came to her senses and smiled slightly: "Flowers bloom and wither in their own time. Life is the same; why be so attached to it?"
Upon hearing this, he was struck by a thought, realizing that this princess was not only exceptionally beautiful but also remarkably intelligent. He felt even more certain that his decision was correct; to bring this beauty into his household would be a truly wonderful thing in life.
As they walked and chatted, they unknowingly arrived at a corner of the Imperial Garden. There was a secluded bamboo grove there; a gentle breeze rustled the bamboo leaves, creating a sound like heavenly music.
A melodious and pleasant sound of needles and whistles drifted from not far away, soothing and delightful.
The two turned their heads and saw a tall, handsome young man playing a jade flute, his fingers dancing across the holes like a nimble sprite.
His robes were spotless white, embroidered with intricate silver thread patterns, symbolizing his noble status.
The magnificent robes fluttered in the wind, like white clouds dancing, perfectly showcasing the immortal lord's transcendent temperament.
"Fifth brother, you didn't even tell your second brother you were coming back. That's not very nice of you." King Liang smiled and patted the man on the shoulder.
The man stopped playing, turned around, revealing a handsome face with a leisurely smile in his eyes.
He glanced at the Prince of Liang and said softly, "Second Brother, I only returned to the palace today and just went to pay my respects to Father. I passed by this place and saw such a picturesque scene that I couldn't help but play a tune here."
"Hmph, you're always so secretive." King Liang snorted, a smile playing on his lips. "This is Princess Xuanqing of Xuanyue Kingdom," he introduced.
"Greetings, Princess."
"I hope the Fifth Prince is well."
The fifth prince, Qi Yu, had his fate predicted by the Imperial Observatory since childhood. It was said that before he turned eighteen, he should frequently visit Xiangguo Temple to listen to sutras and worship Buddha in order to resolve the evil influence in his destiny.
Therefore, although Qi Yu was a prince, he often wore plain clothes and stayed at the temple.
As Meng Zhelan watched all sorts of people come and go, paying their respects to the Empress Dowager, she gradually became numb to it all.
Seeing Meng Zhelan's reaction, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but tease her, "Lan'er, you're such a young girl, all you do all day is fiddle with those prescriptions, getting covered in the smell of medicine, and you never go out to see the world. In this life, besides medicine, there are many beautiful things worth discovering and appreciating."
Meng Zhelan lowered her head slightly, smiled faintly, and replied, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is right; Zhelan will certainly remember it."
The Empress Dowager pinched her arm and said with a smile, "You silly child, you always know how to fool me. By the way, when is Xiaoxi returning to the capital?"
Yesterday she had Chen Quan transport all the antidote he had developed over there; it should have arrived by now.
"It's a crucial moment over there, she probably can't leave yet." Meng Zhelan glanced at the lake and noticed that a number of people were gathered there.
"That's true. Xiaoxi, though a girl, moves with the same grace as a man." The Empress Dowager was also looking forward to seeing her dressed as a girl.
Seeing that Meng Zhelan didn't respond, he curiously looked in the direction she was looking and asked, "What's wrong? What are you looking at?"
"I don't know, it looks quite lively, shall we go check it out?"
After they finished speaking, the two got up and walked there.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com