Miaoyu said softly: "Yes, the eunuch in front of the palace just came to report that it is indeed the case."

Concubine Zhen twirled her silk handkerchief with her fingers, her face slightly tense. "Prince Qi's Mansion and Mo'er have never had any contact, and their relationship is cold. Anle and Mo'er don't even say a few words to each other, so why would they suddenly invite Miss Ning Liu to appreciate the flowers? If you want to give face, it should be me who gives it, how can it be the turn of the two of them?"

Concubine Zhen was puzzled and kept thinking about the possible reasons when a voice came from outside the palace.

"The Imperial Concubine has arrived—"

Concubine Zhen restrained her expression, stood up to greet her, and bowed: "Sister, are you done with your work?"

The Imperial Concubine held her hands and smiled, "I just dealt with two broken lamps and came late. Why do you look unhappy? Are you worried about the Third Prince?"

"How can I not be worried!" Concubine Zhen lowered her head and sat with the Imperial Concubine, sighing slightly, "Mo'er returned triumphantly, and as a mother, I should have been happy, but in the blink of an eye, he brought a little girl and clamored to marry her. How could he care about the etiquette of his parents?"

"What did your majesty say?" The Imperial Concubine looked at Concubine Zhen and saw that she was so worried. She had a guess in her mind, "Could it be..."

"Your Majesty has agreed!" Concubine Zhen said in an unfriendly tone.

The Imperial Concubine lowered her eyes and patted her hand gently: "Relax, I just heard Dai Yan say that Anle took Miss Ning Liu to see Princess Qi, maybe there will be a turn for the better."

Concubine Zhen still frowned: "Your Majesty has agreed, what can be the turning point?"

The two of them exchanged some private words, and as the palace banquet began, they went to the hall, where they happened to run into Princess Qi and several others, especially Ning Shuyu.

Although Concubine Zhen looked down on Ning Shuyu's status as a concubine's daughter of a fourth-rank official, she was the woman her son loved after all, and she could not lose face in public.

"Your humble servant pays homage to Her Majesty the Imperial Noble Consort, Her Majesty Zhen, long live the Emperor's blessings." Ning Shuyu bowed politely.

The daughters of various wealthy families around were either staring intently or pricking up their ears, all watching Ning Shuyu's excitement.

"Stand up." The Imperial Concubine exempted everyone from the formalities and said to Concubine Zhen with a slight tilt of her head, "Miss Ning Liu is a beautiful girl, and looks like a blessed person."

Concubine Zhen smiled and waved to Ning Shuyu: "Come here, child, let me take a closer look. Mo'er is a rude boy, but he has a very good eye. He chose a beautiful woman."

Ning Shuyu walked forward cautiously, lowered her head slightly, and did not dare to look at Concubine Zhen.

The daughters of various families twisted their handkerchiefs jealously, staring at Ning Shuyu with eyes full of reluctance.

"What books has Sixth Miss Ning read?" Concubine Zhen looked at Ning Shuyu with a smile.

Ning Shuyu replied: "Your Majesty, I have read the Four Books and Five Classics and can recognize some large characters."

Just as Concubine Zhen was about to speak, the Imperial Concubine beside her interrupted with a chuckle: "Sister, if you want to test your daughter-in-law, it won't be too late to do it carefully after the banquet is over and we return to the palace. Don't delay the Third Prince's celebration banquet today!"

Imperial Concubine Zhen curved her lips and pulled up her robes: "I like to chat with young girls about interesting things in books. I forgot the occasion. Thank you Imperial Concubine for reminding me."

Everyone took their seats according to their assigned seats, and amid the sound of drums and music, there were a few voices talking.

Until Helian Su and Helian Mo arrived, the hall was completely silent, with only the sounds of kneeling and shouting.

Helian Su glanced in the direction of Ning Shuyu, then lifted his robe and sat on the main seat.

Helian Su glanced at everyone and said, "Stand up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Helian Su first praised him and then asked Helian Mo what reward he wanted after returning victoriously.

Helian Mo stood up from the table and knelt in the hall: "It is my son's responsibility to pacify the border and relieve my father's worries. I dare not ask for rewards."

Everyone: “…”

Wasn't he the one who asked for Miss Ning Liu's hand in marriage on the street? Helian Su clapped his hands and said, "Good! You are worthy of being my prince! But the law of rewards and punishments cannot be abolished. I know you don't like gold and jade, and I also know a little about the rumors on the street."

"You have reached the age to get married, but you have been busy with military affairs and have been putting it off. Now that you have someone you like, I will help you get married."

Helian Mo's heart was beating wildly, and his throat was sticky. Thinking that he had gotten his beloved woman and avoided her miserable end, he couldn't help but get excited: "Thank you, father, for your grace!"

Ning Shuyu didn't expect it to be so smooth. She was just called to appreciate the flowers with Princess Qi and Princess Anle. Apart from having a cup of tea, she didn't say anything. She thought the two of them wanted to give her a warning, but nothing happened.

She didn't dare to think too much and hurried forward to express her gratitude.

The two men knelt together, one black and one white, one tall and one short, looking awkward no matter how you looked at them.

Helian Su glanced at Concubine Zhen and wondered in his heart, Concubine Zhen is still so beautiful, how come she gave birth to a piece of black charcoal?

Back then, when he was fighting enemies on the frontier, he wasn’t as dark as the third brother!

Miss Ning Liu’s look...isn’t that okay?

Helian Su gathered his spirits and said to Ning Shuyu with a dignified look, "The King of Qi was chatting with me just now, and he mentioned that you and the Princess of Qi met. The King of Qi and his wife have no daughter, only one son, and you and the Princess of Qi are destined to be together. The couple wants to adopt you as their adopted daughter. What do you think?"

Ning Shuyu was stunned, as if a big pie had fallen on her head. Before she could say anything, Helian Mo, who was kneeling in front of her, poked her arm and made faces.

Ning Shuyu's eyelids twitched, and she quickly knelt to express her gratitude: "It is an honor for your Majesty to be so kind."

The King of Qi and his wife stood up at the right time and thanked him. The King of Qi took the opportunity to bow and said, "Your Majesty, since the Sixth Girl has become my adopted daughter and is about to marry the Third Prince, I dare to ask for the title of Princess for the Sixth Girl so that she can marry with great fanfare!"

Once these words were spoken, countless people became jealous.

Concubine Zhen stared at Helian Su blankly, and only after being reminded by Miaoyu did she retract her shocked expression.

Ning Shuyu was dizzy. She had never expected that in just one day, she was betrothed to the Third Prince, and even became the adopted daughter of Prince Qi's Mansion, and was going to become a princess.

The banquet was spent in a strange atmosphere of bitterness and joy, and the happiest people were Helian Mo and Ning Shuyu.

Imperial Garden.

"Ning Xiaoliu, you have fallen into my hands in this life! My father has arranged the marriage for you, and you can't escape even if you want to!" Helian Mo held Ning Shuyu's hand tightly, looking at her with burning eyes.

The palace maids serving around lowered their heads and dared not look around.

Ning Shuyu curved her lips, smiling with tears in her eyes: "Your Highness, I never thought that this day would come."

The best outcome she could think of was that she would be carried into his backyard in a sedan chair and become his concubine.

She never dared to dream of becoming the queen.

"Ning Xiaoliu, there are no outsiders here now, so don't be so polite." Helian Mo has been in the army for a long time and doesn't like to beat around the bush, especially when facing his beloved. He can't accept her respectful appearance. "You call me Heizi, I don't mind."

Ning Shuyu shook her head. They were now in the palace, and what they said would surely reach the ears of those important figures, so they had to be cautious.

"The palace rules are strict, and a servant cannot overstep the boundaries."

Helian Mo didn't care about it. He knew that she had a hard time surviving at home when she was young, so it was not surprising that she developed such a cautious personality.

"The Emperor has issued an order that after the Imperial Master returns to the capital, an auspicious date will be set for you and me to get married."

Helian Mo moved closer, his hot masculine aura enveloping Ning Shuyu, staring into her frightened eyes as if he were staring at a weak prey that had fallen into a trap.

"Miss Ning, are you willing to marry me?"