That year, Voltaire was 16 years old and Saiya was 15 years old.
Inside the Ziguang Pavilion, Emperor Qianlong and his entourage were all seated.
Emperor Qianlong sat facing the main gate. To his left were Qi Ke'er and Saiya, and to his right were Yongqi and other princes. Behind them were Fu Lun, Fu Heng and other ministers, as well as Fu Erkang and Fu Ertai.
As the music of Zhonghe Shao began, the dancers entered.
"Zikel, the food in front of you should be your kind of food, right?"
Upon hearing this, Ziker looked at the various delicacies laid out on the table—snacks, milk tea, and all sorts of dishes—and laughed heartily, “Your Majesty, I can tell how delicious this tastes just by smelling it.”
"These things were all made by Yongqi together with the people from the Imperial Kitchen and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices." Qianlong said with great pride that Yongqi, a prince, could also cook delicious food.
"Really?" Ziker looked up at Yongqi sitting opposite him, only to see Yongqi diligently serving food to Xiaoyanzi.
Xiao Yanzi noticed Qi Ke'er's gaze and quickly pointed Yong Qi at Qi Ke'er. Yong Qi calmly replied, "Please excuse my rudeness, Your Highness."
He wasn't embarrassed at all and continued feeding the little swallow.
Ziker laughed heartily, "Good, good, good! The Fifth Prince is indeed first-rate! Saiya, if you're going to choose a husband, it has to be someone like him."
Qi Ke'er has always valued Saiya, and naturally hopes that the consort Saiya chooses will be someone who is good to her. If Yongqi hadn't already been married, he would have been Qi Ke'er's first choice.
Saiya was stunned by the way Yongqi doted on Xiaoyanzi.
"Little Swallow, you have hands and feet, why do you need him to feed you? You're not a child anymore..."
Saiya's bluntness naturally made everyone else feel a little awkward, including Xiao Yanzi.
Yongqi replied, "Once Princess Saiya finds her destined one, she will naturally know the true meaning of this."
Emperor Qianlong smiled and looked at Xiao Yanzi, asking, "Speaking of which, Xiao Yanzi, you still haven't told me how you and Saiya met?"
Little Swallow slowly said a few words, "If I remember correctly, it was early spring three years ago, when I was traveling with my master. When we passed through the Horqin Grassland, we happened to see Princess Saiya being bullied, so I stepped in to help her..."
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The specific details are that when Saiya was 12 years old, she didn't want to be followed, so she deliberately shook off her servants and went out to play by herself.
Later, a seemingly refined man handed Saiya a cup of milk tea. Saiya, caught off guard, drank it, and then the problem arose…
This man was not exactly unknown, but because he longed for Saiya, he disguised himself and appeared by Saiya's side. He originally wanted to wait a few more years, but Saiya's fame was too great, and too many people wanted to marry her. So he decided to take a risk and force the issue first, so that even if Ziker and Saiya were unwilling, they would have to agree.
Just as he was about to commit his evil deeds, Xiao Yanzi and her master appeared and chased the man away.
When Saiya woke up, she learned that Xiao Yanzi and her master had saved her. She wanted to thank them, but Xiao Yanzi declined and then disappeared. Saiya had been trying to find Xiao Yanzi, but Xiao Yanzi had not left any clues about her identity, so even if she wanted to find her, she had no way to do so.
Later, when Saiya was two or three years older, the man intervened again. Although Xiao Yanzi was not present, her subordinates saved Saiya once more by chance, and that's how the little friendship between Xiao Yanzi and Saiya was established.
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However, because this experience was too embarrassing, Saiya had made Xiaoyanzi swear long ago that she would never tell anyone about it, so she didn't go into details about what happened...
Emperor Qianlong laughed and said, "So it was a scene of a beauty saving another beauty. Little Swallow, you are really lucky. You saved a princess with just a casual act."
Little Swallow nodded. "I am indeed very lucky, but my greatest luck is meeting Yongqi. If it weren't for Yongqi, I wouldn't be who I am today."
Hearing this, Fu Ertai, sitting in the back row, felt as if his heart had been struck again.
He was speechless. What kind of occasion was this? It was an occasion to welcome a Mongolian prince, and he actually had to endure Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi's public displays of affection? Where was justice?
Saiya noticed Voltaire's expression and thought to herself, "Why is this man so strange? Such a wonderful banquet, why does he look so gloomy?"
Fultai, seething with resentment, seemed to sense someone watching him. He immediately looked back and found Saiya looking at him curiously. Fultai's face instantly turned as red as an apple. Saiya couldn't help but laugh when she saw the change in Fultai's face.
Both Qianlong and Ziker looked at Saiya with curiosity. Ziker asked, "Saiya, what's wrong?"
"That person is so cute." Saiya pointed to Fultai's location, and everyone's eyes followed. Fultai immediately wanted to crawl into a hole and leave.
"I've never seen a man's face turn that red, like a monkey's bottom..."
Voltaire: "..."
What should he say? What should he do?
Yongqi watched the two's actions meaningfully, thinking to himself, "It seems I don't need to do anything more; their story has already begun."
In this way, Fu Ertai would no longer have to complain about those of them who have wives.
Emperor Qianlong, being an experienced man, naturally saw through Fu'ertai's thoughts and was pleased. "Ertai, Princess Saiya is new to the capital and probably not very familiar with it. Why don't you take her around the capital?"
Emperor Qianlong personally created this opportunity for them; if Fu'ertai didn't seize it in time, he would truly be a fool.
After a long pause, Fortaire looked at Saiya and said, "If the princess doesn't mind, I can certainly show her around the capital."
"Okay, okay." Since someone was going to play with her, and it was that same handsome young man who had blushed earlier, Saiya naturally had no problem with it.
However, before they went to the capital to stroll around, they had to take care of the martial arts tournament first.
At the martial arts tournament, representatives from both the Qing Dynasty and Mongolia went to the arena to compete. Naturally, Xiao Yanzi and her friends were among the many who would watch such an exciting moment.
The martial arts tournament was scheduled for November 28th, just a few days after the Empress Dowager's birthday.
The arena had already been set up, the audience had already taken their seats, and the warriors participating in the competition were also patiently waiting in their respective waiting areas.
Yongqi had already arranged for the Qi'er Lideng team to cheer for the Qing Dynasty.
(The format of the martial arts tournament is similar to that in the drama, so I won't go into details.)
The difference was that when Saiya went on stage, Yongqi pushed Fuertai up, shouting, "Go, Fuertai!"
Fortaire was slightly embarrassed. He had already become interested in Saiya, and if he let her lose, wouldn't that lower his own image?
But if he loses to Saiya, neither his father nor the emperor will forgive him easily!
"What are you still standing there for? Are you worried that I, the princess, will lose to you? I don't need you to give way to me!"
As Saiya spoke, her whip lashed out at Fu Ertai. "Show me your true skills. Only by defeating this princess will you be worthy to be my consort."
If even she can't beat him, what use is a man to her?
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