Qu Feiqing and Xiahou An'er followed the steward into the gate of the Sea Prince's Mansion. They saw that the servant who was waiting at the gate actually raised his arm to stop the several maids following them. Qu Feiqing was puzzled and looked at the steward with a puzzled look in her eyes. She said in a slightly cold tone, "What does this mean?"
Facing Qu Feiqing's question, the housekeeper simply smiled slightly and then replied, "To answer Miss Qu, there are many guests today. The prince and princess are worried about neglecting you all, so they have already prepared maids to serve you. This is to prevent the maids and servants of the young ladies and gentlemen from not knowing the way to the Sea Palace and causing trouble. Please forgive me. The maids of the young ladies and princess can go to the side hall on the right side of the palace to rest. The servants of the palace are already waiting in the side hall. Miss and princess don't have to worry."
"Why make so much trouble? How can our maid be served by the people in the palace? It's better for her to follow us. It's just some work like adding tea and water, and she won't wander around the palace." After listening to the housekeeper's explanation, Qu Feiqing frowned slightly. She didn't understand when such a rule was added to the Haiwang Palace. She felt a little funny in her heart and refused.
Seeing Qu Feiqing's refusal, the housekeeper remained calm and continued, "Miss Qu, there's no need to be so polite. Today is our prince's birthday. The princess, the crown prince, the duke, and several other young masters all hope that the prince will have a comfortable birthday. That's why they dismissed the maids and servants from other mansions and only kept the servants from our Sea Prince's Mansion to serve. It's probably because these servants are familiar with the rules of the Sea Prince's Mansion and are easy to use."
The housekeeper's tongue was sharp, and without a single word of refusal, he had already shut Qu Feiqing's mouth. Although Qu Feiqing was a distinguished guest, Hai Quan was still the King of Western Chu. Today was also Hai Quan's birthday. Who would dare to displease the King of Chu on such a day?
For a moment, the wrinkles between Qu Feiqing's eyebrows became more and more obvious. She exchanged glances with Xiahou An'er silently, and then turned her gaze to the several maids standing behind her. These people were all guards specially selected by Meng'er to protect them.
But what the housekeeper said just now was really watertight. Qu Feiqing was only the eldest daughter of the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion, so naturally she could not give orders to the steward of the Prince of the Sea's Mansion.
"In that case, you guys go to the side hall and wait." Qu Feiqing glanced at the temporary side hall built on the right side of the main gate of the Sea King's Mansion and instructed the maids in a calm voice.
"Yes." Several maids glanced at the steward, seeing the impeccable smile on his face. Seeing that Qu Feiqing had already given the order, they could only nod in agreement. They bowed to Qu Feiqing and Xiahou An'er before turning and leaving.
"Miss Qu, Princess, please come this way." Seeing Qu Feiqing and Xiahou An'er turn around and face the Sea Palace again, the butler smiled and respectfully invited them to go inside.
Qu Feiqing nodded slightly and walked into the Sea King's Palace with Xiahou An'er.
Along the way, there are birds singing and flowers blooming everywhere. There are also many rare flowers that are unique to Yangmingshan. They are all displayed in the garden because of Neptune’s birthday. It is really beautiful and dazzling.
The green hills behind the Sea King's Palace are shrouded in misty clouds. A ray of golden sunlight breaks through the clouds and shines on the earth, making people feel like they are in a fairyland and reluctant to leave.
"Miss Qu and Princess Xiahou, please rest in Suiyi Garden for a while. The banquet can start when all the guests are here." The butler brought the two of them to Suiyi Garden and ordered the maids to serve two cups of hot tea before politely leaving.
"This Sea Prince's Palace is truly priceless. Those flowers displayed in the garden's front hall are truly priceless treasures." As a princess of the Xiahou clan, Xiahou An'er had some discernment. Those neatly arranged pots of flowers and plants were not only pleasing to the eye, but also incredibly valuable in their own right. Although she had accompanied Yun Qianmeng to a wedding banquet at the Sea Prince's Palace once before, she had never imagined the Palace's power was so immense. It was truly astonishing.
Upon hearing this, Qu Feiqing merely smiled. She had long since experienced the power of the Sea Prince's Palace. Not only was it as wealthy as a nation, but even within it lay hidden mysteries. Miss Mei, from the Minister of Works' household, had once said that everything within the Sea Prince's Palace was constructed according to the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams. If this were true, they couldn't wander around without permission, lest they stumble into the Eight Trigrams and become trapped. However, the Sea Prince's Palace had always been known for its low profile, so their high-profile actions today were truly surprising. She wondered what the Sea Prince was planning.
"That's strange. It was clearly Princess Qian who sent the invitation, but she didn't come out to see you." The two, led by the housekeeper, arrived at Suiyi Garden, only to find that there were only guests inside, no host. And Xiahou An'er had clearly received the invitation from Princess Qian, yet she didn't come to greet the guests. It was truly amusing. Qu Feiqing glanced at the guests who had arrived in the garden and whispered to Xiahou An'er.
"Without her coming, we're free." Xiahou An'er snorted coldly, her clear eyes finding Han Yu sitting beside her. She lowered her voice and said to Qu Feiqing, "The Dowager Concubine Yuande was attacked and injured in the Imperial Mausoleum. Brother Qu, as the Minister of Justice, accompanied Prince Chen to the Imperial Mausoleum to investigate. They left for the Imperial Mausoleum last night, and Han Xiang also accompanied them."
Qu Feiqing followed Xiahou An'er's lead and found Han Yu in a corner. She smiled politely at Han Yu and then remembered that Han Che, as the left prime minister, was also sent to the imperial mausoleum by the emperor.
However, letting the left prime minister of a country take care of such matters may mean that the emperor has ulterior motives.
"Good morning, Sister Qu, and Princess Xiahou." The two were whispering about matters in the court when Han Yu came over and greeted them with a smile on her face.
"Miss Han, please take a seat. You're sitting there alone, you must be bored." Qu Feiqing recalled what Meng'er had said to her last time. She was always curious about this Miss Han. What kind of woman could make her eldest brother so angry made Qu Feiqing very curious. Especially when she was squeezed by Qu Jingqing last time in the Sea Palace, Han Yu also stood on her side, which made Qu Feiqing even more curious about Han Yu's intentions.
Unexpectedly, Han Yu's clever eyes first glanced around, and then asked in confusion: "Minister Qu went to the imperial mausoleum with my brother, but no one is protecting Sister Qu. Sister Qu and Princess Xiahou are both as beautiful as flowers. If no one protects them, they will easily suffer."
Upon hearing this, Qu Feiqing and Xiahou An'er laughed at the same time, feeling that Han Yu's clever words were so sweet. Not only did she praise them, but she also brought them closer together.
"The emperor's order is hard to disobey! Isn't Prime Minister Han also very busy and unable to take care of everything? Besides, he has servants to protect him, so there is no need to worry." Qu Feiqing answered Han Yu's question, but changed the subject without leaving a trace.
When Han Yu heard Qu Feiqing asking about her brother, her big round eyes immediately turned to Qu Feiqing, as if she wanted to see some strange emotions from her expression.
After observing for a long time, Han Yu only realized that Qu Feiqing was only asking about her brother out of courtesy. She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but she smiled faintly and replied, "The Emperor sent my brother and Minister Qu to the Imperial Mausoleum. I'm afraid they won't be back today."
Hearing her frankness, Qu Feiqing and Xiahou An'er exchanged a glance of surprise. These were matters of state, none of which a woman could weigh in on, and they had discussed them in whispers. Unexpectedly, Han Yu showed no wariness towards them at all. Was it her indolence or her youth that made her unable to grasp the gravity of this matter? It was quite intriguing.
Han Yu didn't care about the expressions in the two people's eyes. She still sat at the table with a smile on her face, admiring the guests in Suiyi Garden.
"Sister Qu, Prince Hai is so influential. I'm afraid all the dignitaries in the capital are gathered here today." As more and more people came to Suiyi Garden, Han Yu couldn't help but speak in surprise.
Originally, Suiyi Garden was very spacious, but Hai Quan unexpectedly invited so many people to his birthday party. Although they were all young masters and daughters from wealthy families, with almost no one absent from the party, all of them came to the Sea Palace, which made Suiyi Garden seem a little cramped.
Hearing the admiration in Han Yu's tone, Qu Feiqing smiled elegantly, and with a gentle gaze, she glanced at the guests who had already arrived in Suiyi Garden. She said lightly, "The Sea King's status is different, so everyone will naturally show him favor."
Hai Quan was a veteran of three dynasties, no less powerful than the royal princes such as Prince Chen and Prince Duan. Furthermore, Hai Quan held military power. Although he had lived in seclusion for many years, his influence was still immense, and naturally, no one would dislike him.
However, it was unexpected that the Sea King's Palace invited so many guests today. This number of people was several times more than the last time the son of Hai Yue held his first birthday banquet. Could it be that all the nobles in the capital were invited?
"I didn't see Qu Jingqing." At this time, Xiahou An'er, who had already looked around at all the guests, spoke in a low voice.
She raised her hand, pointed in the direction of Wu Qinqin, and spoke again, "The last time we came to the Sea King's Mansion, Qu Jingqing and Wu Qinqin were very close and seemed to be very good friends. I didn't expect that today, Wu Qinqin was the only one sitting alone at the table."
Qu Feiqing and Han Yu looked towards Wu Qinqin's seat, and indeed saw that only Wu Qinqin was sitting at the table, and the usually arrogant Qu Jingqing was indeed not in Suiyi Garden.
At this time, Han Yu withdrew his gaze from Wu Qinqin and chuckled with his hands covering his mouth.
"What's so happy? Is there any story behind this?" Qu Feiqing saw that Han Yu was chuckling about Qu Jingqing, and then asked.
Han Yu lifted the blue and white porcelain tea bowl in front of her, her eyes sweeping over the emerald green tea in the bowl as she spoke softly, "Prince Chen voluntarily handed over the Sparrow Talisman yesterday and went to the Imperial Mausoleum. This really upset the Minister of Revenue. Sister Qu and the Princess also know that Qu Jingqing's long-cherished wish was to marry into Prince Chen's mansion, and the Minister of Revenue had placed his stake on Prince Chen. He never expected such a thing to happen at this critical moment, leaving the Minister of Revenue disheartened and dejected. I heard that Qu Jingqing even threw a tantrum at home, so he certainly won't come to the Sea Prince's mansion today to embarrass himself."
After hearing Han Yu's explanation, Qu Feiqing's eyes flickered with surprise, partly out of concern for Qu Jingqing's future and partly because of Han Yu's well-informedness. A young girl, barely six months old, possessed the ability to inquire into the affairs of other people's walls and boudoirs—truly something not to be underestimated.
At this time, a beautiful and graceful maid walked quickly into Suiyi Garden. She raised her soft eyes and glanced at the guests. After finding the person she was looking for, a hint of joy suddenly appeared in her watery eyes, and she immediately walked towards her target.
"This servant greets Princess Xiahou." Unexpectedly, the maid was looking for Xiahou An'er. She was graceful, with a gentle smile on her face, and she slowly bowed to Xiahou An'er, instantly attracting the attention of the nobles and dukes in Suiyi Garden.
But in this small world, the essence of heaven and earth was gathered: a stunningly beautiful princess of a foreign race, a dignified and elegant daughter of a noble family, a newly-eminent young lady in the court, and a gorgeous maid in the palace. It was truly a feast for the eyes, and for a moment, everyone's attention was drawn to it, and they could no longer look away.
"What's the matter?" Xiahou An'er didn't like so many people focusing their attention on her. Her expression turned slightly cold, but she asked the maid in a dignified and polite manner.
The maid saw some displeasure in Xiahou An'er's attitude, but she smiled indifferently and then said to her in a voice that everyone could hear, "Princess, I am the maidservant of Prince Qian's wife. Prince Qian has something personal to discuss with you, so she sent me to invite you to the backyard."
Upon hearing this, not only did Xiahou An'er's expression turn completely cold, but even the smiles in Qu Feiqing and Han Yu's eyes disappeared without a trace.
Qu Feiqing looked up and down at the beautiful maid in front of her. She saw that she had a slim figure, a pretty face, and her words and deeds were full of picturesque temperament. Not to mention that the young masters of Suiyi Garden would be attracted to her, even she herself looked at her twice more.
Princess Qian sent such a beautiful maid to invite An'er, obviously wanting to attract everyone's attention first so that An'er would not be able to refuse.
What exactly was Princess Qian planning? Furthermore, the backyard of the Sea Prince's Mansion was where everyone lived and worked. How could An'er, a young lady who hadn't even married yet, enter someone else's residence at will?
Sure enough, as soon as the beautiful maid finished speaking, her gaze on Xiahou An'er became a little strange.
Xiahou An'er's hands, resting flat on her knees, tightened slightly, but she raised her head indifferently and calmly declined, "Thank you for your kindness, Princess. However, it is not my place to set foot in the backyard of the Sea Prince's Mansion. I beg your forgiveness."
After saying this, Xiahou An'er didn't even glance at the beautiful maid anymore. Instead, he picked up the teacup in front of him and sipped the tea. His expression was cold and solemn with a hint of displeasure and anger.
But how could that beautiful maid be sent away so easily?
After hearing Xiahou An'er's refusal, her eyes suddenly misted over. She looked pitiful, as if she had been bullied by Xiahou An'er. Her voice was filled with grievance, "Princess, if you don't go, the Crown Prince's Consort will definitely blame me for my incompetence. Please don't make things difficult for me."
As she spoke, the maid lowered her head, and crystal clear tears fell from her eyes, dripping onto the light pink hem of her skirt, staining it with light tear stains. The maid rubbed her handkerchief helplessly, looking at Xiahou An'er with great anxiety, but she didn't dare to offend her.
Xiahou An'er paused in drinking tea, and suddenly a nameless anger surged in her heart. She finally realized that Princess Qian had bad intentions. She could only blame herself for being too careless and taking a wrong step. Just as she was thinking about how to get rid of the beautiful maid beside her, she felt a frivolous and suspicious gaze coming towards her, which was different from others.
Glancing slightly to the side, Xiahou An'er saw Hai Chenxi, dressed in a snow-blue brocade robe with cloud patterns, striding towards them. A cold murderous look flashed in Hai Chenxi's dark eyes. Without waiting for the beautiful maid to salute, everyone heard Hai Chenxi speak gloomily, "On the day of our father's great wedding, you are weeping here. Are you deliberately trying to bring bad luck to him? Come, take him away and beat him to death!"
As soon as Hai Chenxi said this, Suiyi Garden suddenly became as quiet as midnight. No one dared to speak, and no one dared to step forward to persuade.
The maid hadn't expected to meet Hai Chenxi at this moment, and when she heard the words "beaten to death" from Hai Chenxi, her face turned pale, her body twisted, and she knelt in front of Hai Chenxi, begging bitterly, "Your Majesty, spare my life. I only came here to invite Princess Xiahou on the orders of the Crown Prince's wife. I have no other intentions. Please spare my life! Besides, you just said that today is the prince's birthday, how could you kill someone? Please, for the sake of my life, spare my life this time. I will never dare to do it again!"
After saying this, the beautiful maid no longer dared to cry in front of Hai Chenxi. She held back the tears in her eyes and kowtowed to Hai Chenxi, begging for mercy.
However, Hai Chenxi had no sympathy for such a tearful face. He only sneered and said coldly, "Since it is a worthless life, I am afraid it cannot offend my father's joy. Come, drag it away, stuff a cloth around it, and beat it to death."
However, Hai Chenxi did not have the slightest sympathy for the beautiful maid. With a wave of his hand, the guards standing behind him stepped forward, stuffed a handkerchief into the maid's mouth, and dragged the struggling maid away.
After seeing Hai Chenxi's methods, everyone looked at each other in confusion, no one spoke. Xiahou An'er's face turned slightly pale, and she looked at Hai Chenxi with a slight shock in her eyes, but found that he was also staring at her with a cold face.
However, Hai Chenxi turned around and left Suiyi Garden very quickly, leaving behind the guests who had not yet recovered from what had just happened.
Seeing Hai Chenxi leave, there was a burst of whispers in the garden. Everyone's eyes suddenly looked at Xiahou An'er, and then they lowered their heads to talk in low voices.
"It's okay, it's just an accident." Qu Feiqing felt a little cold in her heart, and a bad premonition gradually sprouted in her heart. No matter what the reason was for Hai Chenxi to take action just now, she was afraid that An'erjun would be involved in the fight between the Prince of the Sea and the Prince of Hai.
Xiahou An'er understood all this in her heart. She only saw her eyebrows slightly furrowed and her hands clenched into fists.
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