As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, just as dawn was breaking, Rouyin and Yinzhen, with the help of servants, donned the formal attire that had been prepared for them. The banquet was neither a typical family gathering nor the court dress required for an audience with the emperor; it could not be too simple, nor too elaborate. Both wore long, dark blue embroidered robes, clearly indicating that they were a married couple.
Rouyin wore a jade crown inlaid with rubies and adorned with emerald beads. She closed her eyes and let the maids apply her makeup. The maids looked at the princess's flawless face and were at a loss for where to begin. After hesitating for a moment, they picked up the rouge and gently applied a flower-shaped dot to Rouyin's face.
Yinzhen watched Rouyin from the side. With her delicate features and charming smile, she was more beautiful than any other woman in the world, even without makeup. A sense of unease welled up in his heart. He slowly rose and led the already dressed Rouyin to the carriage.
Yinzhen looked at Rouyin, who was wearing heavy clothing, and felt a pang of heartache. "Yin'er, you can take off your headdress now, and I'll put it back on you later." There was still some distance to the banquet, so there was no need to go to such trouble.
Rouyin blinked and smiled sweetly, "Thank you for your understanding, sir. It's inconvenient for me to remove my headdress. Please help me take it off." She then lowered her head naturally, turning slightly to reveal her fair and delicate neck, which was as smooth as porcelain with a faint blush, making one want to touch it.
Yinzhen couldn't help but gently stroke the back of Rouyin's neck with his hand, the movement so light that Rouyin barely noticed. He said in a slightly hoarse voice, "There's a little rouge on the back of Yin'er's neck, let me wipe it off for you." As he spoke, his Adam's apple bobbed unconsciously.
Before dawn, the banquet at Yonghe Palace had already been set up by the servants, and the stoves in the imperial kitchen were already burning with smoke.
When the banquet arrived, the ministers, accompanied by their wives, dressed in their official robes and wearing court beads, entered Yonghe Palace in an orderly fashion. Several princes had already arrived.
The Ninth Prince, dressed in a black embroidered robe, said jokingly, "I've heard that Fourth Brother and his new sister-in-law are deeply in love. In the past few months, he's even come to the archery range less often. His new sister-in-law must be a beautiful woman with a kind heart and a refined, elegant appearance." His tone was complimentary but subtly sarcastic, implying that the Fourth Prince was infatuated with beauty and had even neglected his studies.
The Eighth Prince gave the Ninth Prince a disapproving look and said to defuse the situation, "Fourth Brother and his new sister-in-law are newlyweds, so their relationship is naturally going well right now. You'll understand once you get married, Ninth Brother."
The eldest prince chuckled sarcastically upon hearing this. These brothers were only good at scheming and plotting behind the scenes; they would never amount to anything. Thinking this, he glared at the crown prince, who was casually drinking his wine.
"Fourth Prince and Fourth Princess Consort have arrived!" As the eunuch's sharp, trembling voice rang out, before anyone could even complain, they were already captivated by the beauty of the Fourth Princess Consort.
The ministers and guests turned to look at the source of the sound, curious to see what the princess consort who had captivated the famously cold and ruthless prince in the palace looked like.
Looking up, a woman, radiant as the autumn moon, stood amidst a breathtaking panorama. She wore an intricately adorned ruby crown and a light, elegant dark blue cheongsam. Even her dazzling attire paled in comparison to her exquisitely beautiful face. Her features were exquisitely beautiful, her eyes sparkling like water, her lips red and teeth white, her skin like jade, and her movements graceful and elegant. She was like a fairy descended to earth, ethereal and otherworldly, exuding a rare and captivating charm. The Ninth Prince's praise underestimated the Fourth Princess's beauty.
For a moment, the banquet fell into a silent, almost murmured, gazes burning with greed as they were fixed on the exceptionally talented Rouyin. Rouyin instinctively tugged at Yinzhen's sleeve, seeking reassurance. Yinzhen, who had been carefully observing Rouyin, immediately grasped her cold, icy hand, offering comfort before his face hardened and his eyes silently warned those around him who were acting recklessly and arrogantly. A murderous intent rose within him.
The tense atmosphere was instantly broken, and the banquet returned to its usual cheerful atmosphere, though the occasional glances cast towards the beautiful, angelic Rouyin confirmed the change.
The Crown Prince, who was holding the teacup, had spilled most of it without anyone noticing. His eyes, which were fixed on Rouyin, held an almost imperceptible heat and ambition. Before Yinzhen could notice, he quietly turned his gaze away as if he were carefully observing the dishes.
The Ninth Prince clicked his tongue and said in a voice almost inaudible to outsiders, "Fourth Brother is really lucky. He was raised by the Imperial Noble Consort and also has such a beauty." Upon hearing this, Wang Jiande, the eunuch serving the Ninth Prince, lowered his head even further, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes.
The Eighth Prince seemed to be seriously sipping a cup of tea, but the water level in the cup did not drop at all.
Before long, the eunuch's shrill voice rang out again: "His Majesty and the Imperial Noble Consort have arrived!" This time there was no mistake, and everyone stood up to pay their respects.
Whether it was Rouyin's imagination or not, she felt that the Emperor paused for a second as he passed by her, and she silently lowered her head even more respectfully.
As Kangxi's majestic voice rang out, "Everyone, please rise," everyone stood up.
Even the Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia, seated at the head of the table, was somewhat shocked. She rubbed her eyes and asked the old nanny Wu beside her, "Is this Ulanara Rouyin? She was already beautiful, but now she's grown into a fairy!"
“Yes, Your Highness, the one sitting next to the Fourth Prince can only be the Fourth Princess Consort,” Wu Mama replied, equally shocked.
Consort Tongjia couldn't help but look at His Majesty, only to meet Emperor Kangxi's cold and gloomy gaze. Startled, she immediately lowered her head. When she looked at him again, the man, who exuded an imposing aura, had a slight smile on his lips, and the coldness from before had vanished.
The ministers and prime ministers seated below secretly sighed, lamenting that such a beauty might bring disaster. He continued to toast others with a cheerful demeanor.
Rouyin looked at the table of cold dishes and lost her appetite. Palace banquets always consisted of cold dishes to avoid mistakes, a tradition passed down through generations, but the taste was definitely not good. She looked at the chicken soup with a layer of oil floating on it and felt nauseous. Seeing this, Yinzhen placed a plate of pastries on the table and said softly, "Yin'er, have some pastries to tide you over. You can eat the rest when we get back."
"Alright, Master, eat less of these cold dishes, lest you upset your stomach," Rouyin instructed.
Watching the Fourth Prince and his wife whisper intimately, one can only imagine how many people's thoughts and desires were burned.
The banquet lasted until evening before everyone left, but the reputation of the Fourth Prince's wife spread far and wide, inspiring longing in many.
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