292, Birthday Banquet
292, Birthday Banquet
Beijun Pingzhou
After entering the winter month, the snow in the north became heavier, the wind and snow outside the Great Wall became stronger, the Hu people outside also calmed down a little, and the war between the two sides stopped temporarily.
After receiving the news from his family, Zhao Lang remembered that his mother's birthday was approaching. When his mother's birthday was approaching, he asked for leave from General Shangguan Li and returned to Prince Ding's Mansion from the military camp.
The next day after he returned home was his mother's birthday.
As a son, it was impossible for him not to attend his mother's birthday party. However, when Zhao Lang saw the well-dressed woman with her daughter coming up to greet him for the umpteenth time, how could he not see the purpose of his mother's banquet?
He felt a little annoyed about this, but he couldn't show it on his face. He still had to maintain the demeanor of the Prince of Ding.
"This must be the prince, right? After seeing him today, I can see that he is indeed a rare talent." Today, the wife of the prefect, Wang, was also invited by Princess Ding to come to the Ding Palace with her unmarried daughter to attend the banquet.
Upon seeing the Prince of Ding, the prefect's wife, Lady Wang, revealed a look of satisfaction. This young man, both in status and appearance, was worthy of their daughter. Although the Prince of Ding had been held hostage in Kyoto Prefecture for years, he was finally back, wasn't he? With no signs of Kyoto Prefecture causing trouble for the Prince of Ding's Mansion, it seemed the matter was over.
Moreover, if the marriage between the two families could be accomplished, it would be a great thing for her husband and the Marquis's Mansion.
Following next to the prefect's wife was none other than the prefect's daughter, Li Nianxin, the third Miss Li.
Miss Li San was only sixteen years old, a beautiful woman, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and renowned among the ladies of the nobility for her talent. Her father, a legitimate son of a marquisate, had risen to the rank of prefect of the fourth rank through his own merits. After his current term, he would likely be transferred back to Kyoto Prefecture to serve as an official, and his future was certain to be a meteoric rise.
Her mother was the wife of the prefect, and was also a lady from a prominent family.
She herself is the legitimate daughter of the prefect and the legitimate daughter of the marquis. There are countless ladies outside who want to marry her to their sons as their principal wife.
However, the prefect's wife, Wang, looked down upon the young masters of Beijun, believing that these military commanders were not worthy of her daughter, which was why her daughter's marriage had been delayed until now. It was only today, after meeting the prince of Dingwang Mansion, that Mrs. Wang felt that Prince Zhao was the best candidate for her son-in-law.
Miss Li San herself also had the same idea.
"My daughter greets the prince." Miss Li San blushed when she saw the handsome prince of Prince Ding, but her shy eyes could not help but look at the prince.
Knowing that her eldest son had just returned home and didn't recognize these ladies, Princess Ding introduced them to her eldest son: "Lang'er, this is the wife of the prefect, Madam Wang. And the one next to her is their third daughter, Miss Li."
Although he felt somewhat annoyed, Zhao Lang still gave his mother enough face in such an occasion. With a distant yet polite look on his face, he nodded slightly to the guests and said, "Madam Wang, Miss Li San."
"Madam Wang, Sister Xin, come and sit down." Princess Ding looked at the third daughter of the prefect's family and nodded slightly. After meeting so many girls from other families today, she thought that the third daughter, Li, was her favorite.
"Thank you, Princess." The prefect's wife, Mrs. Wang, thanked her and led her daughter to the seat reserved for them and sat down.
Zhao Lang saw that his mother was trying to match him with the young lady from the prefectural government. Before his mother could say anything, he stood up and said, "Mother, it's inconvenient for me to be here. You and the ladies can have tea and chat here. I'll go for a walk outside."
"Okay, then take Sister Xin to stroll in the garden. This is Sister Xin's first time visiting our house, so you should do your best to be a good host." Princess Ding could see that her eldest son was unhappy, but compared to her eldest son's lifelong event, this little unhappiness was nothing.
“…” Zhao Lang just looked at his mother without saying anything.
Princess Ding could see that her eldest son was unhappy. She gave him a look that said "listen to your mother" and told him to take the guests out.
The prefect's wife, Wang, glanced at her daughter, smiled, nodded, and said softly, "Go."
Miss Li San stood up only after seeing her mother's permission, and looked at the prince with her beautiful eyes full of affection.
Zhao Lang didn't want to offend his mother in front of so many guests, so he nodded, glanced at the young lady from the prefect's family, and turned to walk out.
Miss Li San hurriedly followed.
The two people came out one after the other. Zhao Lang walked forward with his head down, not caring about the woman following him.
"Prince...ah..." Miss Li San was chasing after him. She took too big a step and accidentally stepped on the hem of her skirt, causing her to fall forward.
The direction he fell was exactly where the prince was standing.
Zhao Lang stood there and did not reach out to take it. He just turned his head slightly and glanced at the guard standing beside him.
When Guard Li received the gaze from their prince, his body moved faster than his brain and he took half a step forward to catch the young lady from the prefectural government.
"Thank you..." Miss Li San thought that it was the prince who caught her. When she looked up, she found that it was the guard beside the prince who caught her. Her face changed immediately and she took half a step back as if she had touched something dirty.
"Miss!" The maid behind held their young lady and glared at the guard who caught their young lady.
Li Qun looked innocent when he met the maid's glaring eyes.
Zhao Lang just glanced at the master and servant with no expression on his face, then turned and left.
Li Qun also hurriedly caught up with their prince, ignoring the master and servant behind him. Their kindness was not rewarded, and they even glared at him!
It seems that this master and servant are not good people! Li Qun thought angrily in his heart.
When she met the prince's gaze just now, Miss Li San felt as if he could see through everything she wanted to do.
"Miss, are you okay?" The maid looked at their young lady with a worried look on her face. It was the first time she saw their young lady like this.
"I'm fine." Miss Li San pushed away the maid who was supporting her and chased after the prince who had already walked far away.
Seeing this, the maidservant hurriedly followed their young lady.
Hearing the footsteps chasing them from behind, Li Qun kindly reminded their prince, "Prince, Miss Li San is still chasing you."
"...If you do that, I'm afraid you won't be able to explain it to Madam."
"If you can't close your mouth, I'll find someone to sew it up for you!" Zhao Lang glanced at the guard who was following behind to remind him, then stopped and stood on the corridor, looking at the garden planted with plum trees, feeling a little angry.
Li Qun suddenly didn't dare to make a sound, for fear of upsetting their prince and having his mouth sewn shut by him.
Seeing that the prince had stopped and was waiting for her, Miss Li San slowed down her pace, adjusted her skirt, and slowly walked to the side of the prince who was waiting for her.
Looking at the tall, handsome man in front of her, Miss Li San felt her heart flutter for the first time. If she had to choose a man to marry in this life, she would marry this man in front of her.
She bit her red lips slightly, a worried and pitiful expression on her face, and asked, "Prince, did Xin'er make you unhappy in some way?"
Zhao Lang turned his head to look at the pretentious woman in front of him. Ever since the woman pretended to fall and wanted him to help her up, he didn't like this woman who was playing tricks and scheming in front of him, trying to take the opportunity to get close to him and marry him as the Crown Prince's Consort.
Even if he didn't have someone he liked in his heart, he wouldn't marry a woman who was so scheming and manipulative. Not to mention, he already had someone he loved in his heart, so he would never marry a woman like this.
"Why do you ask this, Miss Li San?" he asked.
She was just a strange woman he met on the first day, and it wasn't worth him getting angry.
All the unhappiness in his heart at the moment was due to his mother's behavior today. She did not ask her son's opinion in advance, but took the initiative to arrange so many girls to meet him and wanted to interfere in his marriage.
"I..." Miss Li San realized that this man was different from the men who had admired her in the past. But she didn't like the men who deliberately chased her and flattered her. She only liked this prince who was giving her a cold face.
Zhao Lang's gaze passed directly over Miss Li San and turned to the maid following Miss Li San and said, "It's cold and slippery outside. Please send your young lady back home."
Hearing this, the maid didn't even dare to breathe, nor did she dare to respond.
After saying this, Zhao Lang strode away.
Seeing their prince leaving, Li Qun hurriedly followed him, but he didn't dare to stay and face the third Miss Li alone.
This time, Miss Li San fell behind and watched the man stride away without chasing after him.
"Miss." When the maid saw their young lady with a stern face, she knew that their young lady was unhappy.
"I just don't believe it!" There is a man in this world who doesn't like her!
Miss Li San touched her face. She was quite confident about her face. She didn't believe that the Prince Ding would dislike her!
But she also knew that if she continued to chase after the Prince of Ding, it would be bad for her reputation. Miss Li San gave up chasing the Prince, who had already gone far away, and said to her maid, "Let's go back."
"Yes." The maid was relieved when she saw that their young lady no longer pursued the Prince of Ding.
The master and servant turned around and walked back.
Zhao Rui, who was standing at the other end of the corridor, happened to see this scene. Looking at the direction where the third daughter of the prefectural family left, a trace of resentment and calculation flashed in his eyes.
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