Chapter 533 The King Wants (4)
Chang Zaiqing, however, was quite different. While equally talented, she lacked the arrogance and aloofness of the more affluent. Instead, she was quite forthright. She was cheerful yet delicate, and very understanding. Talking to her was witty and amusing, yet comforting. Unconsciously, Shen Wan's gaze towards Chang Zaiqing grew more and more admiring, and he lingered on her for longer and longer periods.
Zhao Ma watched from afar, a hint of joy in her eyes. However, she calmly ordered the maid to guard the gate and not let anyone in.
…
As this is the case, the Mingqi Palace is also extremely lively today.
The Crown Prince held a special banquet to entertain the two guests from Qin and Daliang. The Crown Prince and Princess of Qin were present, and King Rui of Daliang had also accepted the invitation, accompanied by the nine princes of Mingqi.
The Crown Prince's condition was becoming increasingly serious, a fact that was undeniably true. Because of this, the morale of the troops of the Prince of Chu and the Prince of Xuan, who followed him, was also wavering. Over the past two years, the Crown Prince's influence had been gradually being replaced by that of other princes. Almost everyone tacitly accepted the fact that the Crown Prince's position would not last much longer. The Crown Prince himself had probably realized that, over the past two years, he had barely participated in state affairs. It wasn't that he didn't want to participate, but simply that there were too few people following him.
Meanwhile, the brothers Zhou Wang and Jing Wang, along with the Prince of Li, were becoming increasingly prominent. Prince Li had always enjoyed a large following thanks to his ability to be both a smiling tiger and a shrewd man. The Zhou brothers, on the other hand, relied on their mother, Consort Xu Xian. The two factions were now locked in a fierce rivalry, seemingly ready to reveal their true colors.
The most stable of all was Prince Ding's Fu Xiuyi. Prince Ding had participated in court affairs for the past two years, but his involvement was mostly flattering, seemingly intended to demonstrate a lack of ambition. These were all insignificant matters, but Emperor Wenhui was very pleased with him. Because of his demonstrated neutrality and composure, neither the Crown Prince, Prince Zhou, nor Prince Li deliberately sought to suppress him.
Prince Ding is actually the safest one.
In the hall, the prince smiled and raised his glass to everyone, "You all have come from afar, and we truly deserve congratulations."
Huangfu Hao sat down beside the Crown Prince, raised his glass and clinked it with the Crown Prince's, then said with a smile, "Thank you for your hospitality, Crown Prince."
Next to Huangfu Hao sat Princess Ming'an. After being confined by Huangfu Hao for several days, Princess Ming'an was finally released. Today, she was dressed in her finery, and her eyes were full of affection as she looked at the purple-robed young man sitting across from her.
Unfortunately, the flower had intended to fall, but the water flowed without mercy. Prince Rui's face was half covered with a mask, but he didn't glance at her at all. But he didn't look at the Crown Prince either, instead staring at the wine cup, wondering what he was thinking.
The prince asked with a smile, "Why doesn't King Rui drink? Is it because the wine doesn't suit your taste?"
Prince Rui curled his lips and said, "I'm not feeling well, so I shouldn't drink."
It was a barely concealed slap in the face. Although Prince Rui had been mysterious since arriving in Mingqi, and his attitude offered no clues as to his true intentions, he was fully courteous. Today, everyone present couldn't help but think that Prince Rui of Daliang seemed somewhat displeased.
But who offended him for no reason?
The Crown Prince looked a little embarrassed, and Fu Xiuyi said, "In that case, Your Highness Prince Rui will have tea instead of wine. Come, serve tea to Prince Rui."
Fu Xiuyi spoke, picking up where the Crown Prince had left off. The Crown Prince's expression brightened slightly, and he expressed a certain gratitude towards Fu Xiuyi. The other princes all agreed with Fu Xiuyi's words. Although Prince Rui was a prominent figure, none of them wanted to be humbled in front of another nation. Fu Xiuyi's firm yet respectful words saved Mingqi's reputation.
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