Chapter 761 Gu Qingchen, let’s put an end to the grudge between you and me today.
"Princess, everything is ready." Chunhe, the personal maid, reported softly.
Princess Jiahe nodded with satisfaction, a barely perceptible sneer appearing at the corner of her lips.
Gu Qingchen, you are being too clever for your own good and are putting yourself in a dead end.
Then we will see who is the real winner.
In the imperial palace, the throne room was brightly lit, with singing and dancing.
Hundreds of officials and nobles came to the table with their families, drinking and chatting loudly.
The emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, his face flushed, and from time to time he whispered a few words to the queen beside him.
Crown Prince Zhao Chen'an sat at the bottom, behaved properly and gently, and raised his glass from time to time to greet the ministers.
However, his eyes always glanced at the seats for the women inadvertently.
The seats at the Zhenguogong Mansion were near the front row. Gu Junze and Chu Ruohan sat side by side, while Gu Qingchen sat beside them.
She was wearing a simple moon-white palace dress today, without any makeup, and only had a simple plum blossom pinned in her hair. Compared with the other noble ladies in the palace who were dressed in gorgeous clothes, she looked particularly plain.
However, this lightness makes her stand out from the crowd and attract attention.
Zhao Chenan's gaze fell on her, and his brows frowned slightly.
He knew Gu Qingchen's preferences very well since he was a child. He liked bright colors the most, especially red.
But today, she was dressed so simply, as if she wanted to stand out from the hustle and bustle of the hall.
"Qingchen, do you like today's palace banquet?" Zhao Chenan raised his glass and gestured in the direction of Gu Qingchen.
His voice was gentle, with just the right amount of concern. Gu Qingchen raised his eyes, his lips slightly curved in a distant smile.
"Your Highness is thoughtful." Her voice was cold and without any intimacy.
Zhao Chenan's smile froze for a moment, then he looked away as if nothing had happened.
He knew that Gu Qingchen was still in a bad mood. But he had plenty of patience. He believed that as long as the imperial decree came, she would have no way out.
The singing and dancing became more and more exciting, and three rounds of wine were served.
At Princess Yongding's signal, Princess Jiahe rose from her seat, excused herself to change clothes, and quietly left the throne room. She walked through the winding corridors and headed towards the secluded Imperial Garden.
The cool night breeze blew her gorgeous skirt. She took a deep breath, her eyes filled with a determined coldness.
Gu Qingchen, let's put an end to the grudge between you and me today.
At the same time, Gu Qingchen also used the excuse of being drunk and left the Golden Palace with the help of his maid.
She did not go to the Imperial Garden, but walked towards another secluded path. The night was dark, and her steps were light but firm.
The bustle of the New Year's Eve palace banquet will soon be replaced by another farce. And this farce will completely change the fate of everyone.
Princess Jiahe, accompanied by her personal maid, walked quickly to a secluded rockery. She stopped and looked back in the direction of the Golden Throne Hall.
The hustle and bustle there seemed to have faded away, leaving only the pounding heartbeat in her chest.
"Chunhe, you wait here." Princess Jiahe whispered.
"If any noble ladies pass by, tell them I am unwell and need to rest here for a while, and ask them to come and stay with me for a while."
Chunhe took the order, bowed and retreated to the side of the rockery, looking around vigilantly.
Princess Jiahe walked around the rockery and entered a pavilion surrounded by plum trees.
This pavilion was usually deserted, and now it was completely empty, with only the glazed tiles on the roof gleaming coldly in the moonlight. She stood in the pavilion, her fingertips clenched tightly around her palm, waiting.
Not far away, Gu Qingchen had also arrived. She did not go directly to the pavilion, but stopped at the edge of the plum forest.
She looked up at the night sky, took a deep breath, and the cold air rushed into her lungs, relaxing her tense nerves a little.
"Qingchen." A deep voice came from behind him. Gu Qingchen turned around and saw Qian Zhenyun slowly walking out from the depths of the plum forest.
He was wearing an ordinary green robe today, which made him look particularly inconspicuous in the night.
His face was a little pale, but his eyes were still calm.
"You're here."
Gu Qingchen's voice was soft, but it carried a barely perceptible hint of apology.
Qian Zhenyun didn't say anything, but just walked to her side and stood side by side with her.
They all knew that once they took this step, there would be no turning back.
"Are you ready?" Gu Qingchen asked softly.
"at any time."
He looked at Gu Qingchen with a hint of complicated emotions in his eyes.
Just then, a sound of light footsteps came from not far away.
Princess Jiahe's voice came from afar, filled with anxiety and worry.
"Oh, what should I do? I just saw Sister Gu here. She looked very bad. Is she feeling unwell?"
Then, several noble ladies echoed, "Princess Jiahe, don't worry, we'll go take a look right away."
Gu Qingchen and Qian Zhenyun exchanged a glance. The time had come.
Gu Qingchen didn't hesitate at all. She took a step forward, stretched out her hand and grabbed Qian Zhenyun's sleeve.
Qian Zhenyun's heart trembled. He understood Gu Qingchen's intention. His body stiffened slightly, but he obediently did not resist.
The footsteps grew closer, and soon, several figures appeared at the edge of Merlin.
Princess Jiahe was walking in front. When she saw the two figures cuddling closely together beside the pavilion, a hint of disbelief and shock immediately flashed in her eyes.
She stopped abruptly and let out a suppressed cry of surprise.
"Sister Gu, Mr. Qian...Mr. Qian, what are you doing?"
Her voice was trembling with shock, with just the right amount of panic and anger.
Several noble ladies following behind her also saw this scene.
Shock, confusion, and disbelief were instantly frozen on their faces.
Gu Qingchen and Qian Zhenyun seemed to have just noticed someone coming. They suddenly separated. Gu Qingchen's body shook slightly and his face was as pale as paper.
Qian Zhenyun immediately turned around and stood in front of Gu Qingchen with his back to everyone.
"Princess Jiahe, you misunderstood."
Qian Zhenyun's voice was a little flustered, but he tried hard to remain calm.
"Misunderstanding? In broad daylight, you two, a man and a woman, were having a secret rendezvous, and... holding hands. How can this be a misunderstanding?"
Princess Jiahe's voice suddenly rose. She took a step forward, pointed at Gu Qingchen, her eyes filled with grief and sorrow.
"Sister Gu, you are the future Crown Princess! How could you do something so... so immoral!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the noble ladies around immediately began to whisper to each other.
Their eyes looked back and forth between Gu Qingchen and Qian Zhenyun, their eyes full of gossip and gloating.
Gu Qingchen's body was trembling slightly. She lowered her head and said nothing, as if she had been caught red-handed and felt ashamed.
Qian Zhenyun pursed his lips tightly, his face livid. He looked at Princess Jiahe and said, "Princess, please be careful with your words."
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