At night.
Guan Zhiyue wore a dark orange brocade robe with colorful fish and frog patterns and wide sleeves, and a coral-colored magnolia skirt with red cup patterns that swayed slightly.
Her long, straight black hair was styled into a flying fairy-style updo, and she wore stamped Tianhuang earrings. Her unique cloud-like hair was further adorned with a phoenix tassel headdress.
On her fair, slender hands, she wore a cloisonné enamel bracelet, a pinkish-blue silk sash with tassels and floral knots, a jade pendant with a ruyi clasp, and a pair of sheepskin satin shoes embroidered with gold thread.
She is like a beauty who has stepped out of a painting, giving people a feeling that makes it impossible to look away, as if she is the kind of person who can make people tremble.
As the eunuch's sharp voice rang out, everyone turned to look at the door. Guan Zhiyue, like a fairy bathed in the glow of the sunset, strode in.
Li An is now in his thirties, nearing forty. Looking at Guan Zhiyue's stunning beauty, he couldn't help but swallow hard. She truly is a beautiful woman!
"Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!"
Guan Zhiyue, with her head held high, like a god looking down upon the world, walked slowly to the center of the hall, a posture that everyone could only look up to but not touch. She gently slowed her pace, slightly bent her knees, and bowed slightly to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, who were seated in high positions.
"Your daughter-in-law greets Your Majesty, and I, your humble servant, pay my respects to Your Maje
Empress Dowager Xin quickly raised her hand and said, "Yue'er, rise quickly, we've been waiting for you."
Guan Zhiyue gracefully stood up, strolled over to Li Qiji's side, and slowly sat down.
It was a family banquet, with only Li Qiji, Empress Dowager Xin, Li Qishang, and the so-called Imperial Uncle Li An present.
After Guan Zhiyue sat down, before Li Qiji could even speak to her, the Empress Dowager grabbed her hand and said, "Yue'er, you haven't met your Seventh Imperial Uncle yet!"
Guan Zhiyue: "..." Empress Dowager, please don't! This...
Although she was reluctant, she still obediently stood up and gently curtsied to the stranger beside her, saying, "This must be the Seventh Imperial Uncle. Your niece-in-law greets the Seventh Imperial Uncle. You must be tired from your long journey. Please eat more. You can't deprive yourself. You've traveled thousands of miles back. You can't go without a full meal."
Guan Zhiyue's words created a slightly awkward atmosphere, as the matter was, after all, somewhat dishonorable.
After all, Li An was summoned to the capital without permission, which was a crime! This was a violation of the emperor's decree, but since he was raised by the Empress Dowager, there was nothing that could be said, right? He could only be spared this time out of consideration for family ties.
"Your Majesty, I haven't congratulated you yet, but you've found a wonderful daughter-in-law!" Li An looked Guan Zhiyue up and down, but what he was thinking was two words, while what he said was not what he truly felt.
Li An couldn't help but think of the phrase, "If only such a stunning woman could be in my arms, hahaha, even as a ghost, I'd be living the dream!"
Unfortunately, Guan Zhiyue had no idea how much the man opposite her was fantasizing about her!
Without even looking over there, he whispered to Li Qiji beside him, "I have something important to tell you tonight, so drink less."
Li Qiji thought Guan Zhiyue was worried about him, that she had drunk too much and wouldn't be able to serve him later, so she came to stop him from drinking. Then, where no one could see, he gently raised his hand and put it on Guan Zhiyue's thigh, and whispered, "Don't worry, your husband can be as strong as an ox even when he drinks."
Guan Zhiyue pondered carefully, but something about those words didn't sound right. Suddenly, her earlobes and neck turned red. Holy crap!
This guy is such a lecher! What is he thinking? I was about to tell him about the spy, what was he thinking?
That's perverted!
So Guan Zhiyue slapped the hand that was hanging on her lap away. It was disgusting, so disgusting. How dare that bastard take advantage of her.
Li Qishang, who had been glancing at the interaction between the two out of the corner of his eye, was quite hurt. Did Yue'er really not want to be with him anymore?
Weren't you extremely disgusted with your older brother back then? Why are you acting this way now?
That vast and boundless world, he could have taken her there, so why now...?
However, it wasn't just Li Qishang who noticed their subtle actions; Li An, who had just met Guan Zhiyue, was also paying attention.
Li An is actually a very handsome person. After all, the male genes of the Li family are very strong, and the princes born are basically all good-looking. There are no ugly ones. Moreover, Li An is getting old. Compared with people of the same age as Li Qiji and Li Qishang, he is quite different.
There's a certain mature, alluring quality about him.
Li An picked up a glass of wine, slowly stood up, and said to Guan Zhiyue, "Nephew's wife, let me offer you a toast. Nephew's wife is truly a beautiful woman. Not only is she stunningly beautiful, but her ability to benefit the people is also unparalleled. She is truly remarkable."
"It is a blessing for our royal family that my nephew has married you. Your royal uncle wishes you a harmonious marriage and many children!"
"My dear sister-in-law, I have heard that I am spending every night in the company of beauties, and that the spring nights are too short to keep me from rising until the sun is high in the sky, so that the emperor has neglected to hold court in the morning!"
"Seeing my niece-in-law so beautiful and charming today, I doubt any man could resist her. It's only natural, after all, to die under a peony is to die a romantic death!"
Li An didn't care about these people's feelings at all and brought the matter up directly. However, as juniors, the others couldn't say anything, but Empress Dowager Xin was unhappy!
With a loud crash, the exquisite wine cup in Empress Xin's hand shattered into pieces. Empress Xin straightened her back and looked at Li An in front of her, saying, "Seventh Prince, how dare you! How can you, as an elder, say such dissolute things? Those are your nephew and niece-in-law. There are some things you cannot say, don't you know that?"
Li An sat down casually, gently placed the wine glass in his hand on the table, looked at the Empress Dowager who had protected him for half his life, and couldn't help but laugh at himself.
"Your Majesty's sister-in-law, that's not right. What's wrong with a nephew's wife? Aren't all of my brother's wives his wives? How much more so should my nephew's wife?"
Empress Dowager Xin never expected Li An to say such things. These were the very words she least wanted to mention because they went against common sense and human ethics!
Guan Zhiyue swallowed hard, thinking to herself, "Good heavens! What shocking gossip have I stumbled upon? It's absolutely explosive! I originally thought Li Qiji's father was just cruel and lustful, but I never expected him to be so shameless and immoral, actually taking his own brother's wife for himself."
"How dare you! Shut up!" Empress Dowager Xin stood up abruptly, pointed at Li An who was still sitting at the table, and scolded him sternly.
Li An was very calm at this moment, as if he were about to recount old stories from years past...
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