On February 14th, the sun was shining brightly and the sky was clear and cloudless.
It was early morning, just after the morning court session concluded. After breakfast and a short rest, Hua Qingcheng left the Eastern Palace as the Crown Princess and headed towards the Baohua Palace. The purpose of her trip was to prepare to welcome the envoys from the Lengyue Kingdom.
The palace banquet invited many civil and military officials who had attended the morning court, as well as dignitaries and nobles, along with their families. Emperor Nalan Yunzhi, citing physical discomfort, did not attend.
At the hour of Si, Hua Qingcheng, dressed in the court dress of a princess, sat on the main throne on the east side of the Baohua Palace. The surrounding palace decorations were extremely luxurious and magnificent, showcasing the prosperity and nobility of the Laifeng Kingdom.
"Your Highness, the envoy from Lengyue Country is so arrogant and domineering that he actually dares to make us wait like this!" Minister of War Xia Zian said indignantly, his voice full of anger.
[Xia Zian: Minister of War, his daughter Xia Qifeng married the son of the current imperial noble Gu Changqing, the 19-year-old eldest prince Nalan Lingyun.
Xia Qifeng was good friends with Gu Changqing's daughter, the Second Princess Nalan Wansheng. They were both classmates of Hua Qingcheng in the Class D of the Imperial Academy.
The new General of the Cavalry, Baili Qingchuan, snorted with disdain: "That's right, that so-called envoy is just the third princess of Lengyue Kingdom. Our Princess Crown Princess of Dalaifeng Kingdom condescended to come and receive them in person, but what's the result? There's not even a trace of them to be seen!" Her tone was also full of dissatisfaction and anger.
Xia Zian and Baili Qingchuan's words immediately attracted echoes from the people around them. The originally quiet hall suddenly became noisy and the atmosphere became extremely tense.
Everyone had different attitudes. Some were indignant because the envoy from Lengyue Country was so arrogant and rude; some simply wanted to watch the fun and hoped that the matter would become as big as possible; of course, there were also some people with ulterior motives who were waiting to see Hua Qingcheng make a fool of herself.
After all, Hua Qingcheng, despite having no background, was suddenly canonized as a princess and given the important responsibility of regent. This made some people in the court jealous and even resentful. At this moment, these people were secretly delighted, hoping that she would encounter setbacks in this incident.
Pingxi King Xiahou Jing's lips curled up slightly, a barely perceptible smile forming. She chose to observe with a cold eye, quietly waiting for the drama to unfold—to see how this young, newly minted woman would handle the officials' questions, and the various challenges and humiliations the approaching Lengyue Kingdom envoys might bring her...
At two quarters past noon, Lengyue Kingdom's third princess, Princess Luo Gongyang Jiezhen, dressed in an exquisite and gorgeous riding outfit, stepped into the Baohua Palace in a heroic manner.
She was tall and slender, with a beautiful face, picturesque features, and a radiant gaze. Her every move exuded the noble and elegant aura of a royal family, attracting the attention of everyone present.
Gongyang Jiezhen led a group of envoys from Lengyue Kingdom, holding precious gifts in their hands, and bowed to Hua Qingcheng to express their respect: "I'm sorry, Your Highness. I'm new here and I'm not used to the climate and soil of your country. I didn't sleep well last night, so I overslept this morning and was late for the visit. Please forgive me." She spoke sincerely and her attitude was humble and polite.
As she spoke, Gongyang Jiezhen's gaze frequently fell on Hua Qingcheng, carefully examining this legendary princess of the Laifeng Kingdom. When she saw her face clearly, a ripple of emotion welled up in her heart, and she inexplicably felt her heartbeat quicken.
Gongyang Jiezhen discovered that the princess of Laifeng Kingdom standing in front of her had a very similar appearance to the handsome man in white clothes whom she met on the street in the city yesterday afternoon!
At that time, Gongyang Jiezhen subdued a mad horse that had run amok in the street and saved the man in white. Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, the man in white was like a breeze that blew through her heart, leaving an indelible impression.
And now, seeing this face again, Gongyang Jiezhen couldn't help but think of the handsome face of the man in white again, and a different feeling suddenly surged in her heart.
(Hua Qingcheng in a princess's palace dress)
(Nalan Qingcheng, the Princess of Laifeng Kingdom)
Hua Qingcheng smiled faintly, and responded neither attentively nor distantly: "It's okay. The envoys are guests coming from afar, and it's inevitable that they will be tired from the journey. I have ordered people to prepare some wine to welcome you all." Her words were powerful and she looked calm and unhurried.
Gongyang Jiezhen suppressed her inner shock and showed no unusual expression. She smiled and thanked him, then presented the gift list from Lengyue Country. The gifts on the gift list were all precious jewels and specialties, showing the sincerity of Lengyue Country.
After the Lengyue Kingdom's envoys had taken their seats, Hua Qingcheng stood up and loudly announced the official start of the palace banquet. As her voice fell, the melodious and beautiful palace music suddenly rang out in Baohua Hall.
Then, a group of tall, handsome men filed in, swaying their bodies gracefully and smoothly, performing one enchanting dance after another. For a moment, the entire hall was immersed in a joyful and peaceful atmosphere.
Hua Qingcheng quickly glanced through the gift list before her. She then raised her head and cast her gaze towards Gongyang Jiezhen, who was seated in the VIP seat. She asked calmly, "I wonder if His Highness the Third Prince has any other important business besides presenting his credentials during his visit to our country?"
Gongyang Jiezhen nodded slightly and replied, "I have come to your country on behalf of our mother, the Empress, to establish close and friendly diplomatic relations. As I understand it, there's a saying circulating among the people of Laifeng: 'Southern Li Shi, Northern Ling Yan.' It's truly a pity that these two exceptionally talented and distinguished individuals passed away so young..."
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