“Your Highness has probably forgotten,” Yin Zhe’s voice broke the silence, “there is another task tomorrow.”
Qin Zhaoyue suddenly realized.
Yes, tomorrow is the day the second princess of Shuofeng Kingdom will arrive in Fengjing.
As a member of the receiving delegation, she was obligated to make an appearance.
With all the imperial heirs present, their safety should be assured.
"Alright," she sighed softly, stretching her aching back from sitting for so long. She could manage to endure one night.
He stood up and looked out the window at the deep night.
"The night is long and I cannot sleep. Lord Yinzhe, would you be willing to discuss the loneliness of this late night with me?"
Qin Zhaoyue raised her voice slightly at the end, with a hint of laziness and teasing, "Why don't you tell me your story first?"
The only response she received was silence.
"I'm talking to you."
"Hey, are you deaf?!"
...
They waited all night, but neither of their ambushes made a move.
At the end of the day, Canglan and Yaoguang reported back and escorted Qin Zhaoyue back to the princess's residence.
Inside the bedroom, Qin Zhaoyue was drowsy, yawning as Sui Mo and the others served her.
Because it was an important occasion, Granny Liu was invited to take charge once again.
The ink group served warm, fragrant water and carefully cleansed the princess's face before applying powder.
The powder is a palace-made jade maiden peach blossom powder, and the rouge is a delicate peony red, lightly blended on the cheeks and the corners of the eyes, just like dew-laden petals in the early autumn morning light.
Her eyebrows were drawn with snail-shell ink, with a slightly raised arch, and a gold foil begonia flower ornament was lightly placed on her forehead.
Her hair was styled into a towering bun, her black hair as black as clouds, adorned with a red gold and kingfisher feather hairpin, and matching red gold and ruby earrings.
Because it was early autumn, although it was not yet deep cold, the morning breeze was already cool.
She wore an apricot-yellow silk dress with beaded patterns, and an outer crimson gauze robe with embroidered lotus and peony flowers. She also wore a light shawl with gold and silver cloud patterns on her arm.
She wore a gold-embroidered belt around her waist and cloud-patterned brocade shoes with slightly upturned toes adorned with tiny pearls.
After having some breakfast, at the stroke of dawn, Qin Zhaoyue and her entourage left the princess's residence.
As a princess of an enemy country, she naturally did not deserve the highest level of treatment, so this task fell to the shoulders of several imperial heirs who had established their own residences and offices.
At the city gate, everyone who was supposed to arrive was already there, and unsurprisingly, Qin Zhaoyue was the last to arrive.
The two people leading the reception delegation were acquaintances: Pei Xueqiao and Meng Jian, one a scholar and the other a warrior. What a coincidence!
One was an official in charge of the Imperial Ancestral Temple under the Department of Ceremonial, and the other was the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards.
Neither of them held high official positions, but one was the eldest son of Prime Minister Pei, and the other came from the Meng family, a military family with generations of distinguished officials; their status was more than enough.
Upon seeing Qin Zhaoyue's carriage arrive, the two stepped forward to greet her.
"We're all acquaintances, there's no need for such formalities."
Qin Zhaoyue waved her hand casually, her expression still carrying a lingering sense of languor and weariness.
She quickly greeted her older siblings, then gathered her shawl around herself, tucked her little hands in, and leaned against the wall, dozing off.
The officials around him, unaware of the inside story, managed to keep their expressions well-controlled; they were well aware of this man's reputation.
It's already quite an achievement to be able to dress neatly and arrive at the city gate on time.
Pei Xueqiao's gaze was gentle and warm, occasionally "inadvertently" falling on the profile of the woman resting against her maid.
Meng Jian stood upright like a pine tree, exuding the solemnity of a military general.
His lips were tightly pressed together, and the knuckles of his fingers gripping the hilt of the knife at his waist turned slightly white from the force, revealing the turmoil in his heart.
Meng Jian was indeed not very happy.
The old man in the family strictly forbade him from getting involved in matters concerning the imperial heir.
After returning from disaster relief, he rested at home for two days before plunging into the capital's military camp to train troops.
It wasn't until he was transferred out this time that he learned some of the recent situation in the capital from his confidants.
I thought he was just as good as Pei Xueqiao, but I never expected that this kid would transfer from the Hanlin Academy to the Department of Ceremonial Affairs!
Upon taking over, he was immediately faced with two tasks: preparing for the imperial examinations and receiving Princess Shuofeng. Both tasks were practical matters.
Given the deep-rooted influence of Prime Minister Pei's residence, it would not be surprising if he were to gain real power even if his official rank was not high.
Strangely, the usually cautious and prudent Prime Minister Pei seemed to have tacitly approved of this matter this time!
His two sons, one cultivating his reputation in the Hanlin Academy and the other studying at the Imperial Academy, the underlying reasons for which were known to all in the court and among the people.
Meng Jian had a lot of contact with Pei Xueqiao, and judging from his words and actions, he was not hiding his shortcomings, but was indeed a little clumsy in political affairs and interpersonal relationships.
It is clear that the former prime minister did not impart all his knowledge and pave a smooth path for him, so why is he now allowing Pei Xueqiao to get involved in real politics?
Meng Jian had no interest in delving into court affairs. The Meng family had been loyal and upright for generations, with deep-rooted power; no matter how great the storms, the emperor would not abandon them. What concerned him was Pei Xueqiao's actions. Was she still not giving up? Was this whole affair aimed at the Sixth Princess?
Catching a glimpse of the boy's restless eyes, Meng Jian felt a surge of anger and tightened his grip on the knife hilt.
hateful!
That's why they say rivals in love have their own tacit understanding. Outsiders speculated about all sorts of things, but only Meng Jian guessed the truth immediately.
Just like when Helian Chaolu entered the capital, Princess Shuofeng's carriage had already arrived outside Fengjing City.
Once the time was set, all the welcoming ceremonies stood solemnly at the gates of Fengjing.
Qin Zhaoyue arrived almost at the appointed time. Before half a cup of tea could be brewed, she saw dust rising in the distance, and a procession of carriages escorted by elite cavalrymen was approaching.
Meng Jian's eyes narrowed, he took a step forward, and shouted in a deep voice: "Form ranks!"
As soon as the order was given, the surrounding imperial guards moved at the sound, their armor clanging and their steps perfectly synchronized, forming ranks on both sides of the welcoming procession.
The long halberds stood like a forest, exuding a chilling and imposing aura.
Qin Zhaoyue lazily raised her eyelids.
Tsk... I have to say, Meng Jian is quite handsome when he leads troops.
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