The procession drove straight into the heavily fortified imperial city.
Before the morning court session ended and political affairs were settled, all the officials knew they were waiting for the second princess of the Shuofeng Dynasty.
The atmosphere in the Phoenix Palace was solemn.
Empress Qin Minghuang sat regally on the Nine Dragon Throne, her crown adorned with tassels.
His face was hidden behind the twelve jade motifs, with only a deep and calm gaze visible, carrying an aura of majesty that scrutinized all things.
Guided by the master of ceremonies, Xiao Yunshuo walked slowly to the center of the main hall.
His posture was as upright as a snow pine in the north, his steps were steady, and his indigo-blue brocade robe with gold wolf patterns, which symbolized the majesty of the Northern Wind Royal Court, was particularly eye-catching.
After standing still, she naturally let her hands hang at her sides, then raised her arms with a clear and powerful motion, clenching her right fist and placing it firmly on her left chest, near her heart.
This is the most solemn heart-touching ceremony performed by the Shuofeng royal family when they pay homage to a monarch of equal status, symbolizing a sincere meeting.
At the same time, his back was straight as a javelin, and his head was slightly lowered.
The gesture was just right, expressing respect without compromising the dignity and pride of the Shuofeng royal family.
His gaze was level with the front, landing approximately below the steps.
The entire movement was clean and efficient, carrying the unique strength and simplicity of the North, without a trace of unnecessary hesitation.
The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
She maintained this posture, her clear and steady voice resounding distinctly in the hall, spoken in perfect Mandarin, with clear and accurate pronunciation:
"Princess Xiao Yunshuo of the Shuofeng Dynasty pays respects to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Gan Dynasty. May Your Majesty be well."
The empress, seated high on her throne, her crown tassels swaying slightly, her gaze momentarily fixed on something.
"Princess Shuofeng, please rise. You are a guest from afar, please take a seat."
Xiao Yunshuo then lowered his right hand from his chest as instructed, maintaining his upright posture, and calmly expressed his gratitude:
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Then, guided by the master of ceremonies, she walked to the brocade stool prepared for her.
Throughout, she maintained a near-perfect balance in her demeanor.
The respect was expressed sufficiently, and the pride of the royal family was thoroughly defended, drawing a clear yet subtle line between the two countries whose relationship was not harmonious.
After she sat down, the Empress gently inquired about her purpose.
"Yun Shuo has long admired the flourishing of culture and education in Daqian, and especially heard of His Majesty's holy virtue in establishing the first imperial examination for women, which has benefited women all over the world. He yearns for it."
I have come here with great humility to earnestly request Your Majesty's permission to allow Yun Shuo to participate in this year's provincial examination for women in Zhongchen Road.
This serves as proof of what I have learned, and also reflects my deep admiration.
It was a bizarre thing for a princess from another country to participate in the imperial examination.
However, the officials had already received the news, and even the common people of Fengjing rarely knew about it, so it was not surprising.
The Empress's gaze was deep and unfathomable, her voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority:
"Since Princess Shuofeng has a desire to learn, I grant her permission."
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!"
Xiao Yunshuo stood up again and bowed respectfully, then said:
When Yun Shuo first arrived in Fengjing, he also deeply admired the splendor of the imperial capital.
"I humbly request Your Majesty's grace to allow Yun Shuo to take a short tour of the capital and witness the grandeur of your esteemed country."
"Granted. The Langhuan Pavilion in the Royal Villa is quiet and elegant, so it will serve as the Second Princess's temporary lodging."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over the imperial heirs below him.
“All imperial heirs staying in the palace in the capital are already assigned to the imperial examinations. If the Second Princess has plans to travel, she can accompany them.”
"As you command," the imperial heirs replied in unison.
Qin Zhaoyue had not attended court for a long time, and when she returned from the disaster relief mission, she was only forced to go to the Imperial Study.
At this moment, he stood with his hands at his sides, looking very obedient, and followed suit.
[I wonder who's behind sabotaging the imperial examinations. With that kind of audacity, it's very likely someone from one of the four great families.]
[I bet everyone's secretly busy with this, the Xuanji Guards are all short-handed, so I had to sleep in a run-down house in the Jingzhao Prefecture last night, and I almost got a stiff neck...]
[Is the old mother worried that the person behind this is desperate and might do something rash? Damn it, I wonder if they're in cahoots with those assassination sorcerers.]
[So be it, let's stay in the palace. At least we can save our lives.]
The thought echoed in her mind again, and Qin Minghuang refrained from glancing at Xiao Liu.
She was probably the only one who could guess that keeping all the imperial heirs in the palace was for their protection.
After all, the two princes had taken away two commanders of the Xuanji Guard, and the attempt to sabotage the imperial examination had to be thoroughly investigated, so manpower was indeed somewhat stretched.
But... she could never have guessed that the protection wasn't for guarding against powerful families, but rather...
Qin Minghuang dared not gamble, as her elder brother had a history of killing imperial heirs.
[Yin Zhe is such a tight-lipped guy, he never utters a word, and he keeps his romantic history a complete secret. He's utterly boring.]
[Living in the palace means good food, good sleep, and safety; when bored, you can even bully the seventh, eighth, and ninth young girls.]
Qin Minghuang: ...
Wait a minute! What's with Yin Zhe's romantic history?
So you're just bored and bully your younger siblings, huh?
[Hey... when Xiao Yunshuo goes out, will he bring that handsome man with him?]
[It will, it definitely will!]
[What Suimo said doesn't make much sense. Third and fourth sisters are both married, and they're not interested in men.]
【They're not good enough, but I'm great! Who knows, maybe that man was meant for me!】
Should we go for it directly, or try to refuse first and then try to win it over?
[I can't refuse the foreign princess's hospitality, so I'll reluctantly accept it and teach her a lesson—what it means to throw good money after bad...]
Qin Minghuang: ? ? ?
What handsome man?
Silence fell over the Phoenix Palace.
Xiao Yunshuo was originally talking about the scenery and customs of the Shuofeng Dynasty, and also expressing his admiration for the Great Gan Dynasty along the way.
After I finished speaking, there was no response from the person in charge for a long time. What's going on?
Qin Minghuang suddenly snapped back to reality. Oh no, Xiao Liu had distracted her.
"In that case, let's adjourn the court."
Qin Zhaoyue suddenly shuddered, a chill suddenly creeping over her.
Looking around, she saw no one watching her, so she had no choice but to bow along with the officials.
The Empress departed, and the court session ended.
However, the officials in the hall had many doubts.
No official letter of notification? Could it really be that Princess Shuofeng admires our imperial examination system? Impossible!
Qin Zhaoyue's mind was no longer on whether or not to stay overnight. As soon as the court session ended, she lifted her skirt and hurried out, clearly stopping Meng Jian, who was about to arrange for guards.
"Deputy Commander Meng!" Her eyes sparkled, with a hint of ingratiating slyness. "Aren't you in charge of the guards at Langhuan Pavilion?"
Meng Jian paused, looking at her expression, he already guessed most of what was going on, and his face darkened slightly: "Yes. What are your orders, Your Highness?"
"Hehe," Qin Zhaoyue leaned closer, lowering her voice with a hint of excitement.
"We're old friends, can I ask you for a favor?"
Please help me find out about that handsome man who's with Princess Shuofeng.
What's your name? Who are you? Are you married?... Hmm, the more details the better!
Meng Jian: ? ? ?
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