When they arrived at the gate of Kunning Palace, the empress was already waiting there. When Jiang Meiyu saw the empress, she was stunned: "The empress is so dignified and beautiful!" The empress was wearing a dark blue phoenix robe and a pearl hairpin on her head. Although her face showed some traces of time, it could not hide her perfect appearance. From this, one can imagine that she must have been a stunning beauty in her youth.
The queen smiled and said softly, "You are here!"
Prince Gong and Jiang Meiyu both bowed and said respectfully, "Greetings to the Queen Mother, may the Queen Mother be well!"
"Get up quickly and let me take a good look at my daughter-in-law." The queen personally helped Jiang Meiyu up, her eyes full of love.
"There is such a beautiful person in the world. This is the first time I have seen her." The queen looked at Jiang Meiyu and smiled with satisfaction.
"Mother, you are too kind. I can't compare to you in any way." Jiang Meiyu said very modestly.
At this moment, a child ran in happily, his eyes filled with joy and anticipation. This child was Shangguan Runchen. He immediately rushed to Prince Gong, threw himself into his arms, and shouted happily: "Royal brother, you are here. I missed you so much! A few days ago, my royal brother got married, and my father and mother didn't let me leave the palace to attend my royal brother's wedding!" Shangguan Runchen pouted as he spoke, expressing his dissatisfaction.
Prince Gong squatted down, his eyes full of fondness, and said to Shangguan Runchen gently, "That's because my father and mother are worried about your safety and afraid that you will be hurt."
"Hmph, Chen'er has grown up and can protect himself!" Shangguan Runchen said dissatisfiedly, seeming to be somewhat confused about his parents' decision.
"Okay, come and meet your sister-in-law." The queen said softly, her voice full of love.
The Sixth Prince came over obediently, bowed slightly, and said politely, "Chen'er greets the Empress Dowager." He behaved properly and was very polite. When the little guy was serious, he was both cute and funny.
Jiang Meiyu smiled and carefully took out a clay figurine from her bosom and handed it to the Sixth Prince: "Sixth brother, it's our first meeting. This is a small gift specially prepared for you by the Empress Dowager."
The Sixth Prince looked at the clay figurine with curiosity, his eyes gleaming with surprise. He had never seen anything like it before, and his heart was filled with novelty and joy.
"Thank you, my dear sister-in-law!" The Sixth Prince happily accepted the clay figurine, his face filled with a happy smile. He held the clay figurine tightly, as if he had obtained an invaluable treasure.
Afterwards, the Sixth Prince couldn't wait to run out to play with the clay figurine. Jiang Meiyu looked at the Sixth Prince's departing figure with satisfaction, her heart filled with warmth.
"Mother, Father said he wants to have lunch at Kunning Palace." Prince Gong reminded softly.
"Oh? Then I must quickly order them to be prepared," Jiang Meiyu said, her gaze lingering on the Empress. She noticed that she didn't seem particularly pleased, and seemed rather indifferent to the Emperor's impending meal. She herself had noticed the Emperor looking at her strangely in the Hall of Mental Cultivation earlier. Was she overthinking it?
After a brief chat, it was soon lunchtime. A commotion was heard outside, and the emperor, riding a dragon chariot, arrived at the gate of Kunning Palace.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Everyone paid their respects with great ceremony.
The emperor strode over, personally helped the empress to her feet, and said gently, "The empress, please don't bow." Then, he turned to Prince Gong and Jiang Meiyu, "You also don't have to bow."
The spacious table was laden with a variety of exquisite dishes and fine wines, exuding an alluring aroma. The emperor took his seat first, his face beaming with joy. "I'm in a good mood today, everyone, please take your seats. I haven't been to Kunning Palace in a long time. It feels so fresh and new to be here again today. It's wonderful! Come, let's raise our glasses together and celebrate this wonderful moment!"
Jiang Meiyu and Prince Gong raised their wine glasses together and said in unison, "May our father live forever and his kingdom remain strong!" They drank the entire glass in one gulp, displaying a heroic spirit. However, the moment Jiang Meiyu downed the wine, the emperor's gaze unconsciously flicked towards her. Though he tried to conceal his actions, his glance didn't escape the empress's keen observation.
The empress smiled and said to Prince Gong, "Yier, now that you're married, the entire nation of Manyue knows about your wedding to Yu'er. I hope you will respect each other, live in harmony, and maintain the same loving love as before!" The empress's words were ostensibly a warning to Prince Gong, but in reality, they were a subtle warning to the emperor. Her point was that now that the entire nation knew Prince Gong and Jiang Meiyu were married, the emperor should stop harboring any further inappropriate thoughts.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com