The entire Marquis Jianing's residence was in a state of chaos, for a simple reason. The Marquis Jianing personally wrote numerous invitations, inviting prominent families in the capital to attend the wedding banquet for his daughter, Jiang Meiyu. These invitations included almost all the princes and ministers, and even the one in the palace received a special invitation. The Marquis Jianing wrote a special memorial to the emperor, informing him that his daughter had been weak and sickly since childhood, but had recently recovered. After reading the memorial, the emperor was very happy and could not help but sigh: "My sister should be at peace in the netherworld. When will she be allowed to come to the palace to see me? I have never seen her. It seems that as an uncle, I have indeed neglected my duties." The Marquis Jianing responded flatteringly: "Your Majesty, you are too kind. You are busy with all kinds of affairs and work hard for state affairs all day long. How could you possibly find time to take care of a little girl?"
The emperor was delighted. "That's great! On the day of the wedding banquet, I will send the crown prince to attend in person, and I will also send the other princes along so they can meet their cousin."
Marquis Jianing achieved his goal, feeling elated and humming a tune all the way back to his mansion. However, he then pondered the daily intrigues among the princes, and the crown prince's infertility due to poisoning. Which prince should he choose as his son-in-law? This question troubled him all night, leaving him tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
Meanwhile, Jiang Meiyu had a sound sleep, slumbering soundly until she woke naturally. Lately, her stepfather had been treating her with exceptional kindness, providing her with not only sumptuous meals but also a comfortable living environment. Even the courtyard she lived in had been renovated and furnished with brand new furniture.
On the day of the wedding banquet, Jiang Meiyu wore a long light blue gauze dress that reached the ground. She wore a necklace around her waist and a matching agate blue bracelet on her right wrist. Her long black hair was tied into a hibiscus bun, and a sapphire jade hairpin was inserted between the hair strands. She wore light makeup, with a few strands of hair wrapped around her neck. Her waist was like Xiaoman, graceful as a willow, and her lips were like Fan Su, small and delicate as cherries, with a touch of vermilion on her lips. A little powder was wiped on her clean and white jade face. Her eyes were like water, seemingly clear, but deep and unpredictable.
Marquis Jianing introduced his daughter to every visitor, and praises were endless. Everyone praised Marquis Jianing and the eldest princess for having such a beautiful daughter.
The young ladies who came today were all dressed up, competing for beauty, but after seeing Jiang Meiyu, they immediately realized that their own beauty was eclipsed. Some of them showed envy and secretly admired her; while others were jealous and secretly blamed themselves for not having such natural beauty.
The young men who came were stunned, some even drooling. They couldn't help but sigh that there was such a stunning beauty in the world. Some regretted marrying too early and missed the chance to pursue her, while others secretly felt lucky that they hadn't married yet and still had the chance to get close to her.
At that moment, a commotion erupted outside. It turned out to be the Third and Fifth Princes arriving. Marquis Jianing hurried over, flatteringly saying, "Third and Fifth Princes, please come in!" Turning to the princess, he urged, "Princess, please bring your third and fifth cousins in."
Jiang Meiyu stepped forward, bowed slightly, and whispered, "Third cousin, fifth cousin, please come in." Her voice was as melodious and sweet as the sound of a nightingale, bringing a sense of peace and joy to the ears. The Third Prince, upon hearing this beautiful voice, could not help but look up. He was startled to see the woman before him, whose face was beautiful and elegant, a stark contrast to the image he had heard in the rumors. He thought to himself, "So the rumors aren't to be believed..." In contrast, the Fifth Prince remained calm, not revealing any excessive emotion, appearing remarkably composed.
According to rumors, the Third and Fifth Princes belonged to the same faction, while the First and Fourth Princes belonged to another. As for the Crown Prince, he was the second oldest, supported only by the Sixth Prince. However, due to the Crown Prince's infertility, the other princes were eager to seize the throne.
Time passed, and the eldest and fourth princes arrived one after another, but the crown prince had not yet appeared. After a long while, Jiang Meiyu finally heard a distant announcement: "The crown prince has arrived!" She couldn't help but feel a stir in her heart, knowing that the main event was about to begin.
Upon hearing that the Crown Prince had arrived, the women present all retreated. Many rumors surrounded him. He was known as a god of war, but he also had a reputation for cruelty and ruthlessness, killing anyone he met. Furthermore, rumors claimed he was barren, which filled the women with fear. After all, they had come today for the other princes, not the Crown Prince.
However, amidst the panic, Jiang Meiyu was the only one who fearlessly stepped forward and knelt. Seeing this, the others followed suit, kneeling together and shouting in unison, "Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"
The prince walked into the hall with a majestic presence. He was dressed in a black robe, his figure was tall and imposing, and his expression was so serious that it made people shudder. He said coldly, "No need to be polite."
Everyone responded in unison, "Thank you, Your Highness!" Then, they all stood up. Jiang Meiyu stood up with Zi Yan's support and called softly, "Second cousin, why is it you? Last time at Wenshu Pavilion..."
The prince's face was gloomy and he slowly said, "It was really inconvenient to reveal my identity last time in that situation. However, this is a reward that my father and mother specially asked me to bring to you." As he spoke, he waved his hand gently, signaling the servants behind him to bring in boxes of jewels.
Jiang Meiyu's eyes lit up instantly. She looked at these precious treasures with excitement, her heart filled with joy. She tried hard to restrain her inner joy, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly. She glanced at the Crown Prince with gratitude and said softly, "Thank you, Your Highness! Please ask my second cousin to express my gratitude to my uncle and aunt on my behalf."
However, the prince shook his head and said in a relaxed tone: "I don't have time to pass the message for you. Why don't you go to the palace to express your gratitude another day." After saying that, a hint of cunning flashed in his eyes, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly, as if waiting for Jiang Meiyu's reaction.
Jiang Meiyu replied calmly, "Yes, I will personally go to the palace to thank the Emperor and the Empress someday."
Since it wasn't mealtime yet, the women went to the Jianing Mansion garden to enjoy the flowers, while the men drank tea and chatted in the lobby. Su Hong and Jiang Shanshan prepared tea and snacks for the women. Seeing Jiang Meiyu's beautiful face, Jiang Shanshan almost tore her handkerchief to pieces. She wanted to tear that bitch's face off immediately. "Mother, you just..."
"Okay, Mom knows what's going on. You'll know soon." Su Hong glanced at Jiang Meiyu's position.
"Hello, Sister Yu'er! I am Zheng Yirong, the youngest daughter of Prince Zheng. Sister Yu'er, you are so beautiful. I like you very much and want to be friends with you. Is that okay?" Zheng Yirong blinked her big eyes and said sincerely.
"So it's the little princess, of course." Jiang Meiyu looked at the innocent and lovely little princess and couldn't help but pinch her cute face. This action happened to fall into the eyes of the prince. He couldn't help but look at Jiang Meiyu a few more times, and he always felt a sense of familiarity in his heart. He didn't know where it came from.
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