Yao Ying followed the eunuch and slowly climbed the long, moss-covered stairs.

The cold stars are just setting, and the morning light is shining.

The sound of the dawn bell echoed throughout the palace.

The flickering candlelight could be seen faintly through the vermilion lattice windows. Li De was diligent in government affairs and summoned ministers to the Council of State to discuss matters almost every day. The candles in the inner hall were kept lit all night long.

The eunuch entered the palace to report.

Yao Ying stood on the steps, looking back at the magnificent palace standing on the hillside in the distance. There was no expression on her face, which was as white as the first snow.

The northeast corner of the palace is full of layers of mountains, with terraces and pavilions located among them. The eaves are staggered and lined up in rows, and the glazed tiles are floating with a cool and sparkling glow.

It was a summer palace built by the last emperor of the previous dynasty. The Taiji Palace is located in a low-lying area. In summer, it is hot and humid, and the corners without enough sunlight are covered with wet moss. The summer palace was built on the mountainside. It is majestic, magnificent, spacious and airy, and more suitable for living.

Yao Ying secretly planned in her heart: Once the matter of the Brahman medicine is investigated clearly, she must find a way to move Concubine Xie to live in the outer palace.

Taiji Palace is too stuffy and too close to gossip.

A gust of moist morning breeze blew by, chilling her bones. Yaoying couldn't help but shudder and tugged at the moon-white lotus-branch scarf on her shoulders.

The eunuch came out and invited her in.

It was already bright in the sky, and a few candles were still burning on the gilded lantern in the corner of the hall. Li De sat in front of the dragon desk, reading memorials. His hair was gray, and he looked like an Epiphyllum blooming quietly in the darkness, with a kind of quiet elegance lingering around him.

Yao Ying stepped forward.

Li De looked at the memorial on the table and said, "Buddha's birthday will be in a few days. The noble concubine cannot take charge of the affairs, so the Crown Princess will preside over the Buddha's birthday ceremony. Princess Fukang will marry Chief Yelu soon, and the Crown Princess has to escort Princess Fukang to the wedding, so she can't take care of it. You go and help the Crown Princess preside over the ceremony."

Yao Ying was stunned. She thought Li De called her here to ask about Concubine Xie.

After Li De gave the instructions, he didn't care about Yao Ying's reaction and waved his hand to signal her to leave.

Yaoying didn't want to have anything to do with the Eastern Palace, but she knew that since Li De had called her over to give instructions in person, he would not allow her to make excuses to shirk. She could only calmly say yes and leave the inner hall.

Consort Xie Guifei, who was the highest-ranking concubine in the palace, was not allowed to manage palace affairs, and many ceremonies were handled by the Crown Princess Zheng Biyu. The Buddha's birthday ceremony was held in the Linde Hall. The scripture table, incense tray, and golden Buddha were already arranged. Zheng Biyu was afraid that there would be some mistakes, so she personally watched the palace maids sweep the palace.

Yao Ying arrived at the Linde Hall and asked Zheng Biyu what she needed her to do.

Zheng Biyu smiled and said, "I dare not let Qi Niang get tired. All the ladies in the court will attend this ceremony. Qi Niang will be doing me a great favor by helping them entertain them."

Yao Ying had an awkward relationship with Li Xuanzhen, but she had never had any grudges against Zheng Biyu. She nodded and said, "Just follow my sister-in-law's orders."

Zheng Biyu was indeed so busy that she was dizzy. Before the two of them had said a few words, people kept coming into the hall to ask her for instructions.

Yaoying listened to a few sentences and found that they were all asking about Princess Fukang. She was secretly puzzled: Zheng Biyu was preparing a dowry for Zhu Luyun.

Has the controversy over Xu's marriage been settled?

Yao Ying remained calm.

When they returned to the palace, the chief secretary reported to her, "My lord, the date for Princess Fukang's marriage ceremony has been set. It will be in three months."

Yao Ying asked doubtfully, "There's no movement in the East Palace?"

The chief secretary said: "The chief secretary of the Eastern Palace sent many portraits of beauties and gold and silver treasures to Chief Yelu, and advised Chief Yelu to marry another woman, but the chief did not agree."

Chief Ye Lu is not stupid. Zhu Luyun is of extraordinary status. Since he has offended the Central Plains Dynasty by his reckless behavior, he naturally has to marry a princess of the most important position.

It seems that Zhu Luyun has brought this upon herself and will really have to marry far away on the grassland.

Yaoying still felt uneasy.

The next day, Xie Qing brought Li Zhongqian's letter.

After reading her brother's letter, Yaoying felt more at ease and wrote a reply overnight.

In the following days, the capital was peaceful and tranquil.

Zheng Biyu knew that Yao Ying would never set foot in the East Palace, so whenever she had something to discuss with her, she would ask her to go to the Linde Hall with a generous and frank attitude.

Despite this, Xie Qing was still worried and followed Yao Ying every day, almost never leaving her side.

He was tall and strong, standing there like a towering mountain.

Zheng Biyu's maid tactfully suggested that the Crown Princess was a woman from the Eastern Palace and Xie Qing was a man from outside, so he should stay away.

Xie Qing said sternly: "I am the Seventh Princess's attendant and I will never leave her side."

The maid was so angry that she fell backwards.

Zheng Biyu didn't say anything. She knew that Xie Qing was notoriously loyal. As long as Li Yaoying gave an order, he would carry it out without asking any questions. Even if Li Yaoying ordered him to commit suicide, he would do it without hesitation.

In a blink of an eye, it was the day of Buddha's birthday.

Yaoying stayed in the palace the night before and got up before dawn to make arrangements.

Zheng Biyu was wearing heavy makeup and a formal dress, standing in the inner hall directing the palace servants. When she saw Yao Ying, who was wearing a lotus crown, a silver-red shirt, and a green skirt, she smiled and said, "Qiniang is so beautiful that she outshines everyone else even without any formal attire. But today is a puja, isn't it a bit too plain for Qiniang to dress?"

Yao Ying said nonchalantly: "Why do we need fancy dresses for a Buddhist ceremony?"

Zheng Biyu shook her head and called a few palace maids over. They forced Yaoying in front of the bronze mirror, put rouge on her, painted her eyebrows, applied emerald hairpins, drew sandalwood circles on her face, and put on lipstick.

Yaoying is already very beautiful, and this makeover makes her look less girlish. Her eyes are charming and she is indescribably beautiful.

The palace maid was captivated by her beauty and remained silent for a moment.

Zheng Biyu couldn't help but sigh secretly. No wonder those playboys in the capital secretly said that the Seventh Princess was the most beautiful woman.

She came to her senses, picked up a pair of bamboo scissors, and tied a half-opened peony flower to pin it on Yaoying's hair. She also picked up a gold and jade four-butterfly hairpin and put it on Yaoying.

The ladies of honor came into the palace one after another by carriage, and Yao Ying went to entertain them.

The prime minister's wife held her hand tightly and said, "If you don't come to the Spring Banquet, I will hold a tea banquet in a while. The Mengding Stone Flower from Jiannan and the Yangxian from Changzhou are both good teas. You must come!"

Yaoying agreed with a smile.

After some chatting and laughing, the palace maid came over and said, "My lord, the abbot of Da Ci'en Temple has arrived."

Yao Ying asked, "Where is the Crown Princess?"

The maid said, "His Highness is talking to the Grand Princess. Please go there first, she will be here soon."

Yaoying turned around and glanced at the corridor.

Xie Qing, who was standing at the stairs, immediately understood what she meant, strode to her side, and followed closely behind her.

…

Before the ceremony began, the ladies of honor gathered in the side hall to drink tea. The whole hall was filled with pearls and jade ornaments and gorgeous flowers.

Zheng Biyu looked back several times, but couldn't find Li Yaoying, so she asked the palace maid beside her, "Where is the Seventh Princess?"

The maid pointed to the north and said, "That's where the Seventh Princess went."

Zheng Biyu frowned: Why did the Seventh Princess leave suddenly?

…

Outside the Linde Hall, Li Xuanzhen stood at the steps with his hands behind his back, a thin layer of pale golden sunlight covering his handsome face.

Hearty laughter came from the stairs. Chief Yelu, with his hair hanging down from his shoulders and wearing a lace robe, walked into the front hall of the Linde Hall surrounded by a group of people.

Li Xuanzhen stood in the wind's outlet, his wide robe filled with wind, and watched Chief Yelu's back disappear into the vermilion palace gate.

Qin Fei stood behind him, with a struggled expression on his face: "Your Highness...Seventh Princess...Seventh Princess is your sister after all."

Although she is not a biological sister, she is still a blood-related sister.

Li Xuanzhen pursed his thin lips.

Qin Fei muttered softly: "I shouldn't say too much, but I think Wei Changshi's method is too insidious. How can he plot against a young lady like this? According to my opinion..."

Li Xuanzhen turned around suddenly.

Qin Fei jumped three feet high in fright, swallowed all the words he had not finished saying, and dared not say a word.

Li Xuanzhen turned his back to the Linde Hall and strode away.

…

Inside the Linde Hall, Yao Ying stood under a pomegranate tree full of bright red flowers, waiting and waiting, but did not see the abbot of Da Ci'en Temple.

She asked the maid, "Why hasn't the host arrived yet?"

The maid bowed her head and replied, "Please wait a moment, my lord. The eunuch just said that the host has already arrived at the outer hall."

Yaoying raised her eyes and looked at the palace maid carefully.

The palace maid lowered her eyebrows and let her look at her.

Yaoying frowned slightly.

Something is wrong!

She turned and walked away.

The palace servants looked at each other.

Without saying a word, Xie Qing gripped his sword tightly and quickly followed Yao Ying.

The maid who answered the question also stood there blankly. She didn't react until Yaoying walked away. She ran forward quickly and said, "My lord, the host will be here soon. Why did you leave?"

Yao Ying said nothing.

The maid kept looking back and saw a dozen figures approaching in the alley leading to the front hall. She was overjoyed and reached out to pull Yao Ying, regardless of status: "My lord, look, the host is here!"

Yaoying ignored the palace maid and left without looking back.

The maid was so angry that she quickly ran a few steps to block Yaoying's way, smiling: "My lord, look, the host is really here!"

Yao Ying glanced coldly at the palace maid.

The palace maid said calmly, "If you don't believe me, look back."

Yao Ying didn't look back.

Xie Qing took a step forward and drew his sword: "Get out!"

The palace maid didn't expect that he would draw his sword as soon as he said so. She screamed and stepped back trembling.

This deliberately high-pitched scream attracted the attention of a group of people not far away, and more than a dozen eyes swept over at the same time.

Yaoying felt the strange gaze behind her, like a thorn in her back. She subconsciously raised her sleeves to cover her face, quickly ran through the corridor, and hid in the central hall.

A tall figure walked over.

Yaoying walked too fast and didn't notice the person in front of her, and bumped into his arms.

The other person was a man with a broad chest. He stretched out his long arm, grabbed Yaoying's elbow, and helped her stand steadily.

Yao Ying was startled and raised her head to meet the other person's cold gaze.

A pair of narrow phoenix eyes looked at her coldly.

Yao Ying was stunned, and for a moment, her whole body went limp.

"That maid belongs to my elder brother? What does my elder brother want to do?"

Her voice was trembling as she questioned.

Li Xuanzhen let go of his hand and looked away: "Go back to the back hall."

Yao Ying's hands were lightly clenched into fists in her sleeves, her heart was beating like a drum, and there was a thin layer of sweat under her clothes.

Li Xuanzhen turned his face away from her, made way for her, and said in a voice as cold as ice and snow: "Go to the back hall, don't come out."

Xie Qing rushed over and stood in front of Yao Ying vigilantly, with the tip of his knife pointing at Li Xuanzhen.

There was no expression on Li Xuanzhen's face.

There were sounds of talking and laughing coming from outside the flower window, and a group of people were getting closer and closer.

"Go back to the back hall." Yao Ying gently pulled Xie Qing and said decisively.

Xie Qing nodded, sheathed his sword, and led Yao Ying into the back hall.

As the figures of the master and servant disappeared behind the pillars, Chief Yelu walked into the front hall happily and asked curiously, "I just saw two people walking in that direction..."

Although the woman covered her face, he could tell from her slender and delicate figure that she was definitely a beauty. Unfortunately, she walked too fast and he couldn't see her face clearly.

Wei Ming, who was accompanying Chief Yelu, secretly despised Chief Yelu for his shamelessness, but smiled as he said, "Today's Buddha's Birthday Ceremony is hosted by the Seventh Princess. The person just now seemed to be the Seventh Princess."

Chief Yelu suddenly became interested.

He had heard of the Seventh Princess, who was said to be a dainty beauty. Unfortunately, the Seventh Princess never attended palace banquets or polo matches, so he had never had the chance to meet her.

Wei Ming sneered in his heart, and looked around quickly, looking for Li Yaoying, and saw a person who shouldn't be here - Li Xuanzhen.

His face suddenly darkened.

If you want the greedy Chief Yelu to give up Zhu Luyun on his own initiative, you can't just rely on a portrait. You must let him see the Seventh Princess with his own eyes to completely impress him.

The Seventh Princess lives a secluded life and rarely goes out. She made clever arrangements and finally found an opportunity for Chief Yelu to see the beauty of the Seventh Princess, but the Crown Prince actually ruined things!

…

During the following ceremonies, Yao Ying hid in the back hall and did not show up.

Chief Yelu did not meet Yao Ying.

Wei Ming was furious that all his hard work over the past few days had gone to waste.

The Seventh Princess became defensive and their plan failed.

Unexpectedly, three days later, things took a turn for the better.

Chief Yelu presented a respectful proposal, asking to marry the seventh princess.

Wei Ming couldn't believe his ears: "Chief Yelu clearly didn't see the Seventh Princess, how could he be willing to give up Princess Fukang?"

The subordinates were also bewildered: "I didn't know that the chief not only agreed to replace him, but also said that as long as the emperor agreed to marry him, he would be the vanguard of the Wei army and help the Wei army recapture Liangzhou!"

Wei Ming was dumbfounded.

The author has something to say: My home is under lockdown, and I had a slight cold yesterday. I rested for a day, but luckily I didn’t have a fever, I just caught a cold.

The weather is cold, everyone should pay attention to keep warm~

Here I wish my dearests a happy new year, good health to your family, good luck, and may all your wishes come true~

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Thanks to the little angel who threw the rocket: Jiu Zhao;

Thanks to the little angels who cast mines: Wen Qing; Bai Zhou Meng Zhou;

Thanks to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: Ivy.Green; Eat Eat Eat; ellenenenen; Nanako; Erduomutou, Am I almost there?, Xixi, I love scallion cakes