Helian Qing, holding the invitation, asked Xie Tingzhou for leave, saying, "Since Prime Minister Li has invited me, I cannot refuse. I will not come to the Eastern Palace that day."
He's been under Xie Tingzhou's strict control lately and doesn't dare to slack off.
Deep down, he didn't want to attend the banquet.
That old scoundrel Li Heng abandoned his mother for the sake of Xiao Shi, and wronged his maternal grandmother and uncle. He doesn't want to acknowledge Li Heng as his maternal grandfather at all.
But he was unwilling to accept it. The suffering his mother and grandmother had endured could not be erased by a divorce.
He has to do something bad.
Xie Tingzhou was very pleased to see Helian Qing come to ask for leave so honestly, just like a student.
A child who appears arrogant and unruly will remember any kindness you show him. He may still complain about not obeying your discipline, but he will even inform you of his plans to attend a banquet.
They clearly regarded him as a teacher.
Xie Tingzhou saw through his intention to go to the Prime Minister's residence but kept it to himself.
"Granted. You may have a good rest tomorrow. If you don't know anyone well and are worried that it won't be fun, you can have Prince Ning accompany you."
Even though Helian Qing was clever, he was still just a child. Fearing that he wouldn't be able to keep the secret, Li Heng didn't tell him all about his conspiracy.
Therefore, Helian Qing only thought that Li Heng was protecting the Xiao family, and did not know that Li Heng had once wanted to destroy him and now wanted to use him.
With Prince Ning watching with his seemingly foolish wisdom, Li Heng's schemes were not going to be so easy.
Even if Xie Tingzhou didn't say anything, Helian Qing was still going to drag her good friend along.
However, he tugged at his skirt and twirled in front of Xie Tingzhou, saying, "The invitations arrived in a hurry, and I don't even have the clothes and hair accessories for tomorrow's banquet. I wonder if Ye Zhen has any ready-made ones."
As he said this, he stared at Xie Tingzhou without blinking.
Everyone says a good man should always consider his woman's feelings. He's already said he's going to seduce Ye Zhen. If the Crown Prince is sensible, he should prepare his outfit for tomorrow, right?
Prince Helian felt he hadn't had new clothes made in a long time, and he needed to make a dazzling appearance at such a grand occasion tomorrow.
Xie Tingzhou recalled Ye Zhen's casual conversation with him, during which he suspected that the steward of the Dingyuan Prince's Mansion had deliberately guided Helian Qing.
After thinking for a moment, I said, "The Crown Prince will prepare these things, and I guarantee you will receive them before the banquet tomorrow."
"By the way, I heard that Madam Cui will be going too. Since you're going, please take good care of her. Granny Cai has nothing to do, so you can take her out to broaden her horizons."
With new clothes and many familiar faces to accompany him, Helian Qing readily agreed.
However, he made a small new request: "That day, Master wants to wear pink."
The butler said that his fair skin was best suited to pink.
Ye Zhen once described to Xie Tingzhou that when Helian Qing grew up, he wore pink under his armor, and even his spear and necklace were decorated with pink cords. Ye Zhen couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
Before they knew it, the day of the banquet had arrived.
Helian Qing got up early and went directly to Ye Zhen's courtyard wearing a pink nightgown.
When he left the palace last night, he urged the Crown Prince to give him his new clothes. The Crown Prince said that there were still some things to finish and that he would deliver them directly to Ye Zhen the next day.
The mystery surrounding it piqued his curiosity, so he ran to Ye Zhen's courtyard as soon as he woke up.
Ye Zhen also got up and had finished washing up. He pointed to the tray and asked Yin Yue and Fu Guang to help Helian Qing change his clothes.
Unable to contain his curiosity, Helian Qing lifted the cloth covering the tray and immediately pouted.
It wasn't the pink he wanted, but the brocade white.
"He doesn't keep his word."
Ye Zhen had anticipated his reaction and smiled, "This is the only silk in the world, try it on first."
Helian Qing still had to give Ye Zhen face, so he reluctantly changed his clothes.
When he came out, his complexion had improved considerably.
The prince did not prepare a typical women's long dress for him, but rather a robe similar to a man's, but with a cinched waist and feminine details.
From the waist down, a layer of tulle was worn over the long white dress, on which peacock feathers were twisted into silk threads to create an emerald green pattern, which was matched with an emerald green headband.
Ye Zhen pressed the boy down into a chair and personally tied up half of the boy's long hair high, leaving the other half to fall naturally over his shoulders. Then he put on a headband, and a boy who was still young but exuded a heroic spirit appeared in the mirror.
"You are a man, and your body and frame are relatively larger than those of women. Many women's dresses require a petite and delicate figure to bring out their charm."
Furthermore, as you grow taller and taller, it will be difficult to find a suitable dress for you. Therefore, the Crown Prince personally designed this outfit for you.
"Helian Qing, the old prince loves his grandson dearly and hopes you will grow up well, but the men of the Helian family are all men of iron will, and he surely hopes you will grow into a man of unyielding integrity like your ancestors and fathers."
Ye Zhen's voice was gentle as she bent down to look in the mirror. "Look, what a handsome young man in the mirror! The old prince must be so happy to see him."
"How about I draw a portrait of you and send it to the old prince?"
Helian Qing was used to seeing himself dressed in bright colors and adorned with jewels, and this was the first time he had dressed so neatly and refreshingly.
He actually thought it looked somewhat good, but having been brainwashed by the old steward for many years, he asked uncertainly, "Will Grandfather really like it? Will he be afraid that I dress as a man, worried that the Heavenly Dao will see it and take me away as well?"
How could that be?
Ye Zhen pulled him to the dressing mirror and gestured for him to look at himself from both sides. “This isn’t a man’s outfit. It’s more like a woman’s dress being adapted into a man’s robe. Wouldn’t it be much more convenient and efficient for martial arts and horseback riding like this?”
Believe it or not, many noble ladies in the capital will follow your example.
Helian Qing was skeptical.
Ye Zhen continued, "The Helian family guards the border for Dayuan. The old prince killed bandits who attempted to invade Dayuan's territory. He was doing a great deed to protect the country."
There is no such thing as divine retribution for slaughter. If there were, who could compare to the carnage of the founding war?
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