"Besides paying respects to the Empress Dowager, does Your Majesty have any other business tomorrow?"
Bilu tilted her head and thought for a moment, "Young Master, tomorrow morning is your formal audience day. All the civil and military officials will be there, and His Majesty has already issued an edict summoning all the princes and princesses to the palace. A palace banquet will be held tomorrow evening to welcome you. I imagine you'll be quite tired all day tomorrow?"
Why?
"Tomorrow morning you will have to pay your respects to His Majesty and get to know the officials. In the afternoon, the princes and princesses, as well as the families of civil and military officials, will enter the palace one after another. I suppose His Majesty intends to use this banquet to select a husband for you."
"Then why am I tired?"
“…Young Master, we’ll know tomorrow. Would you like to go to sleep earlier?” Biluo said with a hint of helplessness.
"Don't the princes and princesses live in the palace?"
"That's right, young master. Once princes and princesses reach the age of marriage, they must move out of the palace and establish their own residences outside the palace so that they can get married."
"So all three of my brothers are married?"
Biluo nodded: "The Fifth Young Master is not yet married. The Eldest Young Master married into General Meng's mansion. Old Master Meng of the General's mansion was a veteran of three dynasties and just passed away last year. The Eldest Young Master married Meng Jue, Old Master Meng's granddaughter. Meng Jue has a younger brother, Meng Xu, who will also be attending the palace banquet tomorrow."
The Third Young Master married into the Gu family, whose Grand Tutor Gu was a tutor to three emperors and came from a scholarly family with scholars all over the world.
Grand Tutor Gu is now over eighty years old, and the Third Young Master has married Grand Tutor Gu's granddaughter, Gu Nanyi..."
Biluo looked at Leng Qingning, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself...
Leng Qingning's eyelids twitched: "What, Gu Nanyi also has a younger brother?"
Biluo replied with embarrassment, "Young Master is wise. I heard that Gu Nanyi's younger brother, Gu Nanshu, is the Empress's chosen successor for you."
"What!" Leng Qingning slammed her hand on the bed!
However, I still find it hard to accept an arranged marriage where the couple has never even met.
Moreover, Leng Qingning knew that this husband was her first husband, especially in this country where the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children was clear and women were superior to men. She was going to spend her whole life with him.
Leng Qingning hadn't even met him, yet he'd already decided on her. What if he was ugly and she married him without any affection? That would put her in a difficult position and hurt the other person. It wouldn't be worth it.
The key point is that Leng Qingning knows herself very well; she's a sucker for good looks. She simply can't bring herself to eat someone who's ugly.
All three of them were incredibly handsome. If they were even less attractive, they wouldn't have had a chance to pursue her.
Now, hearing such heartless news from Biluo, how could she not be agitated?
He silently cursed the Empress hundreds of times in his heart, saying that she had even sold her own daughter in order to curry favor with her teacher.
So what if he's the grandson of the Imperial Tutor?
Leng Qingning leaned against the headboard, puffing out her cheeks, glancing here and there.
Wait a minute, isn't there a palace banquet tomorrow? Why not take this opportunity to see what he looks like?
Even if he wasn't an exceptionally handsome man, as long as he wasn't too bad-looking, Leng Qingning decided to give the Empress some face.
I'll just have to marry her, albeit reluctantly!
Since we're on someone else's turf now, it's best to keep a low profile.
"Biluo, will Gu Nanshu attend the palace banquet tomorrow?"
“Young Master, Grand Tutor Gu is old and in poor health. Gu Nanshu’s mother has also passed away due to illness. Gu Nanyi is now in charge of the Grand Tutor’s mansion, so the two siblings will definitely come.”
"That's good. Tomorrow you'll follow me the whole time, and point him out to me whenever you see him."
"But young master, I don't know Gu Nanshu."
However, I've heard that Gu Nanyi is beautiful, likes to wear white clothes, and is 185 cm tall, making her stand out among women and easily recognizable.
"Just find the man who came with her; it will definitely be Gu Nanshu." Biluo nodded affirmatively.
What?! 185cm?! That's a supermodel!
Considering that Leng Qingning is only 178cm tall, she is considered tall among women.
"Yes, Biluo, do as you say. You may leave now. I am going to retire for the night."
"Yes, young master, Meng'an."
The next day, at 5:15 AM, Leng Qingning was awakened from her warm bed and groggily got up.
Chaoxi and Hansu helped her wash, dress, and groom herself, one outfit after another, dignified, noble, exquisite, and warm.
These clothes were all made by the best embroiderers at the Imperial Palace after the Emperor estimated the size of Leng Qingning's clothes on the day he went into the mountains.
Chen Shi
Inside the Lingxiao Palace
The morning court session has ended. Civil and military officials stand quietly on both sides, waiting.
"Young Master, please enter the palace."
As the eunuch's heavenly voice sang, the young woman walked gracefully in.
All eyes followed Leng Qingning's movements.
He raised his hands, clasped above his eyebrows, palms down, and knelt, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace!"
A clear, cool voice, strong and resonant, broke the tranquility of the Lingxiao Palace.
Bend over, lie prone, and place your palms on the ground.
"My son, rise."
"Thank you, Mother Empress."
“My son, take two steps forward.”
Leng Qingning raised her eyes and took two big steps forward.
He looked directly at the Empress, a smile playing at the corners of his eyes and a slight curve to his lips. Their eyes met.
The forty-year-old Empress looked only thirty-five. When she smiled, there were a few wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. Her skin was smooth and fair, and her eyes revealed a heroic spirit. She had an oval face, a high nose, and her eyes shone with the majestic light of a ruler looking down upon the world.
Above the glittering crown, a curtain of seven-colored glass beads cascaded down, like auspicious clouds floating.
The Empress looked at her beloved son, whom she hadn't seen for fifteen years, and her heart was pounding with excitement. But she only smiled faintly on the surface.
His loving and gentle eyes gazed upon the stunningly beautiful girl before him, who wore only a touch of makeup.
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