Men are superior to women: the heartthrob in Yunqi

I am too lazy to look back at the flowers, half because of the passing years and half because of you.

Ye Lianhe couldn't help gazing at the beauty on the stage. He was in a trance, searching for her. Day and night, year after year, she was before him.

He suddenly looked towards his mother, his determined gaze revealing his inner longing without any concealment.

Imperial Concubine He smiled endlessly, raised her hands, and clapped her hands in praise. She carefully looked at the woman on the stage, thinking seriously in her heart. The noble lady of the Li family made a big splash today, and there must be many people who admire her. The love buried in Ye Qinghan's eyes was like a piece of white paper, shining through. If the noble lady of the Li family sat on the position of the Crown Princess, his son could only sigh in despair.

Everyone's scattered thoughts were pulled back by the applause from Imperial Concubine He, and then a torrential cheering filled the entire Hall of Heroes, which lasted for a long time, releasing their full enthusiasm.

Wang Yanzhi's beautiful amber face was filled with a delicate figure. Her every frown, smile, word and action were like exquisite dice and red beans, which made him think deeply about her.

Suddenly, his pupils shrank sharply, and the beauty in front of his eyes was like a flawless snow feather, crumbling and falling with the wind.

Wang Yanzhi's heart suddenly sank and he quickly leaped towards the center of the stage, but a man in white clothes took him in his arms first.

The beauty's body was soft and boneless, as light as cotton wool. Xie Ci stared at the overly pale face with eyes closed in his arms, and the strength in his hands gradually tightened.

The surroundings were in an uproar, and Mu Yao had a splitting headache. Her mind gradually became blurred, and she felt a large hand firmly touching her pulse.

After a while, the chief physician Wen Tairan nodded to everyone, bowed and stepped forward to report to Emperor Qingyuan: "Your Majesty, Miss Mu's pulse is strained, and her qi and blood are insufficient. She must have fainted due to overwork and irregular diet, which led to anemia. Take three doses of Yang Shen Soup, eat on time after returning, and have a good rest. She will recover in a few days."

Li Taifu was so distressed. He had been working non-stop for so long, doing everything by himself. It was so exhausting that even a man of iron couldn't stand it. Thinking of this, the resentment in his eyes became more intense.

I can’t bear my daughter’s grievance!

His eyes were sharp as torches. He stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, this girl has put a lot of thought into organizing the banquet to perfection. She studies the menu day and night and asks old ministers to review the dishes, fearing that she will fail in her mission and let down Your Majesty's grace. She came to the palace early before the morning today and has been conscientiously controlling the dishes in the imperial kitchen. She only sat down to eat a few bites of fruit just now." When he said this, Taifu Li couldn't help but tremble all over, his eyes turned red, and he was just about to burst into tears and snot. Emperor Qingyuan was ashamed and blamed himself.

In front of the Beiming envoys and a group of young men, he starved the beautiful lady to death in the hall. This shame is so great that he can't get it back even if he goes to the Nantian Gate!

"reward!"

Emperor Qingyuan was full of energy and said in a voice as loud as a bell: "Ms. Mu has made great efforts in organizing the music banquet today. Her performance in the talent competition was magnificent and wonderful. I am very pleased. I will grant you 30,000 taels of gold, 500,000 taels of silver, 10 hu of pearls, 10 rolls of Fucui Liudan Palace satin, 10 rolls of Yuebai Fengqing Palace silk, and a Muyun Villa as a reward."

When Queen Gu heard the name "Muyun Villa", her expression flickered slightly, and she looked at Emperor Qingyuan with an ambiguous expression. Although the villa only had fifty acres of land, it had a very rare natural hot spring, and the area within a hundred miles was full of green leaves and flowers all year round.

Imperial Concubine He was jealous. She had been eyeing the private hot spring for a long time and wanted to ask the emperor for it when her son returned triumphantly. But she didn't expect that it fell into Mu Yao's hands. There are only three hot springs in Shangjing, and the private hot springs of the royal family account for two. On cold winter days, the warm and misty hot springs can fully relax the body and mind. And these springs have a good effect on keeping the face young. Sometimes she would eat a hot spring egg and enjoy the beautiful quiet time.

Master Li thanked the Lord with satisfaction, and took Mu Yao to Jingxin Palace to rest amidst envious gazes.

He silently looked at his daughter's peerless face, tapping the edge of the bed with his fingers, revealing a thoughtful expression.

Emperor Qingyuan did not allow him to go home, probably because he had something else to say.

After an incense stick of time, Mu Yao gradually woke up. After taking the nourishing soup prescribed by the imperial physician, she felt more energetic. She savored the remaining medicine in her mouth, which actually had the aroma of Phoenix Mountain mint and borneol.

Wow! The magical herb worth thirty thousand silver ounces instantly made my mind clearer.

It’s worthy of being a royal palace, they’re not short of money!

Tutor Li listed the emperor's rewards to her in detail. When she heard that there was a natural hot spring, her face suddenly turned rosy. It really was worth all her hard work!

But he noticed the deep gaze of Li Taifu and couldn't help wondering: "Dad, do you have anything else to say?"

Master Li stroked his beard habitually. Mu Yao saw him stroke it back and forth three times, and suddenly became alert, waiting with extremely focused eyes.

"Yaoyao, what do you think of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?" After thinking it over, Master Li felt that it was necessary to find out what his daughter really meant.

Mu Yao seemed to sense what her father meant and asked cautiously, "What do you mean?"

Master Li was amused by his daughter's words. The little girl actually laughed in front of him. He patted her head gently and said, "Tell the truth. Dad wants to hear it."

Mu Yao lowered her head and pondered for a moment, then raised her eyes and asked, "Dad, is this your idea or the one from above?"

Li Taifu moved his seat and sat in front of Mu Yao. He said earnestly, "A big tree attracts the wind, and too much money attracts trouble. This person is the same. Today, you shined in the Hall of Heroes, attracting the attention of many forces. In addition, you are still unmarried, so it is inevitable that some people will have thoughts about you. If the emperor summons you later and asks you about your thoughts on the position of Crown Princess, what will you say?"

No idea!

Mu Yao cried out silently three times in her heart, pursed her lips and replied: "Qingcheng and I will be getting married in a few months. I just want to be with him and live a peaceful life. Dad, what do you think?"

Master Li said slowly, "Dad thinks you think too simply and don't see things clearly enough. Yaoyao, Dad has been an official in the court for decades, and when dealing with people, he always thinks about people, not things. You have always been very smart and you understand things quickly. Dad thinks you should work on your humanity. Some things can't be avoided just because you want to. If you really can't avoid them, you might as well face them calmly."

Seeing his daughter's solemn expression, Li Taifu reminded her again: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is a man of great talent, outstanding virtue, and wisdom. However, as the crown prince, he is bound by many constraints on many matters, so he can't help but think carefully and be cautious. If you are interested in the position of Crown Princess, your marriage with Qingcheng is impossible. The Crown Princess is a phoenix, and in order to preserve the pure royal bloodline, one woman cannot marry more than one man. So you have to think it over carefully."

Mu Yao thought about it carefully and felt that her father had said so much just to tell her that if she chose the prince, she would have to give up the entire forest. If it was Xu Qingcheng, she would definitely not hesitate at all. If it was Ye Qinghan, any thought would be disrespectful to herself. She didn't see any of the advantages her father said, such as outstanding virtue and wisdom. She didn't want to have anything to do with the Huaiyang Marquisate, even if it wasn't the surname Gu.

At this time, in the Imperial Garden, Emperor Qingyuan, the Empress, and Imperial Noble Consort He were taking a break, sipping the water from the Imperial Dragon Well and admiring the colorful flowers in the garden.

Queen Gu openly admired Lady Mu's appearance and talent, and mentioned Ye Qinghan's marriage intentionally or unintentionally.

Emperor Qingyuan's mind was full of Emperor Yunwen's letter, and Queen Gu's hint made him more determined. But the eldest princess was in a difficult situation. Xu Qingcheng had not yet told Ye Jingshu that she was trapped in Yunlan Country, and now she was unkindly coveting her own sister's daughter-in-law. No matter what, it was hard to say it!

Seeing Queen Gu's excited expression, Imperial Concubine He stopped smiling a bit, and a hint of coldness flashed across her eyes. She said with a half-smile, "Sister, if the Crown Prince marries Lady Mu, then he and the Huaiyang Marquis's Mansion will be one family."

Gu Zhaozhao's mind was focused, and then she looked at He Manru calmly and said, "The Imperial Concubine is joking."

She lost interest instantly after hearing He Manru's words. She returned to Fengyang Palace on the pretext of being unwell and called the prince over.

Ye Qinghan was playing chess with Xie Ci. When he heard his mother summon him, he lost three moves in a row. Seeing that he had lost interest, Xie Ci played defensively and ended the game in a draw.

In Fengyang Palace, Queen Gu told her son directly what she thought. If Mu Yao took the position of Crown Princess, Xu Qingcheng would be without a wife. Given the entanglement between him and Gu Huiran, he wanted the emperor to grant them a marriage, so that Gu Huiran would not have to go to that bitter cold place, and the confiscated assets of Huaiyang Marquis Mansion could be returned to the Gu family.

Ye Qinghan was horrified, and his face turned pale with shock. Looking at his mother's black and shiny black hair and the traces of time in the corners of her eyes, he sighed in his heart that she was stupid.

"Your Majesty, please don't do that. I do have feelings for Lady Mu, but you must not ask your father to grant a marriage between Xu Qingcheng and Gu Huiran. If you do that, where will the Princess and Prime Minister Xu be? Please be careful with your words. I have my own considerations on this matter, and I will report it to your father and you in detail after I have weighed the pros and cons."

He coveted the daughter-in-law of the emperor's aunt, and it was immoral to want to take Xu Qingcheng's wife. If Xu Qingcheng were to marry Gu Huiran, he would never be able to get rid of this unkind and unjust hat in his lifetime, and it would be even more disadvantageous for him to become the supreme ruler in the future. His mother had lost her mind for the sake of her family.

Although Ye Qinghan and Mu Yao had not had much contact, he judged that if he wanted to marry her, he would have to make a big fuss at the Huaiyang Marquis's Mansion, to show his sincerity in marrying her and to give an explanation to the princess. Gu Huiran must be exiled no matter what. Thinking of the letter from Yunlan Kingdom, Ye Qinghan hurriedly took his leave and went directly to the imperial study.

Emperor Qingyuan was worried about this matter. After hearing what Ye Qinghan said, he began to think about it and decided to test Mu Yao's intentions first. He turned to Ye Qinghan and asked, "Did you express your feelings to her yourself or did your father speak to you?"

After a long while, Emperor Qingyuan saw Ye Qinghan bowing his head and keeping silent, and smiled with understanding: "Go away."

He ordered Chief Steward Lei to summon Lady Mu.

When he saw the extremely delicate lady in white clothes up close, the series of critical strikes of her beauty dispelled all his concerns. This woman was extremely beautiful, talented, and born to be a noble family. He had more than one son, so if she couldn't be the crown princess, she would be satisfied with being the princess.

"Mrs. Li, are you feeling better?" Emperor Qingyuan asked with concern. He was thinking about giving her some elixir and thousand-year-old blood ginseng to nourish her. The little girl had suffered a lot these days. Now that he thought about it carefully, he was indeed inconsiderate to let a young woman take the lead in organizing the banquet. However, Mu Yao's ability amazed everyone. She was a brave and resourceful person who could accomplish great things!

Mu Yao replied respectfully: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am fine. Your Majesty has rewarded me with many rare treasures and the Muyun Villa. I thank you for your grace." After saying this, she bowed again.

These yellow and white things were nothing in the eyes of Emperor Qingyuan. If she became the daughter-in-law of the royal family, she would have much more than these.

Emperor Qingyuan did not hesitate to ask her what she thought about the position of Crown Princess.

Mu Yao recalled her father's teachings and did not rush to refuse. She thought calmly for a moment and replied, "Your Majesty, I have an engagement with Xu Qingcheng, and the wedding date has been announced to the world. I and Xu Qingcheng promised each other to be together for the rest of our lives, never leaving each other, and growing old together."

Emperor Qingyuan was not surprised by her answer, but felt it was a pity. He liked Mu Yao much better than Helian Qing. With this girl's talent, she would be of great help to Qinghan in achieving his ambitions. He wanted to keep the wealth within his family, so he turned his attention to Wang Yanzhi. He felt so indebted to this child that he could only keep the secret in his heart. He could see that Wang Yanzhi was interested in Mu Yao, so he would discuss it after she got married to Xu Qingcheng.

Thinking about the letter from Emperor Yunwen, Emperor Qingyuan motioned for Mu Yao to sit down and ordered Chief Steward Lei to invite the eldest princess and her husband.

Mu Yao didn't understand what was going on and suddenly became very nervous, wondering if she had refused the position of Crown Princess and would be throwing the problem to the Princess and Prime Minister Xu?

Looking at the kind smile of Emperor Qingyuan, she felt so uncomfortable that her hair stood on end.

When the eldest princess and Prime Minister Xu arrived, Emperor Qingyuan took out the hot letter.

This was a bolt from the blue for the Xu family and Mu Yao.

Mu Yao gently touched the jade key hanging on her neck through her inner shirt and pressed it down hard. This was the token of love Xu Qingcheng had given her.

Chu Manman? She remembered that she had met her once in the Treasure Pavilion. The most beautiful woman in Yunlan Country, a legitimate princess who had 28 maids before she even got married. How could she have the nerve to covet Xu Qingcheng, who was as bright as the moon? The rage accumulated in her eyes burned fiercely, her delicate cheeks flushed, and she laughed in anger, "It seems like it's time to go to Yunlan Country."

"Yes, we will go with you to bring Qingcheng back." The eldest princess said excitedly. She never dreamed that such an outrageous and terrible thing would happen. The marriage between this child and A Yao is really a long and difficult journey. She decided to get married as soon as Qingcheng came back.

Seeing the princess blushing with excitement, Prime Minister Xu quickly comforted her: "You are the princess of Dayun, it is not appropriate for you to go. Stay at home and wait for Yaoyao and I to bring Qingcheng back."

Xu Yuanming had been on diplomatic missions to Yunlan Kingdom several times and was quite familiar with Emperor Yunwen. In short, he was a daughter slave, and a daughter slave without bottom line and principle. Just look at the 28 servants. Although girls are precious in Yunqi, I have never seen an unmarried noble lady with so many servants, not to mention a princess of a country. He was now worried about whether Qingcheng would fall into the hands of the devil. If something went wrong, would the engagement be cancelled? Thinking of this, his eyebrows were full of worry, and he looked at Mu Yao with complicated eyes.