Long Live the Empress

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye it is the eldest princess' birthday.

The old lady led everyone to send the two young ladies to the banquet. Even Aunt Su was released from house arrest and got up early to help Yue Jinghong dress up.

Yue Jinghong was wearing the goose yellow Shu brocade tasseled skirt today, and only a yellow crystal butterfly hairpin on her head. The old lady nodded with satisfaction, thinking that this outfit was both cute and dignified.

Aunt Su saw that the old lady was very satisfied with Jinghong, and she was also proud in her heart, "Why didn't the third young lady come? You must not miss the time."

After that, Yue Yuyan came in wearing a bright red floor-length dress. The colorful gems on the dress sparkled in the sun, and her hair was covered with rubies and gold hairpins...

This... Is this third girl crazy? The old lady pointed at Yue Yuyan with trembling hands and didn't say anything for a long time.

But the Second Aunt was still unaware of this. She took Yue Yuyan's hand and looked at the plain Yue Jinghong as if to seek credit, "Old Madam, look how beautiful the Third Miss is. She will definitely attract everyone's attention when she arrives at the Princess's Mansion..."

The old lady became even more angry when she saw the flirtatious Second Aunt. It was true that actors were not presentable and had even taught their daughter to be like this. "Madam Zhang, go take off all those things on her head!"

When Yue Yuyan saw Aunt Zhang reaching out to take it off, she immediately hid behind the Second Aunt, looking unconvinced, "Grandma, I just put on my makeup this morning. If I put on my makeup again, I will be late!"

"Then don't go!" Seeing that she dared to talk back, the old lady immediately frowned.

"The visiting card has been sent to the Princess's mansion. If I don't go, the Princess will blame me!" Yue Yuyan was not afraid of the old lady's disapproval today, and she kept talking.

At this time, the housekeeper reminded them that they had already gone to other mansions, and if they didn't leave now, it would be too late. The old lady then gave Yue Jinghong a few instructions and let them get on the carriage.

In the carriage, Yue Yuyan looked up and down at Yue Jinghong, who was dressed simply, and said, "Second sister is really a man of her words. Thank you for your help!"

Yue Jinghong looked at her with envy, "Third sister, you are too polite. Today, I am your foil, so I can't be as glamorous as you!"

Yue Yuyan was even more proud when she heard Yue Jinghong's compliments. Today, she must attract the attention of the young masters! Auntie is right. It doesn't matter if you are the most talented woman in the capital! The most important thing is to find a good talent with a noble status!

....................................

Many gorgeous carriages have gathered in front of the Princess's Mansion. Although Yue Hanwen is the Prime Minister, he is not considered a high-ranking official in the capital city of the prince's grandson, so he still has to queue up obediently.

As soon as Yue Jinghong got off the carriage, several young ladies from aristocratic families came to look for her, saying flattering words as they walked towards the mansion.

When Yue Yuyan got off the carriage in a pretentious manner, Yue Jinghong was no longer outside. She hurriedly took her maid into the mansion.

As soon as Yue Yuyan entered the hall, the noisy sound suddenly disappeared. Everyone stared at her in amazement, and even forgot to swallow the wine in their mouths...

Yue Yuyan thought that everyone was conquered by her beauty, so she bowed gracefully and went to look for Yue Jinghong with a decent smile.

The young masters then began to whisper to each other, occasionally bursting into laughter. The noble ladies also talked a lot, with contempt on their faces.

Yue Yuyan searched the entire Princess's Mansion but couldn't find the goose yellow figure. She stomped her feet in anger, went back to the hall and found a seat near the front.

"The Princess is here~"

Following the eunuch's announcement, everyone stood up and bowed to welcome the eldest princess.

The princess paused as she passed Yue Yuyan, then continued walking towards the main seat. "Everyone, get up." As soon as everyone got up and sat down, the princess asked, "Whose prince's bride is this?"

Everyone looked at Yue Yuyan as if they were enjoying a good show, but Yue Yuyan was still looking around stupidly.

When she found that everyone's attention was on her, Yue Yuyan was actually a little complacent. The eldest princess said that she was the prince's bride. Did she mean that she was dressed very elegantly, like a prince's consort? Thinking of this, she saluted the eldest princess in the most elegant manner, "Elder Princess, thank you for your compliment. I, Yue Yuyan, the third daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion, pay my respects to you, the eldest princess."

Everyone looked at her like she was a fool, and couldn't believe that there were such stupid people in the world...

"The Prime Minister's family is indeed well-educated. A mere concubine's daughter can behave like this! I have finally seen what it's like today!" The eldest princess's face showed no emotion, but what she said was extremely unpleasant.

Yue Jinghong, who was watching the show from a hidden place at the banquet, quickly stepped forward and knelt down to apologize, "Greetings, Princess. I am Yue Jinghong, the second daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion. It is all my fault. I did not take good care of my younger sister. Please forgive me, Princess!"

Yue Yuyan was not happy with this. This bitch always stole her limelight. She wanted to get involved because the princess liked her. She was dreaming! She rolled her eyes at Yue Jinghong.

"Thank you for the compliment, Princess. Father also often praises me for my intelligence." Yue Yuyan was so happy that she looked at the Princess boldly. Suddenly, her mind went blank. The Princess was also wearing red, and her clothes were covered with gems...

No matter how dumb Yue Yuyan was, she knew she had caused a big disaster, so she quickly knelt on the ground, "Princess...Princess, please forgive me. This is the clothes of my second sister, and she forced them on me..."

"The princes have arrived~"

When the noble ladies heard that the princes had arrived, they quickly asked their maids to tidy up their appearance and bowed and greeted them shyly.

Leading the way was Crown Prince Wei Ziyi, who was wearing a golden yellow dragon robe with a gold edge and embroidered nine dragons.

"Nephew greets the Imperial Aunt. I wish you eternal youth!" Wei Ziyi's voice was as gentle as jade, making people feel like they were bathed in spring breeze.

"Prince, I haven't seen you for a long time. We must have a good chat today." The eldest princess was very satisfied with her nephew, and the unhappiness she had just felt disappeared.

After the Crown Prince took his seat, the other princes also gave their congratulatory speeches and took their seats.

The prince was puzzled when he saw the woman in red kneeling at the first table, "Whose brother's bride is this?"

Yue Yuyan blushed and looked at the prince with spring in her eyes. The prince was indeed a rare talent, and the charm he exuded was irresistible. "Greetings to His Royal Highness, I am Yue Yuyan, the third daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion. I... I am not engaged yet..." She looked at the prince with a meaningful look, and anyone who was not blind could see her purpose.

The prince couldn't count how many women had implicitly expressed their love to him. This was the first time he had encountered someone as bold as Yue Yuyan. "Since you are not engaged to the prince, why are you sitting at the head of the crowd? Although the prime minister's daughter is of noble status, she should not be above the royal family no matter what!"

If we look into what the prince said, everyone in the prime minister's office will be implicated.

Those noble ladies who had long looked down on Yue Yuyan began to accuse the Prime Minister's Mansion of having no upbringing, saying that a concubine's daughter dared to be disrespectful to the royal family.

Yue Yuyan finally understood why the princess said she was the prince's consort. It was not because of her dress, but because she sat in the royal seat... "Please forgive me, Your Highness... This, this seat originally belonged to my second sister, but later... later she forced me to sit here... It's really not that I despise the royal family..."

Yue Jinghong looked at her in disbelief, bit her lip and wanted to argue, but in the end said nothing, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, I am Yue Jinghong, the second daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion. What happened today is all my fault. As an elder sister, I did not keep an eye on my younger sister, which led to her getting into big trouble. Please punish me for my younger sister's young age!" Her aggrieved look, yet she had to stand up for herself, made the Crown Prince look at her a few more times.

"Yes, this is all the fault of the second sister. Please forgive me, Your Highness!" Yue Yuyan's shameless words made everyone despise her. The noble ladies who were with Yue Jinghong just now stood up to testify, "I have seen His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I can testify for the second young lady. Since the second young lady got off the carriage, we have been together and have never been separated. We even sat together. I don't know where the third young lady's words come from? Could it be that the third young lady saw that the second young lady was gentle and could be deceived, so she deliberately framed her?"

Several other noble ladies also said that everything she said was true. Yue Jinghong looked at them gratefully and said, "Thank you sisters for testifying for me. But as an elder sister, I did not look favorably upon my younger sister. It is true..." As she spoke, her voice choked and she could no longer control her tears. Those crystal tears hung on her already beautiful face, making her look even more pitiful, making people want to hold her in their arms and comfort her.

When the fourth prince Wei Zilin heard that it was the young lady of the Prime Minister's Mansion, he was moved. "Brother Crown Prince, the second young lady's selfless protection of her sister is very touching. Why don't we forget about it? Today is the birthday of the imperial aunt. Don't let these little things ruin everyone's mood!"

Yue Jinghong raised her tearful eyes and looked at Wei Zilin who was pleading for her. She found that he was even more handsome than the prince, and his face did not have the sickly paleness of the prince. She felt a little favorable towards him.

"Ahem..." The prince covered his mouth and coughed a few times, then waved his hand to let them go and said he would not pursue the matter any further. Yue Yuyan hurriedly thanked him and was about to leave, but the eldest princess refused to let him go. "The second young lady sacrificed herself to protect her sister, and I am deeply moved. But the third young lady slandered the second young lady repeatedly for her own sake. If she is not punished, won't this encourage this trend? Come on, drag the third young lady away and give her fifty lashes, and send her back to the Prime Minister's Mansion, so that Prime Minister Yue can teach her a lesson!"

Fifty strokes of the cane? This would cost her half her life. Yue Yuyan quickly grabbed Yue Jinghong's sleeve and half pleaded and half threatened: "Second sister, please help me to speak for me. When I came out, grandma told you to take good care of me. If I get beaten, grandma and my aunt will not let you go! Don't forget who is in charge of the Prime Minister's Mansion now!"

Yue Jinghong seemed to be frightened. She knelt on the ground with a plop and begged the princess for mercy. The princess laughed in anger, "Okay, okay, a little concubine's daughter is so arrogant. It turns out that the daughters raised by actors are not ordinary. Prime Minister Yue and the old lady are getting more and more confused as they get older. They actually gave the power to a lowly actor! It really opened my eyes... Then I will give Miss Three a hundred strokes of the cane and send her to Changqing Temple to learn how to behave!"

Yue Yuyan collapsed to the ground... before she could even open her mouth to beg for mercy, two old women covered her mouth and nose and dragged her away.

This incident did not affect the mood of the crowd as they continued to sing, compliment and fawn on each other.

Yue Jinghong looked at the gentle and elegant prince who coughed from time to time, and then looked at the handsome Wei Zilin. She stood up and left the noisy banquet.

Yue Jinghong sat in a quiet pavilion, watching the fish in the pond, but she listened to the sounds around her, and suddenly she heard footsteps getting closer.

"Is the Second Miss sad about the Third Miss's matter?"

It was the voice of the Fourth Prince Wei Zilin!

Yue Jinghong suppressed the ecstasy in her heart and tried hard to make her eyes red. She looked up at the man in front of her and nodded slightly.

Wei Zilin took off the jade pendant on his body and handed it to Yue Jinghong, "If the elders in the family blame you for what happened today, you can send someone to find me with this jade pendant! I will definitely make the decision for the second young lady!"

Yue Jinghong took the royal jade pendant, bowed and thanked him. No one could resist her beauty, even the prince would be her lover...