The Prince Consort's Beloved

The eldest princess wore a fiery red dress embroidered with intricate peony patterns, and a red gold filigree, warm jade, fire phoenix and pearl hairpin on her head. She walked with light lotus steps, looking graceful and beautiful.

Li Yuanrou automatically took on the role of a maid, and diligently stepped forward to support the eldest princess. She sighed in her heart that her elder sister could switch roles so freely. Before, she was chasing people with a ruler and waving it up and down, and now she was wearing the wolf skin of a royal daughter, calm and steady, with a strong aura.

She raised her eyes slightly and saw that her elder sister and An'er both had red eyes. Her heart sank and her servile smile disappeared.

The princess noticed it keenly, smiled and patted her hands, saying: "It's okay, go down and accompany your husband, don't make trouble in front of me."

Following the eldest princess' official opening remarks, everyone took their seats in an orderly manner. Maids came in one after another carrying trays, and delicacies and fine wines were served on the table one after another.

Li Yuanrou looked at the table full of delicious food but had no appetite. She poured herself a glass of wine and drank it all in one gulp. She put the glass down and poured more wine. Xiao Luobai held her hand with a worried look on his face.

Li Yuanrou forced a smile and picked up the chopsticks to pick up some food for Xiao Luobai.

People kept coming forward to raise their glasses and toast.

Li Yuanrou observed the person sitting at the top, and felt relieved when she saw that she was calm and composed.

Li Yuanrou raised the exquisite wine glass and was about to take another sip, but her hand was held down by Xiao Luobai. She smiled and looked at Xiao Luobai beside her: "Want to drink together?"

Xiao Luobai picked up a piece of food for her with chopsticks and said in a gentle voice: "Don't drink it, or your stomach will feel uncomfortable. Be obedient and eat something."

Li Yuanrou smacked her lips and said, "Finish this cup."

Xiao Luobai gave her a dangerous look and said in a cold voice, leaving no room for doubt: "No!"

Li Yuanrou reluctantly put down her wine glass, her almond-shaped eyes curved into crescents as she looked at Xiao Luobai with a smirk. Xiao Luobai stood still with a threatening look on his face. Li Yuanrou picked up her chopsticks and began to eat the food silently.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Li Yuanrou and Xiao Luobai stepped forward to make a toast.

Li Yuanrou raised his glass and said with a smile: "Happy birthday, elder sister." Then he raised his hand and drank the wine in the glass.

Compared to Li Yuanrou, Xiao Luobai was much more well-behaved. He held the cup in his right hand and raised it up: "I wish the Princess to be free from worries for the rest of her life and spend her years in peace and quiet." After saying that, he raised the glass and took a step forward with his left hand and drank it all in one gulp.

The eldest princess nodded, raised her glass in return and took a sip.

Li Yuanrou shook her head and sighed, "A cultured person."

The princess scolded him, "You think everyone is like you, ignorant and only interested in fun. Your husband is a man of great talent, both in literature and martial arts, and was the top scholar in the 19th year of the Qingzhen Emperor. His articles are full of pearls, but he retired from office not long after the Qionglin Banquet and went into business."

Li Yuanrou looked at him in surprise: "I didn't expect you to be so talented in both literature and martial arts. No wonder you are so big." She scanned him up and down.

At this time, He Wenzheng stepped forward, his face softened and his rough air faded away. He stood at the bottom and made a congratulatory speech, saying in a gentle voice: "We will meet every year, but I am fine and in good health."

He drank the wine in the glass in one gulp. The princess returned the gift. He Wenzheng walked back without stopping.

Li Yuanrou was slightly surprised again. Are warriors so cultured now?

Li Youan also stood up from beside the eldest princess: "Mother, I wish you a happy birthday too."

Li Yuanrou was very relieved that there was finally someone as uneducated as her.

Then Li Youan spoke again: "Your beauty will remain the same year after year. All you wish for in this life will come true. This child does not need a biological father, just a mother is enough. I only wish that mother will be happy!"

He Wenzheng paused as he was leaving. People who practice martial arts have excellent hearing, so he could hear clearly even from a long distance.

He didn't look back and continued walking back to his seat.

The princess patted Li Youan's shoulder, her eyes slightly moist, and she murmured, "Good, good boy."

After lunch, the sun was shining brightly, and everyone went to the Winter Plum Garden to enjoy the plum blossoms. The plum blossoms were in full bloom on the branches, and the fragrance was fragrant, adding a touch of elegance to this winter.

Officials' family members came one after another to pay their respects to Li Yuanrou, and they chatted happily in groups of three or four.

He Wenting came over here, dressed in a flashy outfit, and called out, "Second Princess."

Li Yuanrou didn't notice and was still talking to someone else.

He Wenting stopped smiling, and in the blink of an eye he smiled again and said, "Second Princess, Second Princess."

Li Yuanrou turned a deaf ear and continued chatting and laughing with the person next to her.

At this time, Xiao Luobai came over and whispered, "Princess."

Li Yuanrou immediately turned around, a smile on her face: "You're here."

He Wenting's face froze for a moment, and he called out again, "Second Princess."

Li Yuanrou's smile faded: "What do you mean by idiot? Two, two, two, I think you are the idiot!" She turned around and pulled Xiao Luobai away, saying as she walked: "What an idiot, just like his brother, neither of them is a good person."

Xiao Luobai laughed teasingly: "Didn't you chase after me so closely before? Now you're saying I'm not a good person?"

Li Yuanrou's mouth sank, and she said coquettishly, "You know it's not me."

Li Yuanrou followed Xiao Luobai's gaze and saw He Wenting, who was not far away, looking over here. When he saw Li Yuanrou looking at him, he hurriedly picked up the jade pendant on his waist and played with it. Li Yuanrou recognized it as hers at a glance and strode over.

He Wenting was so delighted when he saw this that he was at a loss for a moment and wiped his hands excitedly on his outer robe.

Unexpectedly, Li Yuanrou came up to him and held out her hand: "This jade pendant was given by the late emperor. Your Majesty and I each have one. It doesn't fit you. Take it."

He Wenting was stunned on the spot. Seeing that he did not move, Li Yuanrou directly pulled it off, walked back without looking back, and hung the jade pendant directly on Xiao Luobai's waist. She smiled and said to Xiao Luobai: "A good thing matches a beautiful woman, perfect~"

He Wenting's face changed several times, and he was choked with anger. It doesn't fit me, but it fits him!

He snorted angrily and left in anger.

Li Yuanrou saw her elder sister and An'er from afar. An'er lowered his head and looked unhappy. Li Yuanrou left Xiao Luobai and chased after them, all the way to the door of the dormitory.

Li Youan was just coming out of the door, his head drooping and his face dejected. Li Yuanrou asked him, "What happened? Did you have a fight?"

Li Youan shook his head.

Li Yuanrou said, "Did someone mock you again? Tell me who it was and I'll have someone secretly tie him up and beat him up to vent your anger."

Those who could talk to Li Youan must be from a family of scholars and scholars, or a family with wealth and power. Even if someone was as arrogant and domineering as Li Yuanrou, no one would dare to tie him up, beat him or scold him openly.

Li Youan asked, "Aren't you afraid that your mother will beat you?"

Li Yuanrou raised her eyebrows and replied proudly, "What are you afraid of? Your uncle will block it for me."

Li Youan smiled bitterly: "Today I said something I shouldn't have said, and it made my mother sad. You go in and keep her company."

After Li Youan finished speaking, he lowered his head and walked away. Li Yuanrou pushed the door open and saw that her elder sister had taken off her hairpins and rings and was lying on the couch in casual clothes, looking exhausted.

Li Yuanrou came up with a plan and put on a flattering smile: "Eldest sister, let's discuss something."

The princess glanced at her sideways and said lazily, "Put away that wretched smile of yours. It never goes well when you smile like that. Tell me, what's going on this time?"

Li Yuanrou rubbed his hands and said with a chuckle, "Lend me some silver. Fifty thousand taels will be enough."

Sure enough, as soon as the money was mentioned, the princess sat up straight and her voice was almost off-tune: "Are you crazy? You want to borrow money from me?"

Li Yuanrou said with a flattering smile: "Don't be so stingy~"

The princess said categorically: "No!"

Li Yuanrou was unhappy: "Xiao Luobai just gave you 100,000 taels today. That's all my family's silver. What's wrong with you giving me 50,000 taels?"

The princess looked at her in disbelief. "Just now you said you were borrowing, but now you're giving? Besides, you're guarding your god of wealth every day, and you're short of a mere fifty thousand taels? If you want to borrow money from me, I want to borrow from your family."

Li Yuanrou said: "You are the eldest princess, how dare you ask a lowly official for money? Aren't you afraid of losing your status?"

The princess took it for granted and said in a steady voice, "What do you mean by 'I'm a subordinate or not'? He's my brother-in-law. Why should I be embarrassed? It's not like I haven't asked for it before. Once you ask, it will be much easier to ask for it later. Status is nothing compared to money."