Harem Daily Life

Tao Yanyan had originally intended to personally accompany He Xuan to the flower viewing banquet at the Duke of Chu's residence, but now that she suspected she was pregnant and she was experiencing some morning sickness, he had no choice but to ask Princess Jing to accompany her. After they were brought back to the palace that evening, Tao Yanyan inquired about what had happened.

He Xuan felt that everything that happened today was quite novel, and she talked about the delicious snacks she found and the interesting people she met.

"But mother, I feel that a brief encounter like this is insufficient to understand a person's true nature. The young masters of each family are all dressed in fine clothes and well-spoken, appearing to have carefully prepared themselves. However, this has led to a loss of their true nature, as if they were wearing a mask, only showing their best side. I feel that if you choose someone based on your first impression, you will most likely make the wrong choice."

Tao Yanyan reclined on the chaise longue and squeezed He Xuan's hand. "Xuan'er, you think it takes time for people to develop feelings for each other, and it's impossible to fall in love at first sight, right?"

He Xuan's ears turned red and she nodded.

Tao Yanyan smiled and said, "Indeed, Mother agrees that your idea is correct. So Xuan'er, go a few more times. Mother doesn't have any time constraints on you. Take your time to choose. You will eventually meet someone you think is unique and someone you want to date."

He Xuan bit her lip: "Actually, I still have one thing I don't understand, which is what mother said - different from others. How can I know that person is different from others?" He Xuan asked like a curious baby.

Tao Yanyan thought for a moment and said, "Let me give you an example. For example, the young men you met today all seemed similar at first glance, each with their own unique characteristics. But if you meet someone who is different, your eyes will be drawn to him and you will want to see him and get to know him. If you didn't meet such a person today, then those who met you today were not your destined ones."

He Xuan nodded, seeming to understand. "But mother, if I never meet someone special, what should I do? Should I give up marriage and become a nun?"

Tao Yanyan thought for a moment and said, "If you can't meet someone you want to understand and love, then choose someone who really wants to understand you, love and cherish you. Being pampered by that person for a lifetime will also lead to a good marriage."

"Then... are Father and Mother a good match, as they love and dote on each other?"

Tao Yanyan's eyes dodged, a little shy. "You kid, why are you teasing me when you're asking questions? Your father and I fell in love after marriage. I had never even seen him before entering the palace. Your situation is different. You are luckier than me. You can choose for yourself."

He Xuan smiled and said, "I really envy my mother. She and my father are truly a match made in heaven."

Was it a gift from heaven? Tao Yanyan was a little dazed. It was inexplicable that he had already been in this world for ten years.

The Xia Kingdom still hadn't given up on the idea of ​​a marriage alliance. Kang Mowan tried every possible means to persuade Queen Tao to intervene and match Princess Da Zhou with his nephew. He showered Tao Yanyan with gifts, but Tao Yanyan reciprocated without mentioning a single marriage. Kang Mowan was left with no other options but to buy an invitation to a flower viewing banquet at a high price and force his nephew into the invitation.

Prince Ning was very disdainful of this. In his opinion, as a prince of the Xia Kingdom, his status was above these people, and there was no need for him to condescend to meet the Princess of Da Zhou in the name of a flower viewing banquet. However, Kang Mowan forced him to attend, saying that if he did not attend, he would immediately return to the Xia Kingdom and never mention the marriage again. Prince Ning had no choice but to attend.

However, although he came, his expression was not good and he looked indifferent to everyone he met.

After the host received the money, he could only treat the guests well and put on a smile.

He Xuan, accompanied by Princess Jing, wandered around the garden. It was still chilly in the spring, and there wasn't much to see in the garden; it was just a way to pass the time.

As they walked, they ran into Prince Ning. Princess Jing raised an eyebrow, not expecting to run into someone from Xia. She remembered the Queen's instructions and pulled He Xuan along, ready to leave.

Prince Ning's originally relaxed expression shifted slightly the moment he saw He Xuan. Seeing the person opposite him about to leave, he took two steps at a time and stepped forward to greet them. "I am Prince Ning of Xia State. I greet Princess Jing and the eldest princess."

He had seen portraits of the core figures of the Great Zhou royal family before, so he recognized the person in front of him. However, he did not expect that the eldest princess was even more beautiful than in the portrait, and his heart was instantly moved.

He Xuan had heard Jin'an mention that Prince Ning had used her as a stake in a chess game, and she had no favorable impression of him. Now that she had met him, even though he had a cool and noble aura, better than the other young masters, he didn't strike a chord with her. A closer look at his face revealed a far cry from Jin'an's.

Princess Jing couldn't drag anyone away, so she smiled and said, "So it's His Royal Highness Prince Ning. His Royal Highness Prince Ning is a rare guest. How are you? Are you used to this flower viewing banquet?"

Prince Ning glanced at He Xuan and said, "I originally thought the banquet was mediocre, but now it suddenly feels interesting again. It's worth the trip."

Princess Jing and He Xuan both frowned, feeling that Prince Ning was a bit slick.

The atmosphere was a bit chilly. Prince Ning looked around and found a topic to talk about. "It's said that the people of Da Zhou love to plant flowers and plants, so they came up with the idea of ​​holding a banquet under the guise of a flower viewing banquet to make friends and meet relatives. I originally thought that the people of Da Zhou were very experienced in flower cultivation and could grow delicate flowers in winter, so they could hold a flower viewing banquet in winter. However, after this trip to Da Zhou, I found that this is not the case."

Princess Jing frowned, not knowing why he brought this up, so she continued, "Indeed, the name of the banquet is just a name. Prince Ning doesn't need to worry about it."

Prince Ning smiled and said, "It's cold in early spring, and the grass and trees are withered. Only a few families have the leisure to cultivate beautiful flowers. Most homes don't have much scenery. But it's different in Xia Country. Xia Country's climate is warmer than that of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the flowers and trees grow well, even in winter they are in full bloom. If the eldest princess could visit Xia Country, she would be able to enjoy the many flowers in winter, which is much more interesting than this bare winter scenery."

Princess Jing and He Xuan looked at each other. It turned out that Prince Ning had said a lot, but his purpose was still to get a marriage alliance!

But he used Xia State to attack Da Zhou, and said these words of "I am good and you are bad" in front of the two royal members of Da Zhou, which made the two royal members of Da Zhou feel rebellious.

He Xuan said, "Since Xia Country is so good, His Royal Highness Prince Ning must be eager to return soon. It's already February now. In a dozen days, spring will be here and the flowers will be blooming, making the journey easier."

Prince Ning choked. The marriage hadn't even been decided yet, how could he just walk away?