The reborn girl always wants to escape, but the abstinent marquis hugs her and coaxes her!

Chapter 7: The Annual Qixi Festival Feast

Everyone is equal before the palace walls.

Regardless of gender, age, or rank, everyone had to get off their car, horse, or sedan chair at the palace gate.

The carriage stopped steadily, and Xu Rongrong got off the carriage steadily with the help of Luo Shudi.

As soon as she stepped onto the road, she attracted the attention of people around her:

"Huh? Whose little girl is this? She's so beautiful?"

"This appearance is probably comparable to that of Princess Qingyang."

"..."

Everyone around her was amazed at her beauty. In the past, Xu Liushi had never allowed her to go out and socialize, citing her poor health. Therefore, almost no one in the vast capital knew that such a stunning young woman was hidden in the home of the Minister of Works.

The Qixi Festival banquet was also her first time appearing in public.

Such praise was something she was used to in her previous life, but today Xu Rongrong lowered her head humbly, showing just the right amount of shyness.

On the other side, Xu Chaoqian raised his voice proudly, afraid that others would not know that this stunning girl was his daughter: "Rongrong, come to your father."

Xu Rongrong sneered in her heart, but did not move her feet: "Father, I feel a little dizzy."

"What's going on? Is it serious?" Xu Chaoqian walked over after hearing this, still trying to pretend in front of others.

Xu Rongrong raised her hand to rub her forehead, glanced timidly at Xu Liushi, and said timidly, "It's nothing, it's just that this carriage... I feel a little dizzy after sitting for so long." Xu Chaoqian only then noticed that his daughter was riding in an old carriage, and immediately glared at Xu Liushi with displeasure: "What's going on? Is there no carriage in the mansion?"

Xu Liu's face fell. She originally wanted to make Xu Rongrong suffer, but she didn't expect that this little bitch would expose it in front of outsiders!

Now the place is full of people, and Xu Chaoqian is too concerned about his reputation, so he will definitely vent his anger on her, so she hurried to explain.

Surrounded by colleagues, Xu Chaoqian had no time for her nagging. He waved to the carriage boy, Xu Dong, and said, "Let's go to the nearby Liao Ji Carriage Shop to buy a carriage for the young lady. Remember to pick the most spacious one."

Xu Rongrong curled the corners of her mouth imperceptibly: "Thank you, father. Let Luo Shu go with us."

Xu Chaoqian pondered for a moment and nodded: "Okay, let your girl choose it herself."

"Lord Xu truly loves your daughter," a nearby official of the sixth rank began to jokingly say. "If I had a daughter as talented and beautiful as you, I would surely cherish her as much as Lord Xu does," another higher-ranking official said with a smile.

Xu Chaoqian smiled brightly upon hearing this, and humbly said, "No, no, my daughter is delicate and naive, I just love her a little more."

Xu Liu, who was standing by, rolled her eyes in her heart. When she looked at Xu Rongrong in a place where no one was around, her eyes became more and more vicious.

Not long after, the palace gate slowly opened and the noise stopped abruptly.

The officials, along with their families, lined up according to their rank and entered the palace in an orderly manner under the guidance of the eunuchs.

Xu Rongrong followed behind Xu Chaoqian and Xu Liushi. The imperial palace was not unfamiliar to her. As the only female member of the marquis's family in her previous life, she had to enter the palace and kowtow during every New Year, so she was very familiar with the taboos in the palace.

The eunuch leading the way was secretly amazed at how this sixteen-year-old girl could suppress her curiosity and walk gracefully within the towering palace walls. The palace banquet was held in Zhengyang Palace, divided into two levels: the inner and outer levels.

Xu Chaoqian and his family could only sit on the periphery, with most of their view blocked by the huge goalposts.

The arrogant Xu Liu was furious, but for Xu Rongrong, this arrangement was exactly what she wanted.

She sat behind Xu Chaoqian and Xu Liushi, and next to her was the family of Lord Xiao, a sixth-rank official in the Ministry of Rites.

The Xiao family's youngest daughter, Xiao Ling'er, who entered the palace with them was unmarried. Her round face looked very adorable.

Her eyes became crescents, and she exclaimed to Xu Rongrong, "Sister, you are so beautiful."

Mrs. Xiao was a little embarrassed. She patted her daughter's head and said, "Ling'er, don't be rude."

Xiao Ling'er leaned her head on her mother's shoulder and said in a soft voice, "I'm right. If my brother hadn't already married, I would have asked this sister to be my sister-in-law!"

Mrs. Xiao saw that she was being rude and apologized quickly. Xu Rongrong didn't care. She looked at Mrs. Xiao's gestures, which were apparently angry but actually affectionate, and felt a little sad: this is the innocent and naive behavior that a girl who is well-protected by her parents should have.

Forget it, she doesn’t ask for these in her two lives.

More and more people entered Zhengyang Palace, and the seats gradually filled up.

When the second-rank officials entered the palace with their families, the noise in the palace gradually subsided. The heavyweights of the Great Zhou Dynasty were about to arrive one by one, and no one dared to act rashly.

"Marquis Weiyuan has arrived!"

"Princess Qingyang has arrived!"

Xu Rongrong looked up and saw a man in a green robe flowing towards her.

The owner of the green shirt seemed to sense something and looked sideways to the corner. The cup in Xu Rongrong's hand shook slightly, and she lowered her head to wipe the scattered water droplets.

"Brother Rong, what are you looking for?" Lin Jiaoyue, the Princess of Qingyang, dressed in red, followed behind him. "Nothing," he replied in a short, vague glance, which had left him a little startled.

Mu Rong walked forward, and the girls around him held their breath, following him with slightly obsessed eyes.

Xu Rongrong sighed inwardly: Although she no longer felt excited when she saw this man again, she still couldn't help but admire his good looks, tall and straight figure, handsome face, firm and slightly cold aura. There were many people in Zhengyang Palace, but no one could block his brilliance.

But for some reason, the quick glance just now made Xu Rongrong feel a little strange.

"Wow! Marquis Weiyuan is so handsome. I wish he could wait for me for a few more years." Xiao Ling'er, who was standing aside, was already blushing. She had just turned twelve and there was still a long time before she could reach the age of marriage. She was really anxious.

Looking at her, Xu Rongrong seemed to see herself when she was a young girl in love. She was just as silly.

"Why does Marquis Weiyuan like plain colors lately? He doesn't seem to be wearing red robes these days."

"Who cares! I think the blue shirt suits him better today. The red shirt looks too fierce."

Hearing the girls' discussions not far away, Xu Rongrong finally understood where her strange feeling today came from: Doesn't he love bright red the most?

It was because of Lin Jiaoyue's words: "For military generals, red means flames and blood. It is the most dazzling color for men." So in his previous life, both his casual clothes and battle robes were mainly bright red.

What changed today?

Princess Qingyang was seated below Mu Rong. After she sat down, she raised her head and said coquettishly, "Brother Rong, why haven't you come to see me recently?"

Mu Rong took a sip from the teacup and said in a slightly cold voice, "Is there anything wrong, Princess?"

Lin Jiaoyue shook her head and said with a smile, "Mother brought your favorite cinnamon from Jiangnan. I also found two ancient military books. I will take them to the Marquis' Mansion to give to Brother Rong tomorrow."

"I have already asked Your Majesty to go to the western suburbs to inspect the camp tomorrow, but I may disappoint the princess's kindness." Mu Rong refused.

"..."

Lin Jiaoyue was a little confused. In the past two months, she could feel that Mu Rong was a little distant towards her, but today it was even worse. He seemed not to want to even talk.

She lowered her head to adjust her mood, and when she raised her head again, her eyes seemed to be misty: "Brother Rong, what's wrong with you?"

Mu Rong's expression remained unchanged. "It would be better for the princess and I to maintain some distance."

Lin Jiaoyue: “…”

After that, Mu Rong no longer communicated with her. Instead, he called the eunuch beside him and gave him a few instructions. Then he picked up the teacup and sipped the tea in silence.