Male superiority and female superiority: forced love

"This is Uncle Wang's grandson, Xiang Yunchi, right? And..." Nanxing Emperor Hao Jixuan said with a smile, but when he saw Ruan Chuyin's appearance, his pupils suddenly trembled, and he was stunned on the spot. Nanxing Emperor's Queen Meng Xinghe immediately followed up with a smile, "And Uncle Wang's grandson's wife, Ruan Chuyin." She deliberately did not mention the girl's other identities, giving the old prince enough face. Unexpectedly, Hao Rong suddenly added stupidly, shouting, "Mother, Madam Xiang is also the Crown Princess of Dayong, the Princess of Linhuai, and the Crown Prince of Zhenguo Mansion!"

The air in the hall froze for a moment, and the whispers of discussion rose again, interspersed with gasps of shock. Not everyone here knew Ruan Chuyin's identity, but they quickly shut up after being reminded by their elders and their husbands.

The expressions of the Zhenbei Prince family suddenly darkened. Especially the old Zhenbei Prince, who put down his cup heavily and said, "The Emperor and Empress already know the identity of my grandson's wife. Do they need you to remind them?"

Hao Zhuchen also stared at the imperial sister with a gloomy expression. She was really a cause of worry wherever she went.

Emperor Nanxing came to his senses instantly, and glared at her with a look of disappointment on his face. He scolded her, "You're the only one who talks too much! Do you want to put me under house arrest again?"

"Your Highness... Your Highness only thought you forgot to mention it, so I kindly reminded you." Hao Rong was publicly reprimanded, shocked and furious, yet she dared not lash out. She felt so frustrated she nearly vomited. She secretly glared at the King of Zhenbei, mentally cursing the old man to a swift demise.

"Uncle Wang, don't blame me. Rong'er is a little too careless. I will punish her by keeping her under house arrest for another month." Emperor Nanxing was almost mad at this useless thing. His face turned blue and red, and the curve of his lips rose and fell. He was really afraid that he would not be able to help but slap his daughter.

It was Princess Zhenbei who stepped in to smooth things over: "Alright, alright, it's no big deal. Princess, you're right. I was just thinking of introducing Hatsune Miku to you all today."

Ruan Chuyin and Xiang Yunchi were a little surprised by their grandfather's overreaction. They had originally thought it was nothing to hold back on, but now it felt rather awkward. They exchanged glances, remaining silent in tacit agreement, awaiting further action.

After the old princess's persuasion, Emperor Nanxing immediately descended the steps and said in a loud voice, "Aunt Wang is absolutely right. Since Chuyin is now the granddaughter-in-law of Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang, she is also my niece-in-law. We are all family. I give you a double-sided jade pendant with bird pattern as a gift."

What is the double-sided jade pendant with bird pattern?

Ruan Chuyin had never heard of this term, but she knew it must be a good thing, so she immediately stepped forward and thanked him with a sweet smile.

Just as she was about to kneel, Emperor Nanxing stopped her from bowing. After all, she was the Crown Princess of Dayong, so kneeling felt inappropriate.

Gasps echoed again in the hall, especially from Hao Rong. Her face turned green with rage when she heard that her father had bestowed upon that evil spirit the double-sided jade pendant with bird motifs. Why had she taken away a treasure she didn't even own? A deep hatred took root in her heart.

"My dear nephew, I will give you a jade box. It contains sixteen antiques. I believe you will like it."

Emperor Nanxing treated everyone equally and also gave Xiang Yunchi an invaluable treasure.

This time, Crown Prince Hao Zhuchen was no longer calm. His father was too partial! He didn't even have this treasure... But he didn't show it as obviously as his sister, and only pursed his lips in pain.

"I thank the Emperor for his gift," Xiang Yunchi said with a cheerful smile. He was an expert in appraising treasures. The Jinyu Box was a descendant of the Eight Treasures Box. Not only was it exquisitely crafted, it also served as a symbol of distinguished status. Even if it were to be passed down to the common people, it would remain a treasure hidden from public view, destined only for careful appreciation in the dark.

The emperor's move is equivalent to directly recognizing Xiang Yunchi's identity as the prince of Zhenbei Palace. I believe that he will issue an edict to enthrone him after the palace banquet.

The King of Zhenbei's expression improved considerably, but he was still furious. His sharp gaze shot towards Hao Rong, and he happened to catch her staring at her grandson's wife's back with a sinister look, which immediately flared up his anger again.

Perhaps it was his fierce gaze that made Hao Rong instinctively glance to the right. Suddenly, it felt like five thunderbolts struck her head, nearly bringing her to tears. She still couldn't forget the gruesome scene last year when the old prince pinned her to a bench and whipped her for molesting Xiang Jianzhang. The board was a foot wide and rivet-studded. One blow from the board would have ripped her buttocks apart, and two would have nearly killed her.

At that time, Xiang Ge was so angry that he didn't even bother to go to the palace to file a complaint to the emperor. He just had him beaten twice with a board. Emperor Nanxing was so scared that he thought his uncle was going to rebel and the throne was in danger.

Fortunately, the old prince arrived in time to rescue Xiang Jianzhang, averting a catastrophe that would have otherwise been disastrous. Afterward, Emperor Nanxing and the Empress silently brought Hao Rong back to the palace, where she spent three months recuperating from her injuries. She was then confined to her room for another two months before being released last month.

So this time, the Emperor and Empress Nanxing were determined to marry her to Beiyue. In their eyes, both Lu Yinnian and Lu Zhuoxi were the best candidates for a prince consort.

The atmosphere in the hall gradually calmed down. Lu Yinnian and Zhou Ziyi watched everything unfold, fully appreciating the intimidating power of the Northern Zhen King. Their hearts sank. Perhaps the Nanxing Kingdom was actually the Xiang Kingdom, despite its name being Hao!

Everyone at the palace banquet was distracted, each closely watching the Princess's movements. As long as this ancestor stopped causing trouble, today's banquet would be peaceful.

Holding two imperial treasures, Ruan Chuyin was delighted. There were three double-sided jade pendants with bird motifs, strung together from small to large, with pearls, gold beads, and turquoise. Wearing them on her chest spoke volumes about her status. Her mother-in-law had quietly told her that even she didn't own this treasure. Her grandmother and the empress both held one, demonstrating their immense value.

For the next hour, the hall was filled with singing and dancing, cups passed around, and laughter and chatter. Everyone's attention was focused on the delicious food.

The Nanxing Kingdom's banquet left a deep impression on Ruan Chuyin. Half of the twenty-four dishes were accompanied by fruit.

For example, the soy sauce honey in front of her stunned her. She took a bite and was surprised to find that it tasted quite good.

Looking at the fried ground berries across the way, the bright red fruit was coated in a layer of fried flour, which had a strange texture and I wasn't particularly fond of it. However, my grandmother and mother-in-law loved it and ate it mouthful after mouthful with gusto.

Xiang Yunchi barely touched his chopsticks; he never ate that kind of crap. In all his visits to Yangcheng, the only dishes he'd been impressed by were those at Wanchunlou and the Zhaoji meat pie in Nanhua Town.

The palace banquet was halfway through, and it was time for the noble ladies and noble men to show their talents.

When Ruan Chuyin heard the emperor's announcement, a mouthful of honey got stuck in her throat and she almost couldn't swallow it.

No way? He's coming again? He's not going to trick her into coming on stage again, is he?