I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

When the Imperial Guards saw that His Majesty hadn't mentioned the Xiongnu's sword-drawing incident, they knew he was trying to cover it up and returned to their positions. After all, pursuing the matter would affect the peace talks, which were nearing their end, while not pursuing it would only hurt the Emperor's reputation.

Jin Yiluo glared at Wu Weixie, who picked up the scimitar from the ground and sat down behind Jin Yiluo in a dejected manner.

"Thank you, Father!" Chu Mingzheng looked up, suddenly feeling dizzy and staggering, almost falling. At this moment, he was standing next to Yang Xier, who instinctively reached out to support him.

A floral scent filled my nose. After all, they were royal, so they used only the finest things. The scent was like that of a natural rose, sweet and intoxicating, and I couldn't tell whether it was real or fake.

It was a bit strange for a man to smell such a floral scent. I didn't know if it was a habit of his, or if he had picked it up from being around women.

"Thank you, young lady!" Chu Mingzheng touched the hand that was resting on his arm and stroked it gently.

Yang Xier quickly let go and hid behind Madam Yu.

Chu Mingzheng was completely oblivious and continued, "The girl's hands are a little rough. Soaking them in milk with angelica and rose water will make your skin white and tender, like a newborn."

At such a serious and formal banquet, he actually blatantly taught women how to maintain their skin. Yang Xier blushed with embarrassment.

"Prince Ningyuan is in such a good mood." Jin Yiluo spoke, breaking Yang Xier's embarrassment.

"Life is short, so we should enjoy it while we can." Chu Mingzheng walked forward and sat down, still making eye contact with Yang Xier.

The emperor looked at Madam Yu who was still standing on the stage, and was thinking of a way to ask her to leave when another person came.

Following the eunuch's announcement, the Duke of Wei hurried up the platform, breathless. After paying his respects to the emperor, he took Madam Yu's hand and advised, "Mother, His Majesty is currently receiving distinguished guests. We must not let family matters interfere with state affairs."

The emperor said, "Noble Concubine, please send Madam Yu to the Waterside Garden to rest. When I am done with my work, I will go see Madam Yu in person."

Old Madam Yu pushed her son's hand away, took her granddaughter's hand and left.

The emperor's voice was heard again from the Imperial Garden Terrace, "Zheng'er, the young Khan wants you to be the envoy to escort the bride. Please bear with me."

There was another burst of rapid coughing, and Chu Mingzheng said weakly, "I'm afraid my body can't withstand the bumps."

Yang Xier couldn't hear the rest of the words.

The Waterside Pavilion was some distance from the Imperial Garden Terrace. It was a small lakeside building built on the water, quiet and elegant. Seeing only a few horses around, Concubine Song wondered, "Madam Yu, where is your carriage?"

"I came here on horseback."

Everyone was shocked.

Yunzhao was three thousand miles from the capital, yet she, a woman over seventy years old, had come all this way on horseback. I'd always heard that Madam Yu was protective of her children, but I hadn't expected her to care so much about a granddaughter she'd never met.

"Quickly bring my carriage," Noble Concubine Song said, glancing at Duke Weiguo, and hurriedly said, "And then bring Prince Guangcheng's carriage."

"I dared not disturb King Guangcheng. I came here by carriage, and I parked farther away for fear of disturbing Your Majesty."

Duke Weiguo seemed a little embarrassed as he spoke, and added, "I caught a cold a few days ago, and my mother is indeed in better shape."

The palace maids pursed their lips and chuckled.

Yang Xier looked back at the horse, which had drooped after a three-thousand-mile journey, and felt an inexplicable pain in her heart. Apart from her third sister, she had never felt anyone care about her so much.

Concubine Song sent everyone to the Waterside Pavilion and went to the Lakeside Garden to host the female banquet.

In the waterside pavilion, Duke Weiguo and Old Madam Yu were talking in the room, while Wei Luo, Yang Xier and Yang Nianer were guarding outside the pavilion.

Wei Luo had never been alone with a woman before, and he was a little overwhelmed. He took out an oil-paper bag from his pocket to ease the awkwardness: "Cousin, flower cakes, do you want some?"

"Thank you...cousin, I'm not hungry." She was in no mood to eat right now.

Yang Nian'er leaned forward and asked curiously, "What cake are you talking about?"

"Flower cakes, filled with roses, chrysanthemums, magnolias... Anyway, there are lots of flowers. They are our Yunzhao-specific shortbreads, which you can't find in the capital. Try them!"

Wei Luo opened the oil-paper package and held it towards Yang Nian'er like a treasure, only to find that the flower cake was broken. He was embarrassed and wanted to take it back, but saw a small hand reaching out.

"Delicious!" Yang Nian'er ate a piece, stretched out her hand, but retracted it embarrassedly.

"If it's delicious, eat more!" Wei Luo happily stuffed the oil-paper bag into Yang Nian'er's hand and took out another bag, "I have more!"

Yang Xier walked to the door silently, and the voice inside gradually became anxious.

"The court today is no longer the same as it was during the reign of Emperor Taizong. Mother, are you going to put the entire Wei family in danger for a man from another family?"

There was a crisp sound of slapping, and Madam Yu said angrily: "Wei Hong, don't forget, my surname is not Wei either."

Immediately afterwards, the sound of kowtows was heard from inside. Without looking, one could tell that it was the Duke of Weiguo.

Yang Xier clenched her hand on the door into a fist. Yes, it's not worth it for a girl from another family. My uncle did nothing wrong, it's just that I shouldn't expect too much.

The banquet drew to a close, and Princess Jing and the eldest princess took their seats for the final ceremony. A palace maid arrived at the Waterside Pavilion to invite the fourth daughter of the Lu family. The quarrel in the room continued.

But Yang Xier no longer dared to hold out any hope, and followed the palace maid to the Lakeside Garden to accompany Princess Jing and the eldest princess to meet His Majesty and await his imperial decree.

Gorgeous and hypocritical words of praise floated in the air. Princess Jinghe knelt quietly in the center of the Imperial Garden, as quiet as a puppet being pulled by strings to kowtow and express gratitude.

Yang Xier helped Princess Jinghe up and handed her a glass of wine. Princess Jinghe walked slowly towards Jin Yiluo, holding the wine glass with both hands, "Please drink, little Khan."

In public, Jin Yiluo unabashedly touched Princess Jinghe's hand, even taking her hand and feeding it to his own mouth. Adhering to the principle of not losing face as long as he could, the emperor announced a hunting trip and hurriedly left.

Jin Yiluo put down his wine glass, his eyes fixed on Jinghe's face, and he leaned forward and said, "Princess, come hunting with me!"

Jinghe hurriedly retreated: "I don't know how to ride and shoot, I am willing to cheer for the young Khan here."

Jin Yiluo smiled slightly, his eyes full of amusement: "If you don't understand, then learn now. In our Xiongnu, if a woman can't ride a horse, she will die."

After saying that, he took Jinghe's hand and walked down the Imperial Garden Terrace.

Someone had already brought the horses over. Jin Yiluo carried Princess Jinghe onto the horse's back and slapped the horse's butt.

The horse galloped, and Jin Yiluo looked at Princess Jinghe, who was swaying on the horse's back, and jumped on the horse. Before chasing after her, he turned around and glanced at Chu Mingzheng, his eyes full of provocation.

Chu Mingzheng's face looked normal, without any sign of abnormality.