Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

The next morning at 9:00 AM, Lingyan, Chu Xiyao, and Shen Qingchen set off for the Li Prince's Mansion.

The main thing is that whether it's Yun Wanshuang, Yun Shao, or Yun Xiyan, they all have to attend the morning court session.

So she calculated the time they would take to return home after court and went there precisely on time.

Sure enough, just as she arrived at the Prince Li's residence, Yun Shao, Yun Wanshuang, and Yun Xiyan had also just returned to the residence.

Yun Shao came specifically to see Ling Yan.

Upon seeing her, he was overjoyed and excitedly went to greet her.

She looked very happy and said, "We've been waiting for you to come. Although we haven't been apart for long, we've both missed you very much."

Upon hearing this, Ling Yan smiled brightly and said, "I miss you all very much too."

Then they moved to the garden of the Prince Li's mansion and sat down in an exquisite pavilion.

The maids nimbly served delicate tea and snacks, as well as fresh fruit.

Yun Shao then took Ling Yan's hand and looked her over carefully, his eyes full of concern: "How have you been these days? Has anything happened to you?"

Ling Yan smiled and shook her head: "Everything is fine, very, very good."

Seeing that she looked to be in very good condition, Yun Shao did not ask any further questions.

At this moment, Yun Xiyan gently picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and handed it to Lingyan, saying with a smile, "This is a newly made osmanthus cake from the manor, please try it."

Lingyan took the osmanthus cake, put it in her mouth, and the sweet taste spread on her tongue.

She squinted her eyes contentedly and replied, "It's delicious."

Yun Xiyan laughed even more heartily.

Yun Wanshuang then looked at Lingyan with tenderness and affection in her eyes and said, "Yan'er will show you around during these two months in Xuanyue. The Crown Princess and I will also come to accompany you when we have time."

Lingyan smiled and replied, "Okay!"

At this moment, Yun Xiyan picked up the teapot and filled everyone's cups with tea: "Come, let's use tea instead of wine to celebrate our reunion today."

Upon seeing this, the four women raised their teacups, gently touched them together, and the tea rippled slightly in the cups before they drank it down together.

A warm and joyful atmosphere filled the pavilion, and their faces were filled with happy smiles as they enjoyed this rare time together.

Afterwards, the group had lunch together.

Yun Shao then looked at Ling Yan and asked, "The Empress Dowager knows you've come to Xuan Yue, so she wants me to ask you if you want to go to the palace to see her?"

Oh?

Is a monarch of a country really so magnanimous, kind, and respectful of people?

Isn't it normal to just give orders directly? Why do we need to ask for her opinion?

Judging from this, if she doesn't agree, then the Empress won't force her.

In that case, she should definitely go and see this very different empress.

After pondering for a moment, Lingyan smiled and replied, "Since you have come to Xuan Yue, you must pay your respects to the Empress."

Upon hearing that she had agreed, Yun Shao immediately sent someone to inform Empress Xuan Yue of the matter.

Then, he took Ling Yan, Yun Wanshuang, Yun Xiyan, and Chu Xiyao and Shen Qingchen with him to the palace.

After disembarking from the carriage at the palace gate, Yun Shao looked at Chu Xiyao and Shen Qingchen and explained to Ling Yan, "Your two guards cannot come into the palace with us."

Lingyan nodded in understanding.

Anyway, there won't be any danger on this trip.

So she looked at the two of them and said, "You two wait for me here."

She didn't say anything more, believing the two of them understood.

Chu Xiyao and Shen Qingchen naturally understood, so they obediently replied, "Okay."

Upon hearing this, the three people beside him exchanged glances, all with expressions of "I knew it."

These two are definitely not guards.

If she were truly a guard, she would likely give them orders directly, rather than offering a gentle explanation.

And they won't answer "okay," they'll only answer "yes."

So these two probably aren't hers...

They felt they had already guessed the truth.

However, Da Zhao is not like Xuan Yue. If such a thing were discovered, it would surely be condemned by everyone and its reputation would be ruined.

Therefore, they will definitely keep it a secret for her.

So, as they walked towards the main hall after entering the palace, the three of them looked at Lingyan with knowing, unspoken understanding.

Lingyan smiled but remained silent upon seeing this.

She hadn't intended to hide it from the three of them, otherwise they would never have noticed anything amiss.

She felt that even if they found out, it wouldn't matter, because she trusted they would keep it a secret.

Secondly, even if she really misjudged them, and they leaked this information, the people of Da Zhao probably wouldn't believe it.

Just because they are from another country, given her current public image, people will only think that they are deliberately slandering her and that there is some kind of conspiracy involved.

So she made no attempt to hide from them, because there was no need to.

However, she still has great faith in her judgment of people.

As Lingyan walked, she looked around at the Xuan Yue Imperial Palace.

It sits in the very center of the capital, resembling a majestic metropolis.

From a distance, the outline of the entire palace gleams with a golden glow in the sunlight.

It is surrounded by a high and wide city wall, which is made of huge bluish-gray stones.

Each stone was meticulously polished and joined together seamlessly, with the gaps filled with white glutinous rice lime mortar, making it incredibly sturdy.

The city wall is twenty zhang high, and it has serrated crenellations.

A sturdy city gate stands at regular intervals.

The city gate tower features flying eaves and brackets, carved beams and painted rafters, and its roof is covered with golden tiles that shimmer with the luster of glazed tiles.

The overall feeling is: the rising sun over the blue sea, with the Five Gates idly gazing northward.

Upon arriving at the main hall, the guards outside had already been removed.

Even the palace maids and eunuchs serving in the main hall had all disappeared.

It seems the area has been cleared out in advance.

As soon as Lingyan stepped into the main hall, she felt a curious and inquisitive gaze directed at her from above.

She didn't care about this at all, and following the etiquette of the Great Zhao Dynasty, she smiled and curtsied to the Empress above, saying, "Lingyan greets the Empress."

Then she heard a dignified yet gentle female voice say with a smile, "Your Highness, there's no need for such formalities."

Upon hearing this, Ling Yan straightened up, then slowly raised her head and looked up, landing on Empress Yun Qilan of Xuan Yue Kingdom.

At this moment, she sat regally on the high dragon throne, like a sculpture sculpted by time.

Her hair was combed very neatly, with strands of silver interspersed among the black strands, as if time had woven a mysterious picture in her hair.

Her hair was piled high, forming an intricate and grand bun on top of her head, adorned with magnificent headdresses.

The headdress rested on a base made of pure gold, inlaid with countless dazzling gemstones.

At the very center of the headdress is a golden phoenix with outstretched wings, ready to take flight.

The golden phoenix's feathers are inlaid with tiny colored gemstones, each feather lifelike.

Her eyebrows, like two crescent moons, were meticulously drawn in a deep black.

Beneath the eyebrows were a pair of incredibly piercing eyes.

The eyes were long and narrow with a slight upturn, and in their gaze were both the majesty and domineering presence of someone in a high position, as well as the composure and calmness that come with the passage of time.

Her lips were full and vibrant, a unique color between vermilion and crimson, like a plum blossom blooming in the dead of winter, exuding a proud and aloof elegance.

The lips have a beautiful outline, with the corners of the mouth slightly upturned, giving a half-smile.

She seemed to have everything in the world under her control, exuding an indescribable confidence.

She was wearing an incomparably magnificent royal robe, made of bright yellow silk.

The golden dragon above is baring its fangs and brandishing its claws, as if it is churning in the sea of ​​clouds.

The hem of the imperial robe was very long, covering the entire dragon throne, and it was inlaid with tiny pearls.

Her hands rested quietly on the armrests of the dragon throne; those hands were very well-maintained.

Her fingers were long and slender, and her nails were painted red, like blooming petals.

Lingyan quietly looked at the woman above.

This must be the most dignified, imposing, powerful, and fierce woman she has ever met since she came into this world, the one who made her feel the most oppressed.

Every little detail about her reveals her power, her majesty, her nobility, and her unique charm that has been refined by the passage of time.

Lingyan really admires such a powerful and capable woman!