A short night is hard to please! A stunningly handsome prince dotes on her exclusively.

As they were talking, Hua Buyu insisted on looking across the street. Qin Wu was looking in their direction when Hua Buyu suddenly stared at her, startling her so much that her face turned pale. She quickly recovered and put on an extremely gentle expression, smiling kindly at Hua Buyu.

"Wow! That's quite polite!"

Following Hua Buyu's gaze, she saw Qin Wu in a light pink hibiscus-patterned gauze dress. Her features were delicate and gentle, her eyes were bright and clear like autumn water, and her skin was fair and smooth with a faint rosy glow. She was truly a delicate and beautiful woman who evoked pity.

At this moment, Qin Wu's gaze also shifted to Xin Moyan's face, and their eyes met. As their gazes met, Qin Wu thought to himself that although Xin Moyan was dressed simply and plainly today, it only made her appearance more radiant and otherworldly. Her eyes were so clear and pure that they revealed nothing, and she could not see any scheming in them. This was completely different from the Xin Moyan he had seen in the past, and she was like a completely different person.

Seeing that she smiled at him in a friendly and gentle way, Xin Moyan returned a kind smile.

"Yan Yan, why are you smiling so sweetly and brightly at your former love rival?"

Seeing her smiling face, Hua Buyu felt displeased and muttered under her breath.

"If someone smiles at me, I should smile back politely."

After saying that, he turned to Cailian and asked, "Cailian, that Miss Qin seemed quite friendly, why didn't you let us see her just now?"

“Miss… back in the Imperial Academy, you were tricked by those young ladies from noble families into making things difficult for Miss Qin the Second a few times. Although it wasn’t anything too outrageous, it still made Prince Lie hate you to the bone. Even though Miss Qin the Second was born out of wedlock, her talent and temperament were beyond the reach of ordinary people, and she was deeply respected and treated with courtesy by the young masters of noble families. As a result, your reputation outside has plummeted over the years. And because of what happened the year before last, everyone knows that Princess Danhua was jealous out of love and made things difficult for Miss Qin the Second in every way, and even made veiled sarcasm about her background.”

Upon hearing this, Xin Moyan frowned and asked in confusion, "What happened the year before last? Did I mock her background?"

Cailian hurriedly explained, "That's not how it happened. It was clearly at the autumn banquet that day that Miss Qin the Second greeted you. I've forgotten which foolish young lady came up to you and subtly set a trap for you in her words. You spoke frankly, and she seized on this and made a big fuss about it. Miss Qin the Second cried bitterly because of this and tried to leave the palace several times, vowing to shave her head and become a nun. It just so happened that Consort Yun was attending the banquet that day. Although she is his half-sister, the two sisters have a very close relationship. In addition, Consort Yun was the most favored concubine at the time, so she naturally wouldn't allow her sister to be bullied like this. Later, it was the Empress Dowager and the young master who intervened, and the matter was finally dropped. After that, your reputation spread throughout Yuanqi..."

The two of them opened their eyes wide and fell silent. How could things have escalated so much after just a few words?

"In my opinion, Qin Wu is not that simple; she must be very cunning."

"Don't be so naive, don't think too badly of people!"

"Yan Yan, you are kind-hearted. If it were me, I would definitely tear those people's mouths apart."

"Ahem! Hua Buyu, don't lead Yan'er astray."

A male voice came from the side, sounding slightly dissatisfied and reproachful.

"Hehehe~ Miss Hua, you are really interesting."

As the group was chatting animatedly, they heard a voice from above that was both charming and elegant.

"Oh my, all the princes, ministers, and princesses have presented these many unique treasures. Only the General and the Princess remain unperturbed. I wonder if you and your sister have prepared any birthday gifts for the Empress Dowager?"

Everyone looked up and saw a woman dressed in a crimson brocade palace gown with gold peony patterns. Her hair was styled in a high bun, and her soft hair was neatly combed. She was adorned with various jewels, among which a gold hairpin with an intricate peony pattern stood out the most. Her makeup was exquisite and charming, with arched willow-leaf eyebrows and seductive, captivating eyes. Her lipstick was an excessively proud and flamboyant red. At this moment, she was staring at the group of people at an angle.

Although she was also dressed in red, she was completely different from Hua Buyu. Yun Zhaozhao was extremely beautiful, with gorgeous makeup and colorful clothes, but as a woman in the deep palace, she had to show some dignity and grace. Hua Buyu, on the other hand, was dressed in fiery red, but simple and without any makeup. However, her appearance and demeanor were more enchanting and charming than the former, like a dangerous and seductive poppy.

"Cai Lian, who is that?"

"Miss, this is Consort Yun, Yun Zhaozhao. She is a princess of Qiyun Kingdom and came to Yuanqi for a political marriage two years ago."

Upon hearing the name of the Princess of Qiyun Kingdom, Hua Buyu suddenly looked up at the flamboyant woman, her eyes gradually becoming filled with complex emotions...

"Silent, what's wrong?"

"No... I'm fine, Cailian, please continue."

Since they were discussing the master in someone else's home, Cailian kept her voice extremely low, just enough for them to hear.

"This Consort Yun is known for her arrogance, willfulness, and jealousy. She has replaced all the palace maids in Yunxia Palace with plain-looking ones, but she knows how to please His Majesty. Because of her status as a princess from a neighboring country, His Majesty turns a blind eye to this. She is usually closest to Princess Jia'en and also likes to make things difficult for her."

"I knew it! Everything was fine, and then I was suddenly called out."

Before she could even ask her brother, Xin Moling stood up, bowed respectfully, and said, "Empress Dowager, I know that today is your birthday. Last month, I personally picked a thousand-year-old Ice Soul Snow Lotus on the border of Yuanqi, on the Fallen God Mountain, and presented it to you. May you live a long and prosperous life."

After he finished speaking, two soldiers carried a wooden box into the hall. They carefully opened the top of the box and took out the jade box. Inside was a crystal-clear white snow lotus. Incredibly, the snow-white petals faintly shimmered with seven colors, and from a distance, it looked like a magnificent rainbow.

Everyone was stunned by Xin Moling's generosity. What's more, this was something the General himself had personally retrieved from the extremely dangerous Meteor God Mountain, demonstrating his filial piety. Everyone praised and commended him.

"Good! Ling'er is extremely filial. It is your aunt's good fortune to have such a good nephew."

Xin Mingwan stared intently at her nephew below, who looked and acted much like her brother. She was filled with emotion. If her brother and sister-in-law were still alive, how happy they would be to see their two children so radiant and graceful!

Seeing everyone praising Xin Moling's filial piety, Yun Zhaozhao pressed on, saying, "General, this gift is truly refreshing! But I wonder if Princess Danhua has prepared a birthday present?"

Her beautiful face was full of disdain, as if she wanted to see Xin Moyan make a fool of herself.

Upon seeing this, Xin Mingwan was immediately displeased and snorted coldly, saying, "Consort Yun, Ling'er has put in such effort. The two siblings have always been of one mind. How can there be any talk of presenting two gifts?"