After the interstellar female general died in battle, she transmigrated into the body of a dashing p

Feeling the movement in his arms, Zheng Hongyuan followed his gaze to the woman dancing wildly in the distance. After just one glance, he turned and tossed the little figure in his hand.

Zheng Zhian looked at him awkwardly, "Father, can I go out to play?"

Hearing her say that, Zheng Hongyuan was not surprised at all. The little one never liked such occasions. Seeing her and Yuan Zhu gesturing back and forth, he was afraid that the two of them were plotting something. He deliberately put on a stern face and said, "You just received a gift from your royal uncle, and you're leaving now?"

I really don't know how these two got together.

Zheng Zhian curled his lips. He couldn't interrupt what they were talking about, so what was he supposed to do here? Just as he was about to retort, he heard the hoarse voice of Prince Kangxian next to him.

"Your Majesty, it's only natural for children to love to play, so let her be."

Prince Jingning quipped, "Le'an probably finds our old folks' conversation boring. Let her go."

“You royal uncles spoil her rotten.” Zheng Hongyuan scolded her on the surface, but still put her down on the ground.

Zheng Zhian ignored what Prince Jingning said next, looked at them with a sweet and bright smile, and gave a proper bow, "Thank you, Seventh Imperial Uncle, Tenth Imperial Uncle."

The group burst into laughter at her lively appearance.

After receiving his father's permission, Zheng Zhian said no more and turned to walk out.

The hall was warm, so she didn't feel uncomfortable. But as soon as she stepped outside, the biting cold wind made her shiver, and she sneezed unexpectedly.

Danqin, who was following behind, was startled by her sneeze and quickly put the cloak she was holding on her. She thought the princess was going back to the palace, but she didn't expect her to stop here. Danqin asked in confusion, "Isn't the princess going back to the palace?"

"Waiting for someone." Watching the heavy snowflakes fall, Zheng Zhian walked down the steps and reached out to catch them.

His eyes held an ambiguous expression. The two imperial uncles had returned to the capital with their families. Was the emperor preparing to weaken the power of the regional vassal kings after the imperial examinations?

However, the Third Imperial Uncle, Prince Ruiping, did not come. His fiefdom, Pinghua, was vast and rich in resources, with a garrison of hundreds of thousands of troops.

She didn't believe that her father had only summoned those two imperial uncles. Could it be that Prince Ruiping already had the courage and power to defy the imperial decree? Her father was probably going to have another headache.

They say a timely snowfall promises a good harvest, so people's lives should be even better this year!

After a long while, Yuan Zhu still hadn't come out. Zheng Zhian patted his slightly dizzy head and said, "Danqin, go in and check on Yuan Zhu. If she's alright, call her out."

"Yes." Danqin turned and went back into the palace.

A moment later, Danqin returned with a calm expression. "Princess, Consort Yuan has been reprimanded by Consort Li for a mistake."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Zhian paused for a moment, then shook her increasingly confused head. "What's wrong?" Her small body has such a weak immune system.

"It seems that Consort Yuan left her seat without permission and was seen by Consort Li's people." Danqin looked at her increasingly pale face and advised worriedly, "Princess, let's go back to the palace and ask the imperial physician to take a look."

Danqin didn't care about the intricacies of the concubines' affairs; she only cared about the princess's health.

After struggling to circulate his internal energy, Zheng Zhian felt his mind clear up a bit. With a cold face, he turned and walked into the hall.

Jiang Yingying wasn't really looking for trouble with Yuan Zhu; she was just taking it out on Yuan Zhu because Yuan Zhu was close to her and couldn't do anything to her.

Back in the hall, Yuan Zhu knelt upright in the center, while her father remained expressionless, as if watching a play.

"Consort Yuan, you disregarded the princes and ministers present and left your seat without permission. Do you have any respect for the Emperor and the ministers?"

Hearing this, Zheng Zhian laughed in anger. This reason was really well-founded; it was a trumped-up charge.

Is leaving early considered disrespectful to these people?

Just as Zheng Zhian was about to speak, he heard a calm and steady voice.

"Sister, you've been a bit too harsh with your words."

Looking at the owner of the voice, Zheng Zhian was surprised. Based on his understanding of Consort De over the past two years, he knew that she was meticulous in her work and managed the harem in an orderly manner. It was conceivable that she was shrewd and capable, and would never stand up for someone who was not important.

With a dignified and elegant smile, Consort De looked at the two people at the head of the table and said, "Perhaps Sister Yuan just wanted to change her clothes and didn't have time to tell her older sister. Perhaps it's a misunderstanding."

Jiang Yingying, sitting at the head of the table, immediately darkened her face. Why was Jian Qingxin, who was usually so kind to Yuan Zhu, suddenly acting like a good person?

"She didn't even explain herself, and her sister said it was a misunderstanding?" She emphasized the word "sister" very heavily.

Her words were laced with warning and disdain. Jian Qingxin always maintained a haughty and virtuous demeanor, as if she were an empress—it was all so fake.

Zheng Zhian chuckled inwardly. The person who used to call her "sister" now had to call her "elder sister," yet Consort De remained so composed, showing no sign of resentment.

Consort De turned to look at the kneeling person and asked softly, "Sister Yuan, tell me, don't be afraid."

With her head bowed, Yuan Zhu knew that this was Consort De offering her a way out, helping her to exonerate herself.

But she didn't want to accept this offer. The Jian and Jiang families were now evenly matched; if she accepted this kindness today, people would naturally see her Yuan family as part of Consort De's faction...

Zheng Zhian noticed her hesitation and stepped forward. "Consort Li, didn't I tell you that leaving the banquet is considered unauthorized departure?" She looked around and then turned back to look innocently upwards.

Upon hearing this, some officials whose families were not present frowned. If this was true, then Consort Li's actions were far too domineering.

I have never heard of having to report to superiors if someone leaves a banquet midway through.

Jiang Taiwei, seated on the left, suddenly picked up his wine cup, walked in front of the two men, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, this is Consort Li's first time hosting such a grand banquet. She is not very familiar with the procedures and may be nervous. Please forgive her." After saying this, he bowed to the four directions, tilted his head back, and drank the wine in his hand in one gulp.

"Today is the end of the year, everyone should enjoy themselves to the fullest!"

At the head of the table, Zheng Hongyuan, with a deep gaze and a smile on his face, picked up a wine cup from the table and said, "What Grand Commandant Jiang said is very true." He tilted his head back and drank the wine in his hand.

Liu Fuquan stepped forward and refilled the wine cup. Yu Guangzhong noticed the smile that the Emperor did not reach his eyes. He subconsciously lowered his back, became extremely alert, and respectfully stepped aside.

Glancing at Grand Commandant Jiang, who had returned to his seat below, it seemed he was completely unaware that his actions had just crossed the line.

And as for Consort Li's actions today, it's clear to everyone present that she was deliberately making things difficult for us.

No one expected the Imperial Concubine to act so recklessly; she must have been angered by the Princess earlier.

Prime Minister Jian, sitting next to him, picked up his teacup and looked at Grand Commandant Jiang on his left. "I haven't yet congratulated you on your promotion to Grand Commandant, Brother Jiang. I'll offer you this tea instead of wine to celebrate."

Seeing his forced smile, Grand Commandant Jiang didn't care much and raised his wine cup with a bright smile, saying, "Thank you, Prime Minister."

The two families have been secretly at odds for years, but they've always managed to maintain a respectable facade.

Zheng Zhian helped Yuan Zhu up from the ground. Perhaps she had been kneeling for too long, because as soon as she took a step, her legs went weak and she fell forward. Fortunately, Danqin rushed forward to support her.

"Are you okay?"

Yuan Zhu bent down and rubbed her stinging knees, then shook her head.

"Danqin, help her back to sit down."

Danqin nodded and helped her back to her seat. Yuan Zhu quietly handed her the sachet from her sleeve.

So the princess wanted this?