The Cold-Hearted Princess Who Transmigrated Here

Today is the 23rd day of the tenth month in the lunar calendar.

Today is a big day.

It is the fiftieth birthday of Ximen Qiyuan, the current emperor of the Western Moon Kingdom.

Ximen Qiyuan is the thirteenth monarch of the Ximen royal family. Since the Ximen ancestor established the kingdom, the Xiyue Kingdom has had a hereditary succession of 277 years, which is quite remarkable compared to the other three countries that have been established for less than a hundred years.

Because it was a full ten-year birthday celebration, the birthday congratulatory ceremony was held more grandly than in previous years, and it is said that preparations began a year in advance.

The emperor issued an imperial edict that the birthday banquet would begin at 3:45 PM and last for three days; people hung lanterns, set off firecrackers, sang and danced, and the whole country celebrated together.

All officials of the ninth rank and above were required to attend a banquet at the palace, while people from all over the country could eat and drink for free at the Moon Palace in Kyoto on the first day of the banquet.

This decree was issued to all the prefectures three months ago, and the capital city gradually became bustling two months later. The closer it got to the emperor's birthday, the more all sorts of people gathered on the streets, including merchants, farmers, and people from other countries who came to admire the emperor. The place was noisy and bustling.

Due to the large and diverse population, the defense of Yuecheng was particularly difficult, which also caused a lot of trouble for the General's Mansion, which was responsible for the city's security.

To facilitate the actions of officials, the emperor specifically added that all officials of the Kyoto Moon Palace would have three days off, and also clearly stated that unless there were special reasons, they must bring all their families to the palace for banquets.

The number of days off for officials in different prefectures and cities varied, depending on the time it took them to travel from their posts to the capital. In short, no matter where they were, they had to arrive before the banquet, and the distance of the journey determined the number of days off. The emperor would not blame them for any delays or mishaps.

The longest official's leave lasted a month. He was a ninth-rank county magistrate in Pingtan City, Yunzhou, Xiyue Kingdom. Pingtan City was located in the southernmost and most remote part of Xiyue Kingdom. It was nearly 3,000 miles from the capital and was also the first border town where Xiyue Kingdom bordered Dongyang Kingdom.

At 1:15 PM.

Wang Xiyue, along with her father, mother, and brother, arrived at the main gate of the palace in a carriage. After disembarking, they had to walk to the main hall where the birthday banquet was being held.

Since she was old enough to understand, Wang Xiyue had an inexplicable aversion to such extravagant and wasteful banquets for the powerful and wealthy. She had always kept her distance from all the ostentatious birthday parties, flower viewing parties, and poetry banquets.

This is the Emperor's birthday celebration, and we cannot disobey. My father holds a high position and is a role model, and his influence extends to the court. How can I, at this crucial moment, hand over the Prime Minister's residence to the Ling family and allow them to become the dominant family?

Given that the current situation cannot be changed, her slight dissatisfaction is insignificant.

In this era of absolute imperial power, those without real strength could only submit and compromise.

They come, the security.

Wang Xiyue quietly supported her mother as they walked slowly. Unlike the shy and demure demeanor of a well-bred young lady, she kept looking around. Since she had come to the palace, she naturally wanted to take in all the sights, to see how luxurious it was, and to find its merits.

When she lacks confidence and ability, she should observe and learn more, and speak less.

Along the way, Wang Xiyue heard countless praises, especially from officials who came from outside the city. They kept talking about how the people outside the city were celebrating, saying that the streets for dozens of miles from the capital were decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations.

Now she saw that all the palaces along the road to the palace were decorated with colorful gauze, silk, red lanterns, famous flowers and green plants. In addition, altars, theaters, painted halls and archways were built in the open space of the garden, which were specially provided for the families of officials who arrived early to enjoy and rest.

The streets were lined with stages of all sizes, and whether the performances were genuine or not, monks and Taoist priests chanting sutras, celebrating birthdays with operas, or performing acrobatics, the air was filled with a peaceful and festive atmosphere.

The birthday gifts presented by the officials were countless, including calligraphy and paintings by famous people, coral, jade, wood carvings, porcelain, jewelry, and gold ornaments, which were displayed throughout the palace, dazzling the eye.

"Yueyue, are you feeling unwell? Would you like to sit down and rest for a while?"

Seeing his younger sister walking slower and slower, Wang Xijie assumed that the journey was too long and she couldn't walk anymore. In the palace, it was even more important to avoid the strict separation of men and women. Otherwise, he could carry her on his back. Now, he could only suggest that they take a break.

However, he felt that his sister was not attending a banquet, but rather shopping, her eyes filled with scrutiny and judgment of the things around her.

"Thank you, brother. I'm not tired. Mother, Father, would you like to rest?" Although Wang Xiyue didn't go out often, she had a foundation in martial arts, so she didn't care about the distance of less than four miles.

However, Wang Xiyue was so focused on admiring the luxury of the palace that she almost forgot that her mother didn't usually go out shopping. She quickly turned her head to look at her mother.

"Mother isn't tired, Yue'er, don't worry, we're not in a hurry." Li Lingling smiled gently.

Rarely having the opportunity to go shopping with her daughter, she was so happy she forgot how tired her legs were. Her daughter used to be too quiet and carefree, completely indifferent to clothes, jewelry, and cosmetics; as long as she was warm and comfortable, that was enough. She always went out without makeup, rarely leaving the house, let alone going shopping.

"Let's hurry up!" Wang Boxing awkwardly reminded them, rubbing his nose. He didn't want to spoil the mother and daughter's enjoyment of walking, but they had been walking too slowly before and were now almost running out of time.

"Father, let's hurry up and go! Mother, let me help you."

The group of four walked for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and finally arrived at their designated spot before the banquet began.

The main hall of the imperial palace.

After taking her seat, Wang Xiyue glanced around the room.

The Imperial Guards and Imperial Bodyguards, eight feet tall, stood imposingly on both sides of the hall, clad in gleaming, heavy armor.

The main hall is supported by nine giant red pillars, each carved with a lifelike golden dragon coiled around it, its golden scales and armor so vivid that it seems about to take flight. The walls are inlaid with countless precious gems and jade, making it a magnificent and resplendent place.

Inside the hall, on the large golden dragon banquet table in the center, there were sixty hot dishes, fifty cold dishes, forty soups, twenty side dishes, twenty fresh fruits, thirty-nine melon and candied fruits, and forty-eight kinds of snacks and noodles, totaling two hundred and seventy-seven dishes, signifying the number of years the Ximen royal family had reigned.

The dishes include pork, beef, mutton, chicken, duck, fish, venison, and other meats, supplemented with delicacies such as mushrooms, bird's nest, and wood ear fungus, making for a rich and varied menu.

The emperor used golden dragon bowls, golden dragon plates, golden spoons, and golden chopsticks to highlight his supreme status.

The Empress used a plate and bowl that were entirely yellow inside and out with dark cloud and dragon designs, along with a gold spoon and gold chopsticks;

It was particularly eye-catching and added luster to the birthday banquet.

Others have different social statuses and use different tableware.

It's three o'clock in time.

"The banquet begins." When the time came, Ximen Qiyuan stood up and announced loudly.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! May the Emperor live forever!"

Inside the hall, everyone knelt down, placed their left hand on their right, supported themselves on the ground, and slowly kowtowed, bowing to the emperor. Congratulatory shouts rang out in unison, deafeningly loud.

"All of you, rise." The emperor was overjoyed.

After everyone stood up, music began to play.

The Ministry of Rites organized a series of entertainment programs based on themes such as fortune, longevity, and auspiciousness, allowing people to enjoy delicious food and wine while watching songs, dances, and beautiful women. During this time, it was inevitable that young men and women would glance at each other, and astute parents would not miss this opportunity, secretly arranging many marriages.

Inside the palace, in the city, and on the streets of Kyoto, there was an atmosphere of peace and prosperity, where everyone lived and worked in contentment.

For some reason, Wang Xiyue always had a sense of unreality. Are ordinary people in reality all so well-fed and clothed? Do commoners outside of the capital celebrate in the same way?

At that moment, she suddenly felt the urge to step out of her house and see for herself what the world was really like, instead of reading about it in books or hearing it from others.

No wonder the sage said, "Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles."

"Brother, I want to go for a walk in the garden. Can you come with me?" After a quarter of an hour, Wang Xiyue became restless. She saw that her brother had almost finished eating, and her parents could not leave the table, so she could only quietly ask him for help.

She wanted to go somewhere secluded or quiet to get some fresh air; she felt repulsed by the luxurious atmosphere here. This environment felt out of place; it seemed she shouldn't be here, that this place didn't belong to her.

"Okay. I'll pluck the stars from the sky for you if my little sister wants them." Wang Xijie affectionately patted his sister's head. He had never seen her ask for anything in all her life. She always had a calm and indifferent demeanor, never crying, laughing, or making a fuss, living like a nun.

Wang Xijie is unaware that once he made that promise, he would embark on a "path of no return" where he would "lead the charge" for his sister for many years to come.

"Thank you, brother! You are the best brother in the world. I will definitely help you find the best sister-in-law in the future." Hearing her brother's happy agreement, Wang Xiyue felt a warmth in her heart, and his words dispelled her unease.

Although she doesn't smile much, she is truly happy, content, blessed, and lucky to have such a loving brother, father, and mother.

She thought this might be good fortune she had earned by saving the world in her past life!

"Father, Mother, I'd like to go for a walk in the garden outside. May I take my sister with me?" Wang Xijie asked his parents, who were sitting down. He knew his parents wouldn't blame his sister for going out so early, but he still didn't want to pin the blame on her. After all, she was a girl, and if people talked about her behind her back for being unruly and unladylike, his sister would definitely feel secretly sad, even if she didn't say anything.

“Go ahead! You’re the older brother, you’re old enough to take your hair up, you can solve problems on your own. You must take good care of your sister.” How could Wang Boxing not understand his children? He knew that his daughter had never liked crowds and noise, so going out for a walk would be good for her.

He was overjoyed to see his son beginning to take on the responsibilities of a man; he thought that the Prime Minister's mansion would not fall into decline so soon.

"Mother, I'll be right back after I go out for a little while. Don't worry, Father and I have both learned martial arts, so no one will dare to bully us," Wang Xiyue promised obediently, almost as if she were swearing an oath to the heavens.

"There are few people outside now, and you've never been to the palace before. What if you encounter bad people in unfamiliar surroundings?" In Li Lingling's mind, once you step outside the Prime Minister's residence, it's not safe at all.

Although the palace looks magnificent, it is a place where women and power converge. People will stop at nothing for their own interests. No matter how gorgeous the exterior is, it cannot hide that it is a dark and cruel place at its core.

“Ling’er, we can’t follow the children for the rest of their lives. They have to walk their own path from now on.”

“I know what you’re worried about, but with so many people here today, no one will do anything excessive on His Majesty’s birthday. We must trust the child,” Wang Boxing tried his best to reassure his wife.

“But I still can’t help worrying. Xijie, take good care of your sister. Remember not to let her get wet, please remember that.” Despite her anxiety, Li Lingling agreed with her husband after careful consideration. Perhaps she was just being too nervous.

That's often how it is; it's better to be safe than sorry.