After the various countries had presented their gifts, the envoys turned their curious eyes toward the Jinpo envoys. They wondered what kind of congratulatory gift the tyrannical nation, known for frequently provoking the Great Jin and ultimately beaten to the point of crying for mercy, would offer to the Great Jin.
Jinpo envoys knew that everyone was laughing at them. They were angry, they were resentful, but they... had no choice but to let others laugh at them.
As a defeated nation, they couldn't present a painting like the Daimao Kingdom did, which was pleasing to the eye but inedible. They knew that this Hundred Nations Banquet was Emperor Changlong's way of flaunting his victory over them, yet they had to smile and present their faces to be slapped.
When the Jinpo envoy finished reading the long list of gifts, the envoys from other countries fell silent. It seemed that Jinpo was truly frightened this time, as they had offered so many compensations.
"Respected Emperor Changlong, we have come with sincere intentions from our country's sovereign," the Jinpo envoy said, "However, our Second Imperial Prince has been a guest in your country for a long time. We kindly request that Your Majesty send him back to our country. Our Eldest Prince has always admired your country's culture, we are willing to send our Eldest Prince to your country to study."
Everyone was shocked. Jinpo actually wanted to exchange their Eldest Prince with the Second Prince? It seemed that the Eldest Prince held little importance in Jinpo, as even his own father treated him as an object to be exchanged.
"The Second Prince of your nation is not a guest in our Great Jin, but rather our captive," the Crown Prince said expressionlessly, "He led troops to massacre innocent people in our country, his hands are stained with countless innocent lives. Great Jin does not entertain such guests."
"Your Royal Highness, we are willing to exchange five cities for the Second Imperial Prince," the Jinpo envoy proposed.
"Five cities?" The Crown Prince stood up tall, his expression proud as he looked down at the Jinpo envoys. His imposing aura filled the room, "Our Great Jin has skilled generals and a million-strong army. Even if we were to capture ten or twenty of your Jinpo cities, it would be no difficulty for us."
"We do not wish for further conflict, for we are a benevolent and righteous army. We do not wish for the world to suffer, nor do we want the common people of Jinpo to endure hardship and displacement," the Crown Prince descended the steps slowly, his tone merciless, "But Prince A'Wa has committed crimes against the innocent people of our Great Jin. If we were to release this criminal back to Jinpo, how could our Ji family face the people of the world?!"
"The Crown Prince's words are reasonable," Emperor Changlong turned his gaze towards his other sons and court officials, "Tell me, what should be done in this matter?"
"Father Emperor, Erchen believes every word spoken by Third Brother is justified," the Fifth Prince was the first to stand up, "Prince A'Wa has committed heinous crimes in our Great Jin, he should not be allowed to return."
"Erchen concurs," Ning Wang also stood up and paid his respects, "The grievances of the people in Huzhou have not been appeased. How can Prince A'Wa be allowed to return?"
Ying Wang glanced at the celebrated Crown Prince and coldly snorted before rising, "Erchen... shares the same opinion as the Crown Prince."
"Fourth Prince, what do you think?" Emperor Changlong looked at his fourth son who hadn't spoken.
The Fourth Prince stood up with a stern face and bowed, "Erchen concurs."
Seeing that the Fourth Prince had finished speaking and showed no intention of saying another word, Emperor Changlong didn't want to ask further. He turned his gaze towards the court officials.
Even those court officials who held opposing views to the Crown Prince dared not voice their dissent in this situation.
With his earlier words, the Crown Prince made it clear that whoever released Prince A'Wa would be seen as a criminal in the eyes of the people. Among those present, who would be willing to bear such infamy?
The officials who had accepted bribes from Jinpo didn't even dare to lift their heads, remaining silent.
"This subject concurs," the first official to stand up was not the future father-in-law of the Crown Prince, but rather the son of Grand Tutor Du. Du Daren stood up and bowed, "This subject believes that the captive Prince A'Wa should not be released."
The court officials were inwardly surprised. The Du family had always been strict towards the Crown Prince, particularly Grand Tutor Du, who would nitpick the Crown Prince's faults every few days. Why was it that today, the Du family was the first to stand up and support the Crown Prince?
In this situation, the Du family's declaration held a deeper meaning. The Du family was practically announcing to everyone that they supported the Crown Prince.
Even the Hua family, the Crown Prince's in-laws, didn't show such enthusiasm.
It seemed that Grand Tutor Du was seriously ill, and the Du family could not stand on their own. They wanted to rely on the Crown Prince's support.
With the Du family taking the lead, many court officials began to stand up one after another, expressing their agreement with the Crown Prince's proposal.
Princess Yan didn't understand politics, but she vaguely felt that discussing the fate of the Jinpo's Second Prince in front of the Jinpo envoys seemed to have a hidden purpose.
"Third Brother," she knew she shouldn't ask, but her recent experiences at the Imperial Academy gave her courage, "Why does Great Jin purposely discuss this matter in front of the Jinpo envoys?"
He Yuanting expressed surprise as he looked at Princess Yan. When did his half-sister gain such courage and curiosity?
"Do you know how many innocent civilians Prince A'Wa and his army of soldiers killed during their surprise attack on Huzhou?"
"How many?"
"More than ten thousand."
"All of them unarmed ordinary civilians?" Princess Yan exclaimed, "Did they at least spare women and children?"
"If they had spared them, given Emperor Changlong's temperament, he wouldn't intentionally embarrass Jinpo in front of everyone here," He Yuanting lowered his head and took a sip of wine from his cup, "The land of Great Jin is fertile, and its people are resilient. The people living on this land are both tolerant and vengeful."
"Fifty years ago, during a great drought in Great Jin, the Kingdom of Qingshi generously donated grain to them. Twenty years ago, when Qingshi was in turmoil, Great Jin assisted in quelling the rebellion and provided them with agricultural tools and skilled craftsmen. In all these years, have you ever heard of any conflicts or difficulties between the Great Jin and Qingshi?"
Princess Yan slightly shook her head.
"The people of this nation remember both kindness and grievances," He Yuanting gently rubbed his wine glass, "Our Daimao Kingdom and Great Jin have had several minor clashes over the past century. There have been frequent disagreements due to differing ideologies. Now that Jinpo has been defeated, who knows which country will be next to have its cities carved away?"
Princess Yan shook her head. "But didn't the Crown Prince of Great Jin just say that he doesn't want to see the people displaced?"
"Can we trust the words of those in high positions?" He Yuanting looked at his timid yet somewhat beautiful sister, "If you were to marry Emperor Changlong or the Crown Prince and bear a prince, perhaps it could ensure the peace of our Daimao Kingdom for the next thirty years."
"Ah?" Princess Yan looked at her gentle brother in surprise, "But I am just a weak woman. How can I change the thoughts of a ruler?"
"Never mind, if you don't want to, Benwang won't force you," He Yuanting lowered his eyelids, "Rest assured, if those officials have any objections towards you, Benwang will suppress them on your behalf."
As Princess Yan listened to these words, her chest felt heavy. She felt that there was something off in her brother's words, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong.
"Great General Hua," Emperor Changlong looked at Hua Yingting, "What are your thoughts?"
"Your Majesty, this subordinate is a simple man and cannot speak profound arguments," Hua Yingting looked at the Jinpo envoys, "This subordinate only feels that if we were to return Prince A'Wa to Jinpo, the innocent people who died in Huzhou would not be able to rest in peace, and the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives on the battlefield would not rest in peace either."
The entire hall fell silent.
Even the court officials who had been whispering amongst themselves quieted down.
It was widely known that the Hua family had guarded the borders of the Jin Kingdom for generations, and they had lost count of the Hua family's generals who died on the battlefield. They had gone through countless hardships to capture Prince A'Wa and bring him back to the capital. If they were to simply release him, what would the soldiers who fought desperately on the battlefield think?
"Zhen believes that the Crown Prince and the court officials have spoken wisely," Emperor Changlong spoke in a gentle tone to the Jinpo envoys, "Your country need not mention this matter again in the future. As for the Eldest Prince of your country who admires the culture of Great Jin, please send him over sooner. When summer arrives and the weather becomes hot, the Eldest Prince will suffer on the journey."
The envoys of Jinpo: "..."
This meant that they were unwilling to release the Second Prince of Jinpo and also wanted Jinpo to send over their Eldest Prince.
Great Jin's move was ruthless, leaving Jinpo with no face at all.
Without the Eldest Prince and the Second Prince, the future ruler of Jinpo would be the mischievous and dull Third Prince. With such an emperor in the future, what strength did Jinpo have to compete with the Great Jin?
But if Jinpo disagreed, Great Jin's army might launch a full-scale attack, and the outcome would be even more disastrous.
It was like asking them: Do you choose slow suicide or let me kill you on the spot?
The Jinpo envoys were dumbfounded. They had never expected that Emperor Changlong, who seemed mild and easy to talk to, would act shamelessly like this.
"This matter is of great importance, we dare not make any promises without authorization," the Jinpo envoys trembled as they bowed, "Please, Your Majesty, grant us some time to deliver your opinions to our sovereign with the utmost urgency."
"In that case, Zhen will wait for another month for your country's response. One month later, Zhen hopes to receive a satisfactory answer from your sovereign," Emperor Changlong smiled, "Since it seems that all of you are visiting Great Jin for the first time, please stay in our country for a while longer and wait with Zhen for the response from your sovereign."
Jinpo envoys: "???"
Did this mean they couldn't leave?
As the Emperor of a great and prosperous country, could you have some dignity? Could you?!
They roared with anger in their hearts, but on their faces, they dared not show the slightest hint of it. Not only did they have to suppress their anger, but they also had to smile and express gratitude, "Thank you, esteemed Emperor Changlong. It is an honor for us."
"Hmm," Emperor Changlong nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand for them to sit down.
The envoys from other countries, afraid that Emperor Changlong would also detain them in the capital, quickly raised their wine cups and flattered excessively, fearing that Emperor Changlong would suddenly say, "It seems like all of you are also visiting for the first time?"
He Yuanting had long noticed that the status of civil officials and military generals in the Great Jin was similar; the relationship between them was also not as conflicting as in their Daimao Kingdom.
He put down his chopsticks and furrowed his brows slightly.
"Brother, if our Daimao Kingdom could be like Great Jin..."
"Nonsense!" He Yuanting scolded in a low voice, "You've only been in Great Jin for a few days, and you're already praising them?"
Princess Yan trembled with fear and dared not speak again.
"The people of the Jin Kingdom are too unrestrained, lacking refinement and etiquette. This nation, even if temporarily prosperous, cannot be considered a civilized land," He Yuanting whispered, "You must not say such things again. If our civil officials hear about it, your reputation in Daimao will be ruined."
"Yes," Princess Yan felt even more uncomfortable that she couldn't even focus on the performances on the stage.
"It's stuffy in here," Every now and then, envoys came over to toast Hua Liuli. Some of them brought their female companions, and upon learning that Hua Liuli would be the future Crown Princess, they sent their female companions to get closer to her.
"Madam, we apologize, but our Junzhu is delicate and cannot drink."
"Marquess, we are sorry, but our Junzhu is not knowledgeable about martial arts and military strategy. She cannot answer your questions. Why don't you ask General Wei instead?"
Taking advantage of Yuan Yi blocking people for her, Hua Liuli lifted her skirt and slipped out of the hall.
Compared to the noisy hall, it was quiet outside. She let out a long breath, walked down the steps, and turned into the nearby small garden.
"Who's there?" Just as she entered the small garden, Hua Liuli heard a faint sob. She paused and looked toward the source of the sound.
"Miss Du?"
Du Xiuying wiped away the tears in the corners of her eyes and forced a smile as she stood up, "Fushou Junzhu, why are you here too?"
"It's stuffy inside the hall, so I came out for some fresh air," Hua Liuli saw the tear stains on Du Xiuying's face but pretended not to know that she had been crying. She looked up at the sky, "The stars are so beautiful tonight."
"Are they?" Du Xiuying raised her head dazedly. The moonlight covered the stars, so there were only a few scattered stars that couldn't be considered particularly beautiful.
"Miss Du, can you climb trees?" Hua Liuli asked.
Du Xiuying shook her head, "A gentleman values etiquette. It's improper..."
Before she could finish her words, Hua Liuli lifted her beautiful skirt and effortlessly jumped onto a tree branch.
She lay on the branch and gently coughed twice. Leaning forward, she extended her fair and clean hand to Du Xiuying, "Sitting in a tree and enjoying the scenery can improve your mood. Miss Du, come and try."
Du Xiuying stared blankly at the delicate palm in front of her and stuttered, "Thi-this is... not appropriate..."
"It's fine. Besides, no one else will see," Hua Liuli extended her hand in her direction, "Come, I'll hold onto you. Give me your hand."
From childhood to adulthood, Du Xiuying had never made such a rude gesture.
But, just this once, only this time.
It's okay, right?
When the Crown Prince saw Hua Liuli leaving the hall alone, he worried that she would be bored and found a way to sneak out. He saw his fiancée, who hadn't been married yet, leaning against a tree, smiling tenderly at another young girl.
And that extended hand, what did it mean?!
Krish728
Author's Note:
Liuli: I pity beauties, regardless of gender.
After the various countries had presented their gifts, the envoys turned their curious eyes toward the Jinpo envoys. They wondered what kind of congratulatory gift the tyrannical nation, known for frequently provoking the Great Jin and ultimately beaten to the point of crying for mercy, would offer to the Great Jin.
Jinpo envoys knew that everyone was laughing at them. They were angry, they were resentful, but they... had no choice but to let others laugh at them.
As a defeated nation, they couldn't present a painting like the Daimao Kingdom did, which was pleasing to the eye but inedible. They knew that this Hundred Nations Banquet was Emperor Changlong's way of flaunting his victory over them, yet they had to smile and present their faces to be slapped.
When the Jinpo envoy finished reading the long list of gifts, the envoys from other countries fell silent. It seemed that Jinpo was truly frightened this time, as they had offered so many compensations.
"Respected Emperor Changlong, we have come with sincere intentions from our country's sovereign," the Jinpo envoy said, "However, our Second Imperial Prince has been a guest in your country for a long time. We kindly request that Your Majesty send him back to our country. Our Eldest Prince has always admired your country's culture, we are willing to send our Eldest Prince to your country to study."
Everyone was shocked. Jinpo actually wanted to exchange their Eldest Prince with the Second Prince? It seemed that the Eldest Prince held little importance in Jinpo, as even his own father treated him as an object to be exchanged.
"The Second Prince of your nation is not a guest in our Great Jin, but rather our captive," the Crown Prince said expressionlessly, "He led troops to massacre innocent people in our country, his hands are stained with countless innocent lives. Great Jin does not entertain such guests."
"Your Royal Highness, we are willing to exchange five cities for the Second Imperial Prince," the Jinpo envoy proposed.
"Five cities?" The Crown Prince stood up tall, his expression proud as he looked down at the Jinpo envoys. His imposing aura filled the room, "Our Great Jin has skilled generals and a million-strong army. Even if we were to capture ten or twenty of your Jinpo cities, it would be no difficulty for us."
"We do not wish for further conflict, for we are a benevolent and righteous army. We do not wish for the world to suffer, nor do we want the common people of Jinpo to endure hardship and displacement," the Crown Prince descended the steps slowly, his tone merciless, "But Prince A'Wa has committed crimes against the innocent people of our Great Jin. If we were to release this criminal back to Jinpo, how could our Ji family face the people of the world?!"
"The Crown Prince's words are reasonable," Emperor Changlong turned his gaze towards his other sons and court officials, "Tell me, what should be done in this matter?"
"Father Emperor, Erchen believes every word spoken by Third Brother is justified," the Fifth Prince was the first to stand up, "Prince A'Wa has committed heinous crimes in our Great Jin, he should not be allowed to return."
"Erchen concurs," Ning Wang also stood up and paid his respects, "The grievances of the people in Huzhou have not been appeased. How can Prince A'Wa be allowed to return?"
Ying Wang glanced at the celebrated Crown Prince and coldly snorted before rising, "Erchen... shares the same opinion as the Crown Prince."
"Fourth Prince, what do you think?" Emperor Changlong looked at his fourth son who hadn't spoken.
The Fourth Prince stood up with a stern face and bowed, "Erchen concurs."
Seeing that the Fourth Prince had finished speaking and showed no intention of saying another word, Emperor Changlong didn't want to ask further. He turned his gaze towards the court officials.
Even those court officials who held opposing views to the Crown Prince dared not voice their dissent in this situation.
With his earlier words, the Crown Prince made it clear that whoever released Prince A'Wa would be seen as a criminal in the eyes of the people. Among those present, who would be willing to bear such infamy?
The officials who had accepted bribes from Jinpo didn't even dare to lift their heads, remaining silent.
"This subject concurs," the first official to stand up was not the future father-in-law of the Crown Prince, but rather the son of Grand Tutor Du. Du Daren stood up and bowed, "This subject believes that the captive Prince A'Wa should not be released."
The court officials were inwardly surprised. The Du family had always been strict towards the Crown Prince, particularly Grand Tutor Du, who would nitpick the Crown Prince's faults every few days. Why was it that today, the Du family was the first to stand up and support the Crown Prince?
In this situation, the Du family's declaration held a deeper meaning. The Du family was practically announcing to everyone that they supported the Crown Prince.
Even the Hua family, the Crown Prince's in-laws, didn't show such enthusiasm.
It seemed that Grand Tutor Du was seriously ill, and the Du family could not stand on their own. They wanted to rely on the Crown Prince's support.
With the Du family taking the lead, many court officials began to stand up one after another, expressing their agreement with the Crown Prince's proposal.
Princess Yan didn't understand politics, but she vaguely felt that discussing the fate of the Jinpo's Second Prince in front of the Jinpo envoys seemed to have a hidden purpose.
"Third Brother," she knew she shouldn't ask, but her recent experiences at the Imperial Academy gave her courage, "Why does Great Jin purposely discuss this matter in front of the Jinpo envoys?"
He Yuanting expressed surprise as he looked at Princess Yan. When did his half-sister gain such courage and curiosity?
"Do you know how many innocent civilians Prince A'Wa and his army of soldiers killed during their surprise attack on Huzhou?"
"How many?"
"More than ten thousand."
"All of them unarmed ordinary civilians?" Princess Yan exclaimed, "Did they at least spare women and children?"
"If they had spared them, given Emperor Changlong's temperament, he wouldn't intentionally embarrass Jinpo in front of everyone here," He Yuanting lowered his head and took a sip of wine from his cup, "The land of Great Jin is fertile, and its people are resilient. The people living on this land are both tolerant and vengeful."
"Fifty years ago, during a great drought in Great Jin, the Kingdom of Qingshi generously donated grain to them. Twenty years ago, when Qingshi was in turmoil, Great Jin assisted in quelling the rebellion and provided them with agricultural tools and skilled craftsmen. In all these years, have you ever heard of any conflicts or difficulties between the Great Jin and Qingshi?"
Princess Yan slightly shook her head.
"The people of this nation remember both kindness and grievances," He Yuanting gently rubbed his wine glass, "Our Daimao Kingdom and Great Jin have had several minor clashes over the past century. There have been frequent disagreements due to differing ideologies. Now that Jinpo has been defeated, who knows which country will be next to have its cities carved away?"
Princess Yan shook her head. "But didn't the Crown Prince of Great Jin just say that he doesn't want to see the people displaced?"
"Can we trust the words of those in high positions?" He Yuanting looked at his timid yet somewhat beautiful sister, "If you were to marry Emperor Changlong or the Crown Prince and bear a prince, perhaps it could ensure the peace of our Daimao Kingdom for the next thirty years."
"Ah?" Princess Yan looked at her gentle brother in surprise, "But I am just a weak woman. How can I change the thoughts of a ruler?"
"Never mind, if you don't want to, Benwang won't force you," He Yuanting lowered his eyelids, "Rest assured, if those officials have any objections towards you, Benwang will suppress them on your behalf."
As Princess Yan listened to these words, her chest felt heavy. She felt that there was something off in her brother's words, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong.
"Great General Hua," Emperor Changlong looked at Hua Yingting, "What are your thoughts?"
"Your Majesty, this subordinate is a simple man and cannot speak profound arguments," Hua Yingting looked at the Jinpo envoys, "This subordinate only feels that if we were to return Prince A'Wa to Jinpo, the innocent people who died in Huzhou would not be able to rest in peace, and the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives on the battlefield would not rest in peace either."
The entire hall fell silent.
Even the court officials who had been whispering amongst themselves quieted down.
It was widely known that the Hua family had guarded the borders of the Jin Kingdom for generations, and they had lost count of the Hua family's generals who died on the battlefield. They had gone through countless hardships to capture Prince A'Wa and bring him back to the capital. If they were to simply release him, what would the soldiers who fought desperately on the battlefield think?
"Zhen believes that the Crown Prince and the court officials have spoken wisely," Emperor Changlong spoke in a gentle tone to the Jinpo envoys, "Your country need not mention this matter again in the future. As for the Eldest Prince of your country who admires the culture of Great Jin, please send him over sooner. When summer arrives and the weather becomes hot, the Eldest Prince will suffer on the journey."
The envoys of Jinpo: "..."
This meant that they were unwilling to release the Second Prince of Jinpo and also wanted Jinpo to send over their Eldest Prince.
Great Jin's move was ruthless, leaving Jinpo with no face at all.
Without the Eldest Prince and the Second Prince, the future ruler of Jinpo would be the mischievous and dull Third Prince. With such an emperor in the future, what strength did Jinpo have to compete with the Great Jin?
But if Jinpo disagreed, Great Jin's army might launch a full-scale attack, and the outcome would be even more disastrous.
It was like asking them: Do you choose slow suicide or let me kill you on the spot?
The Jinpo envoys were dumbfounded. They had never expected that Emperor Changlong, who seemed mild and easy to talk to, would act shamelessly like this.
"This matter is of great importance, we dare not make any promises without authorization," the Jinpo envoys trembled as they bowed, "Please, Your Majesty, grant us some time to deliver your opinions to our sovereign with the utmost urgency."
"In that case, Zhen will wait for another month for your country's response. One month later, Zhen hopes to receive a satisfactory answer from your sovereign," Emperor Changlong smiled, "Since it seems that all of you are visiting Great Jin for the first time, please stay in our country for a while longer and wait with Zhen for the response from your sovereign."
Jinpo envoys: "???"
Did this mean they couldn't leave?
As the Emperor of a great and prosperous country, could you have some dignity? Could you?!
They roared with anger in their hearts, but on their faces, they dared not show the slightest hint of it. Not only did they have to suppress their anger, but they also had to smile and express gratitude, "Thank you, esteemed Emperor Changlong. It is an honor for us."
"Hmm," Emperor Changlong nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand for them to sit down.
The envoys from other countries, afraid that Emperor Changlong would also detain them in the capital, quickly raised their wine cups and flattered excessively, fearing that Emperor Changlong would suddenly say, "It seems like all of you are also visiting for the first time?"
He Yuanting had long noticed that the status of civil officials and military generals in the Great Jin was similar; the relationship between them was also not as conflicting as in their Daimao Kingdom.
He put down his chopsticks and furrowed his brows slightly.
"Brother, if our Daimao Kingdom could be like Great Jin..."
"Nonsense!" He Yuanting scolded in a low voice, "You've only been in Great Jin for a few days, and you're already praising them?"
Princess Yan trembled with fear and dared not speak again.
"The people of the Jin Kingdom are too unrestrained, lacking refinement and etiquette. This nation, even if temporarily prosperous, cannot be considered a civilized land," He Yuanting whispered, "You must not say such things again. If our civil officials hear about it, your reputation in Daimao will be ruined."
"Yes," Princess Yan felt even more uncomfortable that she couldn't even focus on the performances on the stage.
"It's stuffy in here," Every now and then, envoys came over to toast Hua Liuli. Some of them brought their female companions, and upon learning that Hua Liuli would be the future Crown Princess, they sent their female companions to get closer to her.
"Madam, we apologize, but our Junzhu is delicate and cannot drink."
"Marquess, we are sorry, but our Junzhu is not knowledgeable about martial arts and military strategy. She cannot answer your questions. Why don't you ask General Wei instead?"
Taking advantage of Yuan Yi blocking people for her, Hua Liuli lifted her skirt and slipped out of the hall.
Compared to the noisy hall, it was quiet outside. She let out a long breath, walked down the steps, and turned into the nearby small garden.
"Who's there?" Just as she entered the small garden, Hua Liuli heard a faint sob. She paused and looked toward the source of the sound.
"Miss Du?"
Du Xiuying wiped away the tears in the corners of her eyes and forced a smile as she stood up, "Fushou Junzhu, why are you here too?"
"It's stuffy inside the hall, so I came out for some fresh air," Hua Liuli saw the tear stains on Du Xiuying's face but pretended not to know that she had been crying. She looked up at the sky, "The stars are so beautiful tonight."
"Are they?" Du Xiuying raised her head dazedly. The moonlight covered the stars, so there were only a few scattered stars that couldn't be considered particularly beautiful.
"Miss Du, can you climb trees?" Hua Liuli asked.
Du Xiuying shook her head, "A gentleman values etiquette. It's improper..."
Before she could finish her words, Hua Liuli lifted her beautiful skirt and effortlessly jumped onto a tree branch.
She lay on the branch and gently coughed twice. Leaning forward, she extended her fair and clean hand to Du Xiuying, "Sitting in a tree and enjoying the scenery can improve your mood. Miss Du, come and try."
Du Xiuying stared blankly at the delicate palm in front of her and stuttered, "Thi-this is... not appropriate..."
"It's fine. Besides, no one else will see," Hua Liuli extended her hand in her direction, "Come, I'll hold onto you. Give me your hand."
From childhood to adulthood, Du Xiuying had never made such a rude gesture.
But, just this once, only this time.
It's okay, right?
When the Crown Prince saw Hua Liuli leaving the hall alone, he worried that she would be bored and found a way to sneak out. He saw his fiancée, who hadn't been married yet, leaning against a tree, smiling tenderly at another young girl.
And that extended hand, what did it mean?!
Krish728
Author's Note:
Liuli: I pity beauties, regardless of gender.
