Cheng Xiran got off the carriage and was so dazzled by the resplendent and magnificent scenery around that she couldn't take her eyes away.
The palaces, one after another, were like golden islands, and they seemed to be floating in the clouds.
"Your Highness, this year's Hundred Flowers Banquet is held in the Qinxue Pavilion beside the imperial garden. I'll lead you there right away."
Accompanied by a eunuch, the three of them walked through the long corridor and bypassed the winding paths before reaching the imperial garden. In the garden, there were all kinds of rare flowers and exotic herbs. The lush greenery stretched as far as the eye could see, and the blooming flowers were in full competition, which truly lived up to the name of the Hundred Flowers Banquet.
At that time, the emperor and the empress dowager had just arrived. After everyone saluted, there was a round of polite greetings.
"I didn't see the eldest daughter of the Left Prime Minister's family last time. I'm sure she should be here today. Come out quickly and let me have a look."
She scanned the beautiful ladies below, but no one responded for a long time.
The eunuch beside her raised his voice and announced, "Please let Miss Cheng Xiran of the Cheng Mansion come forward to meet the emperor and the empress dowager!"
Still, no one responded. There was an immediate buzz of discussion below.
Taking this opportunity, Cheng Zhiyue stepped forward. After performing the grand salute, she lowered her head and said, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I'm Cheng Zhiyue, the second daughter of the Cheng Mansion. My elder sister got up a bit late this morning. I'm afraid she's still on the way. Please forgive her, Your Majesty."
The empress dowager's face clearly darkened, and her tone was not very good. "What? Do we have to wait for her? How dare she be so arrogant? Does she still put the royal family in her eyes?"
Cheng Zhiyue twitched the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were full of pride, but on the surface, she still knelt there without getting up. "Please forgive my elder sister this time, Your Majesty. I'm sure she must have her own difficulties."
"Subject Cheng Xiran pays respects to the emperor and the empress dowager."
Cheng Xiran and Helian Duo entered the venue one after another, with Chu Liyin slowly following behind. Their entrance made the young ladies behind the curtains envious.
Helian Duo stepped forward and saluted.
The others present also saluted Helian Duo... It made Cheng Xiran dizzy.
After Chu Liyin saluted, she rushed straight to the empress dowager's side. "Has the empress dowager missed me recently?"
"Of course I've missed you. I was planning to send someone to bring you back to the palace after the Hundred Flowers Banquet. I'm not at ease with you outside the palace."
Chu Liyin coquettishly said, "Uncle Xue takes very good care of me. I'm very happy outside the palace. I don't want to go back to the palace for the time being."
Here, before Cheng Xiran could explain, Helian Duo spoke first. "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, it was I who asked Miss Cheng to handle some matters with me, so we're a bit late. I hope the emperor and the empress dowager will forgive us."
Helian Zheng, the current emperor, nodded at him and said, "All of you, get up."
Xiao Qi, sitting in the dark, wished she could kill Cheng Xiran with her eyes.
Why? Why could she catch Helian Duo's eye? She was just a bit knowledgeable. Why couldn't her long - standing friendship with Helian Duo as childhood playmates compare to their short - term acquaintance?
She refused to accept it!
Cheng Xiran didn't dare to be presumptuous. She obediently got up and was led by a maid to one side. Helian Duo sat in a seat below the empress dowager, a bit far from her. However, after Cheng Xiran sat down, she found that from this position, she could overlook the whole venue.
There were all kinds of beautiful women, including those with the gentle and delicate charm of a small family, those with the elegant bearing of a noble family, those with the unique beauty of the south of the Yangtze River, and those with heroic and valiant looks. In short, all the types of beautiful women she could think of were present today. It was really a feast for the eyes.
However, there were hardly any young masters. After asking the maid beside her, she learned that this round was specially reserved for the royal family to make their selections. Therefore, among the men present today, apart from the emperor and Helian Duo, there was only Helian Yue.