The matter of the bride swap had already caused quite a stir. Now that the four of them were meeting for the first time since their weddings, it was bound to cause another commotion. How many people were curious about how they were faring? And how many were secretly comparing them? She didn't want to lose to Li Xinrong, so she was extremely nervous.
"Li Xinrong will also be here. Aren't you curious about how she's doing?"
"Curious about what? Whether she's doing well or not has nothing to do with me."
"Could it be that Your Highness is curious about how the young marquis is doing?"
"Whether he's doing well or not is also none of my business."
"Then why did you choose him back then instead of Murong Xiu?" At this, Chu Junyi suddenly remembered that he had mentioned this on their wedding night.
His exact words were, "We'll have a good chat about this early tomorrow morning." But then there was no follow - up.
If she hadn't brought it up, he would have forgotten.
Li Xinyue turned her head, blinked her eyes at him, and then drooped her head wearily.
She felt like she had dug a pit for herself.
"I... back then..." She found it a bit hard to say.
"Back then, I thought I owed Murong Xiu too much and didn't want to involve him anymore. I clearly didn't love him, and I knew he had feelings for me. Giving him a chance but not being able to love him in return would be just using him.
So I chose Xia Chengjie because I felt no burden in using him."
Right after she finished speaking, she heard someone snickering.
Li Xinyue frowned slightly. She knew this would be the reaction, which was why she didn't want to say it.
She turned her head and glared at him angrily.
Chu Junyi laughed even louder. His princess was getting cuter and cuter, and she was so funny. Now he finally understood why he was so infatuated with her.
Who could bear to let go of such a cute beauty?
The carriage was getting closer and closer to the palace. Along the way, she couldn't help but look out, wondering how much further it was to the palace.
Since that night, she had truly regarded Chu Junyi as her husband, both physically and mentally, a legitimate husband.
Today was the first time she was bringing her husband back to her natal home. As a young woman, she was shy, but of course, she was also looking forward to the envious looks from others.
Chu Junyi opened his eyes and quietly stared at Li Xinyue, who kept lifting the curtain. He was slightly stunned at first, then seemed to understand something. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, and he closed his eyes pretending not to know.
He was also nervous, and at the same time, he was looking forward to it.
...
"Yuanyang is here. Sit down."
"Nanny, serve tea for the princess and the consort."
"Thank you, Mother." Li Xinyue curtsied, and then led Chu Junyi to meet the crown princess and other royal sisters - in - law and princesses.
They exchanged a few pleasantries.
Until Li Xinrong came back.
The room quickly became lively, but she was left out in the cold.
The smile on Li Xinyue's face was a bit forced. A sour feeling welled up in her heart. When she glanced at Chu Junyi sitting beside her, silent, the feeling became even stronger.
"Mother, I take my leave!"
Only then did the people chatting with Li Xinrong and the others seem to notice them. They all showed surprised expressions, and some even gave condemning looks.
Condemning her for not knowing the rules.
Li Xinyue straightened her body, directly met the condemning gaze, and a sneering smile curled up on her lips.
That princess consort was so angry that she felt a tightness in her chest, but she didn't dare to retort. After all, her prince was out of favor, and she didn't dare to argue with the favored Princess Yuanyang alone. She could only swallow her anger.
The queen said indifferently, "If Yuanyang is tired, I'll ask the nanny to take you to rest, or you can take a stroll in the garden. The banquet hasn't started yet. Your father is still discussing matters with the ministers. Be more obedient."
Li Xinyue raised her eyebrows slightly. Was she being called disobedient?
Well, she'd remember this score for now.
"I obey, Mother." Then, she took Chu Junyi's hand, their fingers intertwined, and walked away without looking back.
At this moment, all the expectations, nervousness, the happiness and shyness of a young woman when she came were all drowned in sorrow.
She put away her gentle and virtuous demeanor and became the bright, flamboyant, and sharp - edged Princess Yuanyang again.
There was a dull pain in Chu Junyi's heart. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, who would have thought that the majestic princess was living such a life?
How had she endured all the previous palace banquets?
Sitting alone in silence until the end of the banquet and then leaving?
He felt so heart - ache that he wanted to hug her, but he was afraid she would cry.
She was such a strong - willed person that she probably didn't want others to see this side of her.
"Next time, I'll take you to meet my family." He guaranteed it would be warmer than this.
"Okay."
After Li Xinyue and Chu Junyi left, the queen slowly raised her head, her eyes following their departing backs, lost in deep thought.
If it hadn't been for the bride swap, this consort would have been her son - in - law.
Although she had initially disagreed, compared to the young marquis sitting at her feet, crying and complaining, the other one was definitely more to her liking.
But Yuanyang liked Murong Xiu, didn't she?
Then why didn't she agree when Murong Xiu asked the emperor for her hand in marriage?
If she had married Murong Xiu back then, then after the bride swap, Murong Xiu would have been her son - in - law.
Alas!
"Mother, you must stand up for me!"
The queen looked down at the young marquis, who was sniffling and sobbing, and frowned in disgust.
The crown princess got up and sent away the other princess consorts and princesses.
Then, the queen endured the throbbing in her temples and stepped in to mediate the conflict between the young couple.
Li Xinyue and Chu Junyi waited outside for a while. Seeing that the banquet was about to start, they headed towards the main hall.
By now, many people had already arrived. Some were sitting at their seats chatting idly, while others were standing outside laughing and talking.
The sun was shining brightly, and the wind was gentle.
The sound of music and drums pushed the excitement to a climax.
However, when Li Xinyue and Chu Junyi walked over, all the laughter suddenly stopped, and everyone kept their distance from them.
Because of the case of the Prince of An, all the noble families had realized that this Lord Chu, who came from a humble background, was serious. He really had the ability to break the power of the noble families. So they were too busy guarding against him to want to associate with him.
They didn't want their family secrets to be exposed!
So, the two of them were once again isolated.
After the banquet, when everyone went to play the game of throwing arrows into a pot, archery, or play leaf cards, someone finally came over to chat with them.
"Does Your Highness the Princess still remember me?" Miss Yuan curtsied to Li Xinyue and Chu Junyi with a beaming smile.
"Miss Yuan." Li Xinyue smiled. Thinking about how Miss Yuan had once gone to great lengths to match - make Yuan Xirou and Chu Junyi, but now Chu Junyi had become her husband, she inexplicably felt like she had stolen someone else's man.
But Yuan Xirou didn't mind at all. Instead, she generously praised that they were well - matched.
At this time, Murong Jia and her brother also came.
When Li Xinyue saw Murong Jia, she lowered her eyelids guiltily. Because she had promised to marry her brother but had deceived her in the end. As for Murong Xiu, she didn't dare to look at him at all.
Murong Xiu glanced down at her, then looked at Chu Junyi, and then silently concealed his emotions.
"The day is still young. Why don't we go and play together?" Yuan Xirou suggested.
"Sure!" Li Xinyue lifted the corners of her mouth.