The stunning beauty of Qing Dynasty

Chapter 295 Before the Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet

The next morning, Qingyin boarded the cruise ship that Duan Heng had chartered specifically for her. She quietly admired the beauty of the moat and fed some snacks to the fish in the river.

Duan Heng, who had dressed up carefully, looked helplessly at the girl who was about to turn over half of her body in the boat to look at the water. Could it be that he was really not good-looking and could not compare to this river?

Duan Heng felt a little frustrated. After meeting Ahua, he had understood his own feelings. He liked Ahua and wanted Ahua to be his only wife. But now that he had arrived in the imperial city, he vaguely felt that his relationship with Ahua was not as close as when they were on the road.

Given Duan Heng's domineering personality, he should have taken this opportunity to express his feelings and speak directly to Ah Hua.

But the deeper the love, the more difficult it was for Duan Heng to speak.

He was afraid of hearing from the girl that the result was not to his liking, and he was also afraid that he would not be able to control his actions and make the girl unhappy.

Therefore, Duan Heng suppressed the emotions surging in his heart.

Wenrou walked forward, stood behind the girl, bent down, and put a fox fur coat on her from behind. "It's windy by the river, be careful not to catch a cold."

"Duan Heng, you are so nice." The girl smiled innocently.

There was not a trace of the emotion that Duan Heng wanted in his eyes, and he lowered his head in disappointment.

The girl's words were sweet, but Duan Heng found that her mind was completely on the water. As he approached, there was no movement on the girl's fair face.

And he simply approached the girl and her ears turned red.

Duan Heng was not angry about this injustice, he just felt a little depressed by the girl's dullness.

Duan Heng was silent for a long time, and then he pretended to be calm and said, "Ahua, don't you think there is something strange about our behavior?"

"Strange? What's strange?"

The girl continued to slowly break open the snacks in her hand and threw them into the river to feed the hungry fish. She turned her head and looked at Duan Heng with her almond-shaped eyes as clear as spring water.

In the sunshine, the girl is as pure and innocent as a newborn baby, without any shadow at all.

Duan Heng turned his head away in embarrassment, "Nothing, it's just that our Ah Hua is so beautiful, everyone likes Ah Hua."

"Oh, I see." The girl stretched lazily and winked at Duan Heng playfully.

"Of course, I'm so pretty and cute, of course everyone likes me." Even though the girl is narcissistic, she still looks so cute.

Duan Heng smiled gently subconsciously.

Forget it, if she doesn't understand, then don't understand. He has time to wait for Ah Hua to understand, and as for other hands that extend to her, he will just cut them off.

Just like the moat, there were only him and the girl on the river surface that he had specially cleared.

At dusk, Duan Heng, who had had enough of fishing with the girl, brought Qingyin back to the palace and received news from the eunuch sent by the emperor.

Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, Ahua.

Duan Heng clenched his fists. He knew that it was the recent actions that caught the attention of the Emperor. He didn't know how much the Emperor knew about Ahua.

For example, Ah Hua's face, or the East Suburb Flower Goddess.

Duan Heng tried to calm himself down. Things had not yet reached the worst point. He remembered a lot now. Perhaps he could use the help of Lao Qi and Lao Da to attract some attention and avenge himself for the murder he had suffered before.

And Ah Hua absolutely could not show her face in front of the Emperor. Thinking of this, Duan Heng thought for a while, walked to the gate of Qingyin's yard and knocked on the door.

"Ahua, it's me."

Qingyin opened the door and looked at Duan Heng who had just left and ran back and asked doubtfully:

"Duan Heng, why are you here again?"

Duan Heng took a deep look at the girl's delicate face, which seemed even more beautiful than yesterday, and his bad premonition became even stronger.

"Ahua, let me in first."

Qingyin nodded obediently, made way for Duan Heng to come in.

When Duan Heng walked into Ahua's boudoir for the first time, he smelled Qingyin's fragrance that filled the whole room. He felt a little hot on his face and his ears quickly turned red.

This time he was not here to accompany Ah Hua, he was here to talk to Ah Hua about serious matters. Thinking about the mess in Duan Heng's mind, Duan Heng calmed down and pulled the girl to sit down.

"Ahua, you will attend the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet held in the palace this time."

Not a question, but an affirmation.

Qing Yin opened her eyes wide and said in a panic: "But I'm just a commoner, how can I attend such a banquet?"

"The Emperor asked you to come here to thank you for saving me. Don't worry, Ah Hua. I'm here for you."

"But His Majesty has already thanked me for so much money." Qingyin said stupidly.

Looking at the young girl's ignorant and innocent look, Duan Heng raised the corner of his mouth slightly, "Ahua, my life as a prince cannot be replaced by money."

Qingyin nodded as if she understood, and looked at the man nervously and curiously: "Then should I do something, such as learn some rules or something."

Duan Heng smiled softly, "Don't be afraid, just learn the etiquette of kneeling down. It's okay if you can't learn it well, you can sit next to Jiang Lingya then."

"Really?" The girl was obviously more relaxed after knowing that the person sitting next to her was an acquaintance.

Duan Heng rubbed the girl's head and said, "Of course."

"But this time Ah Hua also wore a veil on her face and lied that she had an allergy on her face. Do you understand?"

"Why?" Qingyin asked in confusion. Why would a little village girl like her cover her face?

Duan Heng did not answer her, but just patted her head again to comfort her, "Don't be afraid, I will let you show up openly in the future."

Seeing the rare serious look in Duan Heng's eyes, Qing Yin nodded.

Duan Heng, who had prepared good news for his sweetheart, left.

But no matter how unhappy he was, the time for the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet had finally arrived.

Inside the carriage, the girl was wearing the court dress that he had designed himself, a gorgeous green long skirt dotted with pearls and lotus gold thread patterns, a waisted long skirt, and a few matching hairpin pearl flowers, which was plain yet elegant.

The whole person is like a graceful lotus, delicate and beautiful.

It was rare for a young girl to be dressed so gorgeously and formally. In the carriage, Duan Heng was afraid that she would feel uncomfortable with her face covered, so he had already taken off her veil.

He looked at her quietly, the goddess of flowers, who really looked like a lotus fairy that had become a spirit.

Duan Heng simply couldn't take his eyes off the girl. He looked at her with a red face and ears, and his back seemed to be covered with sweat.

This set of clothes was chosen by him personally, and he also deliberately changed into a green robe today. Suddenly, there seemed to be an illusion that he and Ah Hua were married and attending the banquet.

Because of this association, Duan Heng's face became even hotter.

Under Duan Hengdi's scorching gaze, Qingyin leaned calmly against the car window, enjoying the melon seeds in her hand. Her manners were elegant and she was not affected at all.

After a long while, she stopped moving, took out a handkerchief and wiped her mouth. Then she looked at Duan Heng who had been looking at her, and asked complainingly, "How long will it take to get there, Duan Heng?"

Duan Heng's eyes happened to meet Qing Yin's gaze, and he said uncertainly: "Almost, half an hour."

"Are you tired? Would you like some juice? There's some in the car."

After such a long period of training, Duan Heng has already mastered Qingyin's taste.

A glass of fresh grape juice was handed to Qingyin's mouth.

Qingyin opened her mouth and took a sip without even looking. Duan Heng wouldn't prepare her favorite juice anyway.

……

This Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was attended not only by royal relatives, but also by important officials of the court and their wives.

At the banquet, Duan Jiachen sat lazily in his seat, staring at his father with a defiant look in his eyes, "I already said I wouldn't come, but you insisted on me coming. Why did you insist on me coming when there were so many people attending the banquet?"

Prince Heng felt itchy when he saw Duan Jiachen asking for a beating, but this was a banquet after all, and he couldn't beat this brat. He was so angry that his eyes turned red.

Princess Heng secretly pinched the boy's soft waist and whispered, "You little bastard, you must ask your father to go back and give you a beating."

Duan Jiachen shouted coldly. After his face was twisted by his mother's hand for a second, he turned his head away nonchalantly: "Who told you not to agree to me? Beat me up if you want. You can beat me to death anyway."

After hearing this, Princess Heng also wanted to beat her son.

But no one knows a child better than his mother, and Princess Heng quickly thought of words to force the child to behave himself: "If you don't behave yourself today, you will never be able to go to Dongjiao County in your lifetime."

"Ah~ Mom, don't do that."

This time it was Duan Jiachen's turn to feel miserable. His future princess was still in Dongjiao County. How could he not go?

Thinking of this, Duan Jiachen was forced to behave himself.

The couple of Hengqin Mansion were happy.

They were even happier when they saw several familiar ministers teaching their sons to be obedient.

What the two of them didn't notice was that the several playboys who had quarreled with their parents had all been to Dongjiao County, just like their own naughty son.

Previously, when the fourth prince disappeared and incidents occurred in the capital, the two were worried and abandoned their son outside the capital to protect him. Some families in the capital who doted on their children followed suit and sent their children away as well.

Dongjiao County is a good choice. It is not too far from the capital, so it can be managed, but it is not too close to be easily affected by the ups and downs of the capital.

Before, when she saw these people imitating their family's practice and sending their children to Dongjiao County, Princess Heng even secretly complained that these people had no intentions and only knew how to imitate and copy others' ideas.

At the banquet, the noise made by these playboys was seen by several princes on the stage.

The eldest prince chuckled at the people in the audience, and looked maliciously at the prince who was sitting in his seat drinking wine, and said with a smile: "Prime Minister Wang dotes on his youngest son, but it's a pity that this man has used up all his father's love. This love, after being used up, is like the water in a cup. It is used up a little bit, and then it is poured out. The water in the cup dries up and cracks. How can it be restored?"

The crown prince was deposed and reinstated again, and although his position as crown prince was restored, everyone could see that the emperor no longer valued him as much as before.

It's obvious who the eldest prince is referring to.

The area around the prince's seat suddenly fell into an eerie silence.

"Hahahaha, the relationship between father and son is still father and son no matter what. The blood relationship between them cannot be shaken by external factors."

The fifth prince, seeing that the situation was not right, interrupted.

"Yes, yes, the Fifth Prince is right. The blood relationship between father and son is extraordinary."

……

The courtiers surrounding him echoed.

On the other hand, the prince, who had been the target of allegation, had not changed his expression at all from beginning to end, and seemed to have calmed down a lot.

The court officials secretly lamented the changes in the prince. If the prince had been as calm and composed as he is now, it would be hard to explain the changes he has undergone now.

Unfortunately, it’s too late. The crown prince has been eliminated. As for the other princes, well, it’s hard to say.

The princes' seats fell silent again. The youngest prince sitting in the seat, the Eighth Prince, was still a thirteen-year-old boy who was not very good at hiding things.

Looking at the strange atmosphere at the princes' table, the Eighth Prince took the initiative to move to the side of the most amiable Sixth Prince, "Sixth Brother, what do you think the little village girl that Fourth Brother brought back after losing his memory looks like? I heard that Fourth Brother treated her very well and even had someone open a store for her."

The gentle and noble-looking Sixth Prince smiled faintly and took a sip of the tea beside his mouth. "Don't be presumptuous, Xiaoba. Miss Lin is Fourth Brother's lifesaver. Don't lose your manners."

"As for this Miss Lin, I think she is also a beautiful and extraordinary woman, otherwise Fourth Brother wouldn't be so attentive to her."

The words of the Eighth Prince and the Sixth Prince also attracted everyone's attention. The Fourth Prince and the little village girl who saved people were also a hot rumor.

The fourth one, Miss Lin.

Everyone was thinking about whether this person might become the fourth brother's weakness.

The prince, who had his head bowed, raised his head and glanced at the sixth and eighth brothers, who with just a few words had attracted everyone's attention to the fourth brother.

His sight just happened to meet the Sixth Prince who was looking over. Seeing the Crown Prince's gaze, a hint of surprise flashed across the Sixth Prince's slightly raised eyes, and the next second he showed a gentle smile.

The prince's gentleness and kindness are simply the biggest joke in the palace.

This is true even for children who grew up in the palace.

The prince had a blank expression on his face and did not respond to the Sixth Prince's gaze.

……

At the gate of the imperial city, countless carriages were parked around. Under the guidance of the guards, Qingyin and Duan Heng got off the carriages and changed into the palace carriages.

The palace carriages are exclusive to the royal family and are a symbol of status.

In the carriage, Qingyin looked out the window at the women or dignitaries dressed in luxurious clothes. Even after entering the palace, they still had to get off the carriage and walk on their own. This is power.

This is still the case even if people have reached the highest level of their official positions.

Qingyin lowered her head and stared outside the house in a daze.

Duan Heng thought the girl was nervous, so he comforted her, "Don't be afraid, Jiang Lingya will be with you later."

"I know." Qingyin smiled.

"It's great to have you, Duan Heng." So, Ah Heng, please send me to the highest position in the world.

The girl's sweet words reached the man's heart word for word, and the smile in his eyes became even gentler.

The man was unaware of the girl's huge ambition. As usual, he patiently explained to the girl the things to pay attention to at the banquet.

The carriage stopped at the entrance of the banquet. The luxurious carriage represented the status of the prince and grandson of the emperor, and it attracted a lot of attention as soon as it arrived.

All the other princes had already arrived in the room, so the only one who didn't come was naturally the fourth prince who had lost his memory and was rescued.

Considering the recent scandal between the Fourth Prince and his savior, the people around him cast curious or probing glances at him.