The women, led by the daughter of the Minister of War, gathered and secretly discussed men, with most of their conversations revolving around the enchanting Chu Qianyi.
Compared to the Prince of Nan'an and the Prince of Beijin, Chu Qianyi seemed to be a more favored choice among women, attracting them with his appearance, character, and family background.
As for the Prince of Nan'an and the Prince of Beijin, one was too cold, and the other too frail; each seemed to have a flaw.
Although the Prince of Nan'an was handsome, many young ladies feared him.
The Prince of Beijin, however, was sickly. Who would want to marry a sickly prince? Although they held noble titles and were powerful figures in the court, not all these young ladies were eager to climb the social ladder.
Li Xiaowan, the daughter of the Minister of War, possessed charming eyes that were full of tenderness and allure. Her pair of watery eyes seemed to speak, sparkling with every glance, drawing the attention of many young masters.
However, a faint melancholy clouded her brows, as if she were troubled by something. Her demeanor was rather subdued.
Despite being surrounded by everyone, she didn't say much, merely listening to the discussions of the other young ladies, occasionally lifting her eyes to gaze at Chu Qianyi in the distance.
Alas, the man didn't even spare her a glance. It was indeed a case of unrequited love. Was it fate that destined the proud Li Xiaowan to marry the sickly Prince of Beijin?
Though the Prince of Beijin was gentle and courteous, how could a woman of talent, beauty, and pride not harbor any fantasies? Who wouldn't want a romantic moment under the moon? Yet, she was to serve the sickly Prince of Beijin. The more Li Xiaowan thought about it, the more conflicted she felt, but she was helpless.
Last night, her father had specifically instructed her that today, she was to publicly declare her admiration for the Prince of Beijin. The thought made her feel nauseous, and she would rather claim to like Young Master Chu.
At the flower viewing banquet, vibrant and dazzling colors, a riot of purples, reds, and golds, adorned with various famous flowers of yellow, orange, green, blue, and purple, created a dazzling spectacle that overwhelmed the senses.
The sounds of conversation and laughter occasionally carried outwards, like joyful waves rising higher and higher.
At the exit of the flower viewing banquet, an archway was constructed with colorful fresh flowers. On both sides stood rows of eunuchs, and then their high-pitched voices rang out.
"Princess Ru Yin arrives, Princess Xing Zhu arrives."
As the eunuchs shouted, the noble royal family members made their grand entrance. The first to arrive were the two princesses. It was likely that their marriages were also on the Emperor's mind at this flower viewing banquet. The moment the wealthy and noble young masters saw the two princesses arrive, their eyes lit up like cats spotting mice, and they stared intently at Princess Ru Yin and Princess Xing Zhu.
As the princesses entered the banquet hall, the daughters of officials hurried to pay their respects.
"Greetings, Princess Ru Yin, greetings, Princess Xing Zhu."
Ru Yin, arrogant and bold, wore a low-cut, chest-hugging red dress today, incredibly stunning. With an unperturbed expression, she haughtily commanded, "Rise."
In contrast to Ru Yin's arrogance, Xing Zhu was much more reserved, wearing a grass-green dress with puff sleeves. Her dark hair was styled into a princess bun, adorned with a jade hairpin, making her appear both cute and pretty.
She remembered her imperial sister-in-law's words: she was not the protagonist of this flower viewing banquet, so she would maintain as low a profile as possible.
However, her shy and timid demeanor, like a little white rabbit, attracted more male attention than Princess Ru Yin. Many young masters looked her way and whispered amongst themselves.
Following closely behind the princesses were the two princes.
"Prince of Nan'an arrives, Prince of Beijin arrives."
The two main protagonists of the day made their shining entrance. All eyes at the flower viewing banquet turned towards them. The Prince of Nan'an walked ahead, clad in a dark purple robe. His imposing face was etched with frost, and an aura of coldness surrounded him, making many tremble with fear and dare not approach him.
Only Chu Qianyi, the son of the Left Prime Minister, walked over fearlessly, raised a fist, and bumped it against the Prince of Nan'an. Chu Qianyi then extended his hand, pulled the Prince of Nan'an, and they walked to the side, oblivious to their surroundings.
This demonstrated the extraordinary friendship between the Prince of Nan'an and Young Master Chu. The two men stood together, one imposing, the other enchantingly beautiful, truly a pair of stunning beauties that delighted the eyes.
Chu Qianyi pointed to Liu Qianmu, who stood at the edge of the crowd, and raised his eyebrows curiously, "Since when did you become so close to him?"
The Prince of Nan'an glanced over and replied indifferently, "We met at the palace gate. His Majesty invited him to the palace for the flower viewing banquet, so I entered with him."
"You," Chu Qianyi said, reaching out to put his arm around the Prince of Nan'an's shoulder. This action caused many noble ladies at the flower viewing banquet to gasp.
The gesture was too intimate. Could it be that the Prince of Nan'an and Young Master Chu were lovers? Yet, Young Master Chu had confidantes all over the world.
Finally, everyone shifted their gaze to the Prince of Beijin.
The Prince of Beijin was wearing a white brocade robe. He was slender, with a pale complexion. Although his features were handsome and his demeanor was gentle and elegant.
However, upon seeing his sickly appearance, the women were somewhat disappointed. If only the Prince of Beijin were not ill; he would surely be a beloved object for women.
Li Xiaowan, the daughter of the Minister of War, eyed the man with a composed demeanor. This man was to be her husband. Should she truly follow her father's wishes and publicly declare her admiration for the Prince of Beijin?
At the flower viewing banquet, with the presence of the imperial family members, everyone became much more subdued. Compared to the princes and princesses, the children of these high officials were as humble as mud; there was no comparison.
Finally, the Empress Dowager also arrived.
"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager arrives, Her Consort Grace arrives."
Everyone rose again, looking towards the end of the red carpet. There, the Empress Dowager, resplendent and adorned with jewelry, led the charming and beautiful Consort Grace into the hall. Behind them followed a woman as clear as the moon, who was none other than General Ximen's beloved daughter, Ximen Xinyue.
"We greet Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, Her Consort Grace."
The Empress Dowager's face was filled with kindness. She gently waved her hand, beckoning the young ladies, "Everyone, please be seated. Today is just an ordinary flower viewing banquet. The flowers are blooming like brocade, let us enjoy them together. There is no need to be formal."
"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out the Empress Dowager was so benevolent and friendly, putting everyone at ease.
Two people per table, everyone took their seats according to their designated places. The Empress Dowager sat slightly to the left of the high seat, her gaze casually drifting towards the entrance, a faint smile on her lips.
It seemed the truly ambitious ones were about to arrive. As she thought this, Ah Jiu's voice sounded: "His Majesty arrives, Her Majesty the Empress arrives."
The crowd rose again, filled with awe and trepidation.
Rumor had it that Her Majesty the Empress was wise and astute, and nothing escaped her eyes. It remained to be seen if the rumors were true.