"Princess!"
Baolan hated seeing her princess like this. What spoils of war? Her princess was a living person, not an item!
The princess smiled again and pinched Baolan's wrinkled nose, "Alright, alright, I won't say it anymore. I heard that Lin Yuan has many things that Dali lacks. When we finish our audience with the Emperor of Lin Yuan, I'll take you to explore the capital of Lin Yuan, alright?"
Baolan immediately beamed and nodded, "Yes, Princess, you're the best."
...
"Sigh~"
Nan Shiying watched the busy Lv Wan and sighed again, feeling that this scene was very familiar.
Lv Wan couldn't help but sigh, "Your Highness, tomorrow is the grand banquet to welcome the envoys from Dali. Men and women will be seated together. You should pay a little more attention!"
Tomorrow was different; she wouldn't need to pick out clothes.
Tomorrow, Nan Shiying had to wear the ceremonial attire of a Consort. Lv Wan was currently selecting jewelry to match the outfit.
Nan Shiying chuckled, "What's the big deal about hosting the Princess of Dali? Do I need to be so attentive?" She scoffed, "What, do you want me to snatch the Princess back to be my lord's concubine?"
"Your Highness!"
Lv Wan glared at her, furious.
What was she even saying? How could she suggest taking a concubine for her lord!
Speaking of taking concubines, Lv Wan began to worry again. They had been married for so long, yet her lord and the Consort still hadn't consummated their marriage. What was to be done!
If Nan Shiying knew Lv Wan's inner worries, she would surely roll her eyes at her and offer her heartfelt 'thanks' – what a nuisance!
...
The next day, after lunch.
Nan Shiying changed into the ceremonial robes of the Regent's Consort, adorned her phoenix hairpin, and boarded the carriage.
Today, men and women would be seated together, and Ji Jinmo would also attend the banquet, so Nan Shiying rode in Ji Jinmo's carriage.
The carriage was much wider than the one she usually rode in, and it was not bumpy at all, seeming to be equipped with shock absorbers.
Beneath the table integrated with the carriage body were two drawers. One held teacups, and the other held wine glasses. In a corner of the carriage, several books were placed. Ji Jinmo was currently fiddling with the coral bracelet in his hand, leaning against the carriage wall, his eyes closed in repose.
The rustling sounds nearby made Ji Jinmo open his eyes. Nan Shiying was taking a teacup from the drawer.
"Hot water was not prepared today," he said.
From the Regent's manor to the Imperial Palace, it was only three intersections, and even on foot, it took only fifteen minutes, let alone by carriage. Therefore, he had not arranged for hot water to be prepared for brewing tea today.
Nan Shiying said "oh" and quickly put the teacup back, then closed the drawer.
Ji Jinmo decided to stop resting his eyes and instead said to Nan Shiying, "Dali and Lin Yuan have always been at odds. I massacred their imperial army back then, and the hatred still lingers. They dare not target me, but you are different, after all, you are my wife."
Nan Shiying's hand, which was fiddling with the hem of her clothes, paused slightly. The word "wife" turned over and over in her heart before slowly dissipating. She turned her head, looked at Ji Jinmo, and asked through gritted teeth, "So, you're saying, more scumbags are going to cause trouble for me?"
Ji Jinmo looked at her and nodded sympathetically, "It should be."
Nan Shiying glared at him fiercely, unwilling to speak further.
Ji Jinmo, however, smiled, "Don't worry, I'm here."
Nan Shiying couldn't help but roll her eyes, "It's precisely because you're here that I have so much trouble!!!"
Ji Jinmo remained silent for a second, noncommittal, then suddenly said, "Mu Xiaoxiao has returned. She will also be attending the palace banquet today."
Nan Shiying's body stiffened slightly. She felt that Ji Jinmo's tone was somewhat off. She gave a dry laugh, "So she's back, what does that have to do with me?"
Ji Jinmo nodded, and a faint cold glint flashed in his slightly raised phoenix eyes, as if saying: It better be that way!
Nan Shiying shrunk her neck and mumbled softly, "So random!"
...
The carriage continued its journey into the Imperial City, finally stopping at the inner courtyard square of the Imperial Palace.
Nan Shiying leaped down from the carriage first.
"Your Highness!"
Lv Wan was practically wracked with worry.
This was the Imperial Palace. How could Her Highness jump directly from the carriage? If someone saw, they would surely mock her for lacking etiquette.
Nan Shiying felt that Lv Wan was good in every way, except that she was simply too naggy. Ji Jinmo elegantly descended from the carriage. Nan Shiying leaned closer and asked softly, "My lord, was Lv Wan always this annoying?"
She was speaking ill of someone without even trying to hide it from the person involved!
Lv Wan stood behind them, glaring.
Ji Jinmo glanced at Nan Shiying. After alighting from the carriage, he had returned to his usual cold demeanor, but he still softly replied, "It varies from person to person."
Nan Shiying snorted, what kind of person was that!
Lv Wan, however, couldn't help but chuckle.
...
"The Regent and the Regent's Consort have arrived!"
The two walked together towards the grand hall. Before they even arrived, the eunuch's announcements layered upon each other.
Everyone in the hall immediately turned towards the hall entrance.
Ji Jinmo was dressed in a dark blue robe with golden scale patterns, and Nan Shiying's ceremonial attire was also dark blue. They walked into the hall side by side. The man was handsome, and the woman was stunning, like a perfect pair.
During the Flower Appreciation Banquet, the officials' wives and daughters had already witnessed Nan Shiying's capabilities. However, the officials and the young lords' impressions of Nan Shiying were still based on the previous circulating descriptions: ugly, crude, and frail. Now, upon seeing her, none of it matched. Who was the one who called Nan Shiying ugly?
If this was ugliness, then what was Nan Yuan'er, who was hailed as the most beautiful woman? Was she terrifying?
Whispers and murmurs began to rise. The Princess of Dali, looking at the Regent and his Consort entering the hall, couldn't help but exclaim her admiration.
However, the envoys from Dali repeatedly snorted coldly, but fearing that Ji Jinmo might hear them, they could only lower their heads and drain their wine cups, swallowing the cold snorts along with the wine.
Ji Jinmo and Nan Shiying walked all the way to the position below the Emperor's throne and then stopped, taking their seats.
After the arrival of the Regent and his Consort, Ji Hong finally arrived.
"His Majesty has arrived, and the Noble Consort has arrived~~"
Everyone in the hall rose to greet them, shouting blessings. Only Ji Jinmo, fiddling with his prayer beads, did not even lift his eyes.
"All officials are excused."
However, whether it was the Emperor or the ministers, they all seemed accustomed to it, and no one found anything amiss. On the contrary, if Ji Jinmo had risen to greet them today, they would have had to ponder the implications.
Ji Hong stood behind the imperial desk, raised his wine cup, and toasted everyone, "Let us raise our cups, to the Princess of Dali, and to the envoys of Dali!"
Everyone raised their wine cups, "To the Princess, to the envoys!"
Then, they drank it all in one gulp.