"Empress, do not forget your place."
In the confined space, the two sat close together, their breaths mingling on each other's faces.
Mu Qingyao's cheeks felt hot, but it was from anger. She hadn't expected this man to abduct her into the imperial carriage without her consent. How hateful and exasperating! Did being the Emperor make him so powerful that he could disregard others' wishes?
They were sitting in two separate soft palanquins, but that didn't stop him from parading their affection in front of others. Did sitting in two separate palanquins not signify affection?
"My place is to sit in the same palanquin with you? Is it not even allowed to sit in two separate ones?"
"Empress, are you afraid of Us, or are you afraid of falling in love with Us?"
"What did you say?" Mu Qingyao's eyes widened in disbelief, followed by an angry roar. She felt an urge to curse, to summon the ancestors of the Murong family, regardless of whether they were Emperors or not. What kind of shameless man was this?
Indeed, he was the Son of Heaven, handsome, and possessed both power and beauty. But wasn't his ego excessively arrogant, assuming any woman would fall for him?
"Your Majesty, first of all, I must make it clear that if someone smiles at you, you take it as them falling in love with you, and if they speak to you, you assume they are destined for you.
I am simply not accustomed to it, not accustomed to being in such a confined space with a man and a woman who are strangers, sitting together like lovers. Do you understand?"
Mu Qingyao said, exasperated.
She fiercely reprimanded Murong Liu Zun, but she herself felt it sounded a bit disingenuous when spoken in such an intimate setting. However, these were her true feelings.
Beside her, Murong Liu Zun's eyes sparkled with intensity. His lips were tightly pursed as he gazed at her like a rare specimen. After a long while, he sighed lightly.
"Empress, why the unnecessary disclaimers?"
With that, he turned his head and ordered outside, "Let the palanquins proceed to the Liuli Palace."
Ah, ah, Mu Qingyao wanted to scream. Why couldn't she make this man understand? Did he really believe she would fall for him? Who gave him such confidence, just because he was the Emperor? She looked to the heavens in speechless despair, wishing for a bolt of lightning to strike down this Emperor, sparing him the need to scheme with others.
The soft palanquins swayed gently all the way to the Liuli Palace. Inside, Mu Qingyao chose to remain silent, realizing for the first time how difficult it was to communicate with ancient people.
To avoid driving herself to death from anger, she decided to simply sit still.
Although a breathtakingly beautiful man sat beside her, gazing at her without blinking, she was burning with rage from head to toe, so she had no mood to appreciate his beauty.
Inside the palanquin, the scent of dragon's saliva incense filled every corner.
Murong Liu Zun's dark eyes were fixed on Mu Qingyao. Tonight, she was unusually wearing court attire, though in the simplest style. Her dark hair was like clouds, adorned with a delicate, translucent plum blossom. The entire person exuded an elegant aura, subtly releasing a faint fragrance.
Currently, her pretty face was flushed with anger, her eyes sparkling with fire, and a cool, watery aura emanated from her. Such an outstanding woman stirred a trace of cherish in his heart. If he could remove the obstacles beside him, could he keep her by his side?
The thought arose in Murong Liu Zun's mind, and he immediately reprimanded himself. He was the Emperor of Xian Yue; how could he harbor such personal affections? The internal strife was not yet settled, the realm not yet unified. He should not be falling in love.
"Alright, Empress, stop being angry. We were teasing you. We believe that, like Us, you are not one to be easily moved."
A magnetic voice echoed within the soft palanquin. Mu Qingyao started, turning her head to look at the man beside her.
Mu Qingyao felt a tightness in her chest and quickly averted her gaze elsewhere. To be honest, this man was exceptional. If she hadn't experienced emotional trauma, she might have fallen for such a man at first sight. But now, her mind and heart were no longer those of a pure, ignorant maiden. She valued substance more and would not judge by appearance, deciding who to fall in love with at first glance.
"Have the envoys from the six nations arrived?"
Mu Qingyao changed the subject. Murong Liu Zun withdrew his icy gaze, glancing at her. Seeing that Mu Qingyao's expression had softened and she seemed no longer angry, a natural harmony flowed within the palanquin, easing his mood slightly. He spoke calmly.
"Almost."
In front of the Liuli Palace, lanterns were hung high, illuminating the night like day. A gentle breeze swept by, carrying fragrance for miles. Groups of eunuchs and palace maids stood guard at the entrance, welcoming the noble envoys from the six nations and important members of the royal family.
"The Prince of Beijin has arrived!"
"The envoys from the six nations have arrived!"
Successive voices entered the great hall. The hall was lively at the moment, with many officials gathered together discussing matters. Upon hearing the eunuchs' voices from outside the hall door, they all turned their gazes towards the entrance.
Leading the procession was the Prince of Beijin, Murong Liu Mo, dressed in white. His hair was tied with a jade hairpin. The light from the luminous pearls in the hall cast a slightly pale hue on his slender face, his lips a faint color. However, his demeanor was elegant and graceful, introverted and steady. As soon as he entered the hall, officials stepped forward to greet him.
Although the Prince of Beijin held little actual power, the Empress Dowager of the court was his own mother. Therefore, he was still respected in the Xian Yue Kingdom.
Following the Prince of Beijin were the envoys from the six nations, each envoy leading several subordinates carrying brocade chests.
Suddenly, the hall became lively, dazzling and overwhelming the senses. Mu Hen, the Prime Minister of Xian Yue, and Chu Fengyu, united for a rare occasion, stepped forward separately to greet the guests from the six nations and escort them to important positions.
Unexpectedly, for this diplomatic mission to Xian Yue, figures of great importance had been sent from all six nations.
The envoy from Qing Luo Kingdom, renowned alongside Xian Yue Kingdom, was none other than Crown Prince Changsun Zhu.
Changsun Zhu was clad in a light blue brocade robe, his waist cinched with a coiled dragon python belt from which hung silk tassels. His black hair was casually tied with a silk ribbon. His handsome and unrestrained demeanor, and his dark, deep eyes, which held boundless darkness, observed every movement within the hall.
Next were the envoys from Dan Feng Kingdom. It was led by the Crown Princess and a Prince, personally. Dan Feng Kingdom was a matriarchal society, making the Crown Princess's status extremely noble. It was unexpected that for this mission to Xian Yue,
not only did the Crown Princess arrive, but also Princess Ji. The delegation was exceptionally large.
The Crown Princess of Dan Feng Kingdom had a face like a hibiscus flower and a beauty like a peach blossom, utterly captivating. Her figure was alluring and enchanting, drawing frequent glances from many in the hall.
The Crown Princess of Dan Feng Kingdom was truly beautiful, and her attire was bold. She wore a scarlet short jacket on her upper body, revealing a small section of her fair, sexy belly, adorned with several sparkling rhinestones. Her lower body was a white pleated skirt, paired with black ankle boots.
The entire person was dazzling and resplendent. Combined with her arrogant posture, this woman was naturally a stunner, and all the men in the hall thought so.
Compared to the Crown Princess's outstanding presence, the Prince Ji behind her was considerably less striking. He had delicate features and graceful bearing, and conducted himself with extreme low-key modesty.