stjorthotic Chapter 28 Purpose of the Visit
Chapter 28 Purpose of the Visit
The guest hall of the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion is magnificent and luxurious, with carved beams and painted rafters, and seasonal fresh fruits and fragrant teas laid out on a round table made of golden nanmu wood.
Beneath a bright red peony and golden phoenix robe, Princess Zheng Wanqing, with her peerless beauty and graceful figure, sat gracefully, a gentle smile on her face. She held Ji Mingyue's hand, the two as intimate as close friends who had not seen each other for a long time.
"Mingyue, it's been so many years. You've become more and more beautiful." Zheng Wanqing gently stroked Ji Mingyue's soft hand, her eyes filled with the loving and admiring gaze of an elder. "You truly deserve to be the most beautiful woman in our Great Zhou. Even I am delighted to see you."
Ji Mingyue was dressed in a moon-white palace gown, which made her skin look as white as jade. At this moment, her star-like eyes also revealed a rare hint of girlish coquettishness.
"Princess, please don't make fun of Mingyue. If we're talking about the most beautiful woman, who can compare to you?" She grasped Zheng Wanqing's hand in return, her tone gentle, without the slightest air of a princess.
In some ways, Ji Mingyue was indeed very approachable towards the princess in front of her.
Her father, the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, was wary of Wang Shengtian, the Prince of Zhenbei, and she herself had to respectfully address him as "Uncle."
In this way, Zheng Wanqing would naturally be a generation older than her.
But setting aside these identities, the two share an inexplicable tacit understanding, like close confidantes, incredibly intimate.
After catching up, Zheng Wanqing put down her teacup, her gaze filled with a hint of inquiry.
"Tell me, why did you suddenly decide to come see me? Are you also here for that secret treasure in the Ten Thousand Mountains?"
Upon hearing this, Ji Mingyue chuckled softly, picked up her teacup, and blew on the rising steam.
"Your Highness is truly insightful. However, I'm only here to make a cameo appearance." She took a sip of her fragrant tea, her tone flat. "My eldest brother is here too; he's the one representing the royal family to compete for that secret treasure."
"As for me... I mainly wanted to come and see you."
Zheng Wanqing narrowed her eyes slightly, staring directly at Ji Mingyue with a hint of suspicion in her eyes.
"Really? You little rascal, you've always been so clever, don't try to fool me."
"You must have come to the Prince of Zhenbei's residence for another reason!"
Seeing this, Ji Mingyue shook her head helplessly, a hint of cunning in her eyes.
"Oh, Your Highness, everything else was just a side trip; visiting you was the real purpose."
"Alright, stop beating around the bush." Zheng Wanqing gently patted Ji Mingyue's hand, her tone tinged with affection. "Between you and me, what can't we just say? If there's anything you need my help with, just ask. We don't stand on ceremony."
She paused, then added with a hint of domineering confidence, "Even if His Majesty the Emperor himself came, I might not necessarily help you!"
Upon hearing this, Ji Mingyue couldn't help but roll her eyes at Zheng Wanqing, a glance that was full of charm and radiance.
"I knew the princess was the best to me." She smiled coquettishly, then her smile faded and her expression became serious. "Actually... Mingyue heard that Wang Dao broke the curse of his useless body and embarked on the path of martial arts. She wanted to take this opportunity to meet this talented young man that even my father, the emperor, has been thinking about."
Upon hearing Ji Mingyue mention Wang Dao, Zheng Wanqing's originally gentle and calm eyes instantly lit up like two eerie flames, becoming bright and sharp.
She didn't reply immediately, but stared straight at Ji Mingyue, her gaze sweeping over Ji Mingyue's flawless face from top to bottom, as if trying to see through the perfect palace disguise.
Under such a penetrating gaze, even Ji Mingyue, as the eldest princess, couldn't help but lose her composure.
A captivating blush spread down her slender swan neck to her cheeks, and the usual domineering aura that looked down upon all living beings vanished, replaced by a girlish shyness.
"Your Highness... is there something dirty on my face? Or was Mingyue's request a bit abrupt?" Ji Mingyue touched her burning cheeks somewhat uncomfortably, her voice lowered.
Zheng Wanqing withdrew her gaze, picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and concealed the playful smile on her lips.
"A request? What kind of request is that? You want to see that kid? It's just a matter of saying the word. I can have him tied up right now... cough, please come here."
She put down her teacup, leaned forward slightly, and moved a few steps closer to Ji Mingyue, her tone carrying a clear hint of teasing: "However, Mingyue, let's not beat around the bush."
"If it were merely because that boy broke the curse of the useless body and gained some favor from His Majesty the Human Emperor, why would you, the eldest princess of the Great Zhou, condescend to make this trip in person?"
Zheng Wanqing extended a finger and tapped the table lightly, a half-smile on her face: "This kind of trivial matter of winning people over can be handled by your eldest brother, the Crown Prince. Why go to such lengths?"
This series of questions was like a combination of punches, catching Ji Mingyue somewhat off guard.
She opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but found that her high-sounding reasons seemed pale and powerless in the face of Zheng Wanqing's all-knowing eyes.
"I...I was just passing by..." Ji Mingyue's gaze wandered, her voice growing softer and softer, mechanically repeating her previous statement.
Seeing the girl's embarrassed appearance, Zheng Wanqing's guess became more and more certain, and a shocking idea exploded in her mind.
She slapped her thigh abruptly, almost losing her composure, and lowered her voice, leaning closer mysteriously to ask:
"Girl, tell me the truth... Could it be that His Majesty the Emperor has considered bestowing a marriage upon us?"
"Clang!"
Ji Mingyue's hand trembled, and the exquisite white jade teacup slammed hard onto the table, spilling scalding tea that soaked the hem of her expensive moon-white dress.
She didn't bother wiping herself, and looked at Zheng Wanqing with a panicked expression, clearly showing that her secret had been exposed.
"So...so I guessed right?!"
Zheng Wanqing was shocked. Her initial skepticism vanished instantly, and her expression turned extremely serious.
"This old emperor... cough, what exactly is His Majesty trying to do?" Alarm bells rang in Zheng Wanqing's mind, and she couldn't help but mutter to herself, "This isn't a marriage decree; it's clearly putting my family in a very difficult position!"
"My son has only just embarked on the path of martial arts, and his foundation is not yet stable. If he were to become entangled in such overwhelming karma, becoming a thorn in the side of those princes and other forces, what difference would that make from inviting trouble upon himself?"
Seeing Zheng Wanqing's expression as if the sky were about to fall, Ji Mingyue realized that she had lost her composure.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and while wiping the tea stains on her skirt with a handkerchief, she whispered:
"Princess, please don't worry... Father did mention this to me privately, but it was only an intention, and nothing was actually decided yet."
"Father said we still have to see... see if the kingly way is qualified."
As she finished speaking, a blush returned to Ji Mingyue's face, and her voice was barely audible:
"That's why I took advantage of the emergence of the secret treasure of the Ten Thousand Mountains to come here first... to see him."
Zheng Wanqing stared at Ji Mingyue for several seconds until she was sure the girl wasn't lying, then she breathed a sigh of relief, but her brows remained furrowed.
She knew all too well the royal family's methods; even a mere gesture was enough to create a huge uproar.
"Alright, since it's you who wants to see it, I'll take you."
Zheng Wanqing stood up, straightened her skirt, and regained her dignified demeanor as a princess, but there was a hint of complexity in her eyes.
"But you'd better be prepared, my son has been acting like he's gone mad lately."
"I'll take you there right now. I reckon that martial arts fanatic is still messing with himself."