Tonight she was adorned in a blue, orchid embroidered attire with a light gray skirt, appearing elegant yet luxurious. Her thick black mane was secured into a high cloud bun by a b.u.t.terfly hairpin. Those wings gently stirred with each of her movement, and beneath the brilliant lights of the banquet, reflected an indescribably beautiful glimmer.

She seemed to be sitting there in daze, not even noticing Huangfu Wu Shuang’s burning gaze as her beautiful eyes would ever so often glance towards the garden from time to time. It was unclear what she was looking at.

Wearing a grim face, Huangfu Wu Shuang lifted the wine cup and took a shallow sip.

“Crown prince ge ge, Yan Er thought tonight you would not come. If Yan Er knew earlier, Yan Er would've come together with ge ge!" A sweet voice like the chipping of a drifted over, causing Hua Zhu Yu to turn towards that direction.

She saw two young girls approaching, the one in front appeared to be around 15 -16 years old, with lovely, glistening, black eyes and a pair of distinct dimples whenever she smiled.

If she called Huangfu Wu Shuang crown prince ge ge, then she's most likely the third princess: Huangfu Yan.

Hua Zhu Yu reminisced of the past when she was bestowed a marriage to Huangfu Yan by the emperor thus she couldn't help but take a few more glances at this princess. This third princess truly was very lovely.

Beside Huangfu Yan was another young miss dressed like a n.o.ble maiden who was probably the daughter of some royal official. This young miss had a tall and slender frame and she wore a dazzling floral red dress, but her face gave off a completely different impression from the grace her figure exuded. She did not have that delicate innocent beauty like Huangfu Yan, on the contrary, compared to the gentleness and elegance her frame displayed, her face had a few strong aspects.

Naturally she gave off a strong air but she deliberately appeared weak and delicate. As a result, she looked somewhat stiff, causing Hua Zhu Yu to feel it was somewhat unusual. And when she spoke, her voice was somewhat hoa.r.s.e but she spoke in such a sweet and innocent tone when she announced, “An Rong greets Your Highness Crown Prince!"

An Rong, Hua Zhu Yu furrowed her brows as she remembered this was the young daughter of Li Bu s.h.i.+lang and was known throughout Yu City for her impressive embroidery skills. You truly could not judge a person by their appearance. She appeared quite tough yet she was highly skilled in the female task of embroidery.

"Mian li 1, you may rise!" Huangfu Wu Shuang waved his hand, appearing distant.

Suddenly feeling dejected because Huangfu Wu Shuang did not even spare her a glance, An Rong’s faintly flushed cheeks gradually returned to its normal hue.

Huangfu Wu Shuang ignored her and turned his gaze from Wen Wan to Huangfu Yan and asked, “Yan Er, why did you come?"

Huangfu Yan pouted her lips and said, “Crown prince ge ge can come, so why can't Yan Er? It's a rare occasion for Wu Shang ge ge to become Kang w.a.n.g, no matter what Yan Er is his sister, can't I come to congratulate him?"

Huangfu Wu Shuang lips hooked up into a cold smile and said, “Who doesn’t know ‘intoxication is not due to wine but scenery 2‘.”

Huangfu Yan’s cheeks flushed red as she shyly asked, "Crown prince ge ge, what are you talking about! What wine ah, what scenery ah?”

While they were conversing, an eunuch of the Kang w.a.n.g Residence had raised his voice to announce, "Chancellor Ji Feng Li daren arrives!"

Huangfu Wu Shuang coldly sneered and said, “Look, your scenery has arrived.”

Huangfu Yan m.u.f.fled a few words, having already not heard what Huangfu Wu Shuang had just said. She had soon turned around and stretched her neck as she gazed forward.

Still appearing a little weary, Wen Wan also looked towards that direction while wearing a weak smile. An Rong on the other hand was still gazing at Huangfu Wu Shuang with eyes br.i.m.m.i.n.g with love.

It appears, this An Rong had soon given Huangfu Wu Shuang her heart, but Huangfu Wu Shuang was completely fixated on Wen Wan, not noticing anyone else watching him.

Hua Zhu Yu smiled and followed everyone else to looked forward.

"I've arrived late, hope everyone pardons my offense!" a voice drifted over through the faint night mist.

It was a clear spring- like voice that was as refined as the melody of a guqin and as soothing as silk.

It was this very voice, in the bridal chamber that night, that coldly disregarded her, it was also this precise voice, on the execution scaffold, that gave the order to behead her father. This exquisite voice, to her was no different from that of a haunting demon, it was like a sharp blade, mercilessly piercing straight through her heart, tearing it into millions of pieces.

If possible, in this life she’d rather never hear this voice ever again. But ultimately that day still arrived, Ji Feng Li, the battle between us has just begun.

Remembering their previous encounter on the flower boat and how her eyes were br.i.m.m.i.n.g with so much hatred that even Huangfu Wu Shuang was able to discern, she definitely could not let anyone spot any abnormality with her this time, especially Ji Feng Li.

Quickly lowering her head, Hua Zhu Yu calmed herself before she dared to lift it back up.

She saw a figure slowly emerged from the darkness of the night. Beneath the beautiful yet hazy lanterns, a warm light was cast over his entire being.

He was adorned in a white, wide-sleeved gown embroidered with blossoming lotuses, one after another. With every step he took, the lotuses fluttered endlessly, truly like ‘ a lotus grows with every step’ (bu bu shenglian). His black mane was secured up high in place by a single jade hairpin and his ink black eyes were glistening with mirth, bearing three parts of elegance, three parts of leisure, and four parts of innate haughtiness as he slowly approached, step by step.

t/n

mian li means you are excused of courtesythis verse means that you have an ulterior motive