The banquet didn’t end until Shen Shi. ^[1]Between 3 to 5 PM

  Everyone bid farewell to Empress Dowager Zhao and Empress Qiao one by one.

  Lu Mingyu, Meng Yunluo, and Zhao Yu also went to bid farewell together. Three flower-like young girls stood neatly in front of them, and they were all pleasing to the eye.

  Empress Dowager Zhao smiled and told the three future granddaughters-in-law: “In the future, you will often come to the palace to talk with Ai’s family.”

  Lu Mingyu and others agreed together.

  Given how Empress Dowager Zhao was as a person, it was unavoidable to deliberately promote Zhao Yu at this time. She held Zhao Yu’s hand and babbled endlessly. Zhao Yu was proud of herself, and the smile on her face was extraordinarily sweet.

  Empress Qiao, who had never said much, smiled and said to the slender Lu Mingyu, “Mingyu, did you like today’s martial arts show?”

  That martial arts show was indeed ordered by Empress Qiao for her especially.

  Lu Mingyu also smiled slightly: “It was lively and beautiful.”

  Empress Qiao actually didn’t like her very much. For the sake of the Second Prince, she only showed her favor to her.

  In her previous life, she and Empress Qiao had always been on opposite sides, and she didn’t have a good impression of Empress Qiao either. However, the future mother-in-law took the initiative to show her kindness, as the future daughter-in-law, she naturally wanted to appreciate it.

  A smile flashed in Empress Qiao’s eyes, and she said warmly: “It’s fine if you like it. If you have time in the future, if you want to enter the palace to pay your respects, just send me a post.”

  Lu Mingyu readily agreed to this.

  Su Zhaorong also wanted to show affection to Meng Yunluo, but, in her capacity, she was not qualified to go forward at this time.

  Su Zhaorong was patient, and waited for Empress Dowager Zhao and Empress Qiao to finish talking before interjecting: “Third Miss Meng might as well come to the palace to pay her respects.” 

Meng Yunluo, who had been holding back her frustrations all day, spoke up, saying, “Of course. In the past, I often came to the palace to pay my respects to the esteemed Imperial Consort, and in the future, I will inevitably have to visit the palace more often.”

  Su Zhaorong: “…”

  There were a few sneers in her ears.

  She didn’t know if it was a concubine in the palace, a member of the royal family, or some imperial lady.

  Su Zhaorong gritted her teeth secretly, squeezed out a smile, and said softly: “Third Miss Meng as the niece of the Imperial Consort, it is only natural that you are familiar and close to each other. It is expected.” 

She looked like a lenient future mother-in-law.

  For some reason, Meng Yunluo felt even more depressed. It was inconvenient for her to speak rudely again, so she bowed her head in response and stopped talking to Su Zhaorong.

  …

  Several princes came over quickly, and together they bowed their hands to Empress Dowager Zhao and the others. Then, each sent their fiancées back home.

  From Princess Jing’an’s bedroom to the palace gate, it takes about a stick of incense.

  Unmarried couples rarely get together.

  Zhao Yu walked a few steps quickly, and the Fourth Prince also walked fast. The two were also the most affectionate, talking together with their heads next to each other, and smiling at each other from time to time. “Biǎojiě Yu, did you enjoy going to the palace today?” The Fourth Prince asked with a smile. ^[2]Sister of mother’s brother or sister who is older than you. So, Zhao Yu, I am guessing is about 1 year older than Fourth Prince who is 14 and the girls had their hairpin ceremony at around 15. 

  Zhao Yu was born delicate and cute, and when she smiled, she showed two rows of white teeth, which made people couldn’t help laughing along with him: “I’m very happy. There are so many people in the palace, it’s very lively.” 

Anyway, with the support of Empress Dowager Zhao, no one dared to provoke her. Except for Meng Yunluo, there was something in her words, and her words were yin and yang.

  Zhao Yu glanced back quickly and then said to the Fourth Prince in a low voice: “Third Meng seems to have taken the wrong medicine today, and always finds trouble for me.” 

“Just ignore her.”

  Zhao Yu nodded and whispered, “With Fourth Lu here, one person is enough to deal with her. By the way, you are feeling better now? Does your knee still hurt?” 

The Fourth Prince grinned: “Biǎojiě Yu cares about me so much, I don’t feel any pain at all.”

  Zhao Yu blushed and gave the Fourth Prince an angry look.

  The Fourth Prince sighed softly: “I am only fourteen this year, and my father said that I will have to wait two years before I get married. In fact, I really want to marry you earlier. We live together in the prince’s mansion. Our own little days.”

  Zhao Yu felt as sweet as drinking honey: “Otherwise, you can ask the Empress Dowager to set the wedding date earlier.” In fact, she also wanted to marry her sweetheart earlier.

  The Fourth Prince was a little helpless: “The matter of the dowry last time made my father furious. How dare I ask the Royal Grandmother.”

  Zhao Yu thought for a while: “After a while, I will enter the palace to pay my respects, and I will beg my aunt and grandmother in private. Is that okay?”

  Was there any reason to be reserved in front of someone you like?

  The Fourth Prince laughed in a low voice: “Okay.”

  The two of them exchanged glances all the way to the palace gate and left the palace first.

  …

  Li Hao and Meng Yunluo were exactly the opposite.

  Meng Yunluo was angry and kept silent. Li Hao may have been careless and didn’t pay attention, or maybe he noticed it and didn’t take it to heart, so he didn’t say anything to comfort her.

  After walking for a while, Meng Yunluo couldn’t hold back and opened her mouth: “Why Isn’t Your Highness speaking?”

  Li Hao slowed down and turned to look at Meng Yunluo: “You seem a little unhappy.”

  Meng Yunluo felt a bit aggrieved and said, “You just realized it now! I’ve been treated unfairly all day. Su Zhaorong bowing and scraping to the Empress Dowager and Empress is one thing, but even the Imperial Consort and Qin Consort shouldn’t be offended. I lost all my confidence, and Zhao Yu and Lu Mingyu took the opportunity to mock me.”

Speaking of Lu Mingyu, Meng Yunluo felt sour in her heart and stared at Li Hao with a pair of wonderful eyes.

  Li Hao’s expression did not change, and he just sighed softly: “Yunluo, I really wronged you today.” 

“My mother comes from a humble background, with a low rank in the palace. It’s common to watch one’s words and actions based on others’ expressions. You, as the legitimate daughter of the Meng family, raised with luxury and privilege, and destined to marry me, a prince of low birth, will also have to yield to others in the palace. It truly puts you in a difficult position.”

With a single word, “Yunluo,” Meng Yunluo’s cheeks blushed.

   With those affectionate and gentle words, it made the young girl’s heart flutter with a touch of spring-like tenderness.

  Meng Yunluo’s pretty face was blushing, and her voice softened a little: “I… I just said it casually, and I didn’t mean to dislike you or Su Zhaorong.” 

Li Hao stretched out his hand, touched Meng Yunluo’s fingertips, and retracted it: “Then do you mind that I once admired Fourth Miss Lu?”

  Meng Yunluo’s ears were red with embarrassment, and she was not willing to admit her narrow-mindedness: “It’s nothing. It was all before we got engaged.” 

“Yes, it’s all in the past,” Li Hao said solemnly. “Now, you are my fiancée. How could I still have thoughts about others? It would be an insult to you and an even greater insult to myself.”

“Yunluo, in the past, you only knew me but were not fully aware of my character and temperament. Distance tests a horse’s strength, and time reveals one’s true nature. In the future, you will come to understand.”

  Meng Yunluo glanced at Li Hao shyly: “I was talking nonsense just now. Your Highness, don’t mind.” saying so, she moved closer to Li Hao.

  Li Hao stretched out his hand again, Meng Yunluo blushed and put her hand into Li Hao’s. After holding hands for a moment, they separated.

  Meng Yunluo’s heart was sweet until she got out of the palace gate and got into the carriage, the smile on her mouth didn’t stop.

  Lu Mingyu was still extremely annoying, and Su Zhaorong, nothing good can be said about her. Li Hao was very good, he was her destined husband. For Li Hao’s sake, let’s bear it!