For the type of event that is the imperial banquet, Feng Yuheng participated in too many. To the point that when she was implicated by Feng Chenyu and Feng Zihao in Fengwu county, the Emperor even specially organised an imperial banquet just for her to get over the shock. Some bad incident would occur at every imperial banquet, but as a whole, it was not to the point that she hated imperial banquets.
But it was different this time! The dislike Feng Yuheng had for this imperial banquet had already reached a certain point, especially when she thought that the Emperor would announce Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu as Imperial Concubine Gui during the imperial banquet, and that there would immediately be a group of people from the Eight Prince’s faction trying to curry favour, she would feel irritated.
It was not jealously, if the Emperor was a “normal” Emperor, if he had always been treating the harem equally when showing favour, this matter would not be considered much. But the problem was that the Emperor was not that kind of emperor, and the one who had always been at this side, and in his heart, was not Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu. In addition, even though she knew that the old Emperor was controlled, until now, she had been unable to yield any results from her investigation. This series of matters caused Feng Yuheng to get a headache and start to feel repulsed about this imperial banquet.
But even though she was repulsed by it, she still needed to go, at least she still needed to grab hold of this opportunity to see the Emperor openly, and not sneak around in the middle of the night to see a sexual scene. She still had to see how much fuss the old Emperor could cause, with this reflecting the degree of control over the Emperor.
She did not have positive feelings about the imperial banquet and did not put in effort in her clothes and makeup. The good thing was that she was Princess Yu now and owned clothes fitting for royalty. Madam Zhou had already prepared everything for her and she did not have to spend much effort dressing up. It was just that Madam Zhou told her: “This is the first time you are attending the imperial banquet as a princess, and a number of people will likely be watching you. Princess should be more careful in the palace.”
Feng Yuheng thought for a while, then shook her head saying: “If the situation was that of before, perhaps I will get a lot of attention. But it will probably be different this year, the attention of most people will not be on me.”
Today, Madam Zhou personally helped with her hair. It was said to be a hairstyle made for a princess and Wang Chuan and Huang Quan were learning from the side. Hearing Feng Yuheng say this, Madam Zhou’s hands which were styling her hair paused. This was immediately followed by a sigh, then she spoke: “That is true, the good days have become like this and we do not know what happened with the Emperor. Either way, Princess should be careful about everything after entering the palace. For some matters, if you can handle it, then do so. If you cannot, then just hide, there is no need to get involved in everything.”
Feng Yuheng knew that Madam Zhou was saying this for her well-being. Feeling grateful, she nodded: “Don’t worry, I understand.”
Princess Yu’s clothes were a purple which matched Xuan Tianming very well, just that in the detailing, there was a lot of lace and gold and silver threads befitting for a girl. When she stood with Xuan Tianming, it looked just like a set of couple attire, causing all the servants in Yu Palace to feel envious, exclaiming that they were a perfect, good looking couple.
Madam Zhou wiped away her tears secretly and remembered when the Ninth Prince just returned from the great Northwest, he was wearing a mask and sitting on a wheelchair, it really made her really anxious for a long time. In the end, it was thanks to this Princess Yu. At the beginning, she did not understand why the Ninth Prince became so interested in that marriage arrangement when he returned from the Northwest when he had not been concerned with it originally and even gave such an expensive dowry. But after so many years, with every step taken up until today, Madam Zhou felt that the dowry given that time was too cheap. Such a good princess was worth giving her everything under the sky as dowry.
Feng Yuheng boarded the imperial carriage together with Xuan Tianming. Baize was driving, Huang Quan and Wang Chuan were sitting at the carriage doors. Xuan Tianming said: “Our first New Year after our marriage should be spent in a livelier way. It’s a pity that it’s a bad time and the forecast this year is not good, so we can only do this. This Prince can’t help but feel guilty about this.”
“Then make it up later.” Feng Yuheng did not place much importance on this, she told Xuan Tianming: “If it’s based on the rules on our side, after two people marry, they should go on a holiday. Do you know what is a holiday? That would be going sightseeing in a place very far from the place we are staying, not bringing anyone else. Just the two of us being loving and sweet, which can improve the relationship between husband and wife.”
Xuan Tianming was curious about this matter called a holiday, but his attention was still focused on Feng Yuheng’s other sentence, “What is “your side”?”
Feng Yuheng smiled slyly, “I’m not telling you.”
He rolled his eyes but did not probe further. This girl had a lot of secrets, waiting for him to find out little by little, but as long as he knew that this girl’s heart was directed towards him, that was enough. Tying her to his side, what could she do with all those secrets? He would treat it as increasing the spice between husband and wife.
When the imperial carriage reached the main road leading to the palace, they gradually encounter many carriages which were also heading towards the palace. As a male guest, Xuan Tianming would enter via the Deyang Gate, and Feng Yuheng would head towards the Rui Gate. The imperial carriage would first send Feng Yuheng to the Rui Gate, then turn back towards Deyang Gate. When they finally came within range of the Rui Gate, Baize stopped the carriage, pulled open the curtains and spoke to the people inside: “Our imperial carriage is too large, so it’s difficult to go even further, unless…… we display a forceful attitude to the carriages blocking the way in front.” He spread out his hands as he spoke, then continued: “In the past, people would give way when they see the imperial carriage from Yu Palace, but now the situation in the palace has changed, many people are no longer afraid of us. But Your Highness, Princess, This Subordinate thinks that there is really no need to follow their stinky bad habits, we should just follow our old rules, use the whip to open the way, if we collide with one person and they die, that is one less trouble!”
Xuan Tianming felt this was reasonable and was prepared to nod, but Feng Yuheng opened her mouth and said: “Wait!” She lifted the curtains and took a look outside and spoke at the same time: “Don’t force your way through, I will just get off here.” After saying this, she pointed outside the window and explained to Xuan Tianming: “I see Seventh Brother and Xiangrong, they have just alighted, I will be together with Xiangrong. All of you hurry and head towards Deyang Gate, it will save the trouble of getting stuck on the way back. We do not want to cause trouble at the palace gates today, if this temper must be lost, then we will talk about it when we are in the palace.” She stood up after speaking and walked out of the imperial carriage with Huang Quan and Wang Chuan following quickly.
Xuan Tianming did not stop her and only asked Baize to turn around after Feng Yuheng alighted. Baize asked him: “You’re not waiting for the Princess?”
He shook his head, “No need, since when has your Princess ever been bullied?”
Baize thought about it, it was true, it has always been Feng Yuheng who messed with other people, since when had she been bullied? So he rubbed his nose and did not protest, only driving the imperial carriage, turning around to leave. As for Xuan Tianhua’s carriage, he left a little later, the reason was because he personally helped Xiangrong off the carriage and explained a few rules in the palace to Xiangrong. Only when he saw Feng Yuheng come over did he nod towards her and returned to the imperial carriage, following behind Xuan Tianming’s carriage to go to Deyang Gate.
Xiangrong approached and held Feng Yuheng’s hand, calling out: “Second Sister.” Her cheeks were blushing and her eyes were filled with joy.
Of course, Feng Yuheng understood what this girl was happy about. These days, she and Xuan Tianhua got along very well and their relationship had developed significantly. This girl had a crush on Xuan Tianhua since she was ten years old. To Xiangrong, this development was an extremely good thing.
She did not want to upset Xiangrong, and only told her: “Human lives, only last a few decades, chasing after the happiness you want is the most correct. Even if it’s wrong, that is your own choice, everything is fine as long as you don’t regret it.”
Xiangrong nodded, telling Feng Yuheng: “Second sister told me this in the past, I have always remembered. Second sister is correct, the few decades of things seen in a life of a human, we might think that the days are passing slowly now, but looking back, so many years have passed in a blink of an eye. I do not wish to wait until I am old to regret, so even if I am wrong now, I do not care, at least I have fought for it before and worked hard for it. If I can obtain twenty years of magnificence, then I would rather not have the seventy years of stale blandness.”
The sisters were talking and Feng Yuheng focused on her peripheral vision. There were countless Misses who glared angrily towards Xiangrong. Then someone spoke loudly without restraint: “Actually daring to have a share of His Highness the Seventh Prince, take a look at who you are first! Just a daughter of a concubine, and is even the daughter of a concubine from a pariah family, what right does she have to enter the palace? What right does she have to stand together with us? What right does she have to have His Highness the Seventh Prince send her over personally? And he even helped her off the carriage?
A series of questions and unhappiness was expressed. Xiangrong heard it and lowered her head slightly. She did not want to cause trouble and even pulled Feng Yuheng back two steps and shook her head at Feng Yuheng, telling Feng Yuheng not to say anything unnecessary.
But backing off like this caused these jealous people to become more brazen. There were even people who felt that Feng Yuheng followed in hiding to the side because the situation had changed in the palace. The Emperor’s favour had changed directions, so this originally powerful Princess Yu no longer had anyone to rely on and was no longer like before.
Thinking that, they become bold. Immediately, someone said: “I heard that Feng third young miss has now moved in directly to Chun Palace! That’s so shameless, without a marriage contract and not reaching marriageable age, living at His Highness the Seventh Prince’s place, what is that supposed to be?”
“Is it just staying?” Someone else said sarcastically and harshly: “How can it be as simple as staying in Chun Palace. In my opinion, there is a large chance she offered her body and climbed into His Highness the Seventh Prince’s bed already.”
“Isn’t that being a whore? What’s the difference from the prostitutes in the brothels? Feng family was such an important family before but raised this kind of daughter, how embarrassing!”
Every sentence sounded worse than the last. Feng Yuheng did not speak up and only watched Xiangrong. With Xiangrong being fourteen years old, and having experienced a change in the family and lived an independent life in Ji An Prefecture, she wanted to see if Xiangrong improved greatly when dealing with these matters.
And at this moment, Xiangrong was furious. She frowned at looked at the tongue-wagging madams and young misses, speaking: “Since you did not speak behind my back, then I do not have to pretend that I did not hear this. I do not care how all of you interpret this, where my family background and position is placed, you do not have to say it, everyone can see it. I just hope that all of you can watch your own words when you are talking bad about others. If His Highness the Seventh Prince can tolerate a woman staying at his palace for just any reason and if it was that easy to climb onto his bed, then right now, he is not worth the admiration that all of you are showing and I am not worth getting jealous over. So all of you should know, those words just now was not scolding me, Feng Xiangrong, but His Highness the Seventh Prince, whom all of you are worshiping in your hearts.”
