Chapter 180 Enemies Meet on a Narrow Road

For a princess who was married to a foreign country, it was obviously inappropriate for Ye Qingcheng to live outside the palace. What was even more inappropriate was that she was late for the Queen Mother's birthday banquet, so Ye Yan's face was gloomy from the moment he sat down, and the anger on his face was visibly deepening.

A lot of people had already come to Zhongcui Palace, including the princes of the royal family and all the civil and military officials above the third rank. However, it was still early, and the Queen Mother and the Emperor had not arrived yet, so the atmosphere in Zhongcui Palace was relatively relaxed.

The civil and military officials who arrived early gathered in twos and threes to chat, and the atmosphere was very lively. The King of Qi caught a glimpse of the gloomy expression of the Prince of Shu, and took the initiative to come over and said, "Is Prince Ye in a bad mood?"

Ye Yan concealed his expression and smiled faintly: "Nothing, just thinking of some unhappy things."

The King of Qi knew the reason why he was in a bad mood, but he didn't point it out. He just laughed softly and said, "I observed the emperor's reaction yesterday. The emperor is generally happy with Princess Qingcheng. Even for the sake of the good relationship between the two countries, he should make an exception to confer a title of concubine. Prince Ye doesn't have to worry."

Worry?

Ye Yan didn't show any expression on his face, but he was annoyed in his heart.

Is he worried about whether the emperor will confer a title of concubine? He is angry at Ye Qingcheng's willful and audacious behavior!

As a princess of a country, she represents the image and etiquette of the royal family of Shu. Not only did she leave the palace banquet early yesterday, but she also followed the regent princess to live in the palace without his permission, and she didn't show up all day today.

What is she doing?

She came to the Great Zhou to marry but didn't know how to serve the emperor, didn't know how to take the initiative to get close to the emperor, and instead stayed in the Regent's Palace for a whole day and night, which was simply indecent.

Ye Yan was just getting angry when a voice suddenly came from outside: "The Regent and the Princess are here! The Princess of Shu is here!"

The ministers in the palace immediately stood up, tidied their robes, and went out of the palace to greet the Regent, respectfully saluted: "Meet the Regent, meet the Regent Princess."

Rong Yu, dressed in a solemn royal robe, walked into the palace, with a tall and straight figure, cold and picturesque eyebrows and eyes with a cold luster, and a voice as cold as frost: "No need to be polite."

The ministers lowered their eyes and stood aside.

The environment in the Imperial Garden was fresh, and the air was filled with a faint fragrance. A temporary high platform was built outside the Zhongcui Palace. A large sandalwood hollow screen separated the male and female seats. A red carpet was laid under the high platform for the court dancers to dance.

The men all stayed at the main seat, and the seats on the right were empty, and no one had taken their seats yet.

Rong Yu turned his head and said to Nan Xi: "Xi'er, you and Princess Qingcheng can go to the Imperial Garden first."

Nan Xi nodded.

When Ye Yan saw Ye Qingcheng finally show up, his expression turned cold. He was about to go up to talk to her, but he saw that Ye Qingcheng had turned around and walked towards the Imperial Garden with Nan Xi. He had to suppress his emotions temporarily, turned his head, and took the initiative to greet Rong Yu: "Regent."

Rong Yu hummed, walked steadily to the seat in front and sat down.

Others dared to sit down one after another after seeing the Regent sitting down.

Several old princes of the clan came over to talk to Rong Yu, and Rong Yu looked indifferent and responded casually.

"Hey? Miss Nan, here!" Lin Jia, who was staying in the pavilion in the lake of the Imperial Garden, saw Nan Xi and Ye Qingcheng walking slowly along the bluestone road from afar, and waved her hand, "Come and sit here."

Nan Xi looked up and saw the Bi Bo Lake in the Imperial Garden not far ahead. In the hexagonal pavilion in the lake, Lin Jia, Rong Le, Rong Miaomiao and other royal princesses sat opposite each other, and several noble ladies were lying on the railings of the stone bridge outside the hall to admire the lotus in the lake.

Hearing Lin Jia's shout, all the women in and outside the pavilion turned their heads and looked over at the same time.

Nan Xi smiled faintly and said to Ye Qingcheng: "That Princess Lin Jia is the daughter of the eldest princess. The little girl is quite interesting, and her temperament is quite different from her mother's."

Ye Qingcheng was such a smart girl that she knew what the so-called difference meant when she heard this. Her eyes fell on the faces of the noble ladies in front of her, and she raised her lips interestingly: "I think the other girls look at you in a somewhat unfriendly way."

Nan Xi said: "Because of my background."

"Background?"

"I came from a merchant family. Among the scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, merchants are at the bottom." Nan Xi said in a faint tone, "Although the merchant family has inexhaustible money, its status is really not very high. These young men and women from powerful families often feel that they are superior to others, and it is normal that they can't stand me."

Paused, "Even my biological father, the current powerful prime minister, a powerful official who rose from a humble family, was because of I feel ashamed of my mother's merchant family background, not to mention these naturally noble girls, they are all a group of young ladies who don't know the sufferings of the world, they claim to be elegant and noble, and they always look down on the merchants who are full of money. "

Ye Qingcheng smiled lightly: "If anyone can grow up drinking dew and air, and doesn't need money for food, clothing and daily necessities, and can live to the end of their lives with their so-called noble and elegant, I really admire them. "

"The concept of family class is deeply rooted in these people's hearts and cannot be changed." Nan Xi shook her head, "Besides, I am a merchant girl who is looked down upon by everyone, and I married the regent who they can't reach. Envy or jealousy, so that the hostility is getting deeper and deeper, it is understandable. "

Ye Qingcheng was silent for a moment: "Your mother... is really from a merchant family?"

Nan Xi tilted her head: "What? "

"I've heard about Madam Nan divorcing her husband." Ye Qingcheng's lips curved slightly, her eyes full of admiration, "Madam Nan is not afraid of the powerful and has a strong temper. I admire her for daring to break the secular rules and divorcing her husband, but I heard that the current emperor was also present on the day she divorced her husband. This makes me have to think deeply, does Madam Nan have any other unknown identity?"

After all, if she is really just a powerless merchant's daughter, she should not have the confidence to divorce her husband in front of the emperor. Even if she did, it would be difficult for her to get away with it.

"Your sense is quite sharp." Nan Xi smiled, "But no matter what my mother's identity is, it has nothing to do with the Great Zhou."

As they talked, they had already approached the lake and walked along the stone bridge to the pavilion.

Walking to the women leaning against the railing, she saw that they were motionless and just looked at her expressionlessly. Nan Xi stopped and looked at the ladies. The smile on her lips was a little cold: "Don't you know me?"

The ladies were stunned for a moment, then frowned. One of the familiar women said coldly: "What do you mean, Miss Nan?"

Nan Xi looked at the woman who was speaking, Bai Die, the sister of the current queen.

"We meet again, Miss Bai." Nan Xi smiled faintly, "Is this considered a narrow road for enemies?"