Lin Yueru looked at Qin Chuyuan's nonchalant appearance across from her and said, "The more you care about something, the more I want to destroy it."
The Crown Prince, sitting aloofly in the seat of honor, looked meaningfully at Qin Chuyuan, whose surface was calm but had actually become angry, and then at Lin Yueru's schadenfreude face.
One had to feel sorry for the latter - why provoke someone like the ruthless and cold-blooded Fifth Master Qin.
At the main hall entrance.
Eunuch Sun came to Gong Xiaohua's seat and saw her fully enjoying the tribute wine in her hand.
Her blushed red cheeks set off her translucent skin, and her three-dimensional features, together with her cool and lofty aura despite her simple hairstyle, made her look extraordinarily stunning.
Eunuch Sun looked at the extra bottle of tribute wine on Gong Xiaohua’s table that hadn't been there before, thinking to himself that the young lady must not get drunk.
He lowered his head and said softly to her while secretly observing her reaction,
"Miss Gong, the Queen has summoned you."
Upon hearing this, she stopped drinking and glanced coldly at Eunuch Sun with her icy eyes.
Eunuch Sun's heart thumped a little. If it wasn't for his long experience in the palace, her chilly demeanor could have easily overwhelmed him.
He quickly collected himself and said to Gong Xiaohua again, "Miss Gong, the Queen has summoned you. Please follow me to see Her Majesty."
Gong Xiaohua put down her wine glass, got up from her seat, tidied her clothes a little, and replied, "Eunuch, please lead the way."
She followed Eunuch Sun and walked towards the front of the main hall.
Just before reaching the far end of the hall, she saw two familiar people from the Qin family sitting to the right.
Qin Chuyuan was elegantly seated in the front row, seemingly aloof as he casually sipped his wine.
Gong Xiaohua wondered what in this world could catch his attention.
Sitting one row behind him to the left was Qin Chuhan, who had bothered her several times. She was now looking at Gong Xiaohua gloatingly, silently mouthing to her: “Wretched girl, you’re dead for sure later.”
Gong Xiaohua simply ignored her.
Arriving at the very front, Gong Xiaohua stood still and finally saw clearly the people sitting in the most honorable positions in the main hall.
Sitting behind the table on top was a middle-aged man with a dignified demeanor. He had a stout figure and wore magnificent clothing. His every movement and glance exuded a formidable majesty. This person was the highest authority in the Daye Kingdom, the King of Daye.
The woman sitting next to the King looked slightly younger. Her hair was styled in an elaborately high cloud-grazing bun, lavishly adorned with intricate golden hairpins and jewelry. Her bright and piercing eyes contained prestige but not anger. She was none other than the highest-ranking woman in Daye with the utmost status — the Queen of Daye.
Sitting below on the left was a handsome man with high nose bridge, thin lips, and sword-like eyebrows that angled into the loose strands of black hair hanging by his temples. He was the one to hold the highest power in the Daye Kingdom next — His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince.
Further along the Crown Prince's left side sat several richly-dressed young lords. The Sixth Prince was among them. These should be the various princes of the palace.
Sitting opposite the Crown Prince was Princess Linglong. Unlike their first meeting, the princess now looked completely different. When Gong Xiaohua had seen her initially, she was an innocent young girl with twin pigtails.
Now upon their second encounter, her glossy black hair was styled into a regal lily bun, decorated with a few precious yet refined floral hairpins. Her bangs were swept up to reveal a fair and smooth forehead. She had plump red lips and bright, shimmering eyes. At the moment, she was smiling merrily at Gong Xiaohua and continuously waving her hand.
Seeing this, the Queen sitting above called out sternly, "Linglong!"
Hearing the coldness in Mother’s voice, Princess Linglong obediently put her hand down.
She seemed to be sitting obediently, but kept blinking vigorously at Gong Xiaohua to convey her elation.
"Greetings to Your Majesty and Your Highness," said Eunuch Sun, who was kneeling below.
Seeing Eunuch Sun kneeling down, Gong Xiaohua deeply resisted in her heart. Never in her past or present life had she kneeled to anyone.
"Don't you know proper etiquette?" the Queen coldly asked.
She had always believed that Gong Xiaohua was a commoner who must have tricked Linglong into befriending her.
Today, she would see what capabilities she had to charm Linglong to address her as “Sister Gong” left and right.
Compelled by circumstances, Gong Xiaohua also knelt down on one knee and said to the two figures in front, "Greetings to Your Majesty and Your Highness." She then turned to the Crown Prince on the left and the Princess on the right, "Greetings to Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Your Royal Highness the Princess."
Sitting at the top, the Queen looked at the elegant yet heroic girl below who seemed to be fourteen or fifteen. Faced with her interrogation, she remained completely unflustered and reacted swiftly, demonstrating uncommon poise and grace rarely seen in someone her age.
Princess Linglong saw that her father and mother kept making Sister Gong kneel. Twist her head and pouted at them above unsatisfactorily, "Father, Mother..." dragging her voice long to show her strong dissatisfaction.
Seeing his precious daughter’s unhappiness, the doting King didn’t care what intentions the girl below held as long as Linglong was happy. Even if she did harbor ulterior motives, she surely wouldn’t dare do anything to his eminent princess anyway.
So he said to the kneeling girl below, "You may all rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Eunuch Sun and Gong Xiaohua stood up together. Eunuch Sun withdrew, leaving Gong Xiaohua standing alone at the front of the main hall.
Princess Linglong excitedly ran to Gong Xiaohua and happily pulled her hand, "Sister Gong, I'm so glad you can come. I thought you weren't going to make it!”
Seeing the doted-on Princess, Gong Xiaohua was truly worried that telling the truth might leave her unable to walk straight out of the hall later.
"The Princess has shown utmost sincerity, so I cannot let her down," she replied politely.
“Thank you, Sister Gong. After the banquet, I’ll take you to play in my palace. Hehe."
Seeing Princess Linglong’s expectant expression and the King and Queen’s glares from above, Gong Xiaohua could only say, "I shall oblige whatever the Princess arranges."
"Wonderful! Sister Gong, Sister Lin told me the gift you prepared for me today was the portrait you personally painted for me?"
"Princess, please pardon my clumsy painting skills."
"It doesn’t matter. No matter how unsightly, as long as it’s Sister Gong’s work, I’ll cherish it. Moreover, with your outstanding martial prowess, I believe your painting must be just as extraordinary.”
Full of anticipation, she then instructed a little eunuch who had been standing by holding Gong Xiaohua’s painting scroll, "Bring me the painting!"
"Yes, Your Highness."
The little eunuch bowed, raised the scroll over his head with both hands, and walked over to present it before Princess Linglong.
Princess Linglong carefully unrolled it and saw a girl with bright, sleek black hair styled in twin buns. She wore a light yellow ruqun gown. Her eyes shone as clear and bright as a starry sky. The ends of her eyes were curved like crescent moons as she smiled vibrantly, seemingly radiating liveliness.
The girl in the painting stood before a magnificent carriage with bustling crowds in the background, accurately depicting Gong Xiaohua and Princess Linglong’s first meeting. Not only were the characters and scenery thoroughly restored, but the realism of the main figure also made her seem to leap right out of the painting. Every frown and smile was captured perfectly identical to the real person.
It was Princess Linglong's first time seeing such an exquisitely vivid painting. She really loved it!
Lifting her head excitedly, she said to Gong Xiaohua beside her, “Sister Gong, thank you! This is the best gift I received today!”
“If the Princess loves it, it is my pride and joy.”
Sitting behind Princess Linglong, the Crown Prince saw the unrolled painting in her hand and his eyes lit up. He excitedly stood up, came to Princess Linglong’s side, took the scroll from her hand and said to Gong Xiaohua, “Miss Gong, you painted this?”
“Yes, Your Royal Highness.”
“This is the first time I’ve seen such a vivid painting. It is simply unbelievable!”
Some painting enthusiasts were also seated in the main hall. Hearing the Crown Prince’s praise, they were very curious but did not dare to stand up casually without the monarch’s cue.
Sitting above was the Queen, who also saw the painting in Ling Long's hands. However, as the mother of a nation, she had to restrain herself from rushing forward to take a closer look, maintaining her dignity. All she could do was say to the Crown Prince below: "My son."
Understanding his mother's intention, the Crown Prince passed the painting in his hands to the court lady.
The court lady held up the unrolled painting for the King and Queen sitting above to inspect.
The two lit up at the sight - a life-like, remarkable portrait, as if Ling Long herself was standing before them. What superb painting skills!
