PFC Chapter 288 Banquet 2
Chapter 288 Banquet 2
Li Muxia frowned upon hearing this. Seeing her troubled expression, Wei Shuyue grabbed her hand and pleaded, "Muxia, I know this is wrong, but I really have no other choice. The Emperor's birthday banquet is about to begin. I heard from my grandfather that the two princesses from Longteng Kingdom and Nanling Kingdom are likely to be sent to marry into Dongfang Kingdom. I also heard that both princesses have taken a liking to Dongfang Jincheng. I only have this one chance. Please help me."
When Li Muxia heard Wei Shuyue say that both princesses had taken a liking to Dongfang Jincheng, she felt a pang in her heart. Looking at Wei Shuyue, she suddenly wanted to shake off the hands that were holding her.
"Sister Wei, I can't help you with this."
Upon hearing this, Wei Shuyue paused for a moment, then tidied her hair and said, "I'm sorry for putting you in a difficult position. Just pretend I never said anything about today."
Seeing Wei Shuyue's attitude towards her, Li Muxia felt uncomfortable, but there was really nothing she could do to help with this matter.
"I'm sorry, Sister Wei, I couldn't help you."
Upon hearing this, Wei Shuyue smiled slightly and shook her head at Li Muxia, saying, "I was being unreasonable."
After finishing his sentence, he curtsied and said, "I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."
Shangguan Wenya walked over at this moment and asked Wei Shuyue's departing figure, "Why did Wei Shuyue leave?"
Li Muxia snapped out of her thoughts, smiled faintly, and said, "She had to leave first. Let's hurry to Yongshou Palace. The banquet is about to start, and it wouldn't be good to be late."
When Li Muxia and her companions arrived, the young eunuch at the door smiled and led them inside: "Ladies, Tianxiang Pavilion is on the right."
Li Muxia and the others nodded and walked to the right, only to run into Long Haonan in the corridor of Yongshou Hall.
"Mu Xia".
When Long Haonan saw Li Muxia, he quickly went up to greet her. He noticed that she seemed to have lost some weight in the few days he hadn't seen her.
Li Muxia and the others bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Crown Prince."
Long Haonan quickly stepped forward to help her up, but Li Muxia gently dodged his hand just before it touched her.
Long Haonan awkwardly withdrew his hand and said, "I heard you were sick a few days ago, are you feeling better?"
Li Muxia nodded and said, "Thank you for your concern, Crown Prince. I'm fine now."
Shangguan Wenya could tell from their expressions that there was something between them. However, this Crown Prince was really something, making it so obvious in public. Wasn't he afraid of damaging Li Muxia's reputation?
Smiling, he stepped forward and said, "Is the Dragon Prince going to the Wind Chant Pavilion?"
Upon hearing this, Long Haonan looked at Shangguan Wenya.
Shangguan Wenya nodded and said, "I am Shangguan Wenya from the Shangguan family. I have heard my uncle mention the Dragon Prince before."
Long Haonan then remembered: "So she is Brother Jing's niece."
I couldn't help but think about it; I had just mentioned Shangguan Jingye when I heard his voice from behind.
"Crown Prince, Wenya, oh, Mu Xia and Ran'er are here too. Mu Xia, your sudden change into women's clothing is making your senior brother a little uncomfortable."
Hearing Shangguan Jingye's teasing, Li Muxia smiled faintly. Seeing that there were other people beside Shangguan Jingye, she looked up and met Dongfang Jincheng's handsome face. She quickly lowered her head and bowed, saying, "I didn't know that His Highness Prince Rui was also here. I was impolite."
The obvious unfamiliarity caused Dongfang Jincheng to frown slightly.
I want to say something, but now is clearly not the right time.
He simply said, "It's alright."
Then, looking at the Crown Prince, he said, "The banquet is about to begin, Crown Prince, please."
Long Haonan glanced at Li Muxia, then left with Dongfang Jincheng with some reluctance.
Shangguan Jingye tapped Li Muxia on the head: "What are you looking at? They've all gone far away, hurry up and leave."
Li Muxia blushed crimson after hearing her words, and lowered her head, not daring to look up again.
Everyone noticed that something was wrong with her, but they all tacitly refrained from asking further questions.
Upon arriving at Tianxiang Pavilion, they found it already filled with young ladies from prominent families. They were gathered in groups, discussing topics of interest to women, and few noticed Li Muxia and her companions who had just entered.
Li Muxia disliked banquets in the first place, so she pulled Li Anran and Su Lanzhi and said to Shangguan Wenya, "Cousin, let's sit over there."
This was the most secluded seat, near the entrance, with almost no one else around. The group seemed quite content.
Several young ladies arrived one after another after Li Muxia and her group. Wei Shuyue also saw Li Muxia and only nodded politely to her. Instead of going over to sit at the same table as Li Muxia and her group, she went to sit in a seat closer to the head of the table.
Li Muxia also saw Wei Shuyue and knew that Wei Shuyue must be resentful because she had refused to help her earlier, which she understood.
Soon, the hall was almost full, and even Li Muxia's table was nearly full.
With so many women, the hall became like a bustling market, so noisy that Li Muxia and the others had to strain to be heard.
Suddenly, the hall fell silent.
Li Muxia was talking to Shangguan Wenya. Because it was quite noisy earlier, her voice was a bit loud. Now that it was quiet, everyone could hear Li Muxia's amplified voice.
For a moment, Li Muxia felt as if the air had stopped. When she looked up, she met the gazes of the Third Princess, Dongfang Jinyue, and the Fourth Princess, Dongfang Jinshu.
He gave a slightly awkward, forced laugh.
Dongfang Jinshu looked at Li Muxia and sneered, saying, "You must be Li Muxia. You do indeed have a face that can bewitch all beings. This princess will remember you."
After saying that, he turned and walked forward without looking at Li Muxia again.
Li Muxia naturally sensed the hostility in Dongfang Jinshu's words, but she couldn't understand why she hadn't offended the princess.
Following Dongfang Jinshu were Long Xinya, the third princess of Longteng Kingdom, and Nangong Yuqing, the eleventh princess of Nanling Kingdom. Neither of them showed any hostility towards Li Muxia. They walked behind Dongfang Jinshu and Dongfang Jinyue.
The banquet officially began with the arrival of the princesses.
Such banquets are nothing more than young ladies from different families exchanging pleasantries and flattering those of higher status; they are utterly boring.
Li Muxia and the others weren't idle while sitting in the corner.
Because Li Muxia had just been targeted by Dongfang Jinshu, the young ladies from prominent families present all assumed that Li Muxia had offended the Fourth Princess. Several young ladies who were originally sitting at the same table as Li Muxia preferred to squeeze in with the ladies at other tables rather than sit at the same table with Li Muxia and her group, fearing that the Fourth Princess would misunderstand that they were on good terms with Li Muxia.
Right now, it's just the few of them. Li Anran is showing off her milk tea shop to Shangguan Wenya, and the group is chatting and laughing.
It's a pity that some people can't stand to see them happy.
Dongfang Jinshu suddenly spoke up: "Li Muxia, you sang very well at the palace banquet. Now that everyone is bored, why don't you sing a song to liven things up?"
Such blatant humiliation is obvious to anyone, even a fool could tell. Are they treating a noblewoman from a wealthy family like a courtesan in a tavern?