An Jing couldn’t care less whether the people below were secretly sizing her up, she simply picked up the grapes on the table and began eating. After eating one and finding it sweet and not sour at all, she stopped eating them.
Xiao Changyi saw this, but did not say anything to An Jing. Instead, he turned his head and whispered something to Meng Zhuqing who was standing behind him. After that, Meng Zhuqing left.
Before long, Meng Zhuqing returned, holding a tray in both hands. On the tray, there was a plate of sour plums, a plate of green apple candied fruit, and a pot of sour plum drink.
Then, Meng Zhuqing respectfully placed the sour plums, fruit candy, and sour plum drink on the table belonging to Xiao Changyi and An Jing.
Following that, Meng Zhuqing handed the tray to a palace maid nearby, instructing her to take it away.
An Jing did not look at Meng Zhuqing, but simply turned her head and looked at her husband with a smile. Were it not for the presence of others, she would definitely have rewarded her husband with a kiss.
Xiao Changyi still did not say anything, simply picking up the pot of sour plum drink and pouring it into An Jing’s wine cup.
Those below could not see what was in the pot and assumed Xiao Changyi was pouring wine for An Jing, which greatly surprised them. It seemed that the Princess held a significant place in the heart of the King of Eternal Victory.
One should know, at which banquet did the King of Eternal Victory not keep to himself, so indifferent that he even ignored the Emperor of Xiyun. Everyone’s toasts went unheeded, their conversations ignored. He never bothered to pour wine for anyone; once he finished eating and drinking, he would leave, at times even without bidding farewell to the Emperor of Xiyun.
Of course, these were the reactions of civil officials, nobles, concubines, and the like.
As for the generals, they were simply in shock, their eyes almost bulging out. The King of Eternal Victory, who seemed to disregard everyone, was unresponsive to people, solitary, chilling to the bone, terrifying his enemies with the mere whisper of his name, inspiring fear even in those who followed him, and viewed by them as the ultimate goal to aspire towards, was now... pouring wine for someone... pouring wine... pouring wine...
Below, the Prince of Pingjun had not expected Xiao Changyi to be so different with An Jing, but in order to ensure his grandson could succeed to the position of King of Eternal Victory, he had no choice but to proceed with the original plan of marrying off his youngest daughter Linghe to Xiao Changyi as a consort.
Moreover, the Pingjun Prince’s Mansion was declining with each generation, to the point where even some officials looked down on it. He needed to rely on Xiao Changyi as his support, to revitalize the Pingjun Prince’s Mansion.
The Prince of Pingjun had arrived quite early. Had it not been for Xiao Changyi’s absence, he would have already presented his birthday gift. Now that Xiao Changyi was here, he naturally had to present his gift to win the Emperor of Xiyun’s favor, hoping the Emperor would consent to giving his youngest daughter Linghe to Xiao Changyi as a consort.
The Prince of Pingjun knelt respectfully before the Emperor of Xiyun, uttering many auspicious phrases for the Emperor’s longevity before saying, "I once saw Your Majesty fondly handling a red coral bracelet. I dare not deceive Your Majesty, my youngest daughter Linghe recently acquired a piece of red coral. In celebration of Your Majesty’s grand birthday, my youngest daughter Linghe asked me to present it to Your Majesty today, hoping Your Majesty will like it."
An Jing initially did not know who the person kneeling below was, until she heard the name Linghe. Then she realized it was Princess Linghe’s father, the Prince of Pingjun.
Making a point to mention Linghe...
Hehe, they’re up to something, huh~
The amusement in An Jing’s eyes was profound as she picked up a piece of green apple candied fruit and popped it into her mouth—the green apple candy was pleasantly tart and sweet, with the tartness overpowering the sweetness. An Jing really liked it.
Plus, it was specially prepared by her husband a couple of days earlier; An Jing enjoyed it even more.