Chapter 174
No matter the occasion, Lu Dieqing and Zheng Xuening’s appearances were already outstanding. Standing there, they were as dazzling as immortal consorts.
And now, their entrance was like a fairy flying from the heavens, descending from the sky. This scene would probably be unforgettable for everyone who saw it, for the rest of their lives.
Compared to these two, Lu He’s return to the Shan Kingdom was indeed low-key, even almost pitiful. She had been lectured by the Empress at court, and had not even been left with any face.
And now, such a Lu He, as the long-forgotten and abandoned Third Princess, actually had such a… immortal daughter!
Let alone others, even the Empress herself, who had long known the inside story, was at this moment in a daze, her expression dazed, her aged eyes full of longing and yearning.
To be an Empress, in the end, was not as free and happy as an immortal.
“Qingqing, I was delayed on the road for a few days, and only just arrived in the Shan Kingdom today. I never thought that you two would also come today.”
Lu He was extremely excited. She stroked her daughter’s hair and sighed softly.
“Mother, Ningning and I flew here, so of course it was fast.”
In fact, it had only been half a month since she had seen her mother, but to Lu Dieqing, it seemed as if it had been almost two months.
Before, in front of Ningning, she would still hold back her longing for her parents, not wanting to say it out loud and seem like a child. Now that she had seen her mother, she immediately couldn’t hold it in, and her eyes were even a little red with excitement.
As for the many people watching in the garden, if it had been before, the girl would definitely have been concerned, for fear that others would see and laugh at her.
But times were different now.
She didn’t even know how many more words she could say to her parents, how long they could be together before they had to part. How could she still care about what others thought?
Huh, wait. Her father, who had been inseparable from her mother in the past, how was he not here?
“Mother, where is Father?”
The girl turned her head and looked around, searching.
However, this garden seemed to be full of women, with almost no men in sight. Along with the blooming hundred flowers, it appeared even more dazzling and colorful.
The moment Lu Dieqing said this, the expressions of everyone in the garden were different.
Some remembered the matter of Lu He and her husband being ostracized both openly and secretly when they had returned before. Some were a little panicked, for fear that the fairy would get angry and blame them.
Even when facing the Empress, these people had not been so apprehensive and careful.
“This place is mostly for women. Since your father is a man, he naturally has to follow the local customs and cannot enter the garden.”
Feeling the apprehensive emotions of the people around her, Lu He, on the contrary, glossed over this matter very naturally to her daughter.
“Welcome, fairy!”
The palace maids by the Empress’s side, those with keen eyes, had already come up to them with great attentiveness, their faces full of smiles as they spoke to Lu Dieqing and the other.
The Empress also secretly observed the two girls and recognized at a glance which one was her legitimate granddaughter.
Zheng Xuening was, after all, a person who had been the heir for many years. Her figure was upright. When she stood there, even without speaking, her aura was still impossible to ignore.
She looked extremely cold and stunning, her figure tall and slender, but the sword she carried at her side added to her sharp aura. Her eyes and brows were indifferent, as if she didn’t care about anything, and nothing could stir her.
Everyone present, whether they were glanced at by her or not, were subconsciously a little afraid of her.
The Empress knew in her heart that this should be the heir of the Chaoying Kingdom. She was indeed as she had seen in the portrait in the past, with a cool and detached figure, and her aura was also extremely indifferent. She did indeed have the air of an emperor.
Lu Dieqing, on the other hand, in comparison, seemed a little more cute and bright, and not so unapproachable.
Thinking that this was her legitimate granddaughter, a few traces of genuine affection unconsciously appeared in the Empress’s heart.
“This must be Qingqing.”
The Empress had held great power for many years, but at this moment she still found an opportunity to speak, squeezing out a smile like a common grandmother.
Everyone present was familiar with the Empress’s serious and unsmiling personality. At this moment, they were a little shocked and surprised in their hearts.
Lu He, however, was not surprised.
Long before she had come to the banquet, when she had said that her daughter was a cultivator, her mother, the Empress, had already surprised her.
Lu He, in her heart, still cared for her own relatives. She led Lu Dieqing to the front of the Empress and said, “This is your grandmother, the Empress.”
“This is your second aunt.” Towards the Second Princess, Lu He treated them equally and introduced them one by one to her daughter.
…
Lu Dieqing blinked her eyes and said crisply, “Greetings, Grandmother, the Empress. Greetings, Second Aunt.”
The Empress and the Second Princess, hearing Lu Dieqing address them in such a way, were so happy their faces were about to split into a grin.
They had originally thought that this immortal granddaughter would definitely have a difficult personality. However, after really interacting with her today, a few traces of closeness and fondness arose in their hearts from the bottom.
It was really that Lu Dieqing was so lively. Even if she had not embarked on the path of cultivation, as long as she was in the Shan royal family, she would definitely have gotten the Empress’s favor.
Lu Dieqing secretly glanced at her Ningning.
Seeing Ningning standing among the crowd, and others being a little afraid of her and not daring to speak, she quickly walked over, took Zheng Xuening’s arm, and said to the Empress, “Grandmother, the Empress, this is Ningning, the Crown Princess of the Chaoying Kingdom. She has come this time with an important matter to discuss with you, Grandmother, the Empress.”
Zheng Xuening nodded slightly and did not say much more. When her dark eyes looked at the crowd, she looked a little sharp.
In the moment when the Empress and Zheng Xuening’s eyes met, she couldn’t help but sigh in her heart. Such a favored child of heaven, yet she was not from her Shan Kingdom.
Although she had many daughters and granddaughters, their personalities were different. To date, there was not a single one who she was extremely satisfied with to inherit the throne in the future.
This was also the reason why she had not yet truly appointed a Crown Princess.
She always wanted to take another look, another look.
After appointing a successor in the early years, she had found that the other was too slack, which had made the Empress very dissatisfied. Later, she had used an excuse to depose the heir. She had begun to intentionally guide her children to compete with each other, in the hope that when she grew old in the future, she could hand the throne over to the descendant with the most resolve and strength of character.
She had originally thought that this idea of hers was not bad, and that the heir she had cultivated would not be too bad.
But today, seeing Zheng Xuening, and with a direct comparison, she only just discovered what was called a favored child of heaven, and the noble air of a royal family.
The Empress knew that the matter the other wanted to talk about was of the utmost importance and could not be delayed. She nodded and said, “Of course, of course. We cannot be neglectful of the Crown Princess.”
She made a “please” gesture, signaling for Zheng Xuening to go with her to the pavilion opposite to talk.
That area was open and was in the middle of a lake. No matter what they discussed, they would not be heard by others.
Zheng Xuening nodded slightly and followed her.
The head palace maid by the Empress’s side was about to help her over, but she waved her hand, signaling for the other to stay here.
Zheng Xuening took two steps, then suddenly looked back and looked at Lu Dieqing, who was standing in place in a daze, and tilted her head.
—Why aren’t you following?
Meow!
The girl with red lips and white teeth had her almond eyes light up. She immediately let go of her mother’s hand and pattered after Zheng Xuening.
I won’t be separated from Ningning for even a moment.
Aiya, Ningning is so clingy. She really can’t be away from her for a moment.
But… happy~!
