Chapter 32: Humiliation at the Palace Banquet
Xiao Wenzhan's face was so gloomy that it was almost frozen into ice.

Gao Pan knew that His Majesty was really angry.

He was really defending Xie Chengyi, otherwise, based on his just-spoken and rebellious words, His Majesty would have punished him for disrespect.

"Your Majesty, calm down." Gao Pan handed over a cup of warm tea.

There was already a look of anger and sadness between Xiao Wen Zhang's brows. He grabbed the teacup and threw it away in venting his anger.

"Bang!" The teacup shattered into pieces, and Gao Pan and others knelt down in fear.

"He is simply lawless!" Once Xiao Wenzhan's anger was torn apart, it crashed down like a raging wave.

Gaopan bowed his head and listened.

"Tell me, isn't he being arrogant because of his favor? I'm not dead yet, but he doesn't listen to me. What does he want to do?" Xiao Wenzhan looked at the chessboard on the side and became even angrier. He simply took a few quick steps and even overturned the chessboard.

Gao Pan looked at His Majesty's expression, but he was not anxious at all.

"Your Majesty, you should know the prince's temperament." Gao Pan said slowly.

After hearing this, Xiao Wenzhang gradually calmed down a little, and sighed: "After all these years, he hasn't changed at all! He's still that young and naive!"

Gao Pan's expression was warm, "Isn't it this quality of the prince that Your Majesty admires? If he really changes, Your Majesty will not be used to it."

Xiao Wenzhang was choked by the words of Gaopan, and asked sideways: "It seems that you are very satisfied with this Xie Chengyi?"

Gao Pan bowed repeatedly, "I am happy for your majesty and worried for your majesty."

Xiao Wenzhang sighed deeply, "He hasn't changed in the past ten years, which is a good thing, but also a worry..."

***
Shulan Palace.

Imperial Concubine Sheng Xinlan was charming and charming, with a pair of affectionate phoenix eyes, which showed her charming beauty. Looking at the entire harem, no one could compare to Sheng Xinlan's phoenix beauty. In addition, she was favored by His Majesty, had a son and a daughter who were filial and sensible, so she could be considered a winner in life.

The third princess Xiao Chuyi, daughter of Sheng Xinlan, is quite loved by His Majesty. She is rarely confined to the boudoir or forced to learn any of the arts, such as music, chess, calligraphy, or painting. Instead, she is allowed to grow up with her innocent and carefree nature, and has become a sweet and lovely lady.

Today's banquet was held on the day when Xiao Chuyi heard that a beautiful girl had come to Xie's house and caused such a misunderstanding, which made her even more curious, so she begged her father to meet Huo Aying. Xiao Wenzhang was also quite curious, so he let Xiao Chuyi host a banquet and invite her.

Huo Aying rode in a sedan chair through the long street all the way to the gate of Shulan Palace. Along the way, she kept telling herself to stay calm.

"Miss, we have arrived at Shulan Palace." A palace maid spoke outside the sedan chair.

Huo Aying straightened up immediately.

"Don't be afraid, I'm just having a meal." Huo Aying whispered to himself to prepare himself mentally.

After saying this, the palace maid gently lifted the curtain of the sedan chair.

Huo Aying took advantage of the palace maid's wrist and slowly got out of the car.

Aunt Suo Qin of Shulan Palace stood on one side and said, "Welcome Miss Huo."

Huo Aying quickly leaned forward and saluted.

"Miss, please come this way!" Suoqin led the way.

Huo Aying walked cautiously the whole time, but the Shulan Palace he caught a glimpse of from the corner of his eye was truly magnificent. Compared to the Marquis' Mansion, this palace could be described as magnificent, while the Marquis' Mansion was more elegant and simple.

Suoqin paused, then stepped forward, and Huo Aying stopped where he was.

"Your Highness, Miss Huo has arrived." This banquet was hosted by the Third Princess, so naturally it was brought to the Third Princess's resting place.

Xiao Chuyi was picking out some nice jewelry. When she heard Suoqin's report, her eyes lit up, "Please ask her to come in!"

Suo Qin nodded, turned to Huo A Ying and said, "The princess invites you, young lady."

Huo Aying nodded slightly, "Thank you, auntie."

Then, she walked in lightly, bowed at the screen at the door, and said, "I, Huoa, greet you, Princess. I wish you good luck and happiness."

Xiao Chuyi walked briskly towards Huo Aying and said crisply, "Raise your head!"

Huo Aying slowly raised his head and looked at Xiao Chuyi.

Xiao Chuyi: What a stunning beauty...

Huo Aying: What a charming princess...

When she saw Huo Aying for the first time, Xiao Chuyi felt a little jealous. Although she always thought she was not ugly, she was indeed not equal to Huo Aying. "Your name is Huo Aying?" Somehow, Huo Aying always felt that this princess was not so friendly to her.

"Yes." Huo Aying said neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"You caused quite a stir as soon as you arrived in the capital." It was obvious that Xiao Chuyi did not intend to ignore her.

Huo Aying smiled faintly, "These are just some nonsense made up by some people. Princess is so smart that she will definitely be able to see through it."

Being suddenly called up like this, Xiao Chuyi didn't want to embarrass her anymore, she just raised her eyebrows slightly and said, "Didn't Brother Chengyi come with you?"

Xie Chengyi? Brother Chengyi?

"The prince has gone to Xuanming Palace. I guess he has something important to discuss." Huo Aying did not give a direct answer.

Xiao Chuyi then said calmly, "You live in the Marquis' Mansion now?"

Huo Aying looked at the princess quietly, "My aunt knows that the old lady always likes to be lively, so she arranged for me to stay in the mansion for a few more days so that I can accompany the old lady."

Xiao Chuyi asked tentatively, "I heard that Brother Chengyi lives in the other courtyard?"

It must be said that Huo Aying, with her woman's intuition, could conclude that the Third Princess must be interested in Xie Chengyi. The more this was the case, the more she couldn't show that she had any feelings. "I'm not very clear about the affairs of the Crown Prince."

Xiao Chuyi was relieved now, and said leisurely, "That's right, you came from Qingzhou, at most you just met Brother Chengyi, it's normal that you don't know him well."

Huo Aying smiled faintly.

"Okay, let's go to the main hall. My mother is waiting for you." After Xiao Chuyi had a clear idea in her mind, she was less hostile when speaking to Huo Aying.

main hall.

"Mother." Perhaps because she was used to being at ease, Xiao Chuyi bowed briefly and then ran sweetly towards Imperial Noble Consort Sheng Xinlan.

Sheng Xinlan smiled gently, as gorgeous and bright as a blooming peony, "You, you are so disrespectful in front of outsiders."

Then, his eyes fell on Huo Aying.

Huo Aying bowed and said, "I, Huo Aying, pay my respects to the Imperial Concubine. I wish her long life and good health!"

Sheng Xinlan's eyes lit up and she nodded, "She is indeed very pretty..."

Huo Aying nodded, "Thank you for the compliment, Madam."

"Please take a seat." Sheng Xinlan gestured to Suoqin and turned her eyes to everyone.

"Today is the first day of the banquet, and we want to share the beautiful autumn scenery and fine wine with all the noble ladies from aristocratic families. Come, let's raise a toast together." Sheng Xinlan said with a smile.

Huo Aying raised his glass and looked around at these noble ladies. They all had their own characteristics.

"I heard that Miss Huo is from Qingzhou?" A woman on the opposite side suddenly mentioned Huo Aying.

Huo Aying quickly looked for the source of the sound and saw a woman in a rose-red brocade dress who was quite pretty.

"Yes."

"We haven't been to Qingzhou very often, so we really don't know where there are any places to visit. Miss Huo, please tell us about it. Maybe we can go and have a look someday when we have time." The woman's curious and boastful look made people irritated in an instant.

Huo Aying smiled and said, "I don't go out very often, so I don't know what's fun. Why don't you ask me to explain it to everyone present when I get there?"

Anyway, the fact that she can sit here means that she has some weight, and having Xie Chengyi in the Marquis' Mansion behind her is also a reason for her to sit here. Instead of enduring it blindly, she might as well face the problem.

The woman was confronted by Huo Aying, and her face darkened for a moment. She said in a veiled tone, "Ms. Huo is really a person of character. If you know that she is an orphan who lives with the wife of the Marquis, you would think she is the legitimate daughter of the Marquis!"

After saying this, everyone burst into laughter.

Huo Aying was not angry. Today was not going to be smooth sailing. If he could let these people have their fun and let down their guard, then what was wrong with that?

"By the way, Miss Huo, can you tell us why someone would say such things in the court? They say nothing happens without a fight. We are also very curious, how come you have become a woman with such a charming nature that you want to climb into the bed of the emperor's uncle?" another woman challenged.

"Yes, yes, you described it with such detail that it's hard not to let people have wild thoughts, right? We are all noble ladies from aristocratic families. If we really sit with such a person, wouldn't it lower our status?" echoed the woman who had just asked her to talk about Qingzhou.

"I also heard that the girl came from Lin'an..." Another woman looked at Huo Aying quietly, with undisguised ill intentions in her eyes.

Huo Aying's smile was faint, and both eyes were fixed on her. Wasn't this just a big quarrel between two shrews? It was just a change of venue, and they were just talking nonsense without any evidence. No matter how Huo Aying answered or not, it was a joke. "Aying thought that the ladies must be reading, writing, playing chess, calligraphy and painting in their spare time. I didn't expect that the ladies like to listen to these nonsense in their daily lives. They are no different from the women on the street..."

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A Ying: I thought they were all kings, but they turned out to be bronzes