Chapter 40 Reunion

  August 23rd is the thirty-seventh death anniversary of Madame Shen Youxin, wife of General Hu Guo. Since it's not a major milestone, only a small memorial service was held in the ancestral hall of the general's mansion.

  Xia Jingting wore a plain white long gown, with only one sheep fat jade hairpin holding his bun in place. His forehead was broad and his nose was straight, and he had an elegant and refined air about him as he turned to glance around. Xia Tian followed behind him as the main mourner, while Xia Yang and Xia Feng acted as secondary mourners. The several madams and Xia Yu, Xia Xue, and Jing Fei could only follow behind them in a subordinate role.

  Offering wine, burning incense, serving tea, and making a bow.

  In the summer, looking up at the high-ranking plaque, I think of my parents who are far away in thousands of years, and I don't know if I can see them again in this life. My heart is filled with sorrow and tears fall uncontrollably.

  Seeing his beloved daughter cry her heart out, Xia Jingting felt both heartache and sorrow. He stretched out his hand to gently stroke her head, wanting to say something, but the words that reached his lips were only deep sighs.

  "Yóu xīn, I wonder what I should do to make our daughter happy?" He looked up at the name he had personally engraved on the tablet, silently reciting it in his heart. "Originally wanted her to marry well, but didn't expect the third prince not to cherish her. Yóu xīn, if you have a spirit in heaven, please bless Tiān ér, bless our daughter to live a peaceful and joyful life."

  "General," Jingchu reported outside the ancestral hall, "Ling Wang has arrived, saying he's here to pay his respects to the lady."

  There is a distinction between monarch and subject, and although Xia Tian is the Crown Princess, it's still too grand for the Third Prince to come in person to pay his respects. The news that Xia Tian was not favored in the Ling Wang Fu had already spread throughout the estate, but now that Yuan Longqiao has arrived, it seems to have overturned the previous rumors. Everyone is confused and can't hide their surprise, and they all look at Xia Tian with complex eyes.

  Xia Jingting only paused for a moment when he heard the announcement, then immediately returned to normal, turned around and walked out, saying: "Yang Er, Shuang Er, you follow me to welcome the emperor."

  "Yes." The two replied in unison.

  She turned around and saw Xia Tian looking at her with a frightened face. Xia Yang felt a pang in his heart and quickly comforted her with a smile.

  Jing Fan quietly took everything in sight, calming her mind, she tried hard not to pay attention to the affection and tenderness on his lips.

  Xia Feng's heart was complicated, and he couldn't help but glance at Xia Tian again. Then, without realizing it, his gaze shifted to Xia Yu. Catching a glimpse of Second Sister's venomous glare, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, and his heart sank even further.

  With her head hung low, Xia Tian's palms were soaked with sweat, and her heart was racing so fast it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. Yuan Longqiao had arrived; was he here to take her back to the Ling Wang Fu? If he tried to drag her away by force, perhaps even her father and older brother would be powerless to stop him. A fine layer of cold sweat broke out on her forehead, and her breathing grew rapid. What should she do? Back then, when she had been so determined to leave the palace, he must have been furious; now, if she went back with him like this, even if she didn't get beaten, being locked in a small dark room was still unavoidable.

  The hall suddenly fell silent as I was lost in thought.

  "See His Highness in three temples."

  "See you at the Third Palace."

  The oriole's and swallow's voices of asking for peace, some are generous, some are shy, some are low and melancholic, some are soft and sweet.

  It's as if they've been waiting for him, and when they see a handsome young man, a large group of girls rush up to him like butterflies attracted to honey. Xia Tian thought maliciously in his heart, and couldn't help but raise the corner of his mouth, that tense atmosphere was unintentionally alleviated a lot.

  Her eyelids drooped, and through the dense lashes that trembled with each blink, she saw a pair of embroidered deerskin boots with thin soles and a robe with a blue pattern embroidered with silver peony flowers.

  Yuan Long strode into the hall with a straight gaze, his slight nod serving as a response to the ladies' greetings. His eyes seemed to casually sweep across the crowd before immediately locking onto Xia Tian's figure. She was as lovely as a peach blossom in spring, as pure as a chrysanthemum in autumn. Clad in a white silk robe, her slender waist was accentuated, and a peony-shaped hairpin adorned with pearls swayed gently amidst her cloud-like hair. Her delicate eyebrows were lowered, and her eyes cast downward, exuding a soft and elegant charm.

  Someone handed him three incense sticks, he received them with reverence, bowed three times, and ordered Zhou Song to present a set of first-class lady's coronet, skirt, and jade pendant, which were placed on the offering table.

  "Your Highness, this..." Xia Jingting stepped forward with some unease.

  Yuan Longqiao raised his hand, "Longqiao has already requested for Mother-in-law to be conferred as the First Rank Guanhua Lady, this is a little filial piety from Longqiao to Mother-in-law."

  "I dare not, I beg on behalf of my wife to thank Your Honor." Xia Jingting bowed deeply, and the others also hastily followed suit.

  Xia Yu stood behind her mother, secretly sizing up the tall and slender Yuan Longqiao, her heart filled with growing resentment and anger. Although marrying the fifth prince was not bad, she would only be a secondary wife, just like her illegitimate status had been stamped on her, making it difficult to turn things around as long as there was a main wife present. She clenched her teeth and glanced at Xia Tian, a hint of bitter resentment flashing in her eyes.

  Those brocade boots stopped in front of her, and Xia Tian's heart beat faster again as she lowered her head.

  "Xiao Tian, how have you been these days?"