Help! The Frosty Noble's Son Is in Love With Me!-Chapter 367: Emerging...

The emperor’s solution was to directly confront the empress.

The empress had not expected Heir Pei to protect his wife so fiercely, even bringing the matter to the emperor himself; she was visibly troubled.

"The other ladies united in resistance, I had no choice."

The emperor coldly sneered, "Since when do my palace banquets require others to dictate? Those who do not wish to attend, let them give their names, and they will be removed from the list, permanently barred from attending any future palace banquets. Do you understand, Empress?"

For the first time, the emperor spoke to the empress in such a manner, and she was shocked, realizing that her lack of foresight had displeased him this time.

"I understand, I will handle it immediately."

Once this message was circulated, who dared to step forward? Those who had previously insisted they wouldn’t attend if Young Lady Pei was going, turned into cowards who wouldn’t mention the matter again.

Mrs. Xiao was both angry and startled; angry that Heir Pei valued Li Jirou so highly as to plead to the emperor for her, ensuring her attendance at the banquet, and startled that the emperor showed anger over this, lucky it was close to the event, or there would be a difficult explanation.

The palace banquet arrived as scheduled.

Qu Fulan and Pei Ji’an entered the palace together, where they encountered Princess Qing, who scoffed at the rumors.

"They’re just bored individuals with nothing better to do, united in resistance, yet they don’t even know their own status, resist for whom?"

Princess Qing didn’t join the antics, despite her cousin Tao Wan’s constant persuasion to join the resistance, but Princess Qing didn’t go along.

This time, she didn’t bring her cousin into the palace, not because it wasn’t allowed, but because of past experiences. Tao Wan’s unstable temperament had once led to unpleasant incidents during a previous palace entry, which angered Prince Qing, leading to Tao Wan being banned from all future palace banquets.

So since Tao Wan couldn’t attend herself, she naturally didn’t want others to go; how could she not get involved in such matters?

Qu Fulan was appreciative of Princess Qing standing by her, as she didn’t have many friends in her circle, with Princess Qing being her closest ally.

"I heard this banquet is merely to welcome foreign envoys, the competitions are scheduled for tomorrow, such as polo and archery; shall we watch together then?" Princess Qing invited, as it’s more enjoyable to watch with company.

"Sure."

"However, there are also activities tonight, in order to promote cultural exchange between the two nations, ranging from poetry and painting to other special skills, depending on what the envoy will present."

Princess Qing knew all this because Prince Qing was responsible for hosting the foreign envoys, naturally well-informed.

It was Qu Fulan’s first time attending a palace banquet, so she was quite fascinated, and the prior rumors hadn’t affected her mood.

However, they did affect others’ moods, such as the ladies who had previously united against Young Lady Pei; upon encountering her at the banquet, they were disgruntled and cold, only greeting Princess Qing while deliberately ignoring Qu Fulan.

Princess Qing felt that this was improper, but she couldn’t control others’ actions.

"Don’t mind them, these people are like that, today they’re amused by you, tomorrow it could be someone else; they’re all fair-weather people."

Ultimately, it was because they disdained Young Lady Pei’s status as an orphan.

Princess Qing had previously experienced similar situations, where her maternal family’s lack of influence led to her initial exclusion from elite circles; it wasn’t until Prince Qing took charge of organizing palace banquets that the other ladies began treating her kindly.

"I know, I don’t mind," Qu Fulan replied.

No one likes being ostracized, but it had come to this, and she couldn’t change others’ minds, only her own.

The banquet that night was large and well-attended, with the emperor’s consorts also present, so the ministers sat further away from the emperor.

Qu Fulan sat beside Pei Ji’an, and as she inadvertently looked up, she noticed Prince Xiao watching her.

Qu Fulan’s expression darkened, and she quickly looked away. The scandal wasn’t over yet, and in such a public setting, what was Xiao Shiqing doing? Did he think he wouldn’t attract attention?

Pei Ji’an naturally noticed Xiao Shiqing’s gaze as well, his eyes cooled slightly, and he reached up to brush away non-existent crumbs from her lips in a gesture of intimacy, then looked towards Xiao Shiqing, who indeed averted his gaze.

Xiao Shiqing had indeed been watching Li Jirou.

Ever since the sachet and pouch incident was cleared up, he unconsciously compared the two in his mind, and now that he had seen her in person, he was entranced for a while.

A person’s appearance can change, but habitual actions developed from childhood won’t change easily; this Li Jirou, aside from her looks, had a completely different demeanor from the past Li Jirou.

Conversely, some of Miss He’s habits were identical, yes, only some habits were similar, not all.

Was it because she was the true Li Family daughter, thus her bones carried the Li Family’s habits?

Then why was Li Jirou different?

Xiao Shiqing was driving himself mad, unable to make sense of it.

With his mind occupied by the sachet and pouch incident, he was deaf and blind to the rumors outside.

If Qu Fulan knew Xiao Shiqing was like this, she would probably sigh about the original owner’s miserable fate; encountering such a man, how could her fate not be tragic?

During a break in the banquet, Qu Fulan went to change clothes, accompanied by Princess Qing and their respective maids, forming small groups with palace maids leading the way, well-guarded with soldiers every five steps.

On their return, they saw a nanny in the corridor scolding a palace maid; they had to take that path, and Qu Fulan didn’t recognize the woman, but Princess Qing approached to greet her.

"Greetings, Nanny Lai."

Nanny Lai, seeing it was Princess Qing, immediately dropped her stern expression towards the maids, smiling, "Ah, it’s Princess Qing, forgive this old servant for blocking the way."

"Nanny, what do you mean by that? It’s us who interrupted your work," Princess Qing replied tactfully.

Nanny Lai then noticed someone else behind Princess Qing; assuming anyone with Princess Qing must be an official’s wife, a greeting was in order, so she turned towards Qu Fulan, nodded, and was about to speak.

Seeing her face, Nanny Lai’s expression froze.

Meanwhile, Li Niang had just finished work, and Mrs. Li and others passed by, helping to tidy up, then went home together.

Li Niang, busy these days, hadn’t visited the Li Family, and now traveling home together, she couldn’t help but question something she was curious about.

Li Niang had heard about He Hua’s conferment as Commandery Princess; she was puzzled as she knew the Li Family daughter was Young Lady Pei, so how could Miss He have appeared?

No, she should now be called Miss Li Hua.

In a good mood, Mrs. Li couldn’t help but chat, sharing how her sister’s biological daughter had been found, leaving her without regrets.

Li Niang was quite surprised, "Wasn’t your sister’s biological daughter Young Lady Pei? How could there be another biological daughter?"

Mrs. Li and Li Niang had shared hardships while on the run before, forming a genuine friendship, and Li Niang had shared everything with Mrs. Li, even the nameless plaque at home that Mrs. Li knew about.

Actually, she only knew it was someone Li Niang had once helped but ultimately couldn’t save, leading her to set up the plaque out of guilt.

Previously, as the Li Family’s case hadn’t been cleared, Mrs. Li dared not speak openly; now, however, the emperor had recognized the true Li Family daughter as County Princess, a well-known fact, with nothing left to hide.

So she explained how Li Hua was the true Li Family daughter, while Qu Fulan had been adopted.

"She’s a pitiful child, abandoned at the temple gate shortly after birth; if my sister hadn’t coincidentally been giving birth at the temple and brought her home, who knows what her fate would be now."

The items in Li Niang’s hands fell to the ground.