In a daze, Han He saw Prince Ning secretly winking at him and making a shushing gesture.
The meaning was obvious. He was being told to say nothing.
The prince didn't want his identity to be exposed.
...
But why?
Han He, the minister, wracked his brains but couldn't figure out why the co - equal king of the Dacheng Dynasty was disguising himself as an ordinary civilian among the guests at the Li Mansion.
Moreover, he was sitting in the courtyard and hadn't even entered the main hall!
Filled with trepidation, Han He followed them into the room. Li Rusong even invited him to take the upper seat.
He quickly declined.
How could he dare?
The top seat was for Princess Chengping. Was he crazy enough to sit beside her?
Besides, the prince and the princess were still outside. How could he sit calmly in the main hall?
After much polite refusal, Han He still didn't dare to take the seat.
Finally, Princess Chengping gave the order, and someone brought a chair and placed it on her right - hand side. Only then did Han He sit down gingerly, barely sitting on half of the chair, sweating profusely.
After a while, Li Rusong brought his son - in - law to pay respects to Minister Han. When Han He saw him, he was so shocked that he almost dropped the teacup in his hand.
The heir of Prince Ning...
Was Li Rusong's son - in - law?!
He... was the poor man his daughter had dragged back from under the imperial list!
Han He's mind was like a bomb had gone off. It was buzzing, and he couldn't come to his senses for a long time.
Xiao Jingnan bowed and said, "Greetings, Minister."
Han He was so frightened that he quickly jumped up to support the other person and said repeatedly, "I dare not, I dare not..."
Li Rusong was stunned and said in confusion, "What's there to be afraid of... Isn't it proper for the younger generation to pay respects to you?"
"Okay, now that everyone is here, I'll bring in my in - laws for everyone to meet."
He turned around and walked into the courtyard, pulling Prince Ning and Princess Ning in.
Prince Ning rarely attended court because of his leg problem, and Princess Ning and Xiao Jingnan were also in poor health and rarely went out. So there were few people in the capital who recognized them.
Therefore, among all the people in the courtyard, except for Princess Chengping and Minister Han, no one knew their identities.
Everyone only saw Li Rusong pull in two people dressed like peasants from the courtyard. And the next moment, both Princess Chengping and Minister Han stood up.
Once they stood up, how could the people in the room still sit? They all hurriedly stood up.
Princess Chengping was suddenly alarmed. She knew that her involuntary action had caused trouble for her elder brother.
Prince Ning was just a peasant now. How could he possibly deserve her to stand up and pay respects?
Quick - witted, Princess Chengping said, "Agriculture and sericulture are the foundation of the country. The emperor and the empress dowager attach great importance to them. I heard that General Li married his youngest daughter to a peasant family. Both the emperor and the empress dowager praised General Li for not being attached to power and nobility and having great integrity."
On the one hand, her words explained why she was being so polite. On the other hand, they subtly elevated Li Rusong's status.
Anyway, even if people didn't believe it, they couldn't go to the palace to check with the emperor and the empress dowager.
Only Minister Han was even more confused.
Prince Ning was a peasant?
Since when?
How come he didn't know?
Or was it true that the emperor and the empress dowager now attached great importance to agriculture and sericulture, so it was fashionable for the royal relatives to play the role of peasants?
How come he hadn't heard a single rumor?
Princess Chengping offered seats to Prince Ning and Princess Ning. Then she asked in a gentle tone about the harvest in Langya, the weather, and whether the agricultural policies were being implemented properly. Prince Ning answered one by one.
The brother and sister cooperated seamlessly, and no one could find any flaws.
Poor Minister Han.
He didn't know whether to stand or sit. He felt like he had needles on his back and a fishbone in his throat. He just lowered his head, sweating profusely, and couldn't say a word.
Finally, Princess Chengping even said, "The common people are the cornerstone of the court. Since this is a family banquet today, logically, our in - law should take the upper seat."
Madam Li was shocked.
What?
At her own birthday banquet, she couldn't even get the top seat, but now they wanted to let that penniless old peasant sit there?
"No!"
She blurted out without thinking.
Since Princess Chengping and Minister Han had come, she had given up the top seat and just sat on the side to accompany them.
However, instead of complaining, she felt honored.
They were the princess and the minister!
Except for the royal family, they were the most powerful in the whole capital!
If you counted the Li and He families, through three generations of ancestors, which old lady could have this kind of honor?
A birthday banquet had actually attracted the princess and the minister!
Not only the Li and He families, but probably no woman in the whole capital could be more glorious than her!
So what if that Third Master Li had a higher seniority?
He still had to sit in the courtyard and catch the wind. He couldn't even enter this room!
But now, Princess Chengping actually wanted to invite that penniless commoner to sit here, and even in a more prominent position than her?
On what grounds!
She would never allow it!
Madam Li's firm "No" made everyone stunned.
People looked at each other. No one had expected that someone would dare to publicly refute Princess Chengping.
For a moment, surprise flashed across Princess Chengping's face. She seemed not to have expected that this old lady could be so rude.
She frowned slightly and asked patiently, "Why not?"
Madam Li regretted it as soon as she shouted.
She was just an old lady staying in the inner courtyard. How could she dare to contradict the princess?
She must be out of her mind!
"N - no, it's not..."
Madam Li lowered her head, her lips trembling, and couldn't say a word.
At this time, He Shi, who had been standing behind, stepped forward and said complacently, thinking she was being smart:
"Your Highness, please calm down. My sister means that Your Highness is of noble birth. How could you sit with an ordinary commoner? He's dirty and smelly. He might stink you..."
Princess Chengping's face darkened immediately.
"All under heaven belongs to the king, and all within the four seas are his subjects! To the emperor and the empress dowager, we are all just his ministers!"
"The emperor and the empress dowager will even celebrate festivals with the common people on important occasions. How much more should we! Are you trying to slander me for having the intention of overstepping my bounds?"
"Or do you think you are more noble than the royal family?"
...
These words scared He Shi out of her wits. She quickly knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly on the ground: "Your Highness, please forgive me. I didn't mean that..."
Seeing that Li Rusong and his wife also looked panicked and at a loss, Prince Ning felt a bit sorry and said:
"Your Highness's love for the people, I am extremely grateful. However, I am a peasant and have been used to being free outside. Sitting inside the room makes me feel restricted. Your Highness, please let us sit outside."
He had a very good impression of Li Rusong and his wife. He didn't want them to lose face in front of everyone because of two stupid elders, so he secretly winked at Chengping, signaling her to stop while she was ahead.
Seeing this, Princess Chengping paused for a moment and then softened her expression: "In that case, please feel free, our in - law."
After saying that, she didn't even look at Madam Li and He Shi.
Li Rusong and his wife wiped the sweat off their foreheads, pulled Madam Li and He Shi up, and then comforted everyone to sit down again.
"The banquet is about to start. Why hasn't Wanming come yet?" Li Rusong whispered.
Yuan Jinqiu was also puzzled: "I just sent Chuntao to call her. She should be here soon..."
At this time, a young maid rushed in to report: "Sir, Madam, you'd better go and take a look. Miss Three and Miss Cousin are fighting!"
Hearing this, Xiao Jingnan didn't say a word and ran towards the backyard.
Yuan Jinqiu was so anxious that she shouted after him: "Quick! Stop him!"
The situation today was already complicated enough. He shouldn't add to the chaos!
Besides, why was he rushing so eagerly for a cat - fight between women?