Chapter 99: Volume 1, Chapter 99: Destined to Let Everyone Down

At this time, a clearing in the very center of the Imperial Garden had already been set up as the main venue for this Hundred Flowers Festival.

The Imperial Garden of the Donglin Kingdom's palace was very large, and since the Hundred Flowers Festival and Hundred Flowers Banquet were held every year, a plaza for hosting the banquet had been specially reserved in the center of the Imperial Garden.

At this time, the plaza was filled with tables and chairs, one or two people per table, surrounded by clusters of fresh flowers, with the fragrance of flowers overflowing, beautiful and magnificent.

And at this time, the Emperor and Empress had not yet arrived, and the royal family members who had already arrived basically hadn't come over to this side yet.

Even so, quite a few people had already arrived at the main venue.

And it was at this time that Ye Lanjue brought Yun Qiyue to the main venue and sat in his own seat in the front row.

This action shocked the entire audience.

Why?

Because almost everyone knew that the Regent rarely attended various banquets, and even for the Hundred Flowers Banquet, which was very grand for Donglin, the Regent's attendance rate was countable on one's fingers.

And every time he attended, he almost always arrived halfway through and left after a short while.

But this time, not only did the Regent arrive early, but he also brought a woman.

After all, no one in Donglin Kingdom didn't know that the Regent disliked having women close to him the most.

The few who didn't believe in evil and got close to the Regent previously had miserable endings that were also well-known to everyone.

Now, the Regent not only let a woman get so close to him, but also brought her to his seat.

Who was that woman?

While the crowd was puzzled about Yun Qiyue's identity, those who recognized Yun Qiyue, as well as the later "insiders," explained it to these shocked people.

Then, the crowd, who were originally just shocked, instantly fell into a frenzy.

The woman beside the Regent was actually Yun Qiyue!

This was simply too incredible.

Some people even suspected they were dreaming.

Compared to the shock of those people, Yun Qiyue and Ye Lanjue were much more calm and composed.

Although the Emperor and Empress hadn't arrived, the tables in front of everyone were filled with melons, fruits, and desserts.

However, with the Emperor and Empress not having entered, no one dared to eat first.

However, Yun Qiyue had no such scruples at all.

In order to attend the palace banquet, she hadn't eaten much in the morning, so now that there was food, when if not now?

Yun Qiyue's behavior was incomparably arrogant and rampant in everyone's eyes.

All kinds of envious, jealous, and hateful gazes were projected onto Yun Qiyue, but Yun Qiyue turned a deaf ear.

Then, under the "attention" of everyone's gazes, Yun Qiyue took a piece of pastry and handed it to Ye Lanjue.

Eating by herself while Ye Lanjue sat there dryly wasn't the right thing to do, so she might as well "drag him into the water."

The crowd: "..." Don't be too excessive, the Regent will definitely not eat it.

After all, no one had ever seen the Regent eat anything outside, even though that mask didn't affect eating.

Therefore, everyone thought that the Regent would get angry at Yun Qiyue.

Yun Qiyue was definitely going to suffer.

However, it was destined to let everyone down.

Because, watching Yun Qiyue eating with relish, Ye Lanjue inexplicably felt a bit hungry.

Seeing Yun Qiyue hand over the pastry, without even thinking, Ye Lanjue took a bite from Yun Qiyue's hand.

Took—a—bite—from—Yun—Qiyue's—hand?

Everyone widened their eyes, even unable to help rubbing them.

Then, like the previous group of onlookers, these people also felt that the Regent had gone mad.

If he hadn't gone mad, how could the Regent be so different towards an ugly woman?

And at this moment, on the other side.

Crown Prince Xuanyuan Qi didn't stay with Tang Simin for too long; after all, his blue brocade robe was already dirty, so it was naturally inappropriate to wear it again, so after a while, Xuanyuan Qi left the Imperial Garden and went straight back to his residence in the palace.

Of course, in the Donglin Kingdom, whether it was an Imperial Prince or the Crown Prince, as long as they were adults, they had to move out of the palace to build a mansion.

But, even so, every Imperial Prince would have a fixed residence in the palace to stay in when they needed to stay overnight in the palace, or just to change clothes or rest.

Xuanyuan Qi had just changed into an apricot-yellow dragon robe with five-clawed four-dragon patterns that could highlight royal majesty and the Crown Prince's prestige, and as he walked out of his palace, he saw a beautiful figure standing gracefully not far away.

After seeing clearly who that person was, Xuanyuan Qi's face immediately turned ugly, and he turned to walk in the other direction.

"Your Highness Crown Prince—" Yun Yarou hurriedly called out to Xuanyuan Qi.

Xuanyuan Qi just paused slightly, but didn't stop his pace.

Seeing this, Yun Yarou hurriedly ran to catch up.

Xuanyuan Qi's pace wasn't fast, and soon Yun Yarou caught up.

Just because of the running, Yun Yarou's cheeks were slightly flushed.

Yun Yarou was originally a delicate and beautiful person, and now with her face flushed red, looking as if she had something to say but was holding back, and a pair of eyes looking at Crown Prince Xuanyuan Qi with deep affection and urgency, it made Xuanyuan Qi soften a bit.

"Your Highness, are you angry at Rou'er because of Third Sister's matter?" Yun Yarou looked wronged and sad, "Your Highness should know, Third Sister has never been the same since she got better... Rou'er was even almost disfigured, and had no face to appear before Your Highness. If Your Highness truly abandoned Rou'er because of Third Sister, then Rou'er..."

As she spoke, crystal tears hung on Yun Yarou's eyelashes, but she stubbornly didn't let them fall, only looking at Xuanyuan Qi with those eyes full of affection and reluctance.

When Yun Tian was still around, Xuanyuan Qi often went to the Yun Mansion.

Xuanyuan Qi naturally couldn't be interested in Yun Qiyue, a fool, and during this period, he had the most contact with Yun Yarou, so naturally, he had some affection for her.

Usually, Yun Yarou was like a holy lotus flower, rising from the mud without being stained, and now, Yun Yarou expressing her affection so directly was something Xuanyuan Qi had never seen before; how could he resist?

Thus, Xuanyuan Qi couldn't help but pull Yun Yarou into his arms.

Just, thinking of Yun Qiyue, Xuanyuan Qi still felt a lump in his throat, so he asked, "What did you mean by almost being disfigured just now?"

Yun Yarou then added fuel to the fire, telling him about the times she had been bullied after Yun Qiyue returned to normal.

When she saw Xuanyuan Qi's face full of anger, Yun Yarou said at the right time: "The reason Third Sister treats me like this now, and treats Your Highness like that, is nothing more than having the Regent to support her..."

Seeing that when she mentioned the three words "Regent," Xuanyuan Qi's face became ugly, Yun Yarou hurriedly continued, "But what if, Third Sister lost this support?"

Xuanyuan Qi, as an Imperial Prince, was naturally not simple; hearing Yun Yarou's implication, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

Yun Yarou, however, twisted her handkerchief, looking uneasy, as if she couldn't make up her mind, her whole person appearing exceptionally troubled, "Your Highness, Rou'er... forget it, after all, she is Rou'er's sister. If Rou'er really did that, I'm afraid Your Highness would abandon Rou'er..."

Seeing Yun Yarou like this, Xuanyuan Qi became even more interested, soothingly holding Yun Yarou's shoulder, "Tell me, don't worry, this Crown Prince won't blame you."

Hearing this, a flash of triumph crossed Yun Yarou's eyes, and then, looking troubled, she leaned into Crown Prince Xuanyuan Qi's ear and slowly told him her idea...