Chapter 218: The First Beauty

"Mother?!" The two little ones had just returned when they saw Mother lying on the soft couch in the Courtyard, her eyes slanting at them.

The two instantly fell silent, like cold cicadas.

"What did you two go out to do?" Ye Qingran asked irritably.

Mo Xiaohu pursed his lips, "Mother, I won't tell you—we just went to Ye Huanhuan, and while she was sleeping we shaved all her hair off and even drew a Peppa Pig on her face!"

Fu Qianchen: "……"

His gaze at Mo Xiaohu was laden with unspeakable words.

What!

Ye Qingran instantly sat upright.

"Is what you said true?"

Mo Xiaohu hurriedly covered his mouth.

It seemed he had let something slip.

He hurriedly shook his head vigorously, ready to struggle in a dying effort, when he heard Ye Qingran say, "Well done! Erza, you really are little clever imps!" She hadn't taught them to draw Peppa Pig for nothing; now they've put it to use!

The two little ones: "……"

It was completely unexpected.

Ye Qingran affectionately patted the heads of the two little ones, thinking how she hadn't realized she could still prank them like this.

After praising them, Ye Qingran, in a pleasant mood, pointed to the room and said, "Mother is getting ready to attend the palace banquet; tonight you stay at home, no going out, and also sort out Xiao Bai's matter for me!"

"Mother, I also want to go."

"Why would you go? The Imperial Palace is boring, full of rules, not fun at all; if Mother didn't have to go, I'd definitely stay and keep you company!"

"Fine, then we won't go; we'll stay here and wait obediently for Mother to return."

At this very moment, Mudan Yuan

Ye Huanhuan finally saw clearly that a pig had been drawn on her face.

Damned Ye Qingran, is she calling her a pig?

She used all her strength, trying to remove the pig from her face, but it was all in vain.

Zhao Shi glanced at the sky and couldn't help urging, "Huanhuan, it's getting late; if we don't leave now we'll be late!" As she spoke, she looked at Ye Huanhuan's bald top and, unbelievably, an egg image flashed in her mind.

Zhao Shi was stunned by the thought herself.

Seeing this sight, she, as a mother, thought it was far too ugly…

Facing Zhao Shi's urging, Ye Huanhuan was extremely irritated, "Can you stop urging me! It's so annoying!"

Zhao Shi pursed her lips, and in a flash of ingenuity said, "Since it's come to this, why not wear a veil and a cloak to attend the palace banquet?!"

Veil and cloak?

It seemed that was the only option!

Ye Huanhuan was forced to accept, feeling annoyed.

Originally, today's state banquet was such a great chance to showcase her charm.

"It's all that despicable person's fault!" Ye Huanhuan cursed, thinking that tonight she still had a play she had meticulously planned, and only then did she calm down a bit.

"It's all that bitch's fault!" Ye Huanhuan cursed, recalling that she still had a meticulously planned performance tonight, and only then did she slightly calm down.

"Ye Qingran, tonight I will make you… lose everything!"

Ye Huanhuan put on the veil and cloak, covering herself tightly.

She breathed a sigh of relief and said to Ye Huanhuan, "If anyone asks later, just say you're unwell and cannot be exposed to wind."

"Hmm."

The palace banquet was held in Yuhua Yuan.

The vast Yuhua Yuan was lit with lanterns and ribbons, bustling with excitement.

Soon, the guests arrived. Seats were assigned by family, so Ye Huanhuan and Ye Qingran sat at the same table.

Today Ye Huanhuan dressed oddly, her white cloak covering her tightly, revealing only a pair of delicate eyebrows and eyes.

Ye Qingran also wore a veil, adding a mysterious aura to herself.

Everyone speculated about what this pair of sisters were playing at—so mysterious.

Soon, Donglin Emperor arrived with the Empress, numerous concubines, and princes and princesses; everyone rose to greet the carriage, and a roar like mountains and seas erupted, making the scene extraordinarily lively.

"All esteemed officials, today shall be treated as a family banquet; no need for restraint,"

Donglin Emperor, now in his forties, looks well-maintained, with a balanced figure and no sign of weight gain. Gu Huanghou and the many concubines vied in beauty, like a hundred flowers blooming together, dazzlingly enchanting. The princes and princesses were spirited, their brows exuding arrogance.

Donglin Emperor caught sight of the cloaked Ye Huanhuan and was instantly startled. Then, looking at the woman beside Ye Huanhuan, veiled, with bright eyes and radiant demeanor, he understood.

"Ye Qingran, why are you wearing a cloak to attend the palace banquet?"

When those words were spoken, everyone was taken aback, their eyes darting oddly among Donglin Emperor, Ye Qingran, and Ye Huanhuan, finding the scene amusing.

It turned out His Majesty had mistaken Ye Huanhuan for Ye Qingran!

It's all because Ye Qingran's aura is so refined that people easily mistake her for the famed prodigy Ye Huanhuan of Xiliang City. Yet today's Ye Huanhuan, tightly concealed, cowers like a hidden clown.

Ye Huanhuan's whole body stiffened; she bit her lower lip in humiliation, stood up and said, "His Majesty, I am the real Huanhuan."

Donglin Emperor widened his eyes, twitched his beard, then gave an awkward smile, "So you are Huanhuan? My eyesight is failing with age," he said, though he was truly surprised inside.

Donglin Emperor glared, blew on his beard, then gave an embarrassed smile, "Oh, you're Huanhuan? Look at my eyes, I'm old, they don't work well." Saying that with his mouth, his heart was very surprised.

This girl, outstanding in demeanor and radiant, is Ye Qingran?

How is she different from the impression I had?

"Then, are you Ye Qingran?" Donglin Emperor asked, pointing at Ye Qingran with suspicion.

Ye Qingran inclined her head slightly, nodding with poise, neither humble nor arrogant, graciously, forming a stark contrast with the Ye Huanhuan beside her, and declared, "I am Ye Qingran!"

Ye Qingran nodded slightly, neither humble nor arrogant, open and candid, forming a stark contrast with Ye Huanhuan beside her, "I am Ye Qingran!"

The Donglin Emperor secretly gasped.

The Donglin Emperor thought, Ye Qingran wasn't like this before, was she?

How could someone disappear for five years and come back as if they'd become a different person?

"Ye Huanhuan, why are you dressed like that?"

Ye Huanhuan replied, "Your Majesty, Huanhuan has been feeling unwell lately; the doctor said she can't be exposed to wind, so…"

The Donglin Emperor nodded, "I see."

"Your Majesty, Miss Ye's health has always been fine; why would she suddenly fall ill? I think it's because she's ugly and dares not show her face!" Xia Zhimeng stood up, bowed slightly to the Donglin Emperor, and wore a mocking smile.

The Summer Venerable Envoy glared at his own granddaughter, but Xia Zhimeng pretended not to notice.

Xia Zhimeng then looked at Ye Huanhuan and shouted, "Miss Ye, lying to His Majesty is a crime of deceiving the sovereign—are you sure you don't want to confess and receive leniency?"

A huge "deceiving the sovereign" accusation was slapped onto Ye Huanhuan's head, and her face turned green!

That damned Xia Zhimeng is deliberately picking on her!

"Xia Zhimeng, stop spitting blood! Who doesn't know Ye Huanhuan is a renowned beauty?" Mu Qingrou defended her close friend.

"Your Majesty, Huanhuan really is unwell," Ye Huanhuan insisted.

"Since you're a great beauty, why not take off your cloak and have a look? Why are you reluctant or afraid? Don't worry, it won't blow you away in just a moment!"

Ye Huanhuan was practically bursting with anger. This Xia Zhimeng, will it ever end?

"Your Majesty, Ye Huanhuan really isn't suitable for taking off her cloak."

Xia Zhimeng blinked, not expecting Ran-jie to speak up for Ye Huanhuan.

While she was dazed, a mental transmission from Ye Qingran reached her ears: "Ye Huanhuan's hair has been pulled out by my sons, her face painted with a pig's head, so ugly she can't be seen—she could never easily take off her cloak."

"Pfft~" Xia Zhimeng couldn't hold back a laugh.

Those two little rascals are too much fun!

How did they think of pulling out Ye Huanhuan's hair and painting a pig on her face?

Her gaze at Ye Huanhuan was full of interest; she was dying to know what hideous ugliness lay beneath Ye Huanhuan's veil and cloak!

"Ran-jie, do you have any ideas?"

Ye Qingran just smiled without speaking; Xia Zhimeng immediately understood, obediently shut her mouth, yet couldn't stop smiling.

Ye Huanhuan looked at Ye Qingran in astonishment, unable to believe she would speak up for her, seriously suspecting she had some ulterior motive!

Ye Qingran met her probing gaze, pointed to her own face, and sighed, "I've also grown something on my face—I can't be seen in public, or else the title of First Beauty of Xiliang City will be lost!"

Upon hearing this, Mu Qingrou's eyes flashed from not far away.

Ye Qingran has something growing on her face?

Looks like it's time to replace the First Beauty of Xiliang City!