The two branches of the Wei family had only two legitimate daughters, both raised in pampered luxury with extraordinary elegance.
Consort Wei, having no daughters of her own, treated her two nieces as her own, summoning them to the palace frequently, showering them with more favor than actual princesses.
The pavilion on the island designated for entertainment was called the Hall of Eternal Joy. Ice blocks were placed in the four corners of the hall, and two rows of large fans were positioned overhead. Maids, in an orderly fashion, pulled ropes, sending waves of cool breeze.
Many guests had already arrived. Wei Qing moved among them, as noble as a phoenix.
Compared to Wei Qing's dazzling brilliance, Wei Yu was much softer and more understated.
She was two years younger than Wei Qing, plump and fair, with a naive and romantic disposition. When she smiled, two dimples appeared, revealing a row of tiny teeth, making people feel an instant connection.
Wang Qingyao thought of Fang Yuan and looked around, but couldn't see her.
"Fang Yuan isn't coming?" she asked Xiao Yun.
"The Fang family is the maternal family of the former Empress, and the Wei family is the maternal family of Consort Wei. The two families have always been at odds."
"Isn't the former Empress your aunt? Why did the Wei family invite you?"
Xiao Yun smiled, fanned himself a couple of times with his fan, and shamelessly said, "Perhaps it's because I'm more likable."
Wang Qingyao: "..."
"They invited you, but not Xiao Mo?"
"They invited him too, but he's not happy to come."
Xiao Yun left one thing unsaid: in previous years, he too was unhappy to come, but this year he came because of Wang Qingyao.
The four princes had already arrived. The Seventh Prince, upon seeing Xiao Yun and Wang Qingyao, began waving from afar.
The Seventh Prince was only fifteen or sixteen. Compared to his three elder brothers, his status was not as noble, and he was not yet of an age for a bestowed marriage. Wei Qing had not considered him when sending out invitations; he had heard that Xiao Yun was coming and had insisted on joining the fun.
The Wei family dared to stop others, but they did not dare to stop the Seventh Prince. No matter how ordinary a prince might be, he was still a prince, born superior.
The last time Wang Qingyao saw Consort Wei's three princes was in the first lunar month. Back then, she was only focused on their looks and figures and hadn't paid attention to their personalities.
This time, she paid attention and observed them carefully.
The three princes were the center of attention, surrounded by a circle of royal relatives and noble ladies. At other banquets, men and women were separated, or at least kept apart by a lake or a screen.
Wei Qing was different; she was hosting a "lover's banquet," and it would be meaningless if they were separated.
The Second Prince, Yuan Lie, was in his early twenties. He was tall, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, and his features were very defined. The last time she saw him, he had a smiling, somewhat naive expression. This time, someone must have annoyed him, as he wore a stern face, looking unhappy and aloof, making him seem unapproachable.
The Fourth Prince, Yuan Zhao, was a year younger than the Second Prince but looked older. He was tall and slender with a long face. He was more enthusiastic, chatting animatedly with those around him, bursting into laughter from time to time.
The Fifth Prince, Yuan Ran, was seventeen. His eyes were deep-set, his large eyes were clear and bright, and his features still carried a youthful charm, caught between boyhood and manhood. His physique was the best trained among them, with well-developed pectoral, abdominal, and biceps muscles. However, these were not very noticeable when he was clothed.
Wang Qingyao felt her nose about to bleed again. She quickly averted her gaze and asked Xiao Yun, "What's wrong with the Second Prince?"
Xiao Yun chuckled softly, "Don't mind him, he's always like this."
The Second Prince was the eldest among the grown princes, and his mother was Consort Wei. He had a gentle and honest disposition. The Emperor often praised him for his benevolent heart and frequently kept him by his side for guidance.
The Emperor had long wanted to make him the Crown Prince, but the Second Prince had no ambition for the throne and was not very enthusiastic about political affairs. He was the first child of the Emperor and Consort Wei, doted on since childhood. Having witnessed the loving daily life of the Emperor and Consort Wei, he only wished to find a woman with a like-minded heart and return home together as husband and wife.
He treated Wei Qing as a sister, but Wei Qing saw him as a potential lover.
Wei Qing had known from a young age that she would marry the Second Prince, and that she would one day be the Crown Princess, and then the Empress.
Unfortunately, the Second Prince was not interested in her.
The Lotus Banquet that Wei Qing hosted every year was, in essence, an attempt to foster affection and spark a connection with the Second Prince.
She had tried for so many years, but instead of sparking a connection, she had made the Second Prince increasingly disgusted with her.
If Consort Wei hadn't forced the Second Prince to come, he would have left long ago.
"The Second Prince once received a favor from the Emperor: the choice of his principal wife must have his consent and cannot be arbitrarily bestowed."
Wang Qingyao raised her eyebrows and scoffed. This Second Prince must have read too many romance novels.
"A'yun." Over there, the Fourth Prince also spotted Xiao Yun and, leaving the others, walked towards Xiao Yun.
Seeing this, the others also gathered around.
For a moment, Xiao Yun and Wang Qingyao became the center of attention.
The Fourth Prince exchanged pleasantries with Xiao Yun, asking about his recent fortunes, the health of his grand-niece and grand-consort, mentioning that the Emperor had spoken of him yesterday, and complimenting Wang Qingyao on her increased beauty.
Xiao Yun's attitude was not overly warm, but polite. Unlike his interactions with the Seventh Prince, where he was relaxed and casual, like good brothers.
The Hall of Eternal Joy was connected to the banquet hall by a single hanging gate. The banquet hall offered summer refreshments, and guests who tired of playing in the Hall of Eternal Joy could go next door to enjoy desserts and cold drinks.
This arrangement was somewhat reminiscent of a modern cocktail party.
After everyone had mingled for a while, Wei Qing announced that the Lotus Banquet had officially begun.
As some of the guests present were attending a flower banquet for the first time, Wei Qing had someone explain the general flow of the Lotus Banquet.
Upon hearing this, Wang Qingyao secretly chuckled.
Miss Wei's intentions towards the Second Prince were as obvious as the sun in the sky.
The Lotus Banquet, in essence, was a competition for couples.
Among the invited male and female guests, some, like Xiao Yun and Wang Qingyao, were already engaged. Others had feelings for each other but were not yet betrothed. Of course, some were unrelated and were merely there to fill the numbers.
In principle, they were to find partners, one male and one female, to participate in the upcoming activities.
Although participation was voluntary, everyone knew that the Second Prince was Wei Qing's chosen one. Apart from Wei Qing, no one foolish enough would dare to pair up with the Second Prince.
This year's activities included: finding partners by scent, identifying lovers through a screen, throwing pots for surprises, and two-person three-legged races.
Wang Qingyao thought that if Miss Wei had been born in modern times, she would have been an excellent producer of dating shows.
Wang Qingyao was a transmigrator, so these activities were not new to her, but they were very novel to the young ladies and gentlemen of ancient times.
The crowd began to whisper and discuss, both shy and excited.
Furthermore, there were prizes for these competitions, using a point system. The pair with the most points at the end would receive five thousand taels of silver.
Five thousand taels of silver was equivalent to approximately ten million yuan.
Oh well, the upper class certainly played big.
Simple and direct, Wang Qingyao liked it.
Xiao Yun suddenly felt Wang Qingyao becoming excited.