Chapter 190: The Princess Enters the Palace
Zhou Taipu's words made Jin Xueyuan's expression even heavier.
Seeing that Jin Xueyuan remained silent, Zhou Taipu bowed slightly and then turned to leave.
After a while, a maid came up to Jin Xueyuan and whispered, "Princess, why don't you have a meal first? No matter how many things there are, you need to eat before you can solve them."
Jin Xueyuan sighed softly, turned her head to look at the snowflakes falling outside the window, and murmured: "I can't eat. You go out first, I want to be alone for a while."
The maidservant, seeing Jin Xueyuan's troubled countenance, couldn't help but kneel and tremble, "Princess, you have been working tirelessly for the domestic crisis these past few days. You have never truly smiled. Everyone knows about your worries, but they are only anxious in their eyes and can't do anything. But, Your Highness, please pity me. If this continues, before the matter is resolved, your body will falter first."
Jin Xueyuan chuckled wryly, "I'm really not feeling very hungry... Well, just make me a bowl of porridge then."
The maidservant was overjoyed. She chirped in response, got up, lifted her skirt and ran out.
......
After several days of heavy snowfall that blanketed the capital city, the snow finally let up for a short while in the afternoon.
The people of Beijing had thought there would be a few days of sunshine after the previous snowfall, but before they could even breathe a sigh of relief, a heavier snowstorm with large flakes began to fall from the sky.
The ancient imperial city, covered in a new layer of snow atop old ice, was a sight of pure white elegance.
While the East Palace was festively decorated this evening.
Today, the East Palace is bustling with activity, a rare sight in recent years.
Because the Crown Prince is going to host a banquet for the envoys from Xianshao.
Now that the Great Emperor is seriously ill, the Crown Prince is governing in his stead. Therefore, this banquet can be seen as the first time the heir apparent of the Qin Empire has received foreign envoys. This was a privilege previously held only by the Emperor. However, due to the complex current situation and a confluence of circumstances, this exception has arisen.

Both the imperial court and the East Palace attached great importance to this.
Regardless of the domestic situation, as a powerful nation, Qin, as the suzerain state of Xian Dynasty, would absolutely make a splash at this formal diplomatic occasion.
The Ministry of Rites was in charge of the arrangements, while the Honglu Temple was responsible for carrying them out. All ceremonies were meticulously planned and executed with utmost care and attention to detail.
The carriage of the Xiān Dynasty mission, escorted by eight horsemen in front and eight horsemen behind, stopped at the gate of the East Palace.
A finely dressed Jin Xueyuan, adorned in a resplendent golden robe, emerged from the carriage. With a blue phoenix hairpin adorning her hair, she gazed upwards at the imposing Donggong Palace. The palace was draped with lanterns and festive decorations, bustling with activity.
As the Xiān Dynasty palace was modeled after the Forbidden City in Beijing, Jin Xueyuan was familiar with the architectural style and decorations of this place.
She stepped down from the carriage, her embroidered shoes tapping on the ground, supported by maidservants. This occasion was met with utmost formality, as Minister of Rites Xu Yuandao led all the officials in attendance to greet her.
"The crown prince has decreed that while an envoy from a foreign land deserves a grand reception, the current circumstances do not allow for such extravagance. Therefore, tonight's banquet will be kept simple." Xu Yuan da bowed slightly and addressed Jin Xueyuan.
Xu Yuan's words, at first glance, seemed harmless, but his tone was brimming with the superiority and condescending arrogance of a superior nation. Jin Xueyan wasn't surprised; Xianchao was merely a vassal state, while Qin was the suzerain country, their relationship inherently unequal from the start.
"Your Highness, the princess of a small country, thanks Your Majesty for the grace bestowed upon you. Everything is in accordance with the decree of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." Jin Xueyuan said softly.
Looking at Jin Xueyuan before her eyes, dressed in splendor, surrounded by falling snowflakes that made her appear like a beautiful woman stepping out of a painting, even Xu Yuandda, who was over fifty, still felt a little overwhelmed.

"Muttering to himself like that, Xu Yuanda smiled and raised his hand to gesture towards the entrance of the Eastern Palace. 'Please come into the palace, Princess Xian Chao,'"

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