Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

At the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), many princes and noblemen from the capital arrived.

Qiu Liang and the others had no interest in drinking tea anymore. They each went out of their tents to greet and make friends with acquaintances.

Such a grand event is, in itself, the best social occasion.

Jia Lian knew quite a few people, but he wasn't close to most of them.

Suddenly, Feng Ziying and another person rode up on horseback, and Jia Lian greeted them with a smile.

"Second Brother Lian!"

Feng Ziying immediately jumped off his horse and bowed respectfully.

Jia Lian and Feng Ziying had a bond forged through shared hardships. When they beat up the Prince of Duan's heir at the Prince Xiao's residence, Feng Ziying, as his companion, did not fear the power of the Prince's residence. Instead, he chose to stand by him, which made Jia Lian think highly of him and thus he genuinely befriended him.

For Feng Ziying, befriending Jia Lian, who was outstanding in family background, knowledge, and opportunities, was also beneficial. Therefore, although the two had not known each other for long, they seemed closer than many other family friends.

"By the way, let me introduce you to Brother Lian. This is Chen Yejun, the second son of General Zhenwu's family."

"Haha, greetings, Young Master Chen..."

"No, no, I have long admired Brother Jia's reputation. It is my great honor to meet you today."

Chen Yejun was also a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy, but he looked less heroic than Feng Ziying.

However, judging from his words and actions, he is a very discreet person.

"What reputation do I have to speak of? I only rely on the virtues of my ancestors."

While the three were exchanging pleasantries, an official from the Crown Prince's residence came over and invited Feng and Chen to rest their horses in the villa.

Feng Ziying politely declined, saying he would just wander around outside, but actually stayed to talk with Jia Lian.

Another half hour passed, and suddenly a large group of people could be seen approaching on the main road in the distance.

The imperial guards led the way on both sides, and the people in front were all dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses, with extraordinary bearing.

Behind them, a large number of palace servants walked slowly, their crimson canopies and cloud-shaped banners fluttering.

Upon confirming the Crown Prince's arrival, Qiu Liang, Jia Lian, and the others, along with the officers and soldiers from both sides of the garrison, all knelt to welcome him: "Welcome, Your Highness the Crown Prince! Welcome, Princess Zhaoyang!"

"Rise."

The crown prince, dressed in a yellow robe and surrounded by numerous guards, exuded an air of nobility and distinction.

He casually called out to the people who were bowing, but paid them no mind and continued to direct the group directly into the villa.

Meanwhile, Jia Lian and the others, who had retreated to the side, watched as the procession moved forward with the Crown Prince.

The Third Prince, the Fourth Prince, the Prince of Beijing, the Heir Apparent of the Prince of Duan, and so on—some he knew, and many more he didn't.

Perhaps it was because Jia Lian stood out too much in the crowd that the Prince Duan's heir suddenly spotted him, and his eyes immediately flashed with astonishing hostility, perfectly capturing the expression of enemies meeting with intense hatred.

Jia Lian didn't take it to heart and instead smiled at him.

"Hmph~"

The Prince Duan's heir snorted coldly and proudly turned his head away.

Prince Bei Jing also saw Jia Lian and nodded to him from his horse. Jia Lian quickly returned the gesture.

"Hey, Jia Lian!"

The Fourth Prince, as always, was unconventional. Upon seeing Jia Lian, he immediately spurred his horse away from the group and rode directly to Jia Lian.

Zhang Su was always by his side, and even Zhang Tao came.

"Greetings, Fourth Prince."

The fourth prince jumped off his horse, came over, patted Jia Lian on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Thank you for what happened last time."

It seems the gift he gave to his elder sister was well received.

"To be able to serve the Fourth Prince..."

"Stop spouting those flowery phrases, or I'll beat you up! Honestly, you're clearly a general leading troops, why bother with that pedantic, bookish air?"

The fourth prince spoke casually, and Zhang Su, who was behind him, immediately turned pale. Fortunately, he knew that his boss was just being unrestrained and did not mean to belittle him.

Jia Lian smiled, showing no hesitation in being polite to this fellow, and instead said, "I heard that Princess Zhaoyang has also come, I wonder..."

"Oh, you mean my elder sister? She's in the carriage."

The fourth prince pointed out the location of his elder sister to Jia Lian without any hesitation.

Jia Lian glanced at the leading carriage with its eight-treasure canopy, then his gaze lingered on the group of palace maids beside it.

This was because, although the palace maids all appeared to have beautiful figures, they all wore thin veils over their faces to conceal their features.

This is what Jia Lian really wanted to ask.

"Do the people around Her Highness the Princess always wear masks when they go out?"

Not only Jia Lian, but also Feng Ziying and others were very curious.

To everyone's surprise, the fourth prince also looked puzzled.

"No, my elder sister usually rides a horse when she goes out. She's a better rider than me! I don't know what she's doing today. Not only did she choose to ride in a carriage, but she also had her maid cover her face. It's really strange."

I asked her through the carriage just now, but she ignored me.

As the fourth prince spoke, seeing that the crown prince and the others had already entered the villa, he did not linger. He hurriedly clasped his hands in farewell to Jia Lian, then turned around and rode off to catch up.

After the Fourth Prince and the others left, Jia Lian and Chen Yejun both smiled and looked at Feng Ziying.

Feng Ziying was about the same age as Princess Zhaoyang, unmarried, and quite handsome. He had come today hoping to try his luck.

Don't say things like, "Good men don't marry princesses, it will affect their future."

That's a very foolish idea.

Whoever marries Princess Zhaoyang will have a chance to rise to the top in one step.

From then on, the emperor was the father-in-law, and the empress dowager was the powerful patron...

Then you'll have power, status, fame, and fortune.

How many ambitious young people strive their whole lives just for this? You can struggle and climb on your own, but that doesn't stop someone from marrying a princess and standing directly on the mountaintop.

Moreover, in this dynasty, not only are imperial sons-in-law not prohibited from taking concubines, but they can also be granted additional titles!

This explains why so many promising young men flocked to Princess Zhaoyang when they heard she was looking for a husband.

Of course, not all men want to be a prince consort.

For example, men like Jia Lian, who believe they are destined for greatness and will one day hold a position comparable to the Three Dukes and wield immense power, are an exception.

However, he was the only one. Normal men in the world, unless they have horns on their heads, would not have such unrealistic dreams when they are young.

Therefore, even though Feng Ziying was both talented and beautiful, he couldn't help but want to try his luck.

After hearing what the Fourth Prince said, Jia Lian and Chen Yejun both guessed that perhaps Princess Zhaoyang was really growing up and starting to worry about getting married, which was why she changed her usual behavior and acted like a lady from a prominent family.

"Hehe, it seems the news is mostly true. I wish Brother Feng all the best in achieving his goal today..."

Chen Yejun said with a smile, and Jia Lian echoed him.

Seeing the two of them like this, Feng Ziying regretted that she should not have revealed her true feelings during the casual conversation earlier. She then shook her head and said, "Don't tease me. I still know my own limitations. Even if the news is true, with the princess's high standards, I'm afraid she might not even look at me."

Enough said, let's go over there.

"Is Second Brother Lian with us?"

Jia Lian shook his head: "I won't go in. I have duties to perform, so I'll head back to camp first. I wish Brother Feng a resounding victory and swift success."

Jia Lian clasped his hands in a fist salute, called to Aqi beside him, and then rode back to camp.

Seeing Jia Lian leave so casually without any hesitation, Feng Ziying suddenly sighed to Chen Yejun, "If Second Brother Lian had participated in the competition today, I'm afraid all of us would have returned empty-handed."

Chen Yejun was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Didn't Second Brother Jia already get married?"

"Therefore, this is a great fortune for the princes and nobles of the capital!"

Chen Yejun remained silent, then advised, "Brother Feng, there's no need to belittle yourself. As the saying goes, a beautiful and virtuous woman is the object of a gentleman's affections."

Moreover, Princess Zhaoyang is fond of martial arts. With Brother Feng's family's martial arts background, he will surely shine on the field today and win the beauty's heart. It will not be difficult for him...

Feng Ziying blushed and didn't know what else to say.

In fact, he wouldn't have come today if he hadn't had the good fortune to witness Princess Zhaoyang's heroic bearing before.

He was the son of a divine and valiant general, and had practiced martial arts diligently since childhood, determined to make a name for himself. He was not some sycophantic playboy...