"I will enter the palace with my grandfather tomorrow. As for you, you will behave yourself as the black diamond on the ring. Once we are inside the palace, if you discover any descendants of the Yi family, you must tell me immediately!"
Baozi bounced around, indicating that it understood: "Hehe, Master, aren't you afraid of danger? Master, you're not going to listen to what that fortune teller said?"
"How could that be?" Stone rolled his eyes at Baozi, then left the ring space. Not long after, at Stone's summons, Steward Hua entered the rest room: "Wushuang, prepare a lot of dry food and water for me. Remember to make sure there's a variety of things, and choose those that don't spoil easily."
Hua Wushuang: "..."
The next day, Stone left Linda behind and went into the palace with Grandpa Huo.
Aside from the Forbidden City she visited in her previous life, this was only the second time Stone had entered a palace. However, aside from the different architectural style, Stone didn't notice anything particularly different. If you really wanted her to tell you, she would say that the palace in this other world was incredibly sparsely populated.
Can it be less?
With Grandpa Huo's introduction, Stone gained a basic understanding of the palace.
The entire palace was only slightly larger than Ironforge. The master was, of course, the king, but strangely, the king had only one woman, the queen. This made Stone, who possessed memories of his past life, feel quite uncomfortable.
Aren't all emperors surrounded by harems? Well, she could only conclude that the king of this world was a hopeless romantic.
Stone already knew that the king had only six children, three of whom were not His Majesty's biological children, and one of the three biological children had died. If it weren't for the many sins this king had committed in his past life, Stone would have begun to suspect that someone was targeting the royal family.
"Xiao Yi, you'll be staying in the palace for quite a few days this time. I've already handed over your business affairs to your head steward, and I'll take care of things outside. Also, remember, never anger the Sixth Princess." Grandpa Huo instructed as he gestured for Shi Tou to follow behind him.
Stone nodded obediently. In truth, she had no patience to serve the princess. Humph, she was a princess too, just a princess of the dwarf kingdom.
"Miss Huo, you really came? That's wonderful! I've been waiting for you for so long!" To Shi To her great surprise, the eldest prince was waiting for her at the gate as soon as she entered the palace.
"Greetings, Your Highness." Although the etiquette in this other world is not as strict as in the ancient times of the stone's previous life, necessary manners are still required.
"Hehe, no need for formalities. Mr. Huo, Miss Huo, please come with me."
Unexpectedly, the eldest prince was stopped after taking only a few steps.
-----
Do you guys want to know who stopped them?
...
Chapter 157: Little Princess Doragar
"Brother, may I borrow someone from you?" The one blocking the eldest prince's path was none other than the fourth prince, whom Stone had met at the auction. [~](Dingtian Novel Residence.dtxsj.)
The eldest prince was taken aback: "Fourth brother? Just tell me who you need, why bother informing me?"
The fourth prince bowed his head and placed his hands on his chest, bowing deeply to the eldest prince: "Elder brother, because I wish to borrow the second young lady of the Huo family behind you."
"What?" The eldest prince turned back to look at the stone in surprise: "But Miss Huo is here to keep Doragar company."
But the fourth prince smiled slightly, as if he hadn't heard the eldest prince's explanation: "Brother, I won't take up too much of your time. As for Doragar, I've already asked Xiaoyu to explain to her."
"The rain has stopped? Didn't she absolutely refuse to go with Doragar?" The eldest prince was completely confused: "Fine, if you insist."
Turning to the stone, the eldest prince's tone carried a hint of guilt: "I'm sorry, Miss Huo, my fourth brother is just like that, sometimes incredibly stubborn. But he doesn't mean any harm. Why don't you go with him?"
Stone raised an eyebrow and looked directly at the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince smiled at Stone, who was immediately stunned: "Uh, okay then."
"Brother, don't worry. After I finish talking to Miss Huo, I'll take her to Doragar." The Fourth Prince suddenly stepped forward and put his arm around Shi Tou: "Miss Huo, come with me."
Stone couldn't help but shiver.
The Fourth Prince is truly an oddball! He's strikingly handsome, with a naturally graceful figure—a real beauty in the making. Standing next to him, even someone as narcissistic as Stone couldn't help but feel inferior.
Good heavens! With a man looking like this, how are women supposed to live?!
"Miss Huo seems a little afraid of me?" The Fourth Prince didn't keep his arm around Shi Tou the whole time, but because of his height, he casually put one hand on Shi Tou's shoulder: "Am I that scary?"
Stone blinked: "Does the Fourth Prince want to hear the truth or a lie?"
The fourth prince looked at the stone with great interest: "I want to hear both the truth and a lie."
"The truth is, Fourth Prince, you are not scary at all; you make me feel deeply inferior. The lie is, Fourth Prince, you are not scary at all; you make me feel utterly respectful." Shi Tou said in a serious tone, mimicking Hua Wushuang's usual expression.
The fourth prince was taken aback. Before he could speak, a silvery laugh came from the side: "Hehehe. Fourth brother, so you can actually be respected? Although it's a lie, it's quite pleasant to hear."
The fourth prince's face immediately darkened: "What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to go and keep Dora Gard company?"
"Tch, what's the point of entertaining Doragar? It's utterly boring." The owner of the voice jumped in front of the Fourth Prince, grinning, and said, "Didn't Big Brother already find a sucker? I can finally be free!"
Shi Tou carefully examined the girl before him. She appeared to be about thirteen or fourteen years old, with black hair, black eyes, and yellow skin. She seemed to be a pure-blooded East Asian: "Greetings, Fifth Princess."
The Fifth Princess was taken aback. She asked in surprise, "How do you know I'm the Fifth Princess? Who are you? My Fourth Brother's new lover?"
Stone suppressed the urge to vomit blood and stiffened his neck to look at the Fourth Prince.
The fourth prince's face had turned ashen: "Xiaoyu, this is the second young lady of the Huo family. Do not be rude!"
"Aren't they just members of the six great families of the East?" The Fifth Princess pouted and waved her hand dismissively. "Isn't the Huo family without any legitimate male heirs this generation? Since I can't marry into the Huo family, what's wrong with being rude?"
That's an exaggeration!
Shi Tou silently wiped her sweat. Only today did she realize that the royal princess was to marry into one of the six great families of the East.
"Xiaoyu, go to Doragar right now. I'll take her there after I finish talking to Miss Huo!" The Fourth Prince's tone was unusually stern. The Fifth Princess grumbled a few complaints, but seeing that her Fourth Brother still hadn't changed his mind, she turned and ran away in a huff.
"Miss Huo, I'm sorry to make you laugh." The Fourth Prince's voice carried a hint of embarrassment: "This is the Fifth Princess of the Royal Family, my younger sister, Yi Siyu."
"Hmm?" Stone raised an eyebrow in surprise. Yi Siyu? This name seems to be in the style of Eastern naming conventions. []
"Yes, her name is Yi Siyu, and mine is Yi Siyue." The Fourth Prince stared intently at the stone: "Miss Huo, may I ask for your guidance?"
Stone was completely bewildered. What did she do?
"Gah~~~"
Just as Stone was about to say a few polite words, a scream from Baozi suddenly echoed in his mind. Completely unprepared, Stone jumped up in fright: "What happened?"
"Miss Huo the Second?" Fourth Prince Yi Siyue looked at Shi Tou with amusement. "What happened?"
Stone bit his tongue hard, cursing that damned bun in his heart, but showing no sign of it on his face: "Nothing. Fourth Prince, may I ask what brings you here?"
"Well, of course there is something." The Fourth Prince gestured for Stone to follow him. "There's something I'm very curious about, and I would appreciate it if Miss Huo could explain it to me."
Stone followed closely behind the Fourth Prince, saying, "Fourth Prince, please speak."
"It's common knowledge that the Huo family has no male heirs in this generation. Miss Huo, am I right?"
"right."
"The eldest daughter of the Huo family, Huo Xiaoxiao, was born to the daughter of the Shui family. Therefore, the head of the Huo family wants to follow the example of the Shui family and find a son-in-law for Huo Xiaoxiao. Second Miss Huo, am I right?"
"right."
After Shi Tou finished speaking, he couldn't help but look up at the Fourth Prince: "Fourth Prince, if you are a pure-blooded Easterner, then you can also become my sister's husband."
The fourth prince staggered, his lips twitching: "Don't worry, I have no improper thoughts about your sister."
Shi Tou chuckled to herself, knowing full well what was going on. She was just saying it to annoy the Fourth Prince. After all, Grandpa Huo had said that the reason the six great families of the East had grown so rapidly in just a few hundred years was definitely because of the support of the royal family. It was said that the Eastern family had produced several queens.
And this queen is the daughter of the Qin family, the head of the six great families.
"Miss Huo, I also want to ask, if I remember correctly, Shui Bi, your sister's biological mother, only gave birth to one daughter in her lifetime, right?"
"right."
Stone started scratching his head. What exactly did this fourth prince want? Why was he speaking in such a roundabout way? Couldn't he just say what he wanted to say directly?
"So, you and your sister aren't sisters with the same mother?"
Stone was about to break down. Was this ever going to end? "Yes!" After thinking for a moment, she finally couldn't help but blurt out, "Fourth Prince, what exactly do you want to ask? Can't we just say it directly?"
"You want me to be blunt?" The Fourth Prince stopped and gave Shi Tou a deep look. "Very well. I'll be blunt then. Miss Huo, would you be my princess consort?"
Puff puff puff!
Stone looked at the Fourth Prince with a bloodshot face: "Fourth Prince... never mind, you're still trying to beat around the bush."
The fourth prince's expression cracked slightly: "Miss Huo, are you unwilling?"
Shi Tou swallowed the blood that was stuck in his throat: "I don't want to."
"May I ask why?" The fourth prince was not annoyed, and still had a calm and indifferent expression.
"Because I'd feel inferior!" Stone said, seeing this. He then spoke the truth: "You're too beautiful. Being with you, I'd be too ashamed to live!"
The fourth prince's incomparably handsome face twisted in an instant.
Stone looked at her closely and said, "Sigh, even when she's angry, she's so beautiful. How can anyone live like this?"
"It's not my fault I look like this!" The fourth prince's tone held a hint of gritted teeth. "Do you think I don't want to look like my eldest brother?!"
"Your older brother?" Stone silently wiped his sweat. "He's not my type either."
"Oh?" The fourth prince leaned down, his eyes fixed intently on the stone. "So what kind do you like, Lin An?"
Shi Tou was startled: "Oh dear, how could I have forgotten about Brother Lin An!" Damn it! She shouldn't have told the truth just now. She should have just said that she had a fiancé, wouldn't that have been enough?
"Hehe..." The fourth prince suddenly chuckled softly: "So, you didn't take your fiancé seriously at all?"
While it is indeed true, please don't say it so directly, okay? It's hurtful.
Stone looked at the Fourth Prince with a resentful expression: "Fourth Prince, didn't His Highness the First Prince ask you to take me to the Sixth Princess? It's getting late."
"You're so eager to see Doragar?" The fourth prince stopped smiling and adopted a meaningful expression. "Doragar is the sixth princess of the royal family, one of His Majesty the King's only two children."
Stone nodded: "Judging from the Fourth Prince's appearance, I know that Princess Doragar must be very beautiful!"
Instantly, the fourth prince's face darkened.
Is this a compliment or an insult?
"I'm afraid it will be disappointing!" The fourth prince suddenly turned around and strode forward: "You've seen Xiaoyu before, isn't she pretty?"
"Not as elegant as the Fourth Prince's." Stone quickly jogged to catch up.
The fourth prince was so angry he almost fainted: "Doragard's looks are not even a tenth as good as Xiaoyu's!"
What?!