L'hibiscus comme peinture

Chapitre 96

Winter has passed and spring has arrived. The ice and snow have melted, and warm spring has come. In this festival of welcoming the new year and bidding farewell to the old, the happiest person is none other than Ao Jun, who is most afraid of the cold. Although Jin Xuan gave him a jade flute, the cold wind was still very annoying. It was nothing like the warm sunshine of spring.

Sing softly:

The sun awakened the sleeping north.

The wings of the pigeons shimmered with light.

Unable to suppress the pent-up impulse any longer

The river of seasons is helpless.

The path of time is paved with bridges of desire.

ice layer collapse

The weathered wall vanished in an instant.

Fish leap out of the sea of suffering

A free ship is flying in the universe.

No one can stop the march of the mind.

The spring always gushes out with a loud bang under heavy pressure.

A voice calls out the name of the ancestors.

The sound of the mountain

The sound of water

It also gives people the urge to ride the waves and the inspiration of the tide.

Set sail on a light boat

Or mount a horse

The road lies ahead; the choice is yours.

The image of a tree

This moment is the most important to be noticed.

Pointing straight to the sky is the earth's joy.

This should be completely naked.

Undisguised body

Every inch of skin

It is a land full of life.

It doesn't matter whether you understand it or not.

I cannot put myself

In this season, the sea is outside the trend.

I am a smiling water droplet on spring's forehead.

The power of poets of our time is truly limited.

I can only face my own existence.

And use life to earn the marks of time.

Like a child waking from hibernation, Ao Jun was filled with youthful joy. Even though she didn't like crowds, she readily agreed to attend the state banquet held in the palace. Of course, there was another very important reason: tonight was also an important moment to introduce her nephew to the envoys from various countries, and her aunt was indispensable...

The palace was brightly decorated, festive, and full of life. The magnificent lights further highlighted the emperor's nobility and extravagance. The emperor sat majestically on the square dragon throne, smiling slightly, clearly in a good mood. Beside him sat the dignified and beautiful empress, who was also smiling happily. The empress and the emperor sitting on the same dragon throne was unprecedented, but this empress was the first to break the rule.

The first seated person on the lower right is the current Prince Jin, followed by the renowned Grand Tutor, the Crown Prince's most famous strategist. Next are military generals such as Wei Ziqi. On the left are a group of civil officials under Xiao Qiyuan, who is currently in charge of both local and urban affairs, as well as envoys from various countries. However, the Cangliao Kingdom is conspicuously absent. Originally, the Grand Tutor should have been seated on the left, but this Grand Tutor is a bit special. She entered the court through military achievements, so the emperor specially arranged for her to sit on the right, above the military generals. The real reason, hehe... is only known to the four of them.

At the emperor's signal, Eunuch Li unfurled a bright yellow imperial edict and loudly proclaimed: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Prince Ouyang Ling is honest, kind, and benevolent; he is hereby appointed Crown Prince. This is the imperial decree."

As soon as Eunuch Li finished reading, everyone knelt down and shouted in unison, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress! Long live the Crown Prince!"

Meanwhile, Ao Jun, who was also kneeling below, was extremely frustrated: Little Ou Yangling was not even a year old yet, and he already knew that he was simple, kind, and benevolent? That's too amazing! And how can I, as someone who loves him, have to kneel before my own nephew who was granted an official title?

Despite her frustration, she still had to go through the motions; she was already eye-catching enough, and she didn't want to become even more so.

In reality, this was just a formality. The emperor only had one empress, and the son born to the empress was undoubtedly the crown prince. Therefore, it was not surprising that the eldest prince was made crown prince while still an infant.

Next, of course, was the perfect opportunity for the ministers to flatter and fawn over their wives. The sisters, Ao Jun and Ao Xue, grew impatient with the monotonous congratulatory speeches, secretly yawning. Ao Xue fared slightly better, sitting at the very top of the table and earning frequent praise from the foreign envoys. Ao Jun, however, was different. She was carefree and yawned unabashedly, though to others it appeared elegant and charming in a unique way. The Ouyang brothers, completely oblivious to the ministers' flattery, were preoccupied with their loved ones. Seeing their childlike antics, they exchanged a knowing smile: their beloved wives were truly adorable!

The most difficult moment is finally over, and next up is the show. Although it will be boring, it's still better than listening to those pointless things.

Just as the program was about to begin, a eunuch rushed in and announced loudly, "Greetings, Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, Prince Zhongwu, and Prince Wuying have come to offer their congratulations to Your Majesty and the Crown Prince."

"What? The Prince of Zhongwu? Summon him quickly." Zhengxuan was slightly surprised upon hearing this, but he quickly recovered and smiled slightly, still maintaining the dignified demeanor of the Vice Emperor. However, his smile could not hide his excitement and joy.

One stone stirs up a thousand waves. In an instant, the entire hall was like a pot boiling over. Even Jin Xuan couldn't help but look up expectantly, his face showing a genuine smile and deep respect.

All of this was observed by the Ao sisters. Ao Xue had heard of the name of the Loyal and Martial King from the Emperor, so after a slight surprise, she didn't react much. However, she was very interested in what this renowned Loyal and Martial King looked like. According to Xiao Xuanzi, the Loyal and Martial King's real name was Chengwu. He fought in numerous battles during the late Emperor's reign, achieving great military exploits. He was the previous "God of War" and never fought a hundred battles in his life. Moreover, Jin Xuan was his mentor, and he was the elder whom Jin Xuan respected and admired the most. He had been the idol of the two brothers since childhood. What Ao Xue admired most was his indifference to fame and fortune. He retired after achieving success and, after being enfeoffed as the Loyal and Martial King by the late Emperor, he and his family lived in seclusion in the Jiangnan region, rarely returning to the capital. She never expected him to come this time, which explained why the Xiao Xuan brothers were so excited.

This commotion jolted Ao Jun, who was almost awake, awake. Jin Xuan's reaction puzzled her. She wondered who this Prince Zhongwu was and why the usually calm and composed Jin Xuan was so agitated.

As everyone eagerly awaited, a mature and composed middle-aged man stepped into the hall with light steps, followed by a stunningly beautiful woman. For a moment, all sounds fell silent as everyone stared intently at the middle-aged man who was walking towards the emperor.