C1 Reluctantly

Qiezi.

In the current world, there were countless female officials in the imperial court, so Pearl Country was full of Yin and Yang. It was normal for a woman to have a few male pets. The brothels no longer stood out in the flower streets and alleys.

Although women were dominant, many families still followed the rules left by their ancestors. There were many men's concubines in the backyard.

How could a family be distinguished between men and women? It depended on whether a woman wore a veil or a man wore a flute.

If a woman wore a veil to cover her face, it meant that the man was in charge of the family. A man could have three wives and four concubines, but a woman could only be loyal to one person.

If a man had a flute at his waist, it would mean that the woman was in charge of the family. The woman could have several male pets, but the man could only serve one person.

Therefore, there was a huge gap between everyone in Pearl Country. Some people thought that women should stay at home and take care of their husbands and children, while others thought that women should also go out and make a living.

Rolled up.

In a Princess' Mansion mansion in the capital, Dugu Jingyu entered the room and took off the golden silk veil on her face. She held a bowl of steaming chicken soup in her hand and carefully placed it on the desk.

Dugu Jingyu's actions caused the man sitting at the desk to put down his book and gracefully stand up and bow politely. "Greetings, Princess."

Dugu Jingyu's face revealed a gentle smile, and she raised her hand slightly to signal for the man to sit down. "There's no need for this between you and me."

The man returned to his seat and continued to read, his beautiful face hidden by the books. From the moment Dugu Jingyu had entered, the man's eyes had never met Dugu Jingyu's.

Dugu Jingyu brought the chicken soup forward a little and said tentatively in a soft voice, "Zhu, this is chicken soup I made myself. Try it."

"I am the same age as the princess, so you can call me by my full name, Zhu Qing." Zhu Qing glanced at the chicken soup on the table and said in disdain, "I appreciate the princess's kind intentions."

Dugu Jingyu sighed dejectedly. Seeing that Zhu Qing's cold eyes did not anger her, she continued to speak with vigor, "Three years ago today was our great day, and today is my birthday, can Prince Consort accompany me out for a stroll? I heard there's a new peach cake shop in the east of the city. Let's go and try it. '"

Zhu Qing did not say anything for a long time, making the air very quiet. After a long while, Zhu Qing finally opened his mouth and said indifferently, "I don't like eating peach cake, so I won't go with the princess."

Dugu Jingyu muttered in a low voice, "Isn't the peach blossom cake your favorite?"

Zhu Qing continued to read as if he had not heard Dugu Jingyu's words. Dugu Jingyu did not give up and continued, "There are still many delicious foods in the market, such as jujube soufflé, donkey rolls, and poria sandwiches. These are all your favorite foods."

Zhu Qing turned a page of the book and slowly replied, "I have no appetite. Princess, please go by yourself."

Dugu Jingyu was annoyed by Zhu Qing's indifference this time. Dugu Jingyu snatched the book from Zhu Qing's hands and said impatiently, somewhat aggrieved, "We've been married for three years, can you not be so cold to me? Yes, I know you married me because I put pressure on you. But I didn't treat you unfairly or force you to marry me. Shouldn't your heart be warm even if it is frozen for ten thousand years?"

Only then did Zhu Qing glance at Dugu Jingyu, but it was only for a short moment. Then, without anger or words, he directly picked up another book and started flipping through it.

Just as Dugu Jingyu wanted to continue speaking, a knock sounded on the door, followed by the Prince Consort's voice. "Reporting to Princess, Princess Pingyang's personal palace maid, Zhiqin, requests an audience. Zhiqin said that Princess Pingyang has held a birthday banquet for Princess, inviting Princess and Prince Consort to the banquet."

This time, Dugu Jingyu finally caught a chance. Dugu Jingyu tugged at Zhu Qing's sleeve. "I spoke too loudly just now. I'm sorry. Princess Pingyang is my aunt, just come with me! Just treat it as giving me and my aunt some face."

Zhu Qing pulled back a small piece of clothing that Dugu Jingyu was holding in his hand. "I have never liked to attend banquets, and I have just accompanied you to the palace's formal banquet. Princess, please go to such a private banquet yourself."

Dugu Jingyu tugged at Zhu Qing's sleeve again, and looked at Zhu Qing with a face full of supplication and hope, but Zhu Qing's gaze was always on the book, and he did not care about Dugu Jingyu.

"Alas." After a long time, Dugu Jingyu let go of Zhu Qing's sleeve and sighed deeply. She knew that it was hopeless.

As soon as Dugu Jingyu came out of the study, she saw the palace maid Zhiqin of Ping Yang Princess waiting outside the door. "Princess, this way please."

Dugu Jingyu nodded her head and looked coldly at the group of palace maids who belonged to her standing at the door. The warmth in her eyes had disappeared, as if she had become another person.

"Zhichun, Zhixia will follow me to Princess' Mansion, and the rest of you will stay in Princess' Mansion."

Before Zhichun and Zhixia could respond, Zhiqin spoke first, "My princess said that it was just an ordinary family banquet. Princess Changle, you don't need to bring palace maids with you. The Princess' Mansion has its own arrangements."

Dugu Jingyu thought that she would be back in a while, and there wasn't much point in bringing a palace maid, so she listened to Zhiqin's words and sat alone in the carriage prepared by the Princess' Mansion without any palace maid.

Although Dugu Jingyu had to call Princess Pingyang Aunt, this Princess Pingyang was a daughter born when the empress was forty-nine years old, and was still the same age as Dugu Jingyu.

Dugu Jingyu lifted the curtain on the carriage, wanting to see the scenery outside the window, but Dugu Jingyu discovered that this route was not the path to Ping Yang Princess.

Dugu Jingyu pushed open the carriage door and asked the groom and Zhiqin, "Where are we going? Shouldn't Princess' Mansion be going to the south alley?"

"Reporting to Princess Pingyang, everything was arranged by Princess Pingyang. Princess Pingyang can get out of the car when we arrive."

Her aunt Pingyang was on good terms with her in the entire capital, so Dugu Jingyu did not think too much about it and returned to the carriage.

Dugu Jingyu hung the curtain and continued to watch the scenery outside the window. By this time, the sun had long since set in the west, and the streets and alleys were dark.

Dugu Jingyu did not know where she was, but she could clearly see that there were many people on this street, and even in the carriage she could hear the strains of music.

Slowly, Dugu Jingyu realized that something was wrong. There were a lot of gorgeously dressed women or handsome men standing in front of every shop outside this street.

Dugu Jingyu opened the door just as the carriage stopped in front of a magnificent building. Dugu Jingyu quickly put on her veil and said angrily, "Where did you bring me?"

"This was all arranged by the princess. Please get out of the carriage." Zhiqin and the groom were the first to get out of the carriage and set up the steps for Dugu Jingyu to get off.

Dugu Jingyu naturally knew that she had been arranged to a messy place, and ordered with a frown, "Send me back to the residence."

Zhiqin ignored Dugu Jingyu's words and waited in front of the car door for Dugu Jingyu to get off. Dugu Jingyu then ordered a few more times. Zhiqin seemed to be deaf, and only knew how to say, "Please get out of the car, Princess."

The carriage that Dugu Jingyu was in was extremely eye-catching. The body of the carriage was made of sandalwood inlaid with gold, and every wheel was painted red. There were four fine horses pulling in front, and each of them was wearing exquisite silver armor.

The most eye-catching thing was the Night-Luminescent Pearl that was as big as two fists on the roof of the carriage. Usually, these Night-Luminescent Pearls were placed at home to be admired. Not many people would be so generous as to set them on the carriage.

The door of the carriage faced the crowded street, so from the moment the carriage stopped, Dugu Jingyu had attracted a lot of attention. Dugu Jingyu was thin-skinned, and naturally did not want anyone to recognize her in such a place, so she gritted her teeth and got off first.

Dugu Jingyu, who had gotten out of the car, was about to walk back to her residence, but was stopped by Zhiqin. "Princess, this way please."

"Aunt knows that I don't like this kind of place. Just go back to her. Move aside, I'm going back to the mansion."

Dugu Jingyu pushed Zhiqin away Ministry Lee a little and lowered her head, preparing to leave this place, but Zhiqin leaned forward with a smile on her face. "Of course my princess knows that the princess doesn't like this place, and it's only because Ministry Lee chose this place because the princess is here. Princess, come in with me. My princess says she won't force you. "

Dugu Jingyu was so angry that she almost rolled her eyes and coldly said two words," Move aside. "

"My princess told me that I must invite the princess in no matter what, otherwise, this servant will be punished and beaten. Princess, please pity this servant."

Zhiqin said it with grievance, but Dugu Jingyu still had to leave.

"I'll say it again, move aside."

Zhiqin's face became even more pitiful as she said pitifully, "If this servant is beaten up, then so be it. It's just that I have a good personal relationship with many of the Princess' Mansion's palace maids. If this servant is punished, they will definitely come to visit. If they ask me why this servant is punished, this servant can only tell them the truth. I just don't know if the news of Princess coming to Flower Willow Street will reach Prince Consort's ears... What will happen?"

In the three years she had been married to Zhu Qing, Dugu Jingyu had always been very careful. Naturally, she would not let such a thing reach Zhu Qing's ears. Dugu Jingyu pointed at Zhiqin and said, "You... You and aunt have obviously been planning this for a long time."

Zhiqin revealed a smile on her face and said respectfully, "Yes, yes, yes. You can say whatever you want, but please come in with me. In that case, no one will know about what happened today. Besides, my princess has said that she will not force you to do anything."

Helpless, Dugu Jingyu and Zhiqin entered this flowery Floating Immortal House. As soon as they entered the building, Dugu Jingyu smelled an intoxicating fragrance that made her want to take a few more breaths.

On the stage in the main hall a number of handsome men and women of all kinds were seated on either side of the table, and from time to time their obscenities could be heard.

The thin gauze on the roof was gently fluttering, and from time to time, some flower petals would fall off the gauze. Due to the dim light, it made people intoxicated, and even made people feel like they were drunk before drinking.

It was Dugu Jingyu's first time in a place like this, and everything in the building was so unsightly in her eyes that Dugu Jingyu kept her head down.