SFL Chapter 60

On the other side, Feng Yuning watched a group of handsome men walk away from her, feeling her heart shatter.

“Sis, don’t you want to spend more time with Young Master Mo?” Feng Yuning didn’t understand why Feng Yuan, who had clearly shown interest in Mo Ziqing, would leave at this moment.

Feng Yuan glanced at Feng Yuning. After distancing herself from Mo Ziqing, she had regained her usual composure, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. “In a little while, your brother-in-law will enter the palace, and then I’ll have plenty of time to see him.”

Her words made Feng Yuning’s heart ache with a sourness that highlighted the gap between her and Mo Ziqing even more.

It was impossible for the two of them, and from now on, she could only cherish his existence in her heart. Thinking of this, it felt as if a large piece of her heart had gone empty.

Feng Yuan noticed her dim expression, her gaze turning slightly cold. By the time Feng Yuning looked over, that coldness had vanished without a trace.

Not long after staying in the plum garden, Feng Yuan took Feng Yuning back to the palace, leaving Feng Yuning, who still wanted to linger, to sigh as she followed her sister away.

Compared to the handsome men, Feng Yuning clearly knew who she should follow. Although Feng Yuan was her older sister, their lack of emotional connection made her feel that her status as the Princess Ning or Wangye was no different from that of ordinary royal relatives. After all, Feng Yuan had more than just one sister.

Feng Yuning eagerly followed Feng Yuan back to the palace.

Meanwhile, in the plum garden, Mo Ziqing had a bit to drink, his presence enveloped in a sharp, intoxicating scent that made the other young men envious.

As the group finished their meal in the plum garden, the gathering began to wind down.

Mo Ziyan, concerned about her brother, came over to escort him home. The sound of her jingling accessories caught many people’s attention. Mo Ziyan had never received such focus from young men before, making her feel awkward as she instinctively tightened her expression.

Her outfit closely resembled Mo Ziqing’s, prompting one of the young men to ask, “Are you Ziqing’s sister?”

“Yes, I’m Mo Ziyan, here to take my brother home,” she replied nervously.

While she could maintain her composure when facing women, her face quickly turned red in front of the men.

The young men, playfully teasing the similarly dressed girl, laughed as they went inside to fetch Mo Ziqing.

“Ziyan, are we leaving?” Mo Ziqing asked lazily as he stepped out from the room.

She resembled a charming, seductive fox spirit, completely lacking the dignified demeanor of a minister’s son.

At that moment, Mo Ziyan felt that all the young men around her paled in comparison to her brother.

Is this really her brother?!

As she got closer, Mo Ziyan caught the scent of alcohol on Mo Ziqing and frowned slightly. “Big Brother, let’s go home.”

After saying goodbye to the other young men, Mo Ziyan took Mo Ziqing home with her.

On the way back, slightly tipsy, Mo Ziqing held Mo Ziyan’s hand and asked if she had a crush on any young man. If she did, she should settle it quickly, as there might not be another chance.

Mo Ziyan raised an eyebrow, her expression serious and very much resembling Mo Ziqing. “Big Brother, I plan to focus on my studies first and then think about marriage.”

Being quite a bit younger than Mo Ziqing, she seemed a bit naive. Mo Ziqing’s eyes brightened slightly as he said to his younger sister, “I’m not trying to trick you. If you don’t settle down soon, you might end up single, and you’ll have no one to blame but me for not reminding you.”

Mo Ziyan was taken aback. “It can’t be that serious, can it?”

“How could there be none? Just wait, you’ll see soon enough,” Mo Ziqing said.

He had only just realized that when the female lead collected a series of outstanding men for herself, what would happen to the other women? He couldn’t just stand by and let his sister remain single.

Mo Ziyan was still young, and Mo Ziqing was already worrying about her future.

After chatting with Mo Ziyan through the carriage window for a while, Mo Ziqing sank into the soft interior of the carriage and slowly fell asleep to the rhythmic sound of the wheels.

It was the minister’s husband who woke him up. “Get up, wash up; your mother is calling for you.”

Mo Ziqing’s mother was the current prime minister. She was extremely busy and rarely called him over specifically.

Once the minister’s husband roused him from his stupor and helped him change into clean robes, they went to the front courtyard with Mo Ziyan.

“Ziqing, come here; I have something to discuss with you,” the prime minister said with a warm smile, beckoning him over.

As Mo Ziqing sat beside his mother, the prime minister carefully studied his features. He inherited the best traits from both parents, surpassing them in beauty. The prime minister couldn’t help but exclaim, “In the blink of an eye, my son has grown up so much.”

“It’s no wonder the Queen can’t stop thinking about you; she’s preparing to have you enter the palace early,” the prime minister said.

The minister’s husband and Mo Ziyan instinctively looked up. “Enter the palace early?”

“Yes, today the Queen specifically summoned me to ask if we could arrange for Ziqing to enter the palace sooner. What do you think, Ziqing?” the prime minister explained.

Since Mo Ziqing’s position was already established, it didn’t make much difference whether he entered early or late. However, the prime minister worried that his father might be reluctant to let him go.

“What does Mother think?” Mo Ziqing asked for his mother’s opinion.

The prime minister glanced at her husband and replied, “Entering the palace early is certainly a good thing, as it shows the Queen’s favor. You’ll also have more time to build a relationship with him. But, of course, we’ll all feel a bit reluctant since the time until your entry is already so short.”

“Then let Ziqing enter the palace early,” the minister’s husband said, his brows showing reluctance but his voice firm.

Compared to the brief family reunion, the advantages of their son entering the palace early were far more significant.

Mo Ziyan hadn’t expected her brother to leave so soon, catching her off guard. However, she understood that entering early would benefit Mo Ziqing, and despite her reluctance, she remained silent.

In light of the family’s decision, Mo Ziqing obediently agreed. Noticing the sadness on Mo Ziyan’s face, he smiled and said, “It’s not like we won’t see each other again. Big Brother is counting on you to support him in the harem when you grow up.”

With those words, Mo Ziyan felt a renewed sense of purpose and quickly perked up. “Wait for me, Big Brother! I’ll grow up fast and help you on the court!”

At this moment, the Mo family had no idea that once Mo Ziqing entered the palace, he would receive the Queen’s exclusive favor. They were merely preparing for a future where he would be unmatched in the harem.

Mo Ziqing’s entry into the palace was anything but low-key. He wore a stunning crimson wedding gown, arrived in a grand red flower palanquin, accompanied by a ten-mile procession of decorations and joy.

On the wide street, Feng Yuning stood among the crowd, watching the bright red palanquin. Upon realizing who was inside, she felt no joy from the celebrations around her; instead, her heart was filled with bitterness.

Although Mo Ziqing hadn’t spoken much to her and they weren’t particularly close, seeing him being sent to the palace in such grandeur made her feel a sharp sense of loss, as if she had lost a part of herself.

Perhaps it was Mo Ziqing’s striking appearance that made Feng Yuning feel that if he couldn’t belong to her, he shouldn’t belong to anyone else. Yet, that deep-seated fantasy was shattered by reality.

“Miss, are you alright?” a charming voice spoke beside her, pulling Feng Yuning back to her senses. She noticed that she had absentmindedly moved her feet, almost colliding with the guards maintaining order, but fortunately, someone had stopped her in time.

“Thank you, sir…” Feng Yuning began to express her gratitude, but fell silent as she took in the man’s handsome features.

This world was too kind to someone like her, who was infatuated with beauty; even a random passerby was remarkably attractive.

Loyal to her preference for looks, Feng Yuning quickly became captivated by this new handsome man, completely forgetting about Mo Ziqing.

Meanwhile, in the palace, Feng Yuan also wore festive attire, standing atop a high platform. From her vantage point, she could see the route of Mo Ziqing’s bright red palanquin winding its way toward the palace gates.

Finally, as Mo Ziqing’s palanquin arrived at the entrance, Feng Yuan hurried down to personally welcome him.

Seeing how much the Queen valued the occasion heightened the spirits of the palace attendants below.

As Mo Ziqing entered the palace, he lifted the curtain of the flower palanquin, his face partially obscured by a red veil. With the help of the palace attendants, he ascended the special palanquin meant for the King, heading toward the central palace, which would be his future residence.

The bright red veil concealed both his features and thoughts. Coming from a matriarchal world, this was his first marriage, and it left him feeling a mix of nerves.

Once again, Mo Ziqing confirmed the system’s reading of Feng Yuan’s feelings toward him—still at 100%. This number brought him some comfort.

As Feng Yuan watched her new groom approach step by step in the palanquin, her heart raced with each inch they drew closer.

Just as the palanquin was only a few steps away from the Queen, it came to a smooth stop, the light veil outside fluttering slightly. The red veil lifted ever so slightly, revealing Mo Ziqing’s features, partially hidden yet striking.

In that moment, Feng Yuan felt as if she could see his youthful brows and eyes, the boy in the red wedding gown radiating brilliance as he walked toward her.

“Your Majesty,” she heard Mo Ziqing’s voice call out to her, and when she regained her composure, he was already bowing before her.

“Ziqing, please get up,” Feng Yuan said, moving to help him. As her hand touched his wrist, warmth spread through her.

Although he had entered the palace early, it didn’t mean they would consummate their marriage today. After all, entering the bridal chamber too soon wouldn’t be good for either of them.

Yet, even without that, Feng Yuan wanted to see Mo Ziqing as much as possible. She wanted him close, to have him beside her for her own peace of mind.

She didn’t understand why she felt so anxious, pushing herself to act quickly.

Now that he was in the palace, her heart felt more settled.

“Ziqing, do you blame me for bringing you here early?” Feng Yuan asked, looking down at him.

“Won’t Your Majesty lift my veil first?” Mo Ziqing replied, his eyes narrowing beneath the bright red cover.

“I’m afraid that if I see your eyes, I might not be able to ask certain questions,” Feng Yuan said with a smile.

She realized she had no resistance against this young man, which was not good news for a ruler.