Chu Changsheng deliberately had someone inquire about the He family.

Miss He Jingru, the eldest daughter of the He family, had an engagement arranged at sixteen. A few days before the wedding, Lady He suddenly died.

Originally, a woman could marry during the mourning period for hot mourning, but He Jingru, out of filial piety, insisted on observing the full three-year mourning period before marrying. As a result, the engagement was broken off.

After the mourning period ended, she was already nineteen.

In the capital, many women of this age already had several children. For unmarried women, marriage prospects became exceptionally difficult. One delay led to another, and she reached twenty years old.

She wanted to see this Miss He with her own eyes, so she held a flower-viewing banquet in the palace.

To avoid being too conspicuous, she sent invitations to several young ladies from families of lower standing.

After entering the palace, He Jingru still couldn’t quite process what was happening.

The Eldest Princess had actually sent her an invitation to enter the palace for a flower-viewing banquet?

Her father was merely a newly promoted sixth-rank minor official. With her status, she had no qualification to enter the palace at all.

Various thoughts ran through He Jingru’s mind, but her expression remained very composed as she followed the young eunuch to the Eldest Princess’s palace.

This was her first time entering the palace. Before entering, her grandmother had specially found someone to teach her palace etiquette. She was brought before Chu Changsheng and curtsied: “This subject pays respects to the Eldest Princess.”

Chu Changsheng smiled: “You must be Miss He. Don’t be nervous. Lift your head and let me take a look at you.”

Only then did He Jingru raise her head.

This was her first time seeing the legendary Eldest Princess, and she couldn’t believe her eyes.

The Eldest Princess was so beautiful, so incredibly beautiful. No words could describe the Eldest Princess’s beauty. Yet this beautiful person was now holding her hand, making her feel honored beyond measure.

“Miss He, accompany me to change my clothes.”

Chu Changsheng stood up and walked toward the back. He Jingru followed in a daze.

She was led to a pavilion in the rear. Looking from afar, she could only see a bright yellow figure sitting in the pavilion.

In the palace, the only person who could wear clothes of this color, besides the current Emperor, who else could it be?

He Jingru’s breathing suddenly became rapid.

She still remembered that year when she was eleven, the eight-year-old Emperor ascended the throne. Many people were not optimistic because the Emperor was too young.

But immediately after, the young Emperor developed naval weapons and conquered the Dongling island nation. Now, the small territory of Dongling had become part of Great Jin’s territory.

Following that, the young Emperor issued many policies for the people’s welfare, reducing taxes and making life much easier for the common people.

At the same time, the young Emperor broadened the channels for talent selection. It was during this time that her father had the opportunity to become a court official.

Over these years, the young Emperor had also dealt with corrupt officials…

The young Emperor worked diligently at governance. In these short eight or nine years, Great Jin had taken on a completely different appearance. Everyone lived and worked in peace and contentment—truly a prosperous era.

She greatly admired the young Emperor. Three years younger than her, yet able to govern the country so well.

They drew closer and closer.

He Jingru lowered her head, not daring to breathe heavily.

“Elder Brother, I’m going in to change my clothes. Don’t frighten my guest.”

Chu Changsheng dropped this sentence and strode into the side chamber.

He Jingru hastily curtsied: “This subject pays respects to Your Majesty.”

“No need for formality.” Chu Hongyu looked at her. “Miss He, please sit.”

He Jingru didn’t dare sit at all.

She vaguely felt that the Emperor’s voice seemed somewhat familiar, as if she had heard it somewhere before.

But this was her first time entering the palace, her first time seeing the Emperor. How could she have heard this voice before?

“Miss He didn’t act this way at the Chen family.” Chu Hongyu frowned. “I tell you to sit, so please sit.”

He Jingru froze.

How would the Emperor know what she was like at the Chen family?

She really couldn’t hold back. She raised her head and looked at the young man sitting before her.

Dressed in bright yellow dragon robes displaying overwhelming authority, that face… she had indeed seen it before.

He Jingru’s eyes widened: “You’re Yu Hong!”

When she had stayed briefly at the Chen family, her cousin Chen San often brought a group of children to play, and they frequently met in the back garden.

This Yu Hong was Chen San’s best friend. The two were so close they practically wore the same pants.

But how had that Yu Hong become the Emperor?

He Jingru thought of the Emperor’s name—Chu Hongyu. Hongyu, reversed, was exactly Yu Hong, wasn’t it?

She stared in disbelief with wide eyes.

One was her cousin’s friend, whom she considered a little brat.

The other was the supreme Emperor, an existence she would look up to and respect her entire life.

These two people had become one person.

She was completely confused, having no idea how to react.

“Miss He has been staring at me for quite a while now.” Chu Hongyu spoke unhurriedly. “How much longer do you plan to stare?”

“This subject is guilty!”

He Jingru was frightened and quickly lowered her head.

Chu Hongyu frowned: “Am I that frightening?”

He Jingru kept her head lowered, completely unsure how to answer.

“Actually, I had the Eldest Princess hold the flower-viewing banquet to invite you to the palace.”

As soon as he said this, He Jingru was startled again.

This meant the flower-viewing banquet was held for her sake?

She quickly said: “This subject is terrified.”

“I want to ask you something.” Chu Hongyu went straight to the point. “Are you willing to become my Empress?”

“Wh-what?” He Jingru raised her head again, her eyes nearly popping out. “Your Majesty, what did you just say?”

“I said, are you willing to enter the palace as Empress?” Chu Hongyu looked into her eyes. “As long as you nod, I will immediately hold the Empress investiture ceremony.”

He Jingru was completely speechless. After a long pause, she stammered: “This subject is of lowly status and cannot match the position of Empress… Moreover, this subject is three years older than Your Majesty, which would dishonor Your Majesty’s dignity… This subject still has matters to attend to and will take her leave first…”

She had come in a daze and left in a rush, without even taking a sip of the tea on the table.

Chu Changsheng immediately emerged from behind the screen, stamping her foot: “Elder Brother, you were too direct! You frightened Miss He away. Couldn’t you take it slowly?”

Chu Hongyu pressed his lips together: “The He family is currently arranging a marriage match for her. If we take it slowly, she might marry someone else.”

He still remembered that three or four years ago, when he went to the Chen family, He Jingru was staying briefly at the Chen family.

At that time, she was observing mourning. When news of her fiancé breaking off the engagement reached the Chen family, she hid alone under the flower trellis, crying and crying.

He had long known that the person in her heart was her fiancé.

But the fiancé was unwilling to wait three years for her. After breaking the engagement, he married someone else. She was heartbroken for a very long time.

Now that three or four years had passed, she should have moved on.

And he should take the initiative.

The inner palace truly needed a mistress.

At this moment, He Jingru returned to the He household in a daze. She even suspected that everything she had just experienced was a dream—it was too surreal.

“Elder Sister, how was it?”

“Was the Eldest Princess’s flower banquet beautiful?”

A group of younger brothers and sisters surrounded her with questions.

He Jingru came back to her senses: “Everything was good.”

“Did you see the Emperor?” Even Lord He came over. Although he was a court official, he was merely sixth rank and had no qualification to attend morning court in the hall. Each time he could only kneel outside the great hall. He couldn’t hear clearly what was being discussed inside, let alone catch a glimpse of the Emperor.

He Jingru nodded: “I saw him.”

“Elder Sister, you’re amazing! You’re the first person in our family to see the Emperor!”

“What does the Emperor look like? Does he look like a deity?”

“Elder Sister, tell us quickly!”

“…”