An Unexpected Encounter at the State Banquet

Feng Qinghuang fled rapidly, but her pursuers were not slow either. Looking up, she saw another squad of Imperial Guards closing in from ahead, and a cold sweat broke out across her skin. Trapped between two forces, she made a choice—turn right!

"Halt, you audacious criminal!" the Commander of the Imperial Guards bellowed!

Feng Qinghuang, running a hundred paces ahead of them, glanced back as she shouted:

"Halt? Halt so you can catch me? Do you think this old lady is stupid?" No sooner had she spoken than another squad of guards appeared ahead! She decisively changed direction! Back in the day, forced by her father, she had successfully won an international marathon championship. For ordinary people to try and catch her was nothing but a pipe dream!

After weaving through nine twists and eighteen turns and evading various blockades, Feng Qinghuang was finally on the verge of losing her breath. Dammit, even a marathon champion couldn't handle being hunted by ten thousand soldiers! She had led the entire Imperial Guard on a chase through more than half the palace! Finally, the Commander behind her lost his patience and barked an order: "Fire arrows!"

The Emperor had said: seize her, dead or alive!

Shit! Arrows! Feng Qinghuang’s heart felt like it was about to burst. Half a meter ahead was another corner; as she lunged around it, she slammed into someone! Before she could even react, she was pulled into a room. *Slam!* The door shut. Outside, the pursuing guards reached the spot and lost the trail. The Commander shouted: "Spread out and search in all directions!"

The guards dispersed! Only then did Feng Qinghuang clutch her chest, trying to calm herself. That was close, way too close! Just as she finished catching her breath, a startled cry rang out: "Princess, where have you been? Dongling’s state banquet is about to begin! The First Prince is searching for you everywhere; he's nearly gone mad with worry!"

Princess? Feng Qinghuang looked up at the woman who had pulled her into the room. The woman had thick eyebrows, large eyes, and deep features, looking honest and sturdy. She had no martial arts but possessed great strength, which was how she had managed to haul Feng Qinghuang inside. At this moment, her face was full of anxiety and relief.

Seeing that she didn't speak, the maid hurried to help her up: "Quick! Quick! Quick! Apply makeup and change the Princess's attire! Send someone to inform the First Prince immediately; any later and we won't make it!"

She handed Feng Qinghuang over to another maid to change her clothes, casually taking the pack off her back. Opening it to check, she found it very strange—where did the Princess get so many treasures?

And so, Feng Qinghuang was dazed as she was made up! Once finished, she looked at the woman in the mirror. Her appearance was no different from her previous life, just four or five years younger. *Ah, not bad,* she thought, *transmigrating into a princess!* Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open!

Immediately, a magnificent and elegant voice, carrying three parts anger, drifted in: "Huang-er, how many times have I told you! This is Dongling, not Mobei. If you keep running around and something happens to you, how am I supposed to answer to Father!"

Feng Qinghuang turned her head and saw a man in a light blue brocade robe standing at the door. He was tall and graceful, exuding an air of nobility. His face was breathtakingly handsome, perhaps even more so than a woman's. Beneath sword-like eyebrows were peach blossom eyes that could steal one's soul, and a tear mole at the corner of his eye only added to his charm!

The maids, seeing Dantai Ji, knelt in unison and announced: "We welcome the First Prince!"

First Prince? Her biological brother. He was certainly bewitching enough, not at all inferior to that Crown Prince or the Emperor she had stuffed with socks! Feng Qinghuang was about to speak, but he didn't give her the chance. He only looked at her with an expression of disappointment, saying coldly: "Follow me to the state banquet first. I will punish you when we return!"

With that, he turned and walked away. Feng Qinghuang had no choice but to follow, her heart filled with unease. She had to be careful not to leave any clues. If she was discovered to be a soul inhabiting another body, she might be burned as a demon! While her mind wandered, they arrived at Xuanyuan Hall!

Inside Xuanyuan Hall, Huangfu Xuan sat upon the dragon throne with a darkened face! He had rinsed his mouth dozens of times today, yet the feeling of disgust in his heart had not faded. Those useless fools couldn't even catch a single woman within the palace! He gripped the smelly socks in his hand, as if he were crushing Feng Qinghuang a thousand times over! *Damned woman, if you dare show your face before me, I will surely take your life!*

In the grand hall, the envoys from various nations looked at Huangfu Xuan uneasily. The new Emperor of Dongling had ascended the throne, so why was there not a hint of joy on his face? It made their congratulations feel precarious!

At the entrance of the hall, several people approached. The leader wore ornate robes, his appearance handsome but not overly striking. Seeing Feng Qinghuang’s group, he greeted Dantai Ji: "First Prince of Mobei! What a pleasure to meet you!"

Dantai Ji also returned the greeting with an elegant smile: "Third Prince of Dongjin, I have heard much of your name!"

Feng Qinghuang’s heart skipped a beat! *Wait, state banquet, Mobei, Dongjin, then...* Thinking this, she pretended to be naive and asked: "Royal Brother, do all nations have to attend the state banquet?"

Dantai Ji didn't expect her to ask such a simple question, but seeing her so well-behaved for once, he answered gently: "Naturally!"

*Shit!* That meant at this banquet, she would meet the bewitching Crown Prince whose room she burned, and possibly the cold Emperor whose mouth she stuffed with socks?! A princess against an Emperor and a Crown Prince—the situation was dire! It was better to slip away: "Um, Royal Brother, I suddenly feel a bit dizzy. I won't attend the banquet; I'll head back first!"

"Halt!" Dantai Ji’s voice was full of annoyance. "Go back? What trouble are you planning to cause now? Follow me inside!"

His voice was gentle, but his tone brooked no argument.

*I can't go in!* Going in was almost certainly a death sentence. Either of those two was enough to kill her several times over, let alone both! While she was lamenting in her heart, the eunuch announced loudly: "The First Prince and Third Princess of Mobei have arrived! The Third Prince of Dongjin has arrived!"

"First Prince of Mobei, please, after you!" the Third Prince of Dongjin said politely.

Dantai Ji also responded courteously: "No, please, Third Prince, after you!"

Feng Qinghuang—no, now Dantai Huang—looked at the two of them irritably as they deferred to each other. Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly saw a peerless man in a silver brocade robe strolling toward them from the west. This man, no matter where he appeared, was like the moon among stars, the center of all attention. His elegance was unmatched!

Dantai Huang swallowed hard! It was that monster again! Seeing him approaching while the two at the door were still saying "after you," she reached out with both hands and pushed the two princes aside: "You two can take your time; I'm going in first!"

Not far away, Jun Qinglan happened to glance toward the entrance for some reason. Seeing nothing unusual, he slowly withdrew his gaze.

Dantai Ji’s face darkened slightly, and the Third Prince of Dongjin, Zhongli Cheng, also looked a bit stiff! He had long heard that the Third Princess of Mobei was the most overbearing princess under heaven; seeing her today, her reputation was indeed well-deserved—she was even more than he had imagined!

Dantai Huang entered the hall, looked up, and sucked in a breath of cold air! The person sitting on the main seat was none other than the Emperor she had stuffed with smelly socks! At the same moment she looked at Huangfu Xuan, he naturally saw her too. Instantly, his golden eyes flashed with killing intent, and his thin lips curled into a cold smile, like a predator spotting its prey.

A cold sweat broke out on the back of Dantai Huang’s neck as she stood awkwardly in place. Inside the hall was the freezing Emperor, and outside was the bewitching Crown Prince. *Truly, this is the end of me!*