“The Duke of Phermont proposed a masquerade ball to celebrate the queen’s birthday and commemorate the trade negotiations between the two countries?”
Lady Line, upon hearing the news, hurriedly visited Ruela.
“Yes, Lady Line mentioned it. The queen wants to have a birthday party in the capital.”
“Well, that’s true. However, it’s strange that they suggested opening a masquerade ball just to celebrate a trade negotiation.”
“Even if it’s an event to celebrate the trade negotiations, suggesting a regular party as the queen wishes would make us seem too similar to them.”
“True. Especially now, with the queen going around everywhere, saying she wants a birthday party… If Duke Phermont suggested hosting a ball, he must have said something like that for sure.”
“Indeed, that seems to be what Lady Line is thinking as well?”
“Hmm.”
Lady Line let out a long sigh.
“She went to great lengths for this, but due to the queen’s opposition, the possibility of the masquerade ball happening is now gone.”
Ruela furrowed her brows as she set down her teacup.
“She opposed it?”
“Yes. She sent me as if suggesting that we should coordinate with each other. The queen wishes to have a birthday party for herself, where she can be the main character, so she wants Duke Phermont to follow along.”
“Please convey a refusal. I just mentioned that to offer a little help from our side, thinking the queen might want a birthday party there. However, I don’t want it to appear as if we have any connection with the queen.”
“What relationship can be suspected just because of the presence or absence of masks? I merely suggested the masquerade ball, but since the queen insists on a regular party, that should be fine.”
“Do you really think so? Won’t there be any suspicions? In my opinion, the queen seems to want to publicize that she or her person, Lady Line, has a good relationship with Elab’s diplomatic delegation.”
When Lady Line avoided eye contact, Ruela firmly added, “I won’t accommodate that.”
“But the queen wants an opportunity to announce that she has the support of Duke Phermont! Now, with the king’s condition being serious, this is the optimal time for such activities.”
“Are you planning to carry Elab’s diplomatic delegation on your back and seize power? In that case, we can’t grant the queen’s request for this masquerade ball even more. We have no intention of boarding a sinking ship.”
“A sinking ship?”
Ruela said with a cold expression.
“It seems our good connection ends here.”
Lady Line looked bewildered.
“What? Why is it suddenly like this?”
“Our queen doesn’t want unnecessary suspicions while interacting with people from a declining family. She doesn’t want to attract unwarranted attention, especially now that the king’s health prevents him from engaging in any external activities. This seems to be the optimal time to make such judgments.”
“A declining family?”
“The king said he wanted to push away the demons, but it doesn’t seem that straightforward. Why, are the nobles who agreed to work together afraid?”
With a direct question, Lady Line’s expression also stiffened.
“The Kingdom of Kurán is literally the country of the Kurán family. They founded the kingdom on their land from the beginning.”
“Did you realize that someone with a different surname cannot become king? So, establish a queen with the name of Kurán but not of their bloodline?”
Lady Line couldn’t provide any answer.
The silence was another affirmative sign, and Ruela nodded as if acknowledging.
“I thought they were intelligent, but they are so foolish.”
At Ruela’s words, Lady Line’s face twisted with anger.
“Why are you making such rude remarks?”
Ruela was getting annoyed. She now realized that her attempt to maintain a good relationship and infiltrate among the Kurán nobles was a mistake.
They were different from the beginning. While these people dreamed of rebellion, they were the privileged ones in the Kingdom of Kurán.
Those who sought to change the king for prosperity and those who sought to dismantle the existence of the kingdom were different from the start.
But didn’t Kite know about this? He had talked to Lady Line, so maybe not. If not, he must have known before even starting. There was an unbridgeable gap between the two factions.
There must have been a reason for him to interact with them. Despite the annoyance and disappointment, she couldn’t mess things up on her own. Moreover, there were still things to take advantage of.
She struggled to calm her emotions before finally speaking in a soft voice.
“Are you really planning to choose the queen and openly reveal it?”
“Of course, that’s not possible.”
Lady Line sharply retorted.
“Is the person who knows that telling us that? You should have blocked it yourself.”
Despite her arrogant tone, a soft smile was on her lips.
Lady Line couldn’t completely hide her puzzled expression as she asked.
“What are you talking about?”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
