The Ninth Princess looked at Ning Chen shyly.

Ning Chen quietly covered his face. That makeup was terrifying.

"Hungry?"

The Ninth Princess nodded, a pitiful look on her little face. She had had nothing to eat since the night before, and nothing to drink either.

Ning Chen took her hand and led her to the table.

There were pastries on it.

"Have some pastries first to line your stomach. I'll have somebody bring you something else to eat in a while."

The old matron grew anxious. "You must not. The rite is not complete, and the princess may not take food."

Ning Chen's brows drew together, and he looked at the old matron. "You. Out."

"This???"

Difficulty was written all over the old matron's face.

Ning Chen narrowed his eyes and smiled. "I said... out."

The old matron hurried out. This Prince Who Holds the Realm had fought on battlefields, and he had a bad temper.

"Eat, quickly!"

"Hee hee... I can finally eat something!"

Ning Chen smiled. "Wash your face in a while."

The Ninth Princess made a small sound of assent and muttered, "You think it's very ugly too, don't you? This princess was born beautiful, and they had to go and make me up like this. I looked in the mirror and it scared me, and they still said it was festive."

Ning Chen said, "Here's what we'll do. Eat a little now, and I'll have a meal sent up to you in a while."

Prince Duan had come back to the capital from as far off as Xiuzhou for a princess's great wedding, and so had the Fourth Prince and the other princes of the blood.

They had come to offer their congratulations, and it would not do to leave them sitting there.

The Ninth Princess nodded.

Ning Chen went outside.

A great banquet had been laid out in the residence, and the whole court, civil and military, had come... including the censors and the inspecting officials.

They did not like Ning Chen, but they could not refuse the Ninth Princess the courtesy.

Ning Chen made…