Two hours later, the convoy safely arrived at the gates of the White Palace, where the Queen was already outside, eagerly awaiting their arrival.
Although the Queen was quite elderly, she seemed to be at the forefront of fashion. She wore a purple-pink dress with a pink woolen jacket on top, and a pink hat adorned her head.
The older a woman gets, the more she seems to favor these pinkish hues. Fang Jueyu once doubted this saying, but now, it seemed true; it was the younger girls nowadays who preferred that chic black style.
"She's quite old yet still comes out to greet me; it can't be easy for the old lady," Fang Jueyu thought. Out of respect for the elderly, he didn't let Queen Yisha'er come over to greet him. Instead, he quickly got out of the car and walked toward her.
When the Queen saw Fang Jueyu, it was as if she saw Fang Jueyu's grandfather in his youth. Back then, Queen Yisha'er was also a legendary beauty, with aristocratic lineage and admirers lining up for miles outside the White Palace. She fell in love with Fang Jueyu's grandfather at first sight, but unfortunately, his grandfather wasn't interested in her.
"Queen Yisha'er, it's an honor that you came out to meet me!" Fang Jueyu said in a gentleman-like manner, hugging the Queen lightly. Despite her age, her taste was exquisite, and her perfume was clearly high-end.
"Fang Jueyu! Hahaha!" The Queen laughed, her face full of wrinkles. "The last time I saw you, you were just this big, and now twenty years have passed in a blink. You've grown into a handsome young man, cut from the same mold as your grandfather and father!"
"Queen, you've met me before?" Fang Jue smiled and said, "You're like an elder to me, just call me Little Fang."
"Of course, back when you were just a child, your parents often visited here. They always brought you along," she reminisced, as if it were just yesterday. "However, later on, your parents wanted you to experience an ordinary life, so our interactions lessened."
"So that's how it was." Fang Jueyu wondered if he had visited all the noble homes across Europe when he was young.
"You were quite a mischievous child!" Queen Yisha'er seemed to recall some of Fang Jueyu's childhood antics. "Once, when your parents visited Prince Gudor's home, you insisted on riding a big horse and ended up wetting your pants on the Prince's neck. You almost got a spanking from your father Fang Huai!"
"Wow, was I that badass as a kid?" Fang Jueyu was unaffected by the stories the Queen told, but riding on a prince's neck and peeing was quite a feat that no one else could replicate. Anyone else would've probably been killed in the street.
"Haha, host, you were quite the troublemaker as a child," Akatsuki laughed. "Once, while dining at the White Palace, you accidentally knocked over a candle, burning down dozens of priceless paintings and antiques!"
"And then?" Fang Jueyu asked.
"Then your dad gave them back ten times the value of what was lost."
"My dad sure is extravagant!" Fang Jueyu laughed. That seemed like something Fang Huai would do.
"Hurry inside now, the weather's a bit chilly, you don't want to catch a cold outside!" The Queen quickly ushered them in. If it was a Huaxia elder, Fang Jueyu might have almost suspected Queen Yisha'er to be his grandmother.
Due to the time difference, it was evening in England. Queen Yisha'er had already prepared a splendid dinner. Zhuang Ying's body wasn't as strong as Fang Jueyu's and Gu Yi's, so she needed some time to adjust to the time difference. She went to her room under the guidance of the servants.
Queen Yisha'er kindly held Fang Jueyu's hand, seating him beside her at the dinner table. "I don't know what you like to eat, but my chef can make some Huaxia dishes. I hope you'll enjoy them."
"Queen, there's no need to be so polite, I'm not that picky," Fang Jueyu said, feeling a bit uneasy about being treated as a distinguished guest in such royal settings.
"Let me first introduce our guest from Huaxia," the Queen's expression turned slightly more serious. The once whispering princes, princesses, and other royal members immediately quieted down. The Queen's authority in the royal family was unparalleled.
"His name is Fang Jueyu. The English royal family and the Fang Family from Huaxia have been friends for generations. Their family has helped our country countless times, always lending a generous hand. They are our best friends, so I hope during his stay in England, each of you will treat him as the most esteemed guest!"
Then the Queen switched back to a warm, friendly smile, her change of expressions faster than a face-changing act in Chinese opera. She began introducing each of the royal family members present to Fang Jueyu.
"Little Fang, this is Prince William. He's 37 years old. This is Princess Kevra, she's 25 and doesn't have a boyfriend yet!"
Every time she introduced a princess, the Queen would go all out to highlight her virtues, while she barely mentioned those who were already married or had boyfriends, leaving those princesses in quite an awkward spot.
"By the way, Little Fang, I heard you're still studying, is that right?"
"Yes, I'm in my senior year," Fang Jueyu replied.
"Then you must not be married yet?" Queen Yisha'er's face was filled with anticipation.
"Mmhmm." Fang Jueyu nodded.
"That's fantastic!" Queen Yisha'er clapped her hands in glee like a child. She had always been confident that if Fang Jueyu's grandfather hadn't met his grandmother back when he visited England, she might have taken that place.
What she couldn't achieve, she was determined to make sure her descendants could.
"What do you think of my princesses?"
"Uh... the princesses are all beautiful, graceful, and dignified, fitting of royal birth," Fang Jueyu seemed to sense where the Queen was going with this.
"Hahaha," Queen Yisha'er didn't pick up on the fact that Fang Jueyu was just making polite remarks. "If you are willing, I can personally arrange for you to marry any of these princesses. How about it? I believe our families' relationship can only grow stronger!"
The single princesses' eyes lit up. Fang Jueyu didn't know that before he came, Queen Yisha'er had gathered them and told them about the Fang Family. Without mentioning his inconceivable wealth, it was enough to make them admire him.
Moreover, Fang Jueyu had a face that met European beauty standards. To most of the princesses, he was the most perfect partner.
"Uh, Queen, thank you for your generosity, but I already have a girlfriend." Fang Jueyu said, feeling as if those fiery gazes might devour him. These English princesses were a bit too enthusiastic, weren't they?
"What a pity," the Queen's expression instantly dimmed, but when her gaze fell on Princess Silit, a spark of hope reignited. After all, a girlfriend wasn't the same as a wife. With the right kind of approach, even strong barriers can be broken!
She believed that with Princess Silit's charm, even Fang Jueyu might not be able to resist.
The Queen promptly plastered on a smile: "Would you mind changing girlfriends? Or if that bothers you, what about adding another girlfriend?"