Chapter 93: Feeding a Woman Fruit

After brushing past Xiao Mingyu and walking a short distance, Nan Xueyin muttered, "Didn't I tell you not to call me that?"

This time, her voice did not sound angry, nor did she glare at him.

She walked with focus, eyes fixed on the ground beneath her feet, like a little cat with its head tucked in.

A soft smile rippled in Xiao Youlan's eyes as he said, "If my mother were still alive, she would certainly like you very much."

Nan Xueyin frowned and looked up at him, "Aren't we going to see your grandmother, the Empress Dowager, now?"

Why didn't he say that Grandmother Empress Dowager would certainly like her?

Xiao Youlan understood the second half of the sentence she hadn't spoken and smiled, "It is different."

Nan Xueyin did not ask exactly how it was different.

Xiao Youlan did not have time to explain either, as the two had already arrived.

The birthday banquet for Zong Taihou was held in Baoci Palace.

Xiao Youlan had arrived quite early, but the royal family members were basically all present, surrounding Zong Taihou, all dressed in their finest, chattering away as they offered auspicious words to Zong Taihou.

But Xiao Youlan was, after all, the legitimate eldest son; the moment he arrived, Zong Taihou could no longer see anyone else, raising her hand to beckon him, "Come, Youlan, come sit by Grandmother's side."

Xiao Youlan stepped forward as instructed.

Zong Taihou soon noticed Nan Xueyin, who was following him.

Nan Xueyin's intuition was sharp; she could feel the fleeting look of displeasure on the Empress Dowager's face, a look she was very familiar with.

When she was small, after her parents passed away, she wandered the streets; sometimes, when she smelled the alluring aroma of food drifting from restaurants, she couldn't help but draw near.

The customers coming and going in the restaurants were dressed in gold and silver, wearing silks and satins; upon seeing the ragged Nan Xueyin outside the door, they would cover their noses and mouths, looking down from on high with that very expression.

This was the disdain and disgust of the upper class for those at the bottom, resenting them for polluting the air and ruining their good mood.

Zong Taihou was the same.

She must have long heard that the Crown Prince was keeping a woman of unknown origin in the palace, and for her sake, refused to accept the Zhong Yun she had chosen.

Seeing that she had actually followed Xiao Youlan to the birthday banquet, she was naturally very unhappy.

But because it was her birthday, in front of so many people, and especially in front of the Crown Prince, she could not show it.

"Grandmother, this young lady's surname is Nan; she is my savior. If not for her stepping in to help time and again, I fear I would not be able to come and celebrate your birthday today."

Xiao Youlan spoke at the opportune moment.

After finishing, he reminded Nan Xueyin in a soft tone, "Little Snow, pay your respects to Grandmother Empress Dowager."

Nan Xueyin gave him face and cooperatively bowed to Zong Taihou, "May the Empress Dowager be blessed with ten thousand years."

Zong Taihou gave a condescending nod, ignored her further, pulled Xiao Youlan to sit by her side, and asked, "I heard that the arrangements for my birthday banquet were all handed over to you by your Imperial Father?"

"Yes."

Zong Taihou sighed, "I have said before, it is just a birthday, a family meal together is enough; who would have thought the Emperor would make it so grand! And to trouble you to divide your attention to handle it!"

Though she seemed to be complaining, she was clearly very happy and gratified.

Xiao Youlan replied, "Imperial Father governs the world with benevolence and filial piety; for Grandmother's birthday, naturally, one cannot be perfunctory."

Beside them, Consort Xian smiled and chimed in, "Indeed, this is the Crown Prince's filial heart; he does not feel tired at all! The Empress Dowager is the ancestor of us all and is worthy of such a grand ceremony!"

Only then did Zong Taihou beam with joy.

Before long, Emperor Yongzheng arrived as well.

This was the first time Nan Xueyin had seen the Emperor's true face.

Xiao Youlan's tall and upright stature must have been inherited from the Emperor, as were his lips, though the Emperor's brow and eyes appeared cold and sharp, whereas Xiao Youlan's were more of a jade-like warmth.

Nan Xueyin guessed that this must be the inheritance from Empress Rouyi.

At 6:30 AM, Zong Taihou sat upright in the main hall of Baoci Palace, and the royal family members all kowtowed to offer their birthday wishes.

Next were the officials and the congratulations from envoys of surrounding countries.

Xiao Youlan was the Crown Prince, and his seat was the first one to the right of the Empress Dowager; Nan Xueyin received special treatment and sat by his side.

Whatever delicious food was placed on the table, Xiao Youlan would immediately pick some up for Nan Xueyin.

She ate absentmindedly, listening to the conversation between Zong Taihou and Emperor Yongzheng above.

"With so many descendants, just looking at them makes me feel content," Zong Taihou sighed, "It is only a pity that Qingling did not return. I still remember when this child was about to go to his fief, he held my hand and shed tears, saying he could not bear to leave me."

Emperor Yongzheng comforted her, "There was a riot in Qingling's fief; he had to be there and truly could not get away, which is a helpless situation. But the child is extremely filial; he wrote several family letters to Mother and sent his birthday gifts early."

"Xiao Qingling is the Jing Prince, one year younger than me. His mother, a Consort, was frail, and it was a difficult labor when she gave birth to him; although my mother ordered the Imperial Physician to take extra care, she passed away after a few years."

Xiao Youlan leaned in slightly and spoke softly not far from Nan Xueyin's ear.

He had noticed her listening to the conversation between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

Nan Xueyin did not feel guilty and listened patiently.

Xiao Youlan then continued, "Back then, Xiao Qingling was only seven; my mother saw how pitiful he was and took him in to raise him. Xiao Qingling was enfeoffed as Jing Prince at the age of twenty, with his fief in Tingzhou; there was a riot there last month, so he stayed in Tingzhou to quell the disorder and did not return."

Nan Xueyin nodded slightly.

Xiao Youlan peeled a lychee and offered it to her lips.

Nan Xueyin did not think much of it and opened her mouth to take it.

After eating the flesh, she spat the pit out, and Xiao Youlan caught it with his hand as a matter of course.

This scene was seen by several royal family members present, all of whom were dumbfounded—the Crown Prince in their eyes was a snow-capped mountain in the distance, the bright moon in the sky, cold and noble, unreachable; yet today, right now, he was actually feeding a woman fruit and even using his own hand to catch the lychee pit?

Xiao Mingyu also witnessed all of this, his expression as gloomy as a sky covered in dark clouds, ready for a violent storm at any moment.

"The Ninth Princess of Loulan Kingdom has come to present gifts and offer birthday wishes!"

Following the attendant's announcement, someone entered the hall.

Exclamations erupted from the seats in the hall, as if startled by something.

Nan Xueyin looked over and couldn't help but be stunned.

Leading them was a young girl of sixteen or seventeen, wearing a round-collared robe with the characteristics of the Western Regions, which was not surprising.

Surprisingly, following behind her was a panther with a completely black body, which looked extremely similar to the Xiaoyang she kept.

The difference was that this panther was already an adult, and it was flicking its tail, looking very restless and uneasy.

The Assassin's intuition made Nan Xueyin smell a hint of a conspiracy; some danger was approaching.