Chapter 296: Chapter 296: Xiaobai Ate the Cake
The one yelling at Xiaosuisui and the others was a young girl around fifteen or sixteen years old.
The young girl had a well-proportioned figure and a beautiful face, but her eyes held a cold calculation.
This girl, named Xiao Ning’Er, was the Duke’s youngest legitimate daughter. She was the precious child born to the Duke and his wife in their later years. Ordinarily spoiled rotten, and with the maids subtly suggesting she might be chosen to serve the Emperor in the future, she had developed a proud and overbearing personality. She often disregarded others in the palace.
Xiaosuisui suddenly halted, tilting her head to look up at the young Emperor, her cute little face filled with confusion.
"Godfather Emperor, didn’t you say that we of the Ji Family don’t need to kneel?"
"Is it because we’re in the Imperial Palace that we must kneel?"
While Xiaosuisui was trying to understand whether to kneel, the members of the Ji Family had already knelt.
Seeing this, Xiaosuisui scrambled to kneel as well. As she bent her knees, dark clouds suddenly gathered overhead!
The young Emperor, reacting quickly, swooped in and lifted the little girl into his arms. The dark clouds instantly dispersed. His face clouded with anger as he glared at Xiao Ning’Er.
"I was unaware that in this Imperial Palace, Cousin Xiao had become the head maid of Cining Palace."
Xiao Ning’Er paled at his words. Before she could respond, she heard Xiaosuisui, whom the Emperor was holding, ask in a puzzled voice, "Huh! Why isn’t this big sister kneeling?"
This big sister is very strange. She was just criticizing us for lacking manners, yet she’s just standing there without kneeling?
When Xiaosuisui voiced this, Xiao Ning’Er lifted her chin proudly, momentarily forgetting the Emperor’s dark expression. She sneered, "I hold the title of Commandery Princess, and the Empress Dowager is my aunt. Besides, my cousin the Emperor once said that I don’t need to kneel when I see him."
Upon hearing Xiao Ning’Er’s words, Xiaosuisui looked up at the young Emperor. The young Emperor met his precious daughter’s gaze and sensed the grievance in her eyes. Is she feeling wronged? He then said, "When did I ever say such a thing? Although you are my cousin, there is a clear distinction between ruler and subject. Cousin Xiao, when you see me, why do you not kneel?"
At the Emperor’s words, Xiao Ning’Er broke out in a cold sweat, her heart pounding in alarm. "This subject deserves death! Your Majesty, please forgive me!" She immediately dropped to her knees, knocking her head hard on the ground, her body trembling.
The young Emperor didn’t even glance at her, instead calling for the members of the Ji Family to rise.
"Old Madam Ji is advanced in age and has difficulty moving. Henceforth, when she enters the palace, she is exempted from kneeling. Please rise."
Old Madam Ji expressed her gratitude for his grace and was helped up by Huo Xing’Er on one side and Zhu Xiuxiu on the other. They then followed the young Emperor into Cining Palace.
The Empress Dowager, seated on the phoenix throne, heard the commotion outside. Just as she was about to send someone to investigate, the young Emperor entered, carrying a young, veiled girl.
"Mother, General Ji has rendered meritorious service. I have issued a special decree of grace: henceforth, when General Ji’s family members enter the palace and see me or you, Mother, they are exempt from the ritual of kneeling."
The Empress Dowager was slightly taken aback by the young Emperor’s words. She then saw Old Madam Ji, accompanied by two young married women and a young maiden, enter to pay their respects.
They began to offer their respects, saying, "This subject-wife (or commoner girl) pays respects to Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager—"
"There’s no need to kneel. His Majesty has decreed that as General Ji has rendered meritorious service, from this day forward, the women of the Ji Family are exempt from the grand ritual of kneeling!"
Seeing Old Madam Ji and her party about to perform the full kowtow, the Empress Dowager quickly stopped them.
She then had a seat brought for Old Madam Ji and, taking her hand, began to chat. "In the ten-odd years you’ve been away from the capital, this grieving one has had no one to truly talk to. It gets terribly dull, so I called for Ning’Er, my brother’s youngest daughter, to keep me company. Now that you’re here today, I’ll introduce you."
After saying this, the Empress Dowager glanced around, puzzled. "That child Ning’Er, she was here just a moment ago. Where has she run off to now?"
Upon hearing the Empress Dowager’s words, everyone from the Ji Family had a premonition of trouble, except for Xiaosuisui, who remained oblivious. Oh no, they thought.
She was nestled in the young Emperor’s arms and had placed Xiaobai on his shoulder. Reaching out, she picked up a red bean cake from the table and took a bite.
She smacked her lips, her eyes widening in surprised delight. These pastries are delicious!
She reached for another cake and held it to Xiaobai’s mouth.
"Xiaobai, quick, try this! These pastries are so yummy!"
Her voice, though sudden, was adorably soft and sweet.
The Empress Dowager’s spirits lifted upon hearing the voice. How delightful! She immediately forgot about her niece’s whereabouts.
The Ji Family members, already aware of Xiaosuisui’s peculiar habit of trying to feed the rabbit meat, couldn’t help the twitching at the corners of their mouths.
They all discreetly scanned the Empress Dowager’s chamber, praying there was no meat in sight to trigger Xiaosuisui’s unusual fancy.
Seeing Xiaosuisui trying to feed a pastry to the rabbit, the Empress Dowager was charmed by her childlike innocence. What an adorable child, she thought.
"Child, rabbits eat grass. They don’t eat..."
The Empress Dowager’s smile froze on her face. Her eyes widened abruptly as she stared at Xiaosuisui’s hand.