Chapter 295: Chapter 295: To Kneel or Not to Kneel in the Palace
Seeing that Old Lady Li hadn’t responded for a while, the coachman asked again.
Old Lady Li looked past the lead carriage and further behind it. There were actually four carriages in total.
Why does the Ji Family have four carriages? Don’t they only have two sons in the capital?
"Haven’t you heard? The Ji Family of the Divine Pillar of the Nation has returned to the capital. They’ve been back for several days, arriving on basically the same day as Miss Yan!"
Old Lady Li was taken aback. Entering the capital on the same day as that Yan girl... That was the day His Majesty returned to the capital. In a flash, it felt as though something flickered through Old Lady Li’s mind, but she couldn’t quite grasp it. Honestly, these past few days, the Li Family has been consumed with hosting guests due to Little Fubao’s arrival in the capital. They’ve been so busy forging connections with various prominent figures that they’ve completely overlooked news from the outside world.
"Old Lady!" The coachman’s inquiring voice came from outside the carriage again.
"We’ll turn around. Let the Ji Family’s carriages pass first!"
The coachman quickly complied. The Ji Family’s carriages unceremoniously took the lead.
During this carriage encounter, Old Lady Ji didn’t even bother to ask a question. She merely glanced outside, noted it was a Li Family carriage, and then closed her eyes to rest.
The one driving the carriage was Liu Neng’s nephew, an old servant of the Ji Family. As an old servant of the Ji Family, when the Master doesn’t speak, it means the Master’s stance must be fully demonstrated. He watched the stalemate drag on. Since his side hadn’t uttered a word and the other party had eventually turned around to yield the way, he saw no need to say anything either and simply drove the carriage onward.
「In Cining Palace」
The Empress Dowager sat on the phoenix throne, observing the young Emperor who had come early to accompany her. She was filled with doubt. "Doesn’t the Emperor have state affairs to attend to today?"
The young Emperor was currently craning his neck to look outside. He responded vaguely, "I wished to accompany Mother!"
The Empress Dowager sensed his insincerity. He’s not being truthful. "Is there something you wish to tell me?"
The young Emperor pondered for a moment. He felt he absolutely had to mention Xiaosuisui’s inability to kneel. Otherwise, what if his mother, unaware, made her kneel and she got struck by lightning? That would be disastrous!
The words were on the tip of the young Emperor’s tongue when a young Palace Maid hurried in to report.
"Reporting to Your Majesty and Your Highness the Empress Dowager! Old Lady Ji, Second Lady Ji, Third Lady Ji, and the Eldest Princess have arrived. They are currently outside, awaiting an audience!"
"Quickly, invite them in!" The young Emperor’s face lit up. He stood and began to walk towards the exit of Cining Palace.
Seeing the young Emperor’s reaction, the Empress Dowager felt a headache coming on. Is he this excited because he heard his little goddaughter has arrived? If he’s so fond of children, why hasn’t he appointed an empress or selected any concubines? The Empress Dowager massaged her temples, resolving that at tonight’s banquet, she would absolutely make the young Emperor choose a concubine.
When the young Emperor emerged from Cining Palace, his gaze immediately fell upon Xiaosuisui. Because everyone was formally dressed for the occasion, Xiaosuisui wasn’t being carried around as usual—either by her aunts or Xie Pan’Er. Instead, she stood demurely beside Old Lady Ji.
Old Lady Ji held one of her small hands, while her other arm cradled Xiaobai. The members of the Ji Family all appeared quite nervous.
"His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!"
A Eunuch with a grating, duck-like voice announced. Xie Pan’Er and Nanny Zhang, who had been diligently studying palace etiquette these past few days, along with Yun Duo and Yunxiang, immediately knelt.
However, Zhu Xiuxiu, Huo Xing’Er, Old Lady Ji, and Xiaosuisui did not move.
No! Xiaosuisui did move—but not to kneel. She rushed towards the young Emperor!
"Emperor Godfather!"
Her sweet and delightfully soft voice echoed through Cining Palace.
"How audacious! Failing to kneel upon seeing the Emperor is a capital offense! Kneel at once!"
Xiaosuisui was in the midst of her happy dash and hadn’t yet reached the young Emperor’s arms when she heard a young woman’s sharp rebuke. The cheerful Xiaosuisui froze in her tracks.