This was the kind of vitality and liveliness a child should have.
After only a few days apart, the boy had changed so much. Behind it all, Xu Shu and the other little brats had definitely been giving him advice.
She sorted the memorials, stood up, and walked out of the imperial study.
The moment Feng Jingge stepped outside, an eunuch hurried over and bowed.
“Your Highness, the Empress Dowager requests your presence.”
Feng Jingge frowned.
Whenever the Empress Dowager summoned her, nothing good ever came of it.
Meanwhile, inside Mingci Palace, a young woman in yellow knelt in the center of the hall.
The Empress Dowager sat high above, her sharp gaze sweeping over the girl.
She lifted the floral tea on the table and took a sip before finally speaking slowly.
“Xiyue, do you know why I summoned you today?”
The girl lowered her head.
“Replying to Your Majesty, Xiyue does not know.”
The Empress Dowager said lightly, “The floor is cold. Rise and sit while we talk.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
After thanking her, Li Xiyue rose from the floor and, under the guidance of a palace maid, sat down on a nearby chair.
The Empress Dowager noticed that ever since entering the hall, Li Xiyue had kept her head lowered, not daring to look at her.
Her thin lips pressed together, and a dark glint flashed through her narrow eyes before vanishing.
The Empress Dowager stood, and a palace maid quickly stepped forward to support her.
She slowly walked toward Li Xiyue.
“You child. We haven’t seen each other for only a few months, yet you’ve already become so distant with me?”
The Empress Dowager sat beside Li Xiyue and reached out to grab her right hand.
Caught off guard, Li Xiyue trembled and instinctively tried to pull her hand back.
Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager suddenly tightened her grip with tremendous force, as though she wanted to crush her bones.
Pain shot through Li Xiyue, and terror filled her heart.
She wanted to beg for mercy.
She looked toward the Empress Dowager.
Only to see her smiling warmly and kindly.
This was what it meant to hide a knife behind a smile.
Still smiling, the Empress Dowager spoke slowly, emphasizing each word.
“Don’t forget—you are my goddaughter.”
At that moment, Li Xiyue was filled with regret.
Regret over entering the palace at all.
The moment word came that the Empress Dowager had summoned her, she had already sensed something was wrong. She knew the Empress Dowager wouldn’t suddenly look for her without reason.
But her mother kept persuading her, so she gritted her teeth and came anyway.
Who would’ve thought that the instant she entered Mingci Palace, the Empress Dowager would start venting her anger on her?
The Empress Dowager smiled.
“Xiyue, if I remember correctly, you fancy Prince Xian, don’t you?”
Li Xiyue’s pupils shrank, and her face turned pale.
How did the Empress Dowager know she liked Prince Xian?
Oh… no.
He should now be called the Regent Prince.
He was the moon high in the heavens, while she was merely dust upon the earth.
She wasn’t worthy of standing beside him.
So she had given up.
She no longer liked him.
Because she knew she was unworthy.
Li Xiyue laughed bitterly inwardly and forced herself to answer.
“Replying to Your Majesty, that was—”
Before she could finish, the Empress Dowager interrupted her.
“If I were to bestow marriage upon you and Prince Xian, would you be willing?”
Li Xiyue froze.
Then, when she finally reacted, her mind exploded with shock.
Marry her… to Prince Xian?
This!
This!
Li Xiyue slowly lifted her head and stared at the Empress Dowager in disbelief.
“Your Majesty… is that possible?”
Seeing her expression, the Empress Dowager immediately knew the matter was practically settled.
The corners of her lips rose just as she was about to speak—
When a gentle voice suddenly interrupted, even stealing her lines.
“Miss Li, your father is the Cavalry General, your mother comes from the Mu family of the capital, you are the legitimate daughter, and also my royal mother’s goddaughter. You are more than worthy of Prince Xian.”
Hearing the voice, Li Xiyue instinctively turned her head.
The moment she saw the newcomer, her expression changed, and she immediately stood.
“This subject greets Prince Ning.”
The Empress Dowager released Li Xiyue’s hand.
She rose and hurried toward Prince Ning.
“Yuan’er, why have you come? Is your health any better?”
Prince Ning looked calm and answered neither humbly nor arrogantly,
“Replying to Royal Mother, after taking the prescription prescribed by Imperial Physician Liu, your son’s condition has improved considerably.”
The Empress Dowager grabbed his arm, her face changing slightly.
“Why are your clothes so thin?”
She turned toward a palace maid.
“Qingxiu, quickly fetch a cloak.”
Prince Ning immediately stopped her.
“Royal Mother, there is no need.”
But Qingxiu had already hurried away and returned with the cloak.
The Empress Dowager took it personally and carefully draped it over Prince Ning’s shoulders.
Prince Ning’s lips moved as though he wanted to refuse.
The Empress Dowager’s gaze sharpened, yet her voice remained incomparably gentle.
“Be good. Put it on and listen to me.”
Prince Ning had no choice but to comply.
“Th-thank you, Royal Mother.”
The moment the words fell, Prince Ning suddenly began coughing violently.
“Cough, cough, cough—”
The Empress Dowager’s expression changed.
Just then, a loud announcement sounded from outside.
“The Regent Prince has arrived!”
The people in the hall had yet to react when a tall figure strode inside.
Feng Jingge entered Mingci Palace in large strides and immediately spotted two familiar faces.
First, the Empress Dowager.
Second, Prince Ning.
And one unfamiliar young lady.
The girl was exceptionally beautiful, her appearance like a blooming peony—bright and bashful. Her pair of watery autumn eyes stared directly at her without blinking.
Feng Jingge: “…”
If nothing unexpected happened, this girl had clearly fallen for her too.
Li Xiyue snapped back to her senses, her face flushing red as she quickly lowered her head.
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
Prince Ning also spoke.
“Greetings, Imperial Uncle.”
Feng Jingge’s gaze swept across the two before she gave a cold acknowledgment and casually found a seat.
Only after sitting did she speak.
“I am here. Whatever the Empress Dowager wishes to say, speak plainly.”
The Empress Dowager pulled Li Xiyue over and smiled.
“Prince Xian, do you recognize this young lady?”
Feng Jingge had no idea what scheme the Empress Dowager was plotting and didn’t dare speak rashly.
Especially with Prince Ning present.
She was even more cautious, afraid that fellow might notice some clue.
Maintaining Xiao Jinghan’s usual indifferent expression, her gaze remained equally cold.
Then she simply stared at the Empress Dowager in silence.
She thought inwardly:
I’ll just keep looking at you without saying anything and see what nonsense you come up with.
Seeing that “Xiao Jinghan” remained silent, the Empress Dowager could only continue.
“What do you think of her?”
Feng Jingge countered, “What do you mean by ‘what do I think’?”
The Empress Dowager vaguely replied, “Anything at all.”
Feng Jingge continued questioning, “What does ‘anything at all’ mean?”
The Empress Dowager’s face darkened.
“Prince Xian, are you deliberately opposing me?”
Feng Jingge coldly snapped back, “If the Empress Dowager has something to say, say it directly. If not, this prince will leave.”
“Burdened with affairs of state, I have no time to play guessing games with Imperial Sister-in-law.”
With outsiders present, Xiao Jinghan still refused to give her even the slightest bit of face. The Empress Dowager’s expression darkened like the bottom of a pot.
Prince Ning stood nearby, observing everything.
Seeing his royal mother thwarted, a dark glint flashed through his eyes before disappearing.
Then he stepped forward to smooth things over.
“Imperial Uncle, please calm yourself.”
After speaking, he looked toward the Empress Dowager.
“Royal Mother, you also know Imperial Uncle dislikes beating around the bush. Why not just say it directly?”
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