Chapter 162: A Great Satisfaction to the People

As the carriage departed from the palace gates, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. However, seeing the deep worry etched onto my eldest sister’s face, my lightheartedness quickly evaporated. I shifted closer to Lianyu and tried to comfort her, saying, "Qiao Ke is only staying in the palace for two days. It’s no big deal; we can just extend our stay in Xijing for a while."

Lianyu looked at her thoughtful younger sister, and the knot of anxiety in her heart loosened slightly. Since arriving in Xijing, apart from the first day, she had barely had a chance to speak properly with her beloved son. Today, after the banquet concluded, the Empress Dowager had spoken up and insisted on keeping the boy in the palace. It was only natural for Lianyu to feel distressed.

She knew full well why the Empress Dowager acted this way. Every time she had visited Xijing in the past, the Empress Dowager had intentionally curtailed her time with her son, but never before had she been so brazen as to keep Qiao Ke in the palace overnight.

Though she was deeply unsettled, Lianyu did not want to worry the others. She forced a smile and said, "It is nothing. I am just tired."

Lianyu did not wish to expose her lie, so she chimed in, "You’re right. These royal banquets are truly tedious. Everyone is so duplicitous, beating around the bush for every word they utter. It’s incredibly boring—especially those concubines, each one harboring their own hidden agenda. Watching them trade barbs, I wonder if they ever get exhausted."

"Exactly! So many women fighting over one man—their lives are quite the spectacle," Yao Yao added, her words muffled as she stuffed a pastry into her mouth.

Although the banquet had been filled with delicacies, Yao Yao had been too busy observing the drama to eat much. Now that we were in the carriage heading back to the manor, her first priority was finding food.

Lianyu wanted to distract her eldest sister, but she couldn't tease herself or Sister Lan. Since Yao Yao had presented herself, Lianyu didn't hold back. "Do you truly find it exciting?"

At the mention of this, Yao Yao’s eyes lit up. She swallowed the remaining piece of pastry and exclaimed excitedly, "Of course it’s exciting! That Concubine Yun actually spilled wine on herself just to frame the woman next to her, all to capture the Emperor’s attention. And did you see the Empress’s face when the Emperor had the changed-into-fresh-clothes Concubine Yun sit beside him? Her expression shifted instantly—she looked like a magician performing a trick! And then there was..."

"Yao Yao, you must be hungry. Why don't you just keep eating your pastries?" Lianyu hadn't realized so much had happened at the banquet, and she regretted that Yao Yao chose to focus on such things. That Concubine Yun was the same one who had given birth to a prince last year. She had been highly favored at the banquet, yet her gaze toward Qiao Ke had been anything but friendly; she had even tried to trip him up in front of everyone. Fortunately, Qiao Ke was clever enough to play the part of an innocent child to deflect her malice.

But Lianyu had seen it all. As a mother, she could not help but be enraged that her precious son was being bullied.

Sure enough, when I looked over, my eldest sister’s face was as dark as a gathering storm. Yao Yao realized her mistake, stuck out her tongue, and scurried closer to Lan Shui for protection.

I had been raised by my eldest sister since childhood, and her stormy moods were what I feared most—they always signaled that trouble was brewing for someone. I whispered in a flattering tone, "Big Sister, since Yao Yao loves excitement so much, why don't we scout a few beauties for our second brother? I met someone at the banquet today who would be perfect."

Before Lianyu could respond, Yao Yao panicked. After all, the "second brother" Lianyu mentioned was her own betrothed, Senior Brother Chuchen. The mere thought of sharing him with another woman was unbearable, and the idea of replacing the Emperor from the banquet with her beloved Chuchen made her feel physically ill.

Ignoring whether I was serious or just teasing, she shouted, "No! Absolutely not!"

"Why not? You two aren't married yet. Perhaps Second Brother would prefer someone like Sister Chai. Tell me, in terms of figure, beauty, knowledge, or temperament, how do you measure up to her?"

I had only meant to shift the conversation toward Chai Mengqing to distract my eldest sister, but since Yao Yao had walked right into it, I decided to take the opportunity to tease her a bit as punishment for her earlier lack of tact.

"Yue'er, stop it. Yao Yao is quite lovely," Lianyu said. Seeing that I had achieved my goal, I giggled, "I never said she wasn't."

Lianyu looked at her younger sister with resignation. She understood my intentions, but she felt it was a bit harsh to speak to Yao Yao that way—after all, Yao Yao would eventually be her sister-in-law.

"Sister Chai? Is that the young lady you were sitting with at the banquet? I believe she is from the Yanyu Pavilion."

"That’s the one!" I leaned into my plan. "Big Sister, don't be fooled by her fairy-like appearance. She’s actually quite the gossip, but she’s very easy to get along with. I felt an instant connection with her."

Lianyu had been seated right next to Chai Mengqing, and though the three of them hadn't spoken loudly, she had heard enough to form her own opinion. Representing the Yanyu Pavilion at a birthday celebration meant Chai Mengqing’s status was certainly not low.

Moreover, gossip is viewed differently by different people. To some, it is mere dinner-table chatter, but to someone like Chai Mengqing, it is a source of intelligence. She was clearly the latter.

Lianyu approved of me befriending such a person, especially since she had noticed that beyond her curiosity, Chai Mengqing had looked at me with genuine admiration.

Oblivious to Lianyu’s assessment, I was delighted when she said, "She is a friend worth keeping. If she is staying in Xijing, you should visit her often."

"I knew you’d say that! I’ve already asked—she’s staying at the Wanxiang Tower. We’ve agreed to meet there tomorrow morning."

Lianyu paused, looking at me. "Did she tell you what kind of place the Wanxiang Tower is?"

I gave her my "I knew you would ask that" look and laughed. "It’s a pleasure house, of course. She told me everything. She even warned me that the ladies there mostly sell their art, not their bodies, and told me to dress in men's clothes so she could have someone take me straight up."

Only then did Lianyu feel at ease, and she began lecturing me on the precautions for going out tomorrow.

After she had repeated her list of warnings twice, I finally started to complain, and just in time, we arrived at the manor.

As the carriage stopped, I jumped out before the steps were even properly placed. Lianyu, seeing my lack of decorum, sighed and shook her head, disembarking with the help of the maids, Xiangju and Xiangzhu.

Having been tipped off by our eldest brother that they had returned, I turned to Lianyu. "Big Sister, I’m going to find Big Brother first."

Lianyu nodded and glanced at Lan Shui, who had remained silent throughout the ride. "Shui'er, come back to my courtyard with me. There is something I wish to discuss with you."

Yao Yao, still fixated on my threat to find beauties for Senior Brother Chuchen, quickly followed me, whispering urgently, "You were just saying that to distract Sister Lianyu, right? You didn't mean it, did you?"

"Mean it? Why wouldn't I?" I teased, enjoying the mischief.

Yao Yao took it seriously and bolted away in a panic. I couldn't help but burst into laughter. I knew she was rushing off to find my second brother, and I knew he was in for a headache—a fitting revenge for all the times he had teased me at the banquet.