The next morning, Bai Tao helped Yan An wash up. Yan An changed into a light purple gauze dress, her long hair was tied up, and a jade hairpin was loosely placed in her hair. Her skin was more beautiful than ever.

"Miss, you are so beautiful, like a fairy descended from heaven," Bai Lan praised.

"Bai Lan has such a sweet tongue, I like her." Yan An happily headed towards Xinluo Courtyard.

"Good morning, Mother!" This was the first time Jiang Luo had ever seen someone greet her like this in the morning. She had forgotten that Yan An had been away from home for more than ten years and hadn't had her nanny teach her any manners. She was a little worried that her decision to bring An An to the palace today might be a bit hasty, since everyone in the palace was a wolf in sheep's clothing.

“Mother, don’t worry. Seventh Grandmother was also a lady from a respectable family. She taught me manners. I’ve already learned them from my master. Let’s hurry up and have breakfast. Don’t keep Father and my elder brother waiting.”

"Your father and elder brother stayed behind after court. The Emperor and the Regent had important matters to discuss with them. We'll go pay our respects to the Empress Dowager later, and then go home with your father and elder brother."

Jiang Luo looked at Yan An, who was holding her arm, and thought, "Let her be. What Granny Qi taught me is good."

After the meal, the two rode in the Yan family's carriage toward the palace.

At the palace gate, "This old servant greets Madam Yan and Princess Yue'an. This old servant has come to fetch you both by order of the Empress Dowager. Please, Madam Yan and Princess Yue'an, get into your sedan chairs." Rong Mama was the head maidservant by the Empress Dowager's side and was one of her dowry maids.

"You're too kind, Granny Rong. Thank you for your trouble."

Jiang Luo had a very good relationship with the Empress Dowager. Since being granted the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady, it has become much easier for her to enter the palace. Over the past ten years, she has frequently visited the palace to accompany the Empress Dowager and has not been polite to Rong Mama.

Rong Mama… Yan An’s thoughts inadvertently drifted to the episode in Huan Zhu Ge Ge where Rong Mama stabbed Ziwei, tsk tsk tsk~

"Greetings, Granny Rong." Yan An gave a slight bow. As a princess personally bestowed by the Emperor and the future Regent's wife, this was already a high honor.

"Your Highness is too kind to this old servant. It has been more than ten years since I last saw you. You have grown even more beautiful and charming. You and the Regent are truly a match made in heaven. Please get into the sedan chair quickly. The Empress Dowager has been thinking about Your Highness for a long time."

Granny Rong helped Yan An into the sedan chair; this was a privilege usually reserved only for Yan An and his mother.

At the gate of Shou Kang Palace, “Alight from the sedan chair.”

The main hall is surrounded by ancient trees, lush greenery, and red walls and yellow tiles, making it appear exceptionally magnificent.

"Madam Yan, Princess, please follow this old servant." Granny Rong led Jiang Luo and Yan An into Shou Kang Palace.

The floor was paved with white jade and inlaid with gold beads. The bedchamber had sandalwood beams, crystal and jade lamps, and pearl curtains, making it extremely luxurious.

"Yan An greets the Empress Dowager. May the Empress Dowager enjoy boundless blessings and peace." This was Yan An's first time meeting the Empress Dowager, so it was better to be more formal and perform the kneeling greeting.

"An'an, come sit next to me quickly, let me take a good look at you. Hmm~ You are as beautiful as a fairy, and as lovely as the moon and flowers. My An'an is truly a little fairy. Rong Mama, quickly bring the gift I prepared for An'an."

"An'an, you can't call me Empress Dowager like others do, it's too formal. Call me Auntie instead. Also, next time you come to visit, I'll treat you like your own mother, no need for formalities."

Yan An himself disliked the custom of bowing and kowtowing three times and was happy to be at ease.

"Aunt~" It seems the Empress Dowager is a lovely person, Yan An called out sweetly.

Yan An looked up at the Empress Dowager in front of him. Her face was dignified and beautiful. A few strands of silver hair were mixed in with her thick hair, which added to her charm. It was clear that she must have been a peerless beauty when she was young. She wore a bright yellow dress, which was both majestic and approachable. She was quite similar to Yue Xiyuan, that devilishly handsome man.

Granny Rong ordered someone to bring two large boxes from the inner room. When they opened them, they found jade earrings, white pearl hairpins, gold and pearl bracelets, gold hairpins... even the phoenix jade hairpins that the late emperor had bestowed upon them as a symbol of royal status.

Yan An looked at the two large boxes of gifts, his face remaining calm, but his mind was already racing with laughter. The little golden eagle in the space seemed to feel the space twitching with each breath of his divine sense.

"Thank you, Auntie. You're the best!" Yan An said shyly, snuggling into the Empress Dowager's arms.

"Sister Ran, you'll spoil her like this." Jiang Luo looked at the gift and felt it was very precious.

The Empress Dowager's surname was Qi, and her given name was Wanran. She was the elder sister of the Right Chancellor. "It's alright. Besides Yuexi, I don't have any other girls around me. These boys are all so useless; they can't even find a wife."

The Yue people are simple and honest, and relatively open-minded. Many of them take wives and concubines, and quite a few only marry one wife in their lifetime. These few royal descendants are preoccupied with state affairs every day, as if they are allergic to women.

"Mother is speaking ill of me behind my back again."

He wore a bright yellow robe embroidered with a dragon soaring over the sea, had straight, shiny black hair, wore a gold crown inlaid with jewels to bind his hair, had a high nose, thin lips, and a dignified, aloof, and aloof demeanor, exuding an aura of supreme authority.

The Emperor stepped in, followed by Yue Xiyuan. Today, Yue Xiyuan had changed his usual style of wearing black clothes and was wearing a smoky purple long robe, which was very similar to the one Yan An was wearing. They looked like they had arranged to wear matching outfits.

"Greetings, Your Majesty and Regent." The people inside the room bowed to the Emperor and Regent.

The Emperor had been wondering this morning why Yue Xiyuan was wearing purple, but now, looking at Yan An, he felt a sense of clarity.

"No need for formalities. After Princess Yue'an comes of age and marries my fourth brother, she will be my fourth sister-in-law. From then on, she will not need to bow to me, just like my fourth brother."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Yan An thanked the Emperor neither humbly nor arrogantly, realizing that he had benefited from the influence of the prodigy Yue Xiyuan.

At this moment, Yue Xiyuan was staring intently at Yan An, making Yan An feel uneasy. Yan An thought to himself: This should be the first time I've met him as Yan An. Could it be that he recognized me? Impossible, my disguise skills are absolutely convincing.

At this moment, the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and Jiang Luo all noticed that something was wrong between the two. "Fourth son, have you seen An'an?" the Empress Dowager asked suspiciously.

"No." Yan An was afraid that Yue Xiyuan would recognize her if she didn't do something, so she quickly denied it, not knowing that this would only make it seem like there was something fishy going on between them.

"Your subject has never met Miss Yan before; this is our first meeting," Yue Xiyuan replied.

"Oh~ The people inside seemed to have caught a whiff of gossip. If the two were to fall in love, that would be wonderful, and they didn't ask any further questions."

"It's rare to have everyone here today, so please have lunch with me." Granny Rong turned and instructed the imperial kitchen to prepare lunch.

After lunch, the Empress Dowager rested, Jiang Luo took Yan An back to the General's Mansion, and the Emperor and Yue Xiyuan returned to the Imperial Study to continue discussing state affairs.

Before leaving, the emperor bestowed upon Yan An a great deal of gold and silver treasures. Yan An handed over all of today's rewards to Bai Tao, washed up, and had a good sleep.