The unexpected reward made people's minds wander.

After the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree left, the palace servants came forward again to congratulate him. Wan Anran thought and thought but couldn't figure it out, so she finally put the matter out of her mind and waved her hand: "Let's continue! These barbecues will get cold if we don't eat them soon!"

The palace servants shouted joyfully.

Laughter rang out again in Xianfu Palace—the eunuch who had already reached the door turned back in surprise and clicked his tongue in amazement.

A silent passageway, a silent palace.

Most of the concubines still confined to their palaces today are extremely unfavored and are feeling very depressed. They have no interest in holding a small banquet. On the contrary, the Xianfu Palace, which is usually inconspicuous and rumored to be the least favored by the emperor, is still bustling and noisy.

The eunuch who delivered the imperial decree left in a hurry, filled with emotion.

The small banquet in Xianfu Palace continued until Consort Xuan and her entourage returned. Wan Anran originally thought that Consort Xuan would definitely take her aside for some advice, but to her surprise, Consort Xuan did not summon her at all.

strangeness?

For the five days leading up to the New Year, there was no need for the morning and evening greetings, so Wan Anran rarely slept until late morning. If it weren't for the Ninth Prince, Wan Fu, chattering incessantly outside, she felt she could have slept for another hour or two.

Wan Anran's face scrunched up in a frown.

Pulling the blanket over her head and curling up inside, she decided to pretend she couldn't hear anything and continue sleeping: zzzzzZZZ~

Unfortunately, fate had no intention of letting Wan Anran go.

Hai Tao lifted the covers and gently shook her: "My lady! My lady! My lady! It's time to get up!"

"...Hmm. Tell Wan Fu I'm sleepy..."

"My lady! Ninth Prince said the Crown Prince will be here soon!" Hai Tao's voice was full of urgency and anxiety, with a hint of helplessness.

“…zzzzZZZ?!” Wan Anran, who was snoring, suddenly sat up. Her eyes widened in confusion, and she murmured, repeating, “Crown Prince?”

That seems unlikely.

Wan Anran closed her eyes again and lay flat—how could the Crown Prince have come to Xianfu Palace? This must be a dream.

Go back to sleep.

She gently pulled the corners of the blanket with both hands and covered herself up in the most suitable position.

Hai Tao was both amused and exasperated.

She quickly pushed Wan Changzai forcefully, her voice urgent: "Your Highness! Your Highness! What I'm saying is true! It was the Ninth Prince himself who said it!"

Wan Anran's drowsiness vanished instantly.

Is His Highness the Crown Prince coming to Xianfu Palace? She only caught a glimpse of him from afar at the family banquet in Qianqing Palace. Apart from hearing the Crown Prince speak eloquently and offer many New Year's greetings, she didn't even know what the Crown Prince looked like.

Why did the Crown Prince come to Xianfu Palace?

Why did the Ninth Prince tell her this? Wan Anran had a million questions in her mind, but only the Ninth Prince could answer them.

Wan Anran had to pull herself together.

With the help of three people, she quickly rinsed her mouth and washed her face, then simply tied her long hair into a bun, leaving the rest loose down her back before hurriedly walking out.

Wan Fu sat in a high-backed chair.

He swung his short legs listlessly, his eyes brimming with excitement.

Upon hearing the commotion, Wan Fu looked up, the words he was about to say swirling on his tongue before he swallowed them back down. His previously excited expression instantly turned to speechlessness; he looked at Wan Anran with disgust and shook his head repeatedly.

Even Wan Fu knew that.

At the very least, a concubine should have her hair styled in a double bun, adorned with two gold tassels, and her face should be dusted with palace powder. Unlike Consort Wan, who not only sleeps until the afternoon, but also insists on wearing an old-fashioned concubine-colored palace dress and running out with a face completely bare of makeup on New Year's Day.

Others might praise Wan Changzai for his frugality and simplicity, but young Wan Fu saw through Wan Changzai's true nature at a glance. He crossed his arms, speaking with an air of maturity: "Wan Changzai, you're far too lazy!"

Wan Anran scoffed.

She replied confidently, "What do you know, little one? Haven't you heard the saying 'a lotus emerging from clear water, naturally beautiful without artifice'? At my age, you can see my beauty even without makeup!"

They seem quite proud of themselves.

Wan Fu sighed like an old man, cupping his face in his hands as he looked at Consort Wan sitting opposite him. Then, three palace maids busily brought him breakfast.

Yesterday's meal was greasy, so Wan Anran wanted something lighter this morning.

The imperial kitchen delivered a black rice and codonopsis porridge. Codonopsis pilosula replenishes qi and blood, while black rice nourishes the kidneys and liver, and promotes hair growth and improved eyesight. It was very suitable for someone like Wan Anran, who was weak and deficient after a serious illness. There were also several light and refreshing pickles, such as pickled cucumbers, pickled eggplants, and pickled radishes, all carefully prepared by the imperial kitchen. They had unique flavors and were extremely appetizing.

Wan Anran used it with great relish.

Noticing Wan Fu's gaze, she pointed to the food in front of her: "Would Ninth Prince like some too?"

Wan Fu shook his head.

He looked at Wan Anran with a puzzled expression: "Aren't you curious why the Crown Prince came?"

Wan Anran nodded: "Curious."

Wan Fu became increasingly puzzled: "Then why didn't you ask? Anyone else would have asked about it first, right? Unlike you, you don't seem to care at all."

Wan Anran scooped up a spoonful of black rice porridge with a spoon. The porridge had been simmering for more than half an hour and had a delicate and smooth texture. She squinted her eyes and enjoyed the food, swallowing a mouthful of food before answering Wan Fu's question: "Although His Highness the Crown Prince's arrival is indeed a very important matter, we need to eat and drink our fill before we have the energy to prepare."

"We'll see."

Wan Anran paused, then looked at Wan Fu with a grin: "You can hold back from telling me?"

I definitely couldn't resist!

Wan Fu was so excited when he got back last night that he couldn't sleep, and he kept talking to his mother about it for a long, long time. He thought that Wan Changzai should be just like him, but he didn't expect to see her so calm and composed.

Wan Fu rested his chin on his hand.

He grunted, "Then this prince has decided not to say anything!"

Wow! This little guy's starting to act all high and mighty.

Wan Anran put down her chopsticks and clasped her hands together, facing Wan Fu: "Say it, say it!"

Wan Fu crossed his arms, his expression one of smug arrogance. Just moments ago, Wan Changzai had said she didn't care, but now she was clearly just putting on an act. After Wan Anran had spoken for a while, Wan Fu finally replied reluctantly, "Brother Crown Prince said he'd only have time after the morning ceremony, so I reckon it'll be sometime in the afternoon?"

"Coming today!?"

“That’s right.” Wan Fu nodded, her face full of awe for Crown Prince Bao Cheng: “Crown Prince is truly amazing. Consort Wan, do you know? Crown Prince was still studying yesterday!”

Yesterday?

Wan Anran exclaimed in surprise, "Yesterday was New Year's Eve!!"

Wan Fu nodded repeatedly: "That's right!"

The thought of living such a life in the future made Wan Fu tremble: "If it were me, I'd probably be so exhausted that I'd be as thin as a willow leaf and disappear with the wind."

Wan Anran glanced at Wan Fu's round body.

You? Turn into a willow leaf? You'd be more like a tree stump.

Wan Anran's strange look was immediately noticed by Wan Fu.

His face fell, and he glared fiercely at Wan Changzai: "Are you thinking about something bad?"

Wan Anran coughed.

She quickly changed the subject: "Speaking of which, why did His Highness the Crown Prince suddenly say he wanted to come to Xianfu Palace? And it seems he wanted to come to my place?"

Wan Fu was quite pleased with himself when he talked about this.

He spoke with great enthusiasm, gesturing wildly: "Yesterday, my brother the Crown Prince held my hand, and Father praised me for being obedient and sensible, hehe! Wan Changzai, do you want to know why?"

"I want to hear it, of course I want to hear it!"

"Cough, cough!" Wan Fu coughed dramatically, signaling to Wan Changzai with his eyes—since that's the case, shouldn't you say something?

Wan Anran suddenly realized.

She then cupped her face and exclaimed in surprise, "Is Ninth Prince cold? Haitao! Quickly go and get some ginger soup! Make it really strong!"

Wan Fu's face darkened.

Just then, Wan Anran reached out and pinched his little cheek: "Of course not! Ju Bai, go to the kitchen and get some milk, honey, sugar and black tea. I want to make something nice to entertain our Ninth Prince—if the Ninth Prince likes it, we can recommend it to His Highness the Crown Prince later."

In the palace, people were fond of drinking Lu'an Melon Seed Tea and Tianchi Tea, and very few drank black tea. Ju Bai responded, then whispered, "Your Highness, I'm afraid the kitchen doesn't have any black tea. We'll have to go to the tea kitchen to get it."

Wan Anran understood: "Take the purse."

The imperial kitchen is divided into the dining room and the tea room. You usually deal with the dining room, but if you go to the tea room for the first time, and expect to get extra tea without a warm stove pouch? You'll be easily dismissed with a single sentence.

Even though she was prepared, Tachibana was still rejected.

The head eunuch of the tea and food service room, with a cold expression, tossed the purse in his hand, waved his hand, and dismissed Ju Bai, saying, "The tea in the tea storehouse is exclusively for the use of our esteemed masters and ministers. How dare a mere concubine come here to ask for tea? Does she have no respect for palace rules? Get out of here! If you don't leave, I will certainly go to the Emperor and report you for trespassing in the tea storehouse."

This is a tea kitchen, not a tea storage area!

Knowing full well that the eunuch in front of her was just spouting nonsense, Ju Bai had no choice but to swallow her anger and say, "Esteemed sir, this tea is for entertaining the Ninth Prince and the Crown Prince..."

That's nonsense.

How could a mere concubine like a lowly concubine be connected to the Crown Prince?

The head eunuch rolled his eyes.

He tossed the purse behind him and walked into the tea room without looking back.

The orange-white figure standing outside looked embarrassed.

The problem was that the sneer of the head eunuch could be faintly heard from inside: "Where did this little cat and dog come from, trying to use the Crown Prince as a tiger's skin? Doesn't she even know if she's qualified!"

There were a large number of eunuchs coming and going.

Hearing the mocking laughter of the eunuch in charge of the tea and food room, everyone's gaze towards Ju Bai was tinged with a mixture of sarcasm and ridicule.

Crown Prince Bao Cheng was the son of the late Empress.

He was named Crown Prince at the age of one, and now at the age of four, he has already begun his formal education. He is exceptionally intelligent and his academic achievements far surpass those of his peers. He is also personally cared for and raised by the Emperor.

Someone who frequently maintained contact with the Crown Prince?

Those with thick skin could be used as cushions, the eunuchs shook their heads, taking it as a joke.

Unable to get any black tea from the tea kitchen, Ju Bai was sweating profusely with anxiety. To make matters worse, the head eunuch had already spoken, so even though the other eunuchs coveted the purse in Ju Bai's hand, they could only reluctantly refuse.

Ju Bai walked back with a worried look on her face.

As she walked through the long corridor and reached the outer corridor of the Qianqing Palace, a dignified voice sounded behind her: "...Are you from the Xianfu Palace?"