Chapter 73 A Perfect Match
The palace banquet began, and everyone moved to the main hall.
Men and women sat side by side on the left and right, while the royal family members sat at the head of the table, not clearly visible through the beaded curtain.
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, congratulating the emperor on his birthday and on finding Princess Minying, the emperor and empress took their seats one by one.
Palace maids entered in single file, carrying delicacies and fine wine. The music and dance were lively, and the dancers swayed their supple waists and danced gracefully to the soft strains of the zither.
On the opposite side of the male guests' table, Xiahou Yin poured himself two drinks, then looked up and spotted Xiao Yuxuan diagonally across from him, his eyes lighting up.
But the next second, the other person's eyes became unfocused, and their lips were slightly pursed, as if they were enduring some kind of pain.
As her dress fluttered, Xiao Yuyao saw Xiao Yuxuan gently clutch her stomach, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
Madam Xiao chatted with a familiar noblewoman for a few words, but when she turned her head, she did not see Xiao Yuxuan.
"Where is your Fifth Sister?"
She asked Chunwen, who was standing next to her.
Chunwen trembled with fright, then said in a trembling voice:
"Fifth Miss said she wasn't feeling well and went to change her clothes..."
Madam Xiao disliked this appearance and frowned:
"Your daughter isn't feeling well, what are you standing here for? Hurry up and go find her!"
However, halfway through the palace banquet, Xiao Yuxuan still hadn't returned, and Madam Xiao felt uneasy, as if something bad was about to happen.
Chunwen had been out for quite some time. She searched the washroom but couldn't find Xiao Yuxuan.
"Fifth Sister—Fifth Sister? Are you here?"
She called out in a low voice.
Didn't Fourth Sister say that this was just ordinary croton powder? It would only cause abdominal pain and diarrhea if consumed, as it would expel the waste from the cycle of the five grains. Why wasn't Fifth Sister in the clean room?
Chunwen was getting anxious; if she couldn't find the person soon, she wouldn't be able to explain herself!
Just as he was running around aimlessly like a headless fly, a young eunuch dressed in palace attire quickly emerged from the shadows and shoved him to the ground.
"Such suspicious behavior within the palace is likely the work of assassins!"
The eunuch moved too fast. Before Chunwen could even react, he had already pressed her to the ground with his knee against her neck. Her cheeks were scraped against the pebbles and gravel on the ground, making her both shocked and in pain.
"Your Excellency! Your Excellency, spare my life! I... I'm not an assassin! I'm just a maidservant who served the noble ladies at today's palace banquet. I'm a maidservant of the Xiao family!"
Chunwen was afraid that the other party would really take her away as an assassin. She had heard that the Imperial Prison was extremely strict and terrifying, and that you could go in upright and come out horizontal. She explained for a long time in a rambling manner.
"Since you claim to be a respectable servant girl, why are you lurking around this washroom, peeking and peeking in?!"
The young eunuch had a strong grip and almost broke Chunwen's arm.
"Yes, I'm here to find my daughter. She hasn't come out yet, so I'm getting anxious..."
Chunwen's voice was distorted from the pain, but she suddenly felt more confident.
Yes, she came out genuinely looking for someone, why would she be acting guilty?!
"But why are you so certain that your daughter went into the washroom?"
The eunuch continued to ask questions, but Chunwen was in too much pain to speak, and could only whimper helplessly.
Qi Junwei raised his chin slightly, not even bothering to glance at the person on the ground.
The young eunuch understood, immediately freeing one hand to pull out the hemp rope from behind his waist, and quickly tied Chunwen up tightly.
"Sir, let's talk this out! I'm really not an assassin! Waaah—"
The little eunuch tore off a handkerchief, rolled it into a ball, and stuffed it into Chunwen's mouth.
Chunwen was speechless, and could only stare wide-eyed in disbelief at the tall man in front of her, dressed in a black court robe.
The garment is black with five embroidered symbols in gold: dragon, mountain, pheasant, fire, and ancestral vessel. The lower garment is embroidered with four symbols: algae, rice grains, axe, and axe. In total, there are nine symbols. Only the crown prince can wear such a garment!
She just had the misfortune of running into the Crown Prince!
Chunwen took a deep breath, rolled her eyes, and fainted.
"Find a secluded place to lock him up, and interrogate him after the palace banquet."
Qi Jun has always despised disloyal people who betray their masters. Now that she has been caught on the spot, if it weren't for the fact that she served Xiao Yuxuan and he couldn't overstep his bounds, he would have sent her to the Censorate long ago.
On the other side, Xiahou Yin followed Xiao Yuxuan, who had hurriedly left her seat, to a quiet palace.
"Young General Xiahou, how have you been?"
The girl turned around with a smile, and Xiahou Yin pretended to be startled.
"So you found me all along. I thought I was hiding it very well."
Xiao Yuxuan stood some distance away from him, and after checking that no one else was around, she said:
"Are you here to sober up too? You seem to have had quite a bit to drink."
Xiahou Yin was taken aback, seemingly not expecting that the other party had also seen him so early.
"I noticed that Miss Xiao didn't look well, and I was worried that you might not be feeling well, so I came out to see if I could be of any help."
Xiahou Yin's eyes were clear, and he asked again earnestly:
"Has anything bad happened to Miss Xiao these past few days?"
Xiao Yuxuan: "What makes you say that?"
Her expression was gentle, as if she truly did not understand what Xiahou Yin was saying.
"After how your second brother treated you last time, I always felt that you might not be having a good time at home..."
"However, I will be going back to the southwest with my father in a couple of days, so I'm afraid I won't be able to help you with many things."
Xiahou Yin talked to himself for a while, and finally, as if realizing that he really couldn't help the god, he lowered his eyes in frustration.
Xiao Yuxuan was stunned. It was just a chance encounter, yet Xiahou Yin had thought so much about it.
She and Qin Yuan exchanged a glance, both seeing the amusement in each other's eyes.
Regardless, Xiao Yuxuan was grateful to be cared for in this way.
Qin Yuan nodded to her, then turned to Xiahou Yin and said:
"General Xiahou, rest assured, I am a maidservant lent to Miss Xiao by Her Highness the Princess. The Princess specifically instructed me to take good care of Miss Xiao and to protect her."
Xiahou Yin finally relaxed, and his smile returned:
"That would be wonderful! You are the first friend I made in the capital. If there's anything you can do for me, just let me know!"
No one noticed that behind the vermilion palace wall on the right, a glimpse of a dark robe flashed by.
Qi Jun stood on the other side of the palace wall, his mind still seemingly lingering on the scene he had just witnessed.
The girl tilted her head back, smiling brightly, while the young man in brocade robes standing opposite her also gave a shy smile.
The two stood together, looking like a perfect couple, a truly harmonious pair.
Xiahou Yin has already been investigated; he has a clean past and no bad habits.
If Miss Xiao befriends him, although he may not be of much help in the capital, at least he is a simple and pure person, and the Xiahou family is known for its loyalty and bravery—he is someone she can entrust with her affairs.
Thinking about it this way, he actually seemed like an older brother who was thinking about his younger sister in every way. Qi Jun tugged at the corners of his mouth and revealed a self-deprecating smile.
What kind of elder brother am I? Miss Xiao has three older brothers to take care of her; what does she have to do with him, an outsider?
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