Chapter 284 Entering the Palace
After a private and patient conversation with Qiuqiu, Madam Yun finally understood why her aunt was being so mysterious.
Just for that little thing!
Chirp chirp, trotted back, and rummaged through her crossbody bag with her bottom sticking out. Mrs. Yun was almost driven to the point of developing a fear of her crossbody bag automatically spitting out tissues.
"Chirp chirp, what are you looking for?"
Chirp didn't respond. The chubby little hand groped around for a while and finally found a miniature invitation, about the size of a child's palm, among a pile of clutter.
"Give."
Chiu Chiu stuffed the small invitation into Madam Yun's hand. Madam Yun opened it and squinted to see what was written inside.
It turned out to be an invitation to a spring banquet!
The tiny invitation, no bigger than a palm, was made of bright yellow silk, clearly from the palace. "Did Princess Funing give this to you?"
Chiu Chiu shook her head, "Of course not!"
"Princess Jing," Chuchu answered in her childish voice. Thinking of Fu Ning's resolute little face, she shook her head again, "Fu Ning, no."
Sister Fu Ning wouldn't go to such lengths to invite them to the Spring Banquet!
At most, she would simply lead her men to kidnap them all back to the palace!
The Spring Banquet, ostensibly for appreciating spring, was in reality a matchmaking event. The main character was Princess Jingning.
Consort Shu has been so busy lately with her precious daughter that she has developed mouth ulcers. She wants her daughter to get married as soon as possible so that she won't have to suffer in a foreign land, and she also wants her daughter to be happy and marry the person she loves.
She also had her own selfish motives; she stopped the Empress from sending an invitation to the General's Mansion.
She had been obedient her whole life, but this time she dared to offend the Empress!
No one outside the palace may enter without a summons. Lady Yun was still thinking of a reason to enter the palace when she was about to fall asleep, and Qiu Qiu provided the perfect opportunity.
She kissed Qiuqiu's little face: "Your aunt didn't spoil you for nothing!"
Chiu Chiu didn't understand why her aunt was suddenly so excited. [So happy? If she knew Princess Jingning had prepared special little invitations for each of us, she'd be ecstatic!]
Madam Yun excitedly pressed down on Qiuqiu's shoulder and gave her a difficult and great task!
"Your cousin's marriage is in your hands!"
Chuchu: (*)!!
Is it too late for her to go home now?
Yun Jinglan couldn't understand why Qiuqiu was so excited about the matchmaking event with the name "Spring Flower Appreciation". She got up before dawn to tidy herself up, and her small bag was bulging with something she didn't know.
"Are you sure you don't need your mother to go with you?"
Chiu Chiu tasted the soy milk and found it wasn't sweet enough, so while her mother was tidying her clothes, she secretly added a large spoonful of sugar. Imitating her grandfather, she sneaked a sip from the edge, "Ah~"
Delicious!
【I can't let Mom go with me. She's so pretty, what if she gets taken home by a handsome young man with similar taste to me? It would be such a waste of his time. Mom's home, let Qiuqiu go!】
The little dumpling's adorable expression, determined to protect its mother's money, made Yun Jinglan giggle. Su Junyao gave Qiuqiu a thumbs up, praising Qiuqiu's thoughtfulness.
Su Xiucheng felt like he had mastered the correct way to win favor at home. Are all kids these days so good at pleasing people?
Today's spring banquet is crowded and noisy, and the Marquis's mansion doesn't have any women of marriageable age... Wait, something's not right!
Su Junyao and Yun Jinglan exchanged a glance; they were still thinking about their two more unlucky sons!
"Where did the eldest and second eldest go?"
Su Jingwen said, "My eldest and second brothers were afraid you would let them go to the Spring Banquet, so they left before dawn. My eldest brother went to the military camp in the suburbs and said he wouldn't be back for the next half month. My second brother... I don't know, he left in a hurry and didn't even take his money bag with him."
He took out a bright green money pouch from his pocket and placed it on the table. Before Yun Jinglan could keep an eye on it, Qiujiu snatched it up.
Su Yunyi, peeking from outside the door: "!!!"
How come this kid is so fast!
Su Yunyi's entry into the imperial court as an official and the resulting salary seemed glamorous, but in reality, the social interactions and obligations drained his savings. This was his last bit of money!
Now they all belong to the money-devouring beast, Qiuqiu...
He hesitated for a moment, but decided to take a chance on himself. It wasn't really a big deal; what girl would want a penniless guy?
"Dad, Mom, chirp chirp."
Chiu Chiu reacted very quickly, grabbing the money bag and stuffing it into her bosom. Her little mouth moved rapidly, making smacking noises, and her eyes were fixed on the steamed buns in front of her, not even glancing at her second brother who came to ask for money.
Su Yunyi laughed in exasperation; when it came to being a rogue, it was still up to his family.
Long, slender fingers were held out in front of her, and Chiu Chiu glanced at her own short, chubby fingers. "No."
Su Yunyi: "That's my purse, and my name is embroidered on the inside."
Chirp: "Now, mine."
Su Yunyi: "Oh, so you can't read."
Chiu Chiu felt that her breakfast no longer tasted good. Why did she have to resort to personal attacks when she was just talking?
Chiu Chiu jumped off the chair, took her second brother's hand, and walked to her mother, saying, "Together."
My second brother should get married and bring a wife to keep him in check.
Although he was prepared, Su Yunyi still felt a chill run down his spine. "Mother, I think I'll pass."
“Go!” Yun Jinglan said decisively. “You and your older brother are of marriageable age, it would be good for you to go and meet some potential partners.”
Chiu Chiu nodded vigorously, "Yes."
[What guy this age doesn't have a girlfriend yet?!]
Inside the carriage, the two siblings sat on opposite sides. Chiu Chiu secretly shifted her little bottom, trying to get closer to her brother, but he ignored her and gave her a cold snort.
She didn't get her money pouch back and was even forced to go to the palace for a blind date with Qiuqiu. It would be strange if Su Yunyi gave her a kind look.
Chiu Chiu didn't mind offering her warm face to her brother's cold backside at all; the more her second brother acted this way, the more challenging it became for Chiu Chiu.
The chubby little boy snuggled up next to his older brother, giggling.
Su Yunyi stopped his sister, who was getting too demanding, with his finger. "Hmm? Trying to please me?"
Chirp rubbed her little hands together: "Hehe, I'm going to marry my sister-in-law~"
Su Yunyi stared at Qiuqiu for a long time before finally exhaling a breath of stale air. "You'd better stop trying to talk. I don't like what you're saying right now."
A man's ambition should lie in all corners of the world; it's so pathetic to think about loved ones all day long!
Su Yunyi thought of Qiuqiu's love-struck thoughts and looked at her meaningfully: "You're going to be a girl who does great things in the future, don't be like Gao Wenyan."
But Gao Wenyan is charming to everyone; two beautiful young ladies of noble birth are in love with him. Isn't that exactly what these stinky men like?
What, is he acting all high and mighty now?
[Hmph, if two girls liked me this much, I'd be ecstatic.]
Chiu Chiu's huffy and puffy expression almost made Su Yunyi laugh. Princess Jingning has been frequently leaving the palace lately; it seems she's in a hurry.
Gao Wenyan, having studied diligently for years, certainly wouldn't be content to be merely a powerless prince consort. But the princess is the emperor; if the emperor commands a subject to marry her, the subject has no choice but to marry her. Otherwise, it would be defying the imperial decree!
That's a matter that could cost you your head!
"There's going to be a good show today."
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