Chapter 11 Planning a Trip
The dusk fell, dyeing the towering palace walls into a deep dark blue, and the hustle and bustle inside and outside the palace walls was separated by an invisible veil.
Inside the imperial study, candles were ablaze, and the dancing light cast flickering shadows on the rosewood imperial desk, the jade pen holder, and the faces of several people.
Outside the window, one could faintly hear the sounds of palace servants hanging colorful silks and lighting palace lanterns, mixed with low laughter, quietly injecting a bit of festive excitement and anticipation into this solemn and dignified meeting place.
Nangong Yu sat upright on the dragon throne, his slender knuckles tapping the smooth table surface from time to time, his eyes calmly sweeping over the table below:
The calm and steady brother-in-law and confidant Dongfang Qichen, the sister-in-law Dongfang Yuning who tried hard to keep a straight face but couldn't hide the excitement in her eyes, the younger brother Nangong Ye who was as tall and cold as a solitary pine on a peak, and the crown prince Nangong Chengqian who had a slightly raised corner of his lips and looked like he was enjoying the fun.
A meaningful arc appeared on his lips, breaking the silence:
"Tomorrow is the annual Qiqiao Festival in the capital."
The emperor's voice carried a subtle warmth and gentleness, and his gaze seemed to penetrate the thick palace walls and fall upon the grand scene in his memory of a city full of lights and laughter.
"Although the palace held banquets as usual in previous years, they were ultimately more royal in style and lacked the wildness and fun of the common people."
He paused, his tone tinged with a subtle sense of guilt.
"I have been buried in papers for many years and have neglected the Empress. This time..."
His voice was deep, with unquestionable determination.
"I have decided to travel incognito and personally accompany the Empress to release a lantern, as a small way of making up for my debt."
At this moment, within Fengyi Palace, where Empress Dongfang Qiwu resided, the atmosphere was somewhat stagnant. Dressed in a simple and elegant palace dress, she was leaning against the window, lost in thought as she gazed at the scattered lanterns that had just been lit in the palace gardens.
Time has not left many traces on her beautiful face, but the eyes that were once as bright as stars and carried the heroic spirit of a general's daughter are now like dusty glass, filled with deep fatigue and an almost dead indifference.
The emperor was busy with government affairs, and she was not the only one in the harem. The deliberate or unintentional neglect had long since worn away her girlish dreams and vitality.
When she heard the palace maids whispering about how lively it would be outside the palace tomorrow, she just listened calmly, as if the prosperity was a world away from her.
Until the eunuch beside the emperor hurried in with an uncontrollable smile, and conveyed the news that His Majesty would go out of the palace in disguise tomorrow and would personally accompany the Empress to light lanterns.
Dongfang Qiwu's hand holding the teacup paused almost imperceptibly.
Light lanterns?
Fragments of distant memories suddenly crashed into her mind—before she married, she had snuck out of the house with her close friends, chasing and laughing in the crowds of the Qiqiao Festival, selecting the most beautiful lanterns, secretly writing down her daughter's thoughts and throwing them into the river. The lanterns reflected her young face, bright and bold, carefree...
A faint but real warmth flowed into the long-silent lake of my heart without any warning. My heart, which seemed to have withered long ago, trembled slightly at the simple words of "lighting lanterns".
【He... actually still remembers? 】
This thought came to her mind uncontrollably, carrying with it a hint of bitterness and hidden anticipation that she herself had not even noticed.
Can a dead heart really come alive again? She didn't dare to think too deeply, but her fingertips curled up slightly, revealing the slight ripple in her heart.
Nangong Yue, who was excitedly fiddling with her new pearl flower, lit up her face instantly when she heard the news. She threw the pearl flower aside and rushed to the Queen's side:
"Mother! Really? Father wants to take us out to play? To see the lanterns?"
Her eyes were filled with pure, almost overflowing joy.
"That's great! I heard there are fire-breathing jugglers, little sugar figurines that can spin, and lots of beautiful lanterns! My aunt will definitely be very happy!"
In the imperial study, as soon as the emperor finished speaking, Dongfang Yuning's already lively big grape-shaped eyes lit up instantly, as if they were filled with crushed starlight, so bright and astonishing.
She quickly lowered her eyes, forcing down the corners of her mouth that were about to curl up. She stood up politely, her skirt swaying slightly like ripples, and gave an impeccable bow.
"Your Majesty is wise and considerate of the Empress, which is truly a blessing for the harem."
The voice is clear and pleasant, and the child is so well-behaved that water could drip out of it. Anyone who sees it would praise it for being polite and sensible.
However, her heart was already beating like a gong:
[Woohoo! Tong! Tong! Did you hear that?! Let out! Let out! I can finally escape this golden cage! Lanterns! Candied haws! Jugglery! And all those pretty girls and boys... (Slurp) No, no, the point is freedom! Free air! Here I come!]
A cold electronic voice sounded without any emotion:
[Host, please pay attention to your posture. The upward angle of your mouth exceeds the standard value by 0.5 degrees. Also, the energy of the home channel is slowly charging, and no breakthrough progress has been made yet.]
【Wuwuwu...Cold-blooded and ruthless Tong! 】
The villain in Yu Ning immediately pouts.
[Happiness is like a bubble, it bursts with a poke! Brother-in-law Zhou Paopi! He must have calculated the days to squeeze out the value of my child labor in these last few months! I’m only three months away from turning fifteen!
There are still three whole months until she reaches marriageable age! Child labor! This is blatant child labor exploitation! I want to protest! I want to go on strike! Wuuuuuu… When will this dire situation end? My brother-in-law is a disgrace!]
The little drama in her heart was being played out vigorously. The joy and grievance that could not be concealed under her forced calmness, as well as the voice of "accusation" that was as real as the truth, were accurately received by the men present.
Dongfang Qichen looked at his sister, who appeared to be grateful but actually harbored deep resentment. He took a sip of his teacup, his lips twitching slightly.
[Poor Ning'er, having to deal with such a ruthless brother-in-law... The men in the Nangong family are all black-hearted! Be patient, sister. I'm with you in spirit!]
Crown Prince Nangong Chengqian lowered his eyes, staring at the coiled dragon pattern on his brocade robe, his shoulders trembling slightly, almost imperceptibly.
[Pfft… My aunt's inner voice is even more exciting than the storytelling under the overpass. My father is really good at using both kindness and force. He not only pleases my mother, but also tortures my aunt.]
Tsk, there's nothing I can do to help you. Aunt, you're on your own. But seeing her angry but unable to speak out is really interesting.
Nangong Ye's gaze was always fixed on the small figure who was trying to minimize her presence. Hearing her inner wail, his handsome eyebrows knitted slightly, and he looked at his brother with a hint of disapproval in his eyes:
[Big brother has indeed... passed.] She was still a child, not yet fully grown, her cheeks still soft and childish, and her earlobes were small and white beneath her tied-up hair.
Being confined to the court every day, listening to those old men bickering endlessly over trivial matters, is exhausting. Look at her pitiful expression, wanting to cheer but trying so hard to hold it back...]
An unfamiliar pity crept into his heart, and he stared at her more intently and longer than he realized, as if he wanted to count the tiny pearls pinned in her hair.
Nangong Yu, who was sitting on the dragon throne, tried hard to maintain the dignity of an emperor, but the corners of his mouth turned down slightly, and he felt very depressed.
[Here we go again! This little bastard is mentally accusing me again! 'Zhou Pa Pi'? 'Unbecoming of a human being'? I allowed her to participate in government affairs to hone her, valuing her Dongfang family's heritage and her own cleverness! How did she become a black-hearted boss exploiting child labor? My life as an emperor is... frustrating! I am undoubtedly the most frustrating emperor in history!]
Nangong Yu took a deep breath, suppressed the grief and anger in his heart, and put on that mysterious smile on his face again. He glanced at several important officials and beloved generals:
"Tomorrow is a holiday, the time, the place, and the people are all right! I have decided,"
He paused deliberately, his eyes fixed on Dongfang Yuning, whose ears pricked up again, and whose hair was full of anticipation.
"Let Ning go along and have some fun. How can she stay so young and bored in the palace all the time? It's a good opportunity for her to keep Yue'er and the Queen company, and it will be fun for the two sisters."
He specifically mentioned the queen's status and the princess's position, naturally integrating Yu Ning's participation.
He then looked at Nangong Ye, Nangong Chengqian and Dongfang Qichen, and his tone turned serious:
"Cheng Qian, Qi Chen, A Ye, the capital is a mixed bag. The protection matters will be handed over to the three of you to discuss. You must come up with a foolproof plan. My Queen, Princess,"
He glanced at Dongfang Yuning again, with a hint of teasing.
"And my extremely noble sister-in-law will have to leave the cave tomorrow! The most dazzling pearl of Yan Kingdom cannot afford any mistakes!"
Dongfang Yuning bowed again and thanked him obediently. On her drooping face, her big eyes gleamed with cunning and expectation.
[Get out of the cave! Haha, my brother-in-law's description is quite apt! General, get ready, tomorrow's battle begins! Primary goal: eat at every food stall! Secondary goal: buy the most beautiful lantern and make a wish to take home! A bunny lantern? A lotus lantern? Or...]
System: [Host recommended to prioritize personal safety. Also, a sustained attention signal from Nangong Ye has been detected, intensity: medium to high.]
Analysis: The target may have developed some kind of 'humanitarian concern' or... other undefined emotions towards the host's underage 'child laborer' status. Please remain vigilant.]
【???】
Dongfang Yuning stumbled slightly and almost lost his balance.
[Tong! Don't scare me! What undefined emotion? Why is he looking at me? Could it be... could it be that he found out that I secretly drew a turtle on the memorial he annotated last time?!]
She glanced quickly in Nangong Ye's direction guiltily, and happened to meet his deep and calm eyes, which seemed to be thinking about something.
The gaze seemed to linger on her slightly messy hairpin for a moment, and she was so scared that she immediately shrank back like a frightened rabbit, her heart pounding and her cheeks inexplicably hot.
Nangong Ye took in her slight panic and the faint blush that spread across her cheeks. His thin lips curved into an almost imperceptible, fleeting arc. He was the first to look away, turning to Dongfang Qichen and the Crown Prince. His voice was as calm as usual, as if the momentary gaze and the turmoil in his heart had never occurred:
"Brother Huang, Brother Qi Chen, the matter of guarding is of great importance. Shall we move to the side hall to discuss it in detail?"
The group filed out. Dongfang Yuning followed at the end, her steps so brisk she almost jumped. Her mind was filled with the spectacle of the bright lights of the tomorrow night market, the sweet and tempting snacks, and the undefined emotions that the system had said, leaving her both embarrassed and annoyed. She was completely unaware that the gaze behind her lingered for a few breaths after her slender figure disappeared through the porch, with a hint of inquiry and gentleness that even he himself had not fully understood.
The night wind, carrying the sweet fragrance of the first-blooming osmanthus flowers in the palace gardens, quietly brushed past the carved beams and painted buildings, gently rolling up a few fallen leaves. By the window of Fengyi Palace, Dongfang Qiwu gently stroked his daughter Nangong Yue's excited little face, looking at the palace lanterns gradually lighting up outside the window. Finally, a faint but real light flickered in his eyes, which had been silent for many years.
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