Chapter 76 You really went for it, my heart is broken.
Wow, that sounds so good!
Sheng Sheng was drawn to the music after listening for only a short while.
"How about it, not bad, right?" Xie Yunqi enthusiastically pulled her inside. "You've been babbling away for quite a while now. If I hadn't been busy with my exams, I would have brought you here long ago. How about that? Your brother thinks of you first when there's something good. Aren't you touched!"
The golden crown on Xie Yunqi's head shone brightly, and the cunning little tyrant, with his rebellious nature, was tinged with gentleness.
Perhaps Xie Yunqi himself didn't realize that he was actually a very pure little boy.
He may be a bit mischievous, but he also has a unique gentleness.
She chuckled softly and replied gently, "I'm so touched, brother is the best."
Xie Yunqi smiled happily, clearly a little embarrassed by the praise, feeling warm inside, but still stubbornly said, "Hmph, I wonder which of your brothers is the best."
His voice was both amused and exasperated.
The two children were exceptionally good-looking and dressed in a gorgeous and elegant manner. As soon as they stepped into Changyin Pavilion, the female official Meng, who was watching the dancers practice, noticed them.
The lady-in-waiting hurriedly stood up, composed herself, and stopped the music.
"Your subject greets the Fifth Prince and the Second Princess."
The musicians and dancers followed suit and bowed.
Xie Yunqi waved his hand casually: "Don't worry about us, we just came over out of boredom. You guys keep dancing."
Sheng Sheng smiled at her in a friendly manner.
The female official observed the two men's expressions and saw that they moved with ease and grace, as if they were indeed just casually glancing around.
But this little tyrant was famous, and it is said that even many ministers had suffered at his hands, yet they could do nothing about him.
The female official dared not underestimate them. After pondering for a long time, she led the two to their seats: "The arrival of the Fifth Prince and the Second Princess to our Changyin Pavilion is an honor. However, why didn't you inform us in advance? I could have made some preparations and not neglected you both."
Xie Yunqi glanced at her: "Why do you seem so nervous? Am I some kind of monster?"
The female official was drenched in sweat, bowed deeply, and covered her face with her long sleeves: "I dare not, I dare not. Changyin Pavilion is a remote place. I was just afraid that I might have offended Your Highness and the Princess in some way."
"We just want to see what's on New Year's Day. Sister, please don't worry about us, just pretend we don't exist."
The female official was taken aback. She slightly raised her head from behind her sleeve, revealing a pair of eyes that looked at the gentle voice, meeting a pair of kind and clear eyes.
Before she could see clearly, the owner of those eyes had already looked away.
Xie Yunqi instructed Xiao Quanzi to place the cushions he had carried all the way on the chair, and then personally smoothed them out with his hands. He then extended his hand to Sheng Sheng and said with a hint of doting affection, "Please, Your Highness."
Sheng Sheng was a little surprised by his unexpected move; she had thought the cushion in Xiao Quanzi's hand was for him.
After all, Xie Yunqi was an arrogant and noble young prince.
"Thank you, brother."
Sheng Sheng placed her little hand in Xie Yunqi's palm, and Xie Yunqi lifted her up with a push.
Xie Yunqi watched as the little dumpling adjusted to a comfortable sitting position before lifting the back of his cloak, patting his own seat, casually sitting down, and then saying somewhat boastfully, "How about that? Isn't your brother thoughtful?"
"How thoughtful of you, brother! You're so great!" The voices naturally offered their praise.
Xie Yunqi snorted twice, then said haughtily, "Of course, your brother dotes on you. Is your Pei Ji brother as considerate as I am?"
"Hmm..." Sheng Sheng pouted, placed her fingers on her chin, and began to think seriously.
Actually, yes, Pei Ji knows she has short legs... no, Pei Ji knows she hasn't grown that tall yet, and he will thoughtfully lift her down from the stool.
Upon hearing Sheng Sheng's reflection, Xie Yunqi became even more enthusiastic: "Hey, you really went for it! Shouldn't you have immediately and decisively declared that your fifth brother is the best?"
She stuck out her tongue and quickly coaxed him, "Watch the dance, watch the dance!"
Xie Yunqi then let her go, though he was quite annoyed.
The female official took in the entire interaction between the two and was momentarily lost in thought.
It was Xie Yunqi who called out to her before the lady-in-waiting hurriedly replied, "Fifth Prince."
"What are you spacing out for? Get them moving! We want to see a dance!"
Without the order from the female official, the musicians and dancers dared not move and stood still, quietly watching them.
The female official calculated the time and hesitated for a moment: "Your Highness, how about I point out a few musicians to you, so that Your Highness and the Princess can go and listen to some music for a while?"
Xie Yunqi frowned: "Why? Weren't they just dancing? Why did they stop as soon as we arrived? Are they targeting us? Do they have a problem with us?"
Sheng Sheng tugged at Xie Yunqi's sleeve.
The lady-in-waiting was in a difficult position; both sides were important figures, and she couldn't afford to offend either of them.
"No, no, it's an honor for our Changyin Pavilion that His Highness and the Princess have come to us. How could such a thing happen?"
After explaining, the lady-in-waiting said with a bitter face, "The New Year's Day palace banquet is coming soon, and there are quite a few ladies who will be performing their talents at the banquet. Recently, many ladies have been coming to Changyin Pavilion to practice. And now, one of them will be coming soon."
Although the concubines in the harem did not have any taboos about meeting with princes and princesses, this was, after all, an order given by that empress.
Xie Yunqi: "Which lady?"
"It's Consort Jing and Consort Yue. The two consorts will be performing a duet at the palace banquet to entertain the guests. Consort Yue has given instructions that their dance is for His Majesty's benefit..."
The lady-in-waiting didn't say the second half of the sentence, but Xie Yunqi had already figured it out on her own.
This means they only wanted to select something specifically for His Majesty to see, and didn't want to reveal it to others before New Year's Day.
It's just dancing, so I can understand.
But why is Consort Jing dancing?
The real culprit has not been found, and Consort Jing's confinement has not yet been lifted.
Zijuan asked in confusion, "Isn't Consort Jing under house arrest?"
The lady-in-waiting explained, “On New Year’s Eve, a major holiday, His Majesty naturally granted Consort Jing a special pardon to attend the palace banquet. Consort Jing, grateful for His Majesty’s favor, wished to perform a dance at the banquet to express her gratitude. This dance is a duet with Consort Yue, so naturally the two of them need to practice together. And so, they’ve come to practice today. Oh, but Your Highness and Princess, rest assured, without His Majesty’s decree, I certainly wouldn’t dare to invite Consort Jing to Changyin Pavilion on my own. His Majesty has already granted Consort Jing permission to leave Weiyang Palace one day before New Year’s Day to practice with Consort Yue, and today is the day the two consorts will practice their duet.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com