The Ninth Prince glanced sideways and looked disdainfully at the high platform.
The dragon throne is now empty.
Feng Nanqi has disappeared without a trace.
The Ninth Prince raised his wine cup: "I am busy."
Eunuch Hong's eyes reddened slightly, and he looked troubled: "Your Majesty, this old servant is merely a messenger..."
The Ninth Prince scoffed lightly: "In that case, you go and deliver a message to Feng Nanqi."
Tell him that I am drunk and incoherent, and that he should stay away from me.
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Hong almost burst into tears: "Your Majesty..."
The Ninth Prince raised his eyes, his slender pupils cold as ice.
Eunuch Hong was startled and quickly bowed, saying, "This old servant will go right away!"
After saying that, he jogged away.
Yuan Yao poured a cup of tea and pushed it in front of the Ninth Prince: "Father, when will this banquet end?"
Are we supposed to sit here all day?
Her hot pot...
I miss hot pot...
She really can't eat any more of this meat!
So, she really couldn't adapt to life in West Hill!
She can't even finish eating all of it!
If she stays in Xiqiu, she will definitely grow up to be thin, short, and ugly...
The Ninth Prince looked at Tuanzi beside him, put down his wine cup, and extended his fair and slender hand to her: "Come here."
Yuan Yao was overjoyed and quickly placed her little hand on it.
The Ninth Prince, holding his little dumpling's hand, was about to get up.
Beside him, Huaiyao spoke up: "Your Excellency, I'm here too!"
When we went out of the palace to find food, how could we leave her behind?!
Huaiyao straightened her skirt and stood up.
Not far away, Xie Zhi saw this and called out to Huai Yao, "Pfft..."
"What?" Huaiyao turned her head.
Xie Zhi reached out and gestured: What are you doing?
Huaiyao made a "eat" gesture.
Xie Zhi nodded.
On this occasion, they represent the royal family of the Great Qi Dynasty.
The Grand Tutor can leave, but they cannot...
Xie Zhi, Jiang Chengyan, and Lin Xuan sat upright like pine trees.
The Ninth Prince took Yuan Yao's hand and stood up.
As soon as he moved, many people at the banquet turned to look in his direction.
On the Northern Di side, a young man in a bright blue brocade robe couldn't sit still any longer. He picked up a cup and walked over.
Despite not having seen each other for several years, Yuan Yao recognized Hao Lie at a glance.
Haolie has grown quite a bit taller in the past few years.
He was a Northern Di person, very large and imposing, who gave off a particularly reassuring presence.
His features are even more refined and three-dimensional than they were back then.
His tanned skin radiated a healthy, glowing luster.
In a few more years, he'll probably be worthy of the title "walking hormones"...
Haolie, just like before, blushes easily.
He glanced at Huaiyao before stammering, "Haolie... greets Your Excellency! Yesterday, Haolie was unaware that Your Excellency had also come to Xiqiu, and therefore failed to come and greet you in time..."
"Hmm," the Ninth Prince responded, then asked, "How is your father?"
Haolie nodded: "Everything is fine."
The Ninth Prince nodded.
Haolie continued, "Your Majesty... are you going back to Daqi?"
Upon hearing this, the Ninth Prince raised a slight brow: "Prince Haolie, is there something you need?"
"I..." Hao Lie blushed.
He was so nervous that he fidgeted with his fingers and stammered, unable to speak.
When I get anxious, my face turns bright red.
Yuan Yao watched, incredibly curious.
Why is Prince Haolie stuttering more and more?
It wasn't like this back then!
Thinking about it, she couldn't help but look at Huaiyao.
Just then, Huaiyao also looked at her.
Yuan Yao: "?"
Could it be...?
Yuan Yao winked slyly at Huai Yao.
Huaiyao couldn't help but frown and whisper, "Yuan Xiaoyao!"
This sound drew Hao Lie's attention.
Hao Lie touched his robe and smiled at Huai Yao.
Suddenly, the Ninth Prince understood.
The Ninth Prince said coldly, "I have matters to attend to, and I will naturally return to the Great Qi as soon as possible."
As for the others, they can return whenever they want.
If the Northern Barbarians are at peace, Prince Haolie might consider accompanying the Great Qi delegation on a trip to Great Qi.
Go to Daqi?
Are you escorting Huaiyao back to Daqi?
Hao Lie was overjoyed, his face turning even redder: "I...can I?"
The Ninth Prince said coldly, "If you think it's not allowed, I won't stop you."
"I can!" Hao Lie exclaimed with joy.
The Ninth Prince gracefully raised his sleeve and took Yuan Yao's small hand: "Let's go."
Seeing this, Huaiyao hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I'm still here!"
The Ninth Prince said calmly, "Follow behind."
Once you start following, you start following a whole string of them.
The Ninth Prince led Yuan Yao by the hand, followed by Huai Yao. Two steps behind Huai Yao was Hao Lie, and behind Hao Lie was his personal attendant...
The group left the banquet together.
Wherever he went, many people looked up, curiously scrutinizing the Ninth Prince and Yuan Yao...
Yuan Yao followed the Ninth Prince with small steps.
She listened intently to the whispers around her—
"The Ninth Prince of the Great Qi is truly as legendary as he is, with unparalleled beauty!"
"What a pity, he was a eunuch..."
"What's there to regret? He wields power over the world, possesses unparalleled beauty... If I were him, I'd be laughing in my sleep!"
"Your Excellency, you must be almost forty, right? How come you look like a young man in his early twenties?"
“Yes! He’s so young! I’m about the same age as him, and I already have wrinkles and gray hair. My grandson can already run around this year. But he seems like he won’t age…”
"Shh... I heard he practices some unorthodox martial arts to maintain his youth!"
"What kind of unorthodox method is this? Is it really that strange? How do you practice it?"
"Probably, drinking virgin blood or something..."
"Oh my god!"
"..."
The more it's spread, the more outrageous it becomes.
Yuan Yao stared wide-eyed upon hearing this.
Are there some kind of problem with these people?
Drinking virgin blood?
That's disgusting!
They're all ugly, incompetent, and age quickly, so they just spout nonsense!
That's outrageous!
Unable to bear it any longer, Yuan Yao narrowed her eyes and said, "These gentlemen, you are all wrong. My father is young and handsome, all because he is naturally good-looking."
Dear gentlemen, do you know what it means to be naturally beautiful?
You were born good-looking, understand?
And being naturally beautiful isn't enough!
Just like my father has a great physique, it's all thanks to his hard work in martial arts training!
If you gentlemen sit around drinking and eating meat all day, your bellies will only get bigger and bigger, and your skin will only become looser, develop more wrinkles and sunspots.
Finally, the reason my father was so handsome was because he never meddled in other people's business or gossiped behind their backs!
A group of people were rendered speechless.
Awkward.
That's so embarrassing!
They were talking about someone behind their back, and someone overheard them!
An older official stood up, embarrassed, and said, "Please forgive us, Your Highness, we were just drunk and that's why we talked nonsense..."
As he spoke, he bowed deeply and gave a salute.
The others also awkwardly followed suit, apologizing and making amends.
Just then, Eunuch Hong walked this way.
Eunuch Hong glanced at the group, asked the young eunuch, and noted down their names.
Then, he slowly walked to the side of the Ninth Prince and Yuan Yao, and lowered his voice: "Your Highness, Princess, His Majesty invites you to come over."
The Emperor... his condition is not very good.
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