Cining Palace.
As noon arrived, the Emperor brought Xiao Yeyang along with him.
Within the Empress Dowager’s palace, apart from Prince Ping, the Empress was also present.
"Imperial Brother!"
Upon seeing the Emperor, Prince Ping immediately rose to pay his respects, then, upon noticing Xiao Yeyang following behind, couldn’t help but snort.
Xiao Yeyang didn’t pay him any mind and stepped forward to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress.
The Empress Dowager, with a face full of affection, let Xiao Yeyang rise and then turned to the Emperor, saying, "The meal is ready, let’s eat first."
The Emperor smiled and said, "As the Empress Dowager decides." His attitude was polite yet distant.
The Empress Dowager seemed not to notice at all, still smiling broadly, while the Empress demurely helped the Empress Dowager over to the dining hall.
Prince Ping looked at the Empress Dowager, then at the Emperor, wearing an expression of helplessness.
The Jiang Family held too much power, and the Imperial Brother harbored reservations in his heart, unable to fully embrace the Jiang Family, this he understood and accepted. He had advised his mother before, suggesting that her brother’s family should rein in a little. Unfortunately, the effort was futile.
In his opinion, his uncles were too enamored with power; were it him, he certainly would not cling to power so tightly, needlessly incurring the displeasure of the Imperial Brother.
They are all one family, with the Imperial Brother around, could the Jiang Family ever lack benefits?
Now, the Imperial Brother had developed misgivings, and even his relationship with their mother had cooled - the Jiang Family was truly foolish!
Xiao Yeyang glanced at Prince Ping, his face a kaleidoscope of emotions, and inwardly chuckled. His father, he really didn’t know what to say about him.
If one said he was brainwashed by the Jiang Family, yet towards the Imperial Uncle he was truly sincere; but to say he was close to the Imperial Uncle, again he was extremely close to the Jiang Family as well.
There was a time when he thoroughly despised this sort of pliable character without conviction or steadfastness, but after experiencing much more, he suddenly felt that the ability to keep both sides at ease and maintain friendly relations, wasn’t something ordinary people could achieve.
The high status of Prince Ping’s Residence in Beijing owes much to his father’s efforts.
Once the palace servants had served all the dishes, the Emperor and the others took their seats in order.
The Empress Dowager said with a smile, "Today is a family banquet, there’s no need for formalities." Speaking, she looked at Xiao Yeyang with a pained expression, "Yeyang has spent so much time at the Northern Frontier, he must have suffered. He really needs to eat more good food to replenish."
After speaking, she gestured for the servants to add dishes to Xiao Yeyang’s bowl, completely embodying the affectionate elder.
If it were before, Xiao Yeyang might have been touched, might have felt that the Empress Dowager truly cared for him, but after experiencing the genuine love and care of Grandma Gu and Gu Jian, he felt the Empress Dowager’s light words were too superficial.
Although he thought this way internally, his face did not show it, and Xiao Yeyang stood and replied, "Empress Dowager is too kind, it’s Yeyang’s good fortune to serve the Imperial Uncle."
The Empress Dowager watched Xiao Yeyang with a smile, a flash of sharpness in her eyes. She preferred the Xiao Yeyang of his childhood, who wore his mirth and anger openly, over the composed Xiao Yeyang before her.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Humble Family's Daughter Has A Spatial Pocket!