Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Northern Qi held a banquet in the palace, and both my Little Aunt and I attended.

I sat beside He Lanzheng, while Little Aunt sat alone in her own place.

The new Emperor of Northern Qi drank his wine, his gaze shifting back and forth between Little Aunt and me.

I didn’t like the new Emperor’s eyes; they looked like a bowl of greasy soup that had been stewing for far too long.

I shrank back, hiding closer to He Lanzheng.

Though He Lanzheng was a killer, he had never looked at me with such eyes.

He Lanzheng stuffed a sweet fruit into my hand and told me to eat and stop looking around.

I felt like he was angry, yet his face remained perfectly calm.

The new Emperor ordered Little Aunt to dance, and he insisted she do it barefoot.

Obediently, Little Aunt took off her shoes and began to dance in the middle of the banquet.

In truth, she didn’t really know how to dance.

She was my Imperial Father’s youngest sister, born to a palace maid. Though she was a princess, she was never favored.

She and her mother had a difficult life in the palace, sometimes having to do embroidery work to trade for money. My Imperial Consort Mother often sent them food and clothes.

Later, after her mother passed away, my Imperial Consort Mother brought her to live in our palace. Back then, Mother only taught her how to paint and write poetry; she never taught her how to dance.

But now, her dancing was exquisite.

She spun light as air, her palace robes spreading out like a blooming lotus, her tender feet serving as the flower’s stamen.

The new Emperor and the ministers all clapped and cheered. The new Emperor even beckoned Little Aunt to sit beside him.

Little Aunt obediently went over. The new Emperor stroked her hand, but I noticed she was stealing glances at He Lanzheng the entire time.

She looked pitiful and deeply aggrieved.

He Lanzheng, however, kept his head down, drinking cup after cup of wine.

He rarely drank; he always said that alcohol clouded the mind.

It was already night by the time the palace banquet ended.

The new Emperor wanted Little Aunt to stay, but the Empress Dowager said Little Aunt was tired from dancing and should return to the guest manor to rest.

We left the palace together with Little Aunt. As we were parting ways, I suddenly felt unwell and began to cry, clamoring for my Little Aunt.

Helpless, He Lanzheng had no choice but to let Little Aunt join us in our carriage.

Little Aunt held me anxiously. “You were fine at the banquet, how did you suddenly fall ill?”

He Lanzheng said he didn’t know, then asked her if she wanted to go to the Prince Jun Residence to look after me or if she wanted to take me to her place.

Little Aunt said she would take me to her place.

Without a word, He Lanzheng jumped down from the carriage, the silver ornaments tied to his small braids jingling as he moved.

I felt that he was angry.

He had been angry more in these past few days than in the previous two years combined.

Little Aunt didn’t say anything either, only gently coaxing me.

After a while, the carriage suddenly stopped. He Lanzheng lifted the curtain again and spoke to Little Aunt in a cold voice, “What kind of good medicine could you possibly have at your place? We’re going to my residence.”

Little Aunt hesitated for a moment before softly agreeing.

As He Lanzheng turned away, I saw a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.