It was only at this moment that Marquis Wu Yang suddenly realized with a jolt the real reason behind the subtle, meaningful glances his colleagues had been giving him lately.

Actually, by all logic, as a proper, bona fide first-rank Marquis, Marquis Wu Yang shouldn’t have been this “slow on the uptake.”

However, as a marquisate established through military merit, inquiring about the Emperor’s whereabouts was an extremely sensitive matter in itself. Moreover, during the previous princes’ struggle for the throne, the Marquis’s household had maintained an ambiguous stance, leading to the situation where, since the current emperor ascended the throne, the Wu Yang Marquis’s Household, while still appearing outwardly dignified, had long been quietly pushed out of the center of power.

If not for the military achievements he had indeed earned in his earlier years, the household’s situation would likely be even more bleak than it is now.

In such circumstances, Marquis Wu Yang felt that being cautious and meticulous all day long was barely enough;
how would he dare do anything more to draw the current ruler’s attention?

The more he thought about it, the more Marquis Ouyang felt his blood pressure rising.

Well, well! Here he was, toiling diligently day in and day out, not daring to take a single misstep, and yet these two people had managed to poke holes all the way to the heavens! He could no longer restrain himself and stormed off with great momentum towards the direction of the main courtyard…

Leaving aside how terrible the atmosphere at the Wu Yang Marquis’s Household was at that moment, the Great Liang Kingdom was naturally well-connected by waterways. Even when the emperor traveled by ship, every time they docked at a port, all sorts of novel and interesting things were readily available.

Having grown up in a remote little village, Xiao Ling had never witnessed such scenes before.

The vast sea surface stretching beyond the horizon, the interesting playthings from various regions, the colorful schools of fish occasionally leaping out of the water beside the deck. Especially at sunrise, when the fiery red sun reflected on the water, making the sea and sky seem to merge into one, it left the little girl utterly mesmerized.

For the first few days after arriving, she got up early almost every day, and that bit of melancholy from leaving home quickly vanished without a trace.

Every day, she would wear her newly made little dresses, tie on new silk ribbons, and wander all over the deck. Not showing the slightest bit of shyness. Occasionally, when the ship docked for supplies, she would even take some guards and go for a stroll on the streets.

Like right now:

“True Person, look! These are freshly bought lotus flower pastries, still warm! I heard people on the street say they taste wonderful!”

“And this, True Person, try this! The crab meat dumplings are delicious too!”

Although An Ning had previously said there was no need to be overly formal with titles, in front of others, Siya never called her ‘Second Sister’ again.

Hearing the commotion, An Ning quickly stopped her tea-rinsing actions. If there was one thing she couldn’t bear to part with through all her lifetimes, it was undoubtedly delicious food.

Ah, no matter how many times, one never gets tired of good food!

Naturally, An Ning attributed this to each lifetime having a different body;
how could it not count as a new experience!

She happily enjoyed the wave of delicious treats shared by her little sister.

And you know what? The little girl had quite a discerning palate. The palace had its refinement, but these street snacks also had their own unique charm.

Not bad, keep up the good work! An Ning gave a slight nod, her expression still serene and detached. But in the eyes of Siya, who had known her since childhood, this was clearly encouragement!

Seeing her Second Sister enjoying the food, the sparkle in Siya’s slightly upturned almond-shaped eyes grew even brighter.

Back when she first came over, Siya had already thought about her own role here. Second Sister lacked nothing now, and she herself was still young and obviously couldn’t help with much else.

But, being a considerate and cheerful little delight was definitely doable.

Second Sister had always had a quiet, detached personality since childhood. Even if she had some preferences, she never liked to show them. Wasn’t this exactly where she could be useful?

Feeling she had found her value in being here, Siya became even more diligent in her outings. Every time she came over, she either brought various delicacies or interesting little trinkets.

Upon learning of this, Emperor Xuanwu didn’t feel it damaged the exalted personage’s image at all;
on the contrary, he found it even more authentic.

In the Emperor’s view, not to mention a worldly transcendent, even a true immortal would be normal to have joys, desires, and even some small hobbies.

Ah, the True Person is indeed the most sincere and unaffected!

With such sentiments, Emperor Xuanwu immediately issued orders to offer high rewards for chefs with exceptional skills from various regions, ensuring that the True Person could enjoy delicacies from all over even while in the capital.

Sailing smoothly with favorable winds, amidst An Ning’s diligent cultivation and occasional tea-sipping and painting, by early February, the imperial vessel had already arrived smoothly at the capital’s docks.

Beyond the grand and imposing imperial procession, word had spread that a former master was arriving. Outside the city gates, apart from those welcoming the imperial carriage, many high-ranking officials and nobles of the capital were also eagerly awaiting. However, to everyone’s disappointment, from beginning to end, An Ning, this True Person, never showed any intention of making an appearance.

For a time, this truly gave many people plenty to gossip about.

And these discussions grew even more fervent when the current Emperor, in a rare show of extravagance, began constructing a residence and was seen lingering there multiple times.

Phoenix Palace

Having heard quite a bit of messy gossip from outside, although she had sternly rebuked those loose-tongued little palace maids on the spot, the moment she returned to the main hall, Suyun’s stern expression quickly melted into one of worry.

Especially seeing her own mistress before her, still practicing calligraphy as if nothing was wrong, seemingly completely unaffected:

She secretly bit her lip. After a long moment, the little palace maid finally stepped forward:

“Empress, have you heard? It’s spread all over outside. They say that Immortal Maiden’s appearance is of breathtaking beauty, and her bearing is even more extraordinary…”

“That is only natural. To attain the Dao and achieve sainthood among millions upon millions of people, one must naturally be extremely extraordinary.”

With perfect naturalness, she completed the final stroke. Before the writing desk, the Empress’s gentle voice was heard. Her words were not lacking in respect and admiration.

Hearing this, the little maid not far away grew even more anxious.

“But, Your Majesty! Many outsiders are saying that this person, in the future, will… ah!”

“That is an accomplished exalted personage! And she’s young and beautiful. His Majesty’s regard for her is plain to see. What if she threatens Your Majesty’s position?”

Even if Your Majesty comes from a great family, how can that compare to someone who has attained the Dao?

Thinking she had made herself clear enough.

However, after she finished speaking, what greeted her was her mistress’s gaze, which could only be described as astonished.

It was just… before this, Suyun had never felt her mistress’s gaze to be so… so… indescribably meaningful.

“Suyun, what makes you think that a true exalted personage who attained the Dao through calligraphy and painting, who embodies the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, who didn’t even set her eyes on the position of Imperial Mentor, would instead covet this humble Empress’s position?”

“Or, in your eyes, is the current Emperor actually so foolish and incompetent?”

Forcibly marrying an accomplished exalted personage, are you sure that’s not making an enemy?

In the slightly spacious room, a woman’s steady voice, carrying a hint of sharpness and authority, soon followed.

As soon as the words fell, the little maid’s face immediately turned pale, and she heavily knelt to the ground.

“Your Majesty…”

By the time she retreated, the little maid’s clothes were already soaked through with sweat.

However, worse was yet to come. Just as Suyun’s retreating figure disappeared, before the Empress could speak, the matron dressed in plain sandalwood-colored robes at her side quickly knelt down to plead for forgiveness:

“It is this servant’s fault for failing in her instruction. I beg the Empress to forgive this offense.”

“It is not your fault, Matron!”

Putting down the large characters she was writing, the Empress couldn’t help but sigh softly:

“That girl Suyun was originally sent by the family to assist. Because her medicinal cuisine skills were quite good, she was previously well-behaved. Who would have thought she would be so flustered and lose her composure when faced with matters?”

Even as she said this, the Empress understood in her heart that for that girl to be so panicked, those people in the palace must have contributed significantly.

The Late Emperor neglected governance in his early years, but was not lacking in offspring. At the beginning of his reign, to stabilize the court situation, it was inevitable to take in many daughters from great families.

Thinking of the various storms and troubles from earlier times.

The tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease!

Finishing the last page of large characters, the Empress soon spoke:

“From now on, Suyun need not come over anymore. Also, stop taking those medicines from now on!”

As soon as the words fell, the matron at her side was immediately greatly alarmed:

“Your Majesty!”

Meanwhile, in a scenic and beautiful detached villa:

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s kind intention, but as I said before, this humble Daoist absolutely cannot accept the position of Imperial Mentor!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep