Chapter 276: Thank You, Uncle
Chapter 276: Thank You, Uncle
How could the Qi King bear the way Suisui looked at him?
His heart instantly softened, and he no longer felt annoyed by the jade pendant around Lu Xingming's neck.
For now, he decided to put aside his annoyance for the child's happiness, considering that the pendant was new.
The Qi King quickly smiled and nodded, "Be a good girl and thank your uncle."
Only after speaking did the Qi King realize, "Why 'uncle'?
Don't I deserve to be addressed as something closer?
How about 'uncle-in-law'?
Although the Qi King felt slightly dissatisfied, he didn't take it to heart.
With his father's permission, Suisui finally reached out to take the jade pendant and softly expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, Uncle."
Since he was a good uncle, Suisui was willing to be well-behaved and thank him politely, addressing him with a respectful title.
The little girl's eyes were round and bright, and when she spoke, her voice held a hint of shyness that made her seem not petty but incredibly adorable.
She resembled a young tanuki, maintaining a slight wariness towards the outside world.
She was enchanting and cute.
No wonder the Qi King liked this child so much that even the usually arrogant and proud eldest princess regarded her with high praise.
Lu Xingming thought...
If it were him, he would like this child, too!
Not wanting to keep people waiting outside for too long, Lu Xingming quickly led the group from the Qi King's Manor into the mansion.
While the Qi King entertained the male guests in the front yard, the Queen had to take the children to the back garden.
Since Feng Xuanrui and Feng Xuanbin were still young, the Queen, not wanting to leave them unattended, decided to bring them along.
Feng Xuancang and his brothers followed closely by the Qi King's side.
Feng Xuanbo wanted to squeeze into the Queen's group, but Feng Xuancang pulled him back, not wanting him to leave their father's side.
Although Feng Xuanbo was still young, growing up in the capital meant that even at his age, he needed to start socializing and building connections to prepare for his future.
Even as princes of a noble manor, they had to forge their own reliable networks.
As the temporary eldest brother, Feng Xuancang naturally cared for his younger brothers and sisters and wanted to plan ahead for them.
While Xiao Liu and Xiao Qi were still too young, Feng Xuanbo, who was already a bit older, needed to step up and stop being lazy.
Feng Xuanbo wasn't foolish, either. Knowing that he couldn't depend on his older brother, he understood that he had to take charge of his own future. After all, his mother would need his protection one day, so he couldn't afford to be incompetent.
Thus, even if he was reluctant, he eventually put on a smile and obediently followed his father and brothers.
Although the Assistant Duke's Manor was smaller in scale compared to the Qi King's Manor, it was still quite vast. To get to the back garden, one had to traverse long corridors and pass by intricate rock gardens.
The Queen was used to walking around her own manor, so she strode forward confidently.
However, concerned that Suisui might get tired, she had been carrying her, but soon, the girl was passed onto her aunt's arms.
Along the way, they ran into Yan, who was rushing forward with two people following closely behind her.
One was a young woman, and the other was a young lady.
When the Queen saw them, she paused.
Yan was indeed moving at a swift pace, and the two people following her struggled to keep up. They didn't dare to voice their concerns, so they could only gently hold onto their skirts as they tried to match Yan's speed while maintaining proper etiquette.
Upon spotting the Queen, Yan quickly came to a halt. However, due to her fast pace and the momentum she had built up, she stumbled forward, almost falling if not for her maids, who reacted swiftly and pulled her back in time.
The Queen was startled as well and quickly took a step forward.
Yan winced, letting out a few "Ay yo" exclamations. "Your Highness, my apologies for this embarrassing situation. I was in such a rush that I twisted my waist, and now it's a bit sore and painful."
Yan was blunt and straightforward, speaking her mind without filtering her thoughts.
As for how others might feel after hearing her words? Well, Yan didn't seem to care much, as she often said: "I'm sorry, but my brain capacity is limited, and I can't think about too many things at once."
Upon hearing that Yan had twisted her waist, the Queen of Qi quickly took a few steps forward, concern evident on her face. "How are you feeling now? Should I send for a physician?"
But Yan quickly waved her hand in dismissal. "No need, no need, it's just a slight twist. I'll be fine in a moment. I just can't stay still right now; I'm too anxious!"
The Queen of Qi was perplexed. "But what happened to cause such anxiety?"
She wondered if there was anything she could assist with, wanting to lend a helping hand if possible.
Before the Queen could get a response, Yan snapped her fingers against her forehead. "Ay ya, what am I so anxious about?"
The servants: ...!
Though, to be honest, they weren't really surprised by this turn of events.
After snapping her fingers, Yan finally realized what the fuss was about. "Oh dear, it just occurred to me! Princess Shunyang came with our carriage today, but after entering the back courtyard, she disappeared! Her aunt and maids are also nowhere to be seen. Her mother is worried sick, so she sent us out to look for her. I thought I'd check the front courtyard, leaving the back courtyard to my sister-in-law."
Just then, the young woman and the young lady finally caught up, their faces flushed from rushing to keep up with Yan. They quickly paid their respects to the Queen of Qi. "Your Highness."
The Queen of Qi gently waved her hand, indicating that they need not be so formal.
Princess Shunyang was young and playful, and there was no way she could get lost in the residence of the Assistant Duke. She had probably wandered off to play with some familiar young ladies.
However, with today's guests, if she happened to encounter someone with ill intentions who wanted to take advantage of her status as a princess...
The Queen of Qi's heart sank at the thought.
She gently squeezed Yan's hand, her voice low and serious. "Let me help you look for her."
But Yan waved off the offer, her hand dismissive. "No need, your stamina isn't up to it, and you won't be able to keep up with me."
The Queen of Qi: ...
Despite being used to Yan's blunt manner of speaking, she still couldn't help but feel a slight prick to her heart.
She had been working hard on improving her stamina so that she could hold her children for longer periods.
Following behind Yan were her daughter-in-law, Lu Shi, and her eldest daughter, Su Ninglan.
Su Ninglan felt embarrassed to be panting so heavily in front of outsiders, so she held her breath, slowly adjusting it while her face turned a deep shade of red.
Hearing her mother's words, she felt her vision darken, then darken again.
"Save me!" she cried inwardly. "This is exactly why I hate going out with Mother! You never know what Mother will say next, and it's always so embarrassing!"
Su Ninglan even dared not lift her head to meet the Queen of Qi's gaze, her heart pounding with anxiety. She decided that on their way back, she would definitely ride in her Great-Uncle's carriage.
Otherwise, she feared that her mother might just decide to stuff her into a sack!
Indeed, before the banquet had even begun, her mother had already embarrassed several people in the back courtyard!
Su Ninglan truly feared that someone might not be able to take the embarrassment and decide to stuff her mother into a sack in retaliation!
In comparison, Lu Shi, her elder sister-in-law, was much more composed. She maintained her dignified and elegant smile even as she struggled to catch her breath. She quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Your Highness, you've just arrived, so please head to the back courtyard to rest first. Princess Shunyang probably ran into some familiar young ladies and got caught up chatting, forgetting the time."
(End of Chapter)
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