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After the banquet began, Xiao Yao finally saw the long-rumored Eldest Princess. She sat in a privileged position at the lower end of the table. Although she was in her forties, she was well-preserved. Xiao Yao had thought that in a place like Tubo, exposed to wind and sun, the Eldest Princess would not have had an easy life as rumored. However, seeing her now was quite unexpected for Xiao Yao.
The Eldest Princess returned to court, and naturally, the Emperor, as her elder brother, wore a joyful expression mixed with complex emotions. His demeanor was truly on point. Even Xiao Yao, sitting below, couldn't help but call out "good" for the Emperor. How good could a sister who married outside the family really be? If the princess's maternal family had been strong enough back then, Princess Nanjing wouldn't have fallen to the point of marrying into a foreign clan.
Despite how warm and caring the Emperor appeared towards this sister now, one had to weigh how much she truly meant to him.
Of course, regardless of what others thought or what the Emperor was really thinking, at least this Welcoming Banquet ended pleasantly, filled with songs and dances, and everyone enjoyed themselves. Each person's expression showed they were having a great time.
By the time they returned home, it was nearly midnight. The family washed up and went to bed.
The next morning, the family gathered for breakfast when Yun Zhu entered carrying a three-tiered food box and placed it on the table. "Princess, everything you requested is ready."
"Good, just leave it here," Xiao Yao nodded and dismissed Yun Zhu.
"What’s this?" He Ziyi, the most curious in the family, was the first to lift the lid of the food box. Unexpectedly, before he could reach it, Xiao Yao slapped his hand away. "What are you doing? This is for sending to the Crown Prince's Princess; don’t touch it!"
He Ziyi was scolded by Xiao Yao and could only regretfully pull his hand back. He Yu then spoke up, "Why are we sending food over? Is there no cook at the Crown Prince's place?"
"Of course not; it's just that Yang Ning is clamoring for beef soup. Our cook isn't skilled at making this dish, so Consort asked me to help out," Xiao Yao explained. "The girl has been ill and is running a fever; she doesn't want anything else but this soup. It's just a small task to send it over."
"Ill? Is it serious?" He Zi'an asked with a worried expression.
"It's not too bad," Xiao Yao replied vaguely, mainly because she found her Second Brother's anxious look amusing. However, she decided not to tease him further at this moment and continued, "Later, you’ll take the food box to visit the Princess, understand?"
"Okay." He seemed genuinely anxious and agreed without any further chatter.
He Zi'an ate faster than usual; within no time at all, he put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth. "I’m done."
"Good. Rinse your mouth and change your clothes before you go. No matter how urgent it is, remember your manners," Xiao Yao reminded him.
"Got it." He Zi'an replied, while the person on the other side had already run far away, and soon their figure disappeared. He Yu shook his head helplessly, "I've never seen him practice martial arts with such enthusiasm."
Xiao Yao was amused by He Yu's words, and He Ziyi was also chuckling beside them.
"Forget it, children grow up and can't be controlled by their parents. I've come to terms with it," Xiao Yao sighed dramatically.
He Yu joined in the laughter, and the family was very happy. Xiao Yao thought for a moment and asked, "Now that the Eldest Princess has returned to the capital, do you need to accompany her?"
"Not really," the two of them strolled hand in hand in the courtyard. He Yu said, "The Eldest Princess is a member of the Royal Family; my duty is just to safely escort her back, which completes my mission. As for what happens next, that's the royal family's business. After all, the Emperor has so many sons and daughters-in-law! It's not our turn."
That made sense. After hearing He Yu's analysis, Xiao Yao agreed and no longer dwelled on those matters.
As they walked and chatted, they unknowingly arrived at a small bamboo grove behind the courtyard. The bamboo grove wasn't large, with a few trees scattered in between. Xiao Yao looked around and asked, "Where are Wu Yun and Liu Jin? They haven't gone to sleep in the house, have they?"
"They're over there." He Yu's gaze turned toward one of the trees. Following his line of sight, Xiao Yao indeed saw Liu Jin lying on a branch fast asleep, while Wu Yun was also soundly sleeping on a higher branch.
Seeing the two big cats sleeping so sweetly, Xiao Yao remarked, "They really know how to find a good spot."
"Clouded Leopards," He Yu said nonchalantly. "Leopards generally like to climb trees; it's not surprising."
"Mm." Xiao Yao nodded with a smile.
The two of them walked in silence for a while until suddenly Xiao Yao heard some rustling sounds. Curious, she turned around to look and was startled to see something black with cold-colored scales quickly sliding down from a nearby grass pile. Cold sweat immediately broke out on Xiao Yao; she was so frightened that she couldn't even scream and could only grip He Yu's hand tightly.
He Yu felt pain from her grip and turned around first to see Xiao Yao's stunned expression. Following her gaze, he saw a snake slithering down from the grass pile. Cautiously, he stepped in front of Xiao Yao to shield her behind him and pulled out a short knife from somewhere. The sharp blade glinted coldly in the sunlight as they both held their breath. Just as He Yu took a step forward, he suddenly saw a golden shadow diving down from above and pinning the snake firmly to the ground.
In that moment, Xiao Yao felt a rush of relief and immediately screamed. Along with her scream, Wu Yun dashed out; both leopards pinned the snake down completely immobilized, while Liu Jin even had time to leisurely lick its paws. However, He Yu still didn't let his guard down and kept Xiao Yao securely behind him. But after getting a clear look at the snake, he relaxed slightly. "It's okay; this kind of snake is not poisonous."
"Mm." Xiao Yao also let out a sigh of relief. However, Xiao Yao's scream quickly attracted the guards in the courtyard. He Yu stabbed the snake's vital point with a dagger, pinning it in place. Xiao Yao hurriedly signaled for Wu Yun and Liu Jin to leave; after all, these guards were Royal Guards. If others found out that there were two large cats in He Yu's courtyard, the consequences could be uncontrollable.
Wu Yun and Liu Jin had lived with humans for many years and had a beast tamer in the royal residence, so they clearly understood Xiao Yao's gestures. In a flash, the two leopards leaped up into the trees, hiding among the branches. Ordinary people would hardly notice that there were two large cats perched on the tree.
The arrival of the guards quickly resulted in the snake being killed. He Yu's face darkened. "A snake has entered the Royal Palace? What if it had gotten into the house?!"
The guards quickly knelt down to plead for forgiveness, but He Yu remained displeased and said, "Enough! Enough! What good is pleading for forgiveness? Strengthening our defenses is what matters! Clean this place up and get out."
After finishing, He Yu flicked his sleeve and led Xiao Yao out of the bamboo forest. Upon returning to the house, they saw He Ziyi rushing out in a panic. "Mother, I heard you scream loudly just now. Is something wrong?"
"It's nothing; I just encountered a snake." Xiao Yao was still shaken but tried to remain calm in front of her child. "Everything is fine now."
"A snake?!" He Ziyi couldn't believe it. "I was in the bamboo forest! How come I didn't encounter it?"
"With your attitude, do you really want to encounter one?! Do you know that your mother was so scared I almost lost my mind?" Xiao Yao nearly shook her son's shoulders and shouted, but she held back because He Yu pulled her into the inner room.
"You were scared, weren't you?" He Yu gently touched her face with a worried expression.
Xiao Yao's complexion still hadn't recovered, and her voice trembled slightly. "Yes, how could there be a snake? I'm most afraid of snakes."
He Yu embraced Xiao Yao and softly comforted her. "The palace has plenty of grass and trees, and since we are not close to Nine Provinces Tranquility, it's natural that some things have been overlooked. The bamboo forest is also difficult to manage; over time, snakes might come in."
"By your logic, doesn't that mean there are also mice in the bamboo forest?" Xiao Yao widened her eyes.
He Yu chuckled lightly. "There definitely are, but don't forget there are also two cats in that bamboo forest!"
Oh right, Xiao Yao realized; she had forgotten that there were two large cats in the bamboo forest. The mice must have been scared away long ago and wouldn't dare come near. Thinking this way made Xiao Yao feel much more at ease; having two large cats at home really did have its benefits!
Encountering a snake in the backyard was thrilling, but once it was over, it was just a memory.
Xiao Yao wouldn't think too much about it; there were people all around the house, and snakes were afraid of humans. There was no reason to worry.
After the hour of Shen, He Zi'an returned with an empty food box, saying, "Mother, I'm back."
"How is it? Is the Princess seriously ill?" Xiao Yao asked.
"Not really. She hasn't been coughing much today. The Princess also asked me to thank you; that chicken Egg Wrap Rice was especially delicious. Can we make it again tomorrow?" He Zi'an replied with a smile.
It seemed that seeing Yang Ning had eased He Zi'an's heart, and a smile finally appeared on his face.
Xiao Yao felt relieved upon hearing this and said, "Of course, it's not difficult at all. Just have the kitchen prepare some more tomorrow, and you can deliver it."
Hearing that he could still go to the Crown Prince's place tomorrow made He Zi'an very happy, and he readily agreed.
While He Zi'an went to change and wash his hands, He Yu chuckled and said, "You're just trying to whet the young lady's appetite so that our son has a reason to deliver things."
"Of course," Xiao Yao replied confidently. "After all, she is our future daughter-in-law; shouldn't we get to know her better?"
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