Chapter 60: Entering the Palace

“You noble marquis got drunk and humiliated my unmarried daughter! You must give me an explanation!”

Madam Wei heard the commotion and quickly came closer to find out what was going on.

She saw that the old woman had a face full of coarse flesh, sharp and calculating eyes, and was clearly scheming something. Madam Wei stayed alert and suggested she come inside the residence so they could avoid creating a bigger public scene.

But the old woman stubbornly refused to enter. “What if you kill me to silence me? Who would my daughter seek justice from then?”

“I don’t care! I demand to see the marquis!”

Madam Wei couldn’t believe that barely after her husband had left, such a scandal had erupted. The timing was far too convenient to be coincidence.

What’s more, the old woman’s motives were blatantly obvious—it was hard not to suspect she was trying to extort them.

Still, the crowd around them was growing, and Madam Wei didn’t want her family’s reputation to suffer, so she considered shutting the gate and resolving the matter privately.

But this old woman was wily. Not only did she refuse to enter, she kept repeating loudly that her daughter had been assaulted by the marquis.

After what happened with Xinghua (Apricot Blossom), Madam Wei realized that her husband being recalled to the capital to resume office was not necessarily a good thing.

Never mind the people within their own household harboring ill intentions—there were also many outside with eyes fixed hungrily on them.

Madam Wei’s expression turned cold as she stepped forward. “Mouths can say anything. You claim our marquis dishonored your daughter—where’s your proof?”

The old woman pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve. “This handkerchief carries my daughter’s chastity! If you don’t believe me, call out your marquis and we’ll confront him!”

When Madam Wei saw the plum blossom-like bloodstains on the handkerchief, her expression faltered slightly.

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At that moment…

The carriage carrying Xie Yixing and Yaoyao had just passed through the palace gates.

The carriages of the various noble families could only go as far as that point.

Nanny Wu was about to lift Yaoyao down from the carriage, but Xie Yixing beat her to it and carried the little girl down himself.

They weren’t the earliest to arrive, but they also weren’t late.

A palace matron from the Empress’s palace had already come out to receive them.

Xie Yixing, holding Yaoyao, sought out a quiet corner to stand in. He didn’t want to interact with the others.

Though the children invited into the palace this time all came from families of status, the moment Xie Yixing stood there, both his looks and bearing surpassed everyone else by a mile.

Though they were all of similar age, the young heir of the Marquis of Chengming looked far more composed and mature.

Because the Chengming Marquis estate had never brought their heir to a banquet before, many people were curious about this only child of the house.

Especially after hearing that the Empress had personally invited the young marquis to the palace this time, everyone was eager to see the famed boy with their own eyes.

They didn’t expect the young marquis to not only have such refined features and fair skin, but also to be unusually quiet for his age.

And from the way he looked at the chubby little girl by his side, there wasn’t a trace of coldness in his gaze.

Aside from his good looks, what part of him looked “demonic” as the rumors claimed?

Even the matron from the Empress’s side couldn’t help but sneak a few extra glances—after all, Her Majesty had been asking constantly to meet this young marquis.

But as everyone was secretly stealing glances at Xie Yixing, they also inevitably noticed the little girl standing beside him.

Today, Yaoyao was dressed in a pea-green satin vest with golden floral patterns, crossed at the collar, which made her fair skin look even whiter and her hair darker. Her jet-black hair was tied up into two small deer-horn buns, and a delicate green jade hairpin in the shape of bamboo was stuck into one bun at an angle. Over her vest, she wore a dark green thick cloak with brocade threadwork, wrapping her up snugly. The tips of a pair of light turquoise shoes peeked out from beneath the cloak. The whole look made her adorably silly and sweet.

Whose young lady was this?

And how could she be so close to the young marquis?

Yaoyao was holding the hand warmer Xie Yixing had given her. Her pale-pink cheeks were flushed red from the cold wind.

Just as she was about to free one hand to reach into the pouch at her waist for a snack, a boy in a black narrow-sleeved robe embroidered with gold-thread auspicious clouds on the cuffs caught sight of her from not far away. He wore a dark blue belt with a carved green-jade sunflower pendant hanging from it. The look on his handsome face was less than friendly.

Yaoyao paused.

She remembered Aunt Wei’s warning: when eating pastries, you had to be sneaky. Now that someone was watching, she couldn’t eat them anymore.

Regretfully, she touched the bulging pouch at her waist. Just outside the gate, those uncles carrying big sabers had tried to inspect her pouch. It was only because Persimmon-gege (Xie Yixing) showed his jade token that she was spared the inspection—otherwise, if all her pastries had fallen out and gotten dirty, she wouldn’t have been able to eat them.

Xie Yixing seemed to have sensed the hostility coming from the boy in the distance as well. His face instantly turned cold.

Those who had just thought he looked approachable now felt a sudden chill and quickly changed their minds.

Perhaps those rumors about him hadn’t come from nowhere—best not to provoke him lightly.

Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait long before the matron led them into the inner palace.

After passing through the Imperial Garden, they reached the Empress’s residence.

For most of the children, this was their first time entering the palace. Although their families had repeatedly reminded them to behave carefully, children are naturally curious. All their little heads stood upright, eager to take in every sight of the Imperial Garden.

Even Yaoyao couldn’t help but glance around several times.

Despite it being winter, the Imperial Garden still appeared full of spring thanks to the meticulous care of the palace gardeners.

Everyone looked, but no one dared to touch a single petal. If even one fell, the consequences would be too great to bear.

Yaoyao was amazed at how these flowers were still alive in winter. She wanted to ask Xie Yixing, since he read a lot of books and would probably know. But just as she opened her mouth, Nanny Wu gave her a quick shake of the head to signal not to speak freely.

Understanding the look in Nanny Wu’s eyes, Yaoyao obediently shut her mouth.

She decided to ask Persimmon-gege about it later when they had a moment.

Just then, a graceful little girl appeared at her side. She looked slightly older than Yaoyao, with a slender figure. She wore a pomegranate-red long skirt and a matching cloak. Her presence was graceful and elegant.

Yaoyao curiously stared at the girl for a while, tilting her head and blinking her eyes.

Previously, when she saw Wei Yuhui, she thought she was beautiful. But now, seeing this girl in front of her, Yaoyao felt she looked like a fairy.

She noticed that the cloak was embroidered with red peonies. Her hair was styled in a single spiral bun, adorned with a peony-shaped jade hairpin. Her accessories tinkled softly as she moved, exuding nobility.

What caught the eye most was the white velvet fan in her hand. She held it up, covering her rosy lips and upturned nose, revealing only her bright, slender fox-like eyes.

Yaoyao didn’t know who she was and didn’t dare to speak rashly.

Before entering the palace, both Nanny Wu and Caiwei had repeatedly reminded her not to talk to strangers.

And this girl was, after all, a stranger.

The girl was also studying Yaoyao with wide eyes. The two of them stared at each other for a while. Then, the girl suddenly spoke. Her voice was crisp and pleasant, like wind chimes under the eaves: “Whose daughter are you? Why have I never seen you before?”

Before Nanny Wu could pull Yaoyao behind her and answer on her behalf, Yaoyao happily opened her pink lips and replied, “I’m from Persimmon-gege’s house~ You haven’t seen me before because this is my first time here.”

Xie Yixing, hearing Yaoyao’s voice, turned his head and instantly met the gazes of several noble young ladies nearby. His expression was cool and distant, his eyebrows and eyes showing aloofness.

The dark green robe he wore enhanced his noble aura. His features were cold and composed. Many noble girls in the group were secretly sneaking glances at him.

Yet at this moment, his gaze landed on the little girl behind him, and a trace of indulgent affection rose in his eyes.