CH 38

The Gilded Cage Chapter 38

The Autumn Crab Banquet (2)

Guo Er tugged at Xu Shi’s sleeves, informing her to look at Chu Ning.

Xu Shi hesitated for a moment but began to imitate Chu Ning so as not to embarrass herself.

Since the passing of the late Emperor, the palace always felt somber. But now, as people gathered to feast on crabs and listened to the musicians playing music, the mood finally became more relaxed.

When the crabs were taken away and replaced with desserts, a maid suddenly announced, “The Emperor has arrived.”

Instantly, everyone except the Empress Dowager stood up and curtsied to the Emperor as he entered the pavilion.

“Please stand.” Xiao Kezhi waved his hand, sat on a chair, and said calmly, “I have just finished with official matters. As I heard that you are here, aunt, I came here to see you for a while.”

Xu Shi immediately went to the Emperor with her daughter and bowed nervously.

“Since you are here,” the Empress Dowager said and shot a glance at a relative beside her.

The woman understood immediately and smiled. “Since Your Majesty is here, please rest for a while and have some wine. The Empress Dowager has kept this precious wine for many years. If not for Duchess of Lu’s visit, she would never bring it out for us to enjoy.”

The Empress Dowager turned to Qi Chenxiang and said, “Chenxiang, please pour a cup of wine for the Emperor.”

Qi Chenxiang brought a pot of wine to Xiao Kezhi and began pouring the wine into his cup. Her usually calm face blushed slightly from being near to him.

Chu Ning watched quietly and remembered the times she poured tea for Xiao Kezhi.

But Qi Chenxiang was a proper young lady, so she was focused on pouring wine.

Chu Ning stopped looking at her and turned to look at Xiao Kezhi.

His gaze also turned to her quietly.

Their eyes met, and both of them looked away quietly as if nothing happened.

Chu Ning smiled secretly. His gaze proved that he was also thinking about the two times she poured tea for him.

Once the cup was filled with wine, Qi Chenxiang brought it to him with both hands. Her expression was a little shy as she said, “Your Majesty, please have some wine.”

But after accepting the wine from her, Xiao Kezhi only took a sip and placed it on the table. He then turned to look in Chu Ning’s direction.

Everyone followed his gaze and looked there too.

“Is this Guo Er?” His gaze moved past Chu Ning and stopped at Guo Er. “Do you like the palace?”

Xu Shi nodded quickly and pushed her daughter forward, “This is indeed Guo Er, my daughter.”

Guo Er looked fearfully at Xiao Kezhi. Although he was her cousin, he was much older than her. She replied timidly with what her mother had coached her to say, “All the nobles are nice to me here.”

But just as Xu Shi was about to relax, her daughter suddenly turned to Chu Ning and smiled before saying, “But this lady is the nicest to me.”

The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward.

The Crown Prince and the new Emperor had a tense relationship. Even the Empress Dowager would not talk about the Crown Prince before him. However, this young girl praised the Crown Princess before the Emperor.

Chu Ning looked down and remained silent.

Xiao Kezhi raised an eyebrow and stood up. He walked to Guo Er and asked, “Guo Er, can you repeat it again?”

Guo Er looked up at him, pointed to Chu Ning and repeated what she said.

Xu Shi was shocked. She immediately pulled Guo Er to her side and said, “My daughter is too young to understand and said something wrong. Please forgive her, Your Majesty. I will teach her properly later.”

The other women were shocked. Even Xiao Kezhi couldn’t help frown and glance at Chu Ning.

However, Chu Ning kept her gaze down as if Guo Er wasn’t talking about her.

“Aunt, please stand up. It’s alright.” His usually stern expression relaxed slightly as he looked at his aunt and cousin. “Guo Er, can you explain what you just said?”

Guo Er stuttered nervously, “She… She listened to what I say, gave me pastries, and taught me how to eat crab…”

Xiao Kezhi looked at Chu Ning again. He seemed to be implying something as he said, “Both of you seem to get along well.”

Chu Ning was not sure whether he was talking to her or Guo Er.

Guo Er was about to cry from being under everyone’s scrutiny. Xiao Kezhi patted her head and said, “You are my cousin. This means that you are the Emperor’s relative. As such, you are free to befriend anyone you want without caring what others think.”

It seems that he did not oppose her befriending Chu Ning.

He left soon afterwards.

After he left, the guests exchanged glances and could not find the mood to enjoy the banquet again.

Even the Empress Dowager seemed a little tense.

She glanced at Chu Ning and wondered whether Xiao Kezhi was over confident and did not regard the Crown Prince as a threat or meant something else.