Chapter 1298: Chapter 780: Return to the Daxuan Kingdom (Part 4)
"Mm."
An Ji held his wine cup and started drinking again with Xiao Luming.
An Youyou hadn’t eaten the delicacies of Daxuan Kingdom for quite a long time; right now her mind was entirely on the food, happily stuffing herself.
An Ji set down his cup and turned to look over.
An Youyou seemed to sense a gaze; she lifted her eyes and looked over.
All she saw was An Ji and her brother drinking together in high spirits.
So she lowered her head again and kept eating meat.
An Youyou had actually heard the conversation between An Ji and her brother.
That whole "waiting for Father Emperor and Mother Empress to return" was really just so they could properly take Gao Chaoyang away.
After all, Gao Chaoyang was now married to the Imperial Uncle; just taking him away outright wouldn’t make sense. On top of that, with her brother’s feelings for Anqi, in his heart he definitely wouldn’t want Gao Chaoyang to divorce the Imperial Uncle. Only their Father Emperor and Mother Empress could handle her brother.
She wondered, if her brother found out his best brother was "scheming" against him, would it kill him with heartbreak?!
The one who should be hurting the most was probably Elder Sister Anqi, who had to stay with the Imperial Uncle, right?!
An Youyou couldn’t help sighing to herself.
They really were twins—such a twisty, unlucky fate, exactly the same!
"Princess Youyou."
While An Youyou was still zoning out, she suddenly saw An Ji walk up to her.
She jumped in fright.
She hurriedly took a handkerchief and wiped the corner of her mouth.
"An Ji." An Youyou pretended to be calm.
"I’d like to drink a toast to you." An Ji lifted his cup.
An Youyou was surprised.
What was he coming over to toast her for, just like that?
They weren’t even that "close."
"To thank you for saving my life." An Ji explained.
"Hm?" An Youyou tensed up a little.
"If you hadn’t taken me in from the street when I was a child, I wouldn’t be who I am today." An Ji explained.
"Oh." An Youyou secretly let out a breath of relief.
Scared her half to death.
She’d thought An Ji had discovered something...
She quickly picked up her wine cup. "It was just a small lift of the hand, not worth mentioning."
"I’ll remember it for the rest of my life." An Ji suddenly grew very serious.
"...You didn’t seem this grateful before, though?!"
An Youyou smiled. "As long as Beiyuan Country and Daxuan Kingdom get along, that’s enough for me."
"That’s all?" An Ji asked.
So what else was she supposed to say?!
An Youyou looked at An Ji with a face full of confusion.
An Ji didn’t say anything more. He took the initiative to clink cups with her, then drained his in one go.
An Youyou also hurriedly drained hers in one go.
After they finished the wine—
An Ji went back to his own seat.
An Youyou kept eating her food on her own.
The atmosphere stayed the same.
After dinner—
Everyone returned to their own palaces.
Anqi couldn’t hold her liquor, but she’d still drunk a little at the banquet just now. At this point she was being supported by a Palace Attendant as she went back to her palace to rest.
An Youyou wandered around aimlessly inside the Imperial Palace.
She’d originally planned to leave the Imperial Palace tomorrow or the day after and go to Wenzhou to look for her Father Emperor and Mother Empress, but from what she’d just heard from her brother, Father Emperor and Mother Empress would be coming back to the palace. If she tried to leave now, her brother probably wouldn’t allow it. If she dared sneak out this time, he might really break her legs!
An Youyou felt a bit melancholic.
She took a deep breath and was about to head back to her bedchamber when—
"Princess."
A familiar voice suddenly sounded from behind her.
An Youyou’s heart gave a little jolt.
Why was this An Ji haunting her like a ghost that wouldn’t leave.
Hadn’t he just gone back to his chambers with her brother?!
An Youyou turned around, a proper smile on her face. "It’s so late, and you’re still not resting?"
"I can’t sleep." An Ji said frankly.
"I’m sleepy." An Youyou deliberately yawned.
She also wanted to use this as an excuse to slip away.
Right now she really wanted to avoid An Ji like the plague.
"Didn’t Princess sleep the whole day?" An Ji smiled a little.
"...How do you know?!"
"I’m just the sleepy type." An Youyou made up an excuse. "My Mother Empress says, for thirty years you can’t wake up, and the next thirty years you can’t fall asleep. Meaning, before you turn thirty, people just sleep a lot."
"Is that so?"
"So I’ll be going back first." An Youyou smiled.
Then she turned and started walking away.
"Princess." An Ji called out to her again.
An Youyou pressed her lips together.
He’d never been this enthusiastic when he saw her before.
"Tomorrow I’d like to go to Prince Jing Mansion to see Chaoyang." An Ji said directly.
An Youyou pressed her lips together again.
"If Princess doesn’t mind, could you perhaps accompany me?" An Ji asked.
So.
He wanted to find someone to be his shield, right?!
After all, An Ji going to Prince Jing Mansion on his own would be odd no matter how you looked at it, but if he went with her, it could count as paying a visit to relatives and friends.
"All right." An Youyou agreed in one breath.
Do a good deed to the end; if you’re sending a Buddha, send him all the way to the West.
"I’ll make the arrangements for tomorrow," An Youyou said. "Then I’ll let you know when we depart."
"Thank you."
"You’re welcome." An Youyou smiled. "Then I’ll be off."
"...Mm." An Ji nodded.
An Youyou turned and left straight away.
Without the slightest reluctance.
She was even a little... eager to get away.
The hands An Ji had clasped behind his back tightened and tightened again.
...
The next day.
At first light, An Youyou was already busy getting ready to go to Prince Jing Mansion.
By nature she was someone who loved to have fun. Xiao Luming didn’t object to her going out to play; he only insisted that she had to be back in the palace before dark.
Sometimes An Youyou wondered whether Xiao Luming was her brother or her father.
Even her father hadn’t controlled her this strictly.
After all, her father’s whole heart was fixed on her mother.
An Youyou asked Anqi to go to Prince Jing Mansion with her. Ever since the Imperial Uncle got married, he hadn’t come to the Imperial Palace much, and Anqi had less time to see him. They could use this chance to ease the lovesickness between the two of them.
The three of them shared a carriage to Prince Jing Mansion.
Prince Jing Mansion had gotten word early, so everyone was already waiting at the gates.
Watching them arrive—
Xiao Jinyu and Gao Chaoyang were both clearly a bit emotional.
An Youyou even saw Gao Chaoyang’s eyes turn red the moment he looked at An Ji...
