Chapter 364: Chapter 313: Why is This Tea So Much More Bitter Than Usual?

「East Courtyard of the Xiao Mansion.」

Madam Xiao, Xia Qingke, was trimming the flowers and plants.

Her personal maid, Huan Ying, walked briskly into the courtyard and curtsied to Madam Xiao. "Madam."

"Mm," Xia Qingke nodded and spoke slowly. "The Princess came looking for Xiao Mo yesterday?"

As the Lady of the Xiao Mansion, she was naturally aware that the Third Princess had come to see Xiao Mo.

She simply hadn’t asked about it yesterday.

"Yes, Madam. The Third Princess came to play with Xiao Mo. She had a meal in Fifth Madam’s courtyard, then dragged Xiao Mo out to have fun. Xiao Mo didn’t return until late at night," Huan Ying reported truthfully.

"I see. You may leave," Xia Qingke said in an even tone.

"Madam..."

Huan Ying hesitated, but ultimately decided to speak her mind.

"Xiao Mo is now a disciple of Elder Huang. He even attended the Grand Hunt, became the Princess’s guard, performed meritorious service, and was rewarded by Your Majesty.

And now the Princess herself has come to visit, and it seems she and Xiao Mo have a very good relationship.

Could this mean..."

Just as Huan Ying was about to finish her sentence, Xia Qingke turned her head and gave her an icy glare.

Huan Ying immediately fell silent and knelt to beg for forgiveness, slapping her own face as she spoke. "I deserve death, Madam! I spoke out of turn! I deserve death!"

"Huan Ying, I know what you were going to say."

Xia Qingke walked over and looked down at the maid kneeling before her.

"You came with me from the Xia Family to the Xiao Mansion when I married. I know you are devoted to me and worry about the Hereditary Title of Prince Zhenbei.

But I must tell you, now that we are in the Xiao Mansion, we must abide by the Xiao Mansion’s rules.

To say nothing of the fact that there has never been a precedent in the Xiao Mansion of disinheriting the legitimate heir in favor of a son from a concubine.

Even if there were.

Who becomes the future Prince Zhenbei is for the Prince and Your Majesty to decide!

No one else is qualified to gossip about it.

Do you understand?"

"Yes, Madam..." Huan Ying prostrated herself on the ground, not daring to look up.

"I will forgive you this time. If you make the same mistake again, you will go receive your punishment yourself." Xia Qingke turned back to her flowers, not giving Huan Ying another glance.

"Thank you, Madam. This servant will remember and never transgress again." Huan Ying kowtowed three times before timidly rising to her feet and backing away.

After Huan Ying left, she was the only one left in the courtyard.

However, compared to before, Xia Qingke no longer seemed so focused on her pruning.

As she snipped away, there was a sharp "SNIP," and the most vibrant blossom was cut off.

Xia Qingke picked up the fallen flower and looked into the distance, her brow furrowing involuntarily.

...

「In the Third Princess’s palace at the Qin Kingdom Royal Palace.」

Having played to her heart’s content the day before, Qin Siyao was now sitting in the courtyard pavilion, reciting from a book.

But as the young girl recited, her thoughts couldn’t help but drift to the meal she had at Aunt Zhou’s home yesterday.

She remembered the candied haws, meat buns, braised pig’s trotters, and peach blossom cakes she ate on the street.

She remembered the itinerant acrobat.

She remembered the old man who sculpted clay figurines.

And most, most, most importantly, she remembered the little boy her own age.

As she thought about it, a silly grin spread across the little girl’s face.

But she quickly shook her head forcefully, muttering to herself, ’Can’t get distracted! I have to hurry up and memorize this!’

Suppressing her thoughts, the little girl began to read the poems and essays aloud, trying to memorize them as quickly as possible.

At noon, the little girl even recited while eating, looking as diligent as a scholar preparing for the imperial examinations.

In the late afternoon, after Qin Siyao had meticulously reviewed the homework her mother had assigned her from beginning to end, she ran out of the courtyard full of confidence.

"Princess, where are you going?"

Maid Hua Sheng was just walking over with tea and snacks when she saw the Princess dash past her like a little deer.

"I’m going to recite my lessons for Mother!"

The little girl ran further and further, her voice trailing off into the distance.

Meanwhile, the Sovereign of Qin was in the Imperial Study reviewing memorials, while Empress Shi stood beside her husband, sleeves rolled up, carefully grinding ink.

"Father... Mother..."

Suddenly, the little girl’s cheerful voice came from outside the Imperial Study.

Eunuch Li, who was guarding the door, didn’t dare stop her. He could only pretend not to see as the young Princess pushed open the wooden doors to the Imperial Study.

Qin Siyao was originally as happy as a blooming flower.

But when she saw her mother’s stern gaze, she immediately shivered, quickly backed out of the Imperial Study, obediently closed the door, and then knocked. "Father, Mother, your daughter Siyao requests an audience."

"Come in," Empress Shi called out.

Having received permission, Qin Siyao pushed open the door again, walked forward respectfully, and curtsied. "Your daughter, Siyao, pays her respects to Father and Mother. I trust Father is well? And Mother is well?"

"Your father is doing very well," the Sovereign of Qin said with a smile.

"I am well," Empress Shi said with a nod. "Is there something, Siyao?"

Qin Siyao straightened up, her big eyes sparkling with happiness. "Reporting to Father and Mother, your daughter has already completed the homework Mother assigned yesterday. I invite Father and Mother to test me."

"So quickly?" The Sovereign of Qin was a little surprised.

Empress Shi also looked at her daughter in disbelief.

’The homework I assigned was supposed to take five days.’

’It would have been impressive if this little rascal had finished it within seven days, yet she memorized it all in one?’

"Yes, Father and Mother, your daughter knows it all." Qin Siyao’s expression was full of impatience, as if to say, ’Father, Mother, test me now, test me now!’

"Alright. Then recite it all from the beginning," Empress Shi said.

"Yes, Mother." Qin Siyao cleared her throat with a cute little "ahem, ahem," mimicking an adult, and began to recite.

"The wild geese are flying about;

Susu, they flap their wings.

That officer is on an expedition,

Toiling painfully in the open country.

The people are pitiable;

But we are grieving for this widower.

The wild geese are flying about,

And they settle in the midst of the marsh.

That officer is building the walls,

A hundred partitions all rise at once.

Though he has toiled painfully,

He will have a home in the end.

..."

Qin Siyao earnestly recited one poem and essay after another.

And indeed, she didn’t miss a single word.

Empress Shi then picked out a few lines and asked her for their meaning, and she was still able to answer correctly.

By the end, Empress Shi had nothing left to ask.

"Father, Mother, did I pass my lessons?" Qin Siyao asked expectantly.

"You passed. Siyao, you did very well." It was rare for Empress Shi to praise her daughter.

"Then, Mother, can Siyao go out of the palace to play at the Xiao Mansion again?" Qin Siyao asked happily.

"Go on." Empress Shi waved her hand dismissively.

"Thank you, Father! Thank you, Mother!" Qin Siyao curtsied and ran out happily.

"Could that girl have worked so hard just to go to the Xiao Mansion and play with their third young master?" Empress Shi asked her husband, puzzled.

"Who knows."

The Sovereign of Qin picked up his teacup with a melancholic air and took a large gulp of tea.

"TSK!"

The Sovereign of Qin smacked his lips and looked at his cup.

’Why is this tea so much more bitter than usual?’