I Became the Eye Candy: Four Bigshots Claimed to be My Dad?
Chapter 452: Get-together of the Three Delegations at the Drunken Immortal
Ye Qianning’s eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Yes, Immortal’s Drunken-inn is open every day." Mr. Li had been searching with the city guards for days, so he knew better than anyone which businesses were open.
"Thank you, Mr. Li." Ye Qianning beamed, then turned and climbed back into the carriage, shouting excitedly, "Luo Wen, to Immortal’s Drunken-inn! We’re having a feast!"
"Yes." Luo Wen set the carriage in motion.
Mr. Li suddenly remembered something. Just as he was about to offer a warning, the carriage in front of him shot forward.
’How could I have forgotten,’ he thought. ’The envoys from the three kingdoms are having a small gathering at Immortal’s Drunken-inn today.’
’Miss Xiang going there... surely nothing will go wrong, right...?’
Luo Wen drove the carriage very quickly, its wheels rumbling rhythmically over the stone slabs.
Inside the carriage, Ye Qianning patted her cheeks. ’Keeping up this act is exhausting. This letter from Xi Fengying isn’t going to be easy to deliver.’
’Xiliu Yuan must have known for a while that Xi Fengying is at the General’s residence. Even with top-tier experts by her side, he hasn’t sent anyone. He’s patient enough, and cautious enough.’
’Xi Fengying, on the other hand, has been getting anxious for some time now.’
"Young Miss, we’ve arrived."
The carriage stopped, and Luo Wen’s voice came from outside.
Ye Qianning patted her little face, her sharp gaze instantly becoming clear and innocent. She stood up and stepped out of the carriage.
Luo Wen lifted her down.
Ye Qianning stared at the entrance of Immortal’s Drunken-inn. It was the liveliest spot on the entire street.
But although there were many people, they didn’t look like customers coming to eat. They looked more like they were standing guard.
She glanced from side to side, then started toward the main entrance.
Two men at the entrance blocked her path. "Immortal’s Drunken-inn is not receiving outside guests today. Please leave."
"Who’s an outside guest? I’m here to eat. Move." As she spoke, Ye Qianning tried to push her way inside.
"Stop. This is no place for a little girl." The man raised his hand, about to lift the small child.
Luo Wen’s sword hilt came down on the man’s raised hand. He stared coldly at him.
The man glared at Luo Wen, putting force into his wrist. In an instant, veins popped on his forehead, and sweat beaded on his brow.
Luo Wen’s expression was calm as he pressed the sword hilt down on the man’s wrist, applying slight pressure.
The man’s whole body sank, and he stumbled sideways to the ground.
Ye Qianning smiled and turned to give Luo Wen a thumbs-up. "Awesome."
Hearing the praise, Luo Wen was overjoyed.
"Who’s causing trouble at Immortal’s Drunken-inn? If you disturb our distinguished guests, you’ll regret it." A middle-aged man came out from inside.
"Manager Song." Ye Qianning recognized the man.
Manager Song looked down at the little girl. She was soft and cute, dressed in lavish clothes. He could tell with a single glance that her identity was anything but simple.
"And you are?"
He couldn’t quite recall which noble family’s young miss she was.
"My father is Xiang Minghou," Ye Qianning said, looking up with a smile.
Upon hearing this, it dawned on Manager Song. "Ah, so you are Miss Xiang from the Xiang family. Please forgive my lack of courtesy, Miss Xiang."
’Everyone knows the Xiang family’s Miss is the future Crown Princess Consort,’ he thought. ’And a big spender.’
"What’s going on today? Why can’t I come in to eat?"
"Today, Princess East Shu has booked the entire Immortal’s Drunken-inn. The envoys of the three kingdoms are having a small gathering here, and no strangers are allowed to disturb them," Manager Song explained.
"How many of them are there?"
Manager Song counted on his fingers. "About seven or eight, I’d say."
"Seven or eight people taking up the entire Immortal’s Drunken-inn? What a waste. I’ll just eat a little something on the first floor. I won’t go upstairs, so I won’t disturb them," Ye Qianning said obediently.
Manager Song looked troubled. "Miss Xiang, it’s not that I won’t let you in. It’s just that Princess East Shu has paid to book the entire restaurant. If I let you in, I’ll have no way to answer to the princess later."
"What is there to answer for? This is Beili."
’Privately meeting with envoys from other kingdoms is against protocol anyway. The reason Immortal’s Drunken-inn is crawling with so many Royal Hidden Guards must be because they’re afraid of what might be said.’
"Miss Xiang, please don’t make things difficult for me." Manager Song dared not offend the little girl in front of him.
"Hmph..." Ye Qianning’s bright little face scrunched up in a pout.
Seeing that the little girl had no intention of leaving, Manager Song was in a tight spot.
’She may be small, but she has a lot of people protecting her.’
’Setting aside her status as the future Crown Princess Consort, even the Zhan family and the Qian family have been paying special attention to the Xiang family’s little girl lately. And Old Man Gu treats her like a precious treasure.’
’Besides, the owner of our Immortal’s Drunken-inn has business dealings with the Gu family.’
"What’s all this noise?" a female voice called out. Princess East Shu, Chu Yue, was coming down the stairs.
Manager Song turned to see who it was and instantly looked as if he’d seen his savior. "Your Highness, it’s Miss Xiang. She wishes to come in and eat."
Chu Yue looked toward the entrance, where a chubby little girl was staring at her without blinking.
’I’ve had my people investigate everyone close to Sang Zhi. The long-lost young miss of the Xiang family, found only recently. She’s the one with the closest relationship to him.’
’What’s more, even back in East Shu, I heard about Sang Zhi’s situation in the palace. A man who offends no one and just tries to get by, yet he fought with the most favored Crown Prince over a child he’d just met.’
’It’s clear this child is anything but ordinary to Sang Zhi.’
"I’ve seen you in the palace," Ye Qianning said as if she had suddenly remembered something, pointing a small finger at Chu Yue.
Chu Yue walked over, a smile playing on her red lips. "Miss Xiang has a good memory."
"You’re the one who booked Immortal’s Drunken-inn?" she asked, tilting her head.
"That’s right."
"And you’re hosting the envoys from Nanyuan?"
"Correct."
"Then this is the right place." After asking her questions, Ye Qianning started to walk inside.
Chu Yue raised a hand to stop her. "If Miss Xiang wants to eat, please come back this afternoon. It’s rather inconvenient this morning."
"I’m not here to eat anymore. I’m here to find someone."
Chu Yue was puzzled. "Who are you looking for?"
"The Nanyuan envoys, Prince Yu and the little Prince."
"You... what business do you have with the Nanyuan envoys?" Chu Yue grew even more confused. A child of a few years seeking an audience with envoys? How improper.
"Of course, I have important business. You’d better announce me quickly. If you delay important matters, you won’t be able to bear the consequences." Ye Qianning’s small face turned serious. Before Chu Yue could ask another question, she added, "Is the Crown Prince of Xi Yan upstairs too? You can announce me to him as well. Just say I have something important to discuss with the Crown Prince of Xi Yan."
At the mention of the Nanyuan envoys, Chu Yue was merely puzzled. But at the mention of the Crown Prince of Xi Yan, she was utterly astonished.
’The little girl knows Xiliu Yuan?’
’Don’t be fooled by Xiliu Yuan’s young age; he’s incredibly cunning. Even I am wary of him. It’s difficult to get a meeting with him even with the most cordial invitation, yet this little girl speaks of it so casually.’
"What are you staring at? Hurry up. If you delay matters concerning all three kingdoms, it’ll be your head." Ye Qianning put on a stern face and made her threat.
Manager Song broke out in a sweat as he listened. ’Miss Xiang sure is bold,’ he thought, ’daring to make such grand claims in front of the Princess of East Shu.’
’Matters concerning three kingdoms? What kind of important business could a little girl who looks like she hasn’t even been weaned have?’
Chu Yue stared at her puffed-out cheeks as she tried to feign a severe expression. She could tell at a glance the little girl was lying.
"Miss Xiang, you’d best go home. Otherwise, this princess will have the authorities escort you away."
’A country girl with no manners. The Beili Imperial Family might leave her alone out of respect for Xiang Minghou, but we of East Shu don’t care about such things.’