Chapter 658 - 241: End of the Banquet

Chapter 658: Chapter 241: End of the Banquet

Xu Shiling finally remembered that there were two youngsters beside him.

He turned his head to look at Zhao Jing and Chen Wanqing. The two of them cleared their throats and stopped in their tracks.

Xu Shiling frowned. "What are you two doing?"

Zhao Jing chuckled. "Uncle Shiling, the wind is too loud. My sister and I didn’t hear anything just now."

Chen Wanqing also smiled and nodded. "I was too busy thinking about how approachable the Empress is. I really didn’t notice what Eldest Uncle and Uncle Shiling were talking about."

Xu Shiling grinned and pointed at them from a distance. "You’re exactly like your mother—slippery as eels."

When Chen Wanqing returned to the backyard, there was still a lot of commotion coming from the front.

Zhao Jing checked the time and said, "It should wrap up soon. The winter days are short, and it’ll get cold in a bit."

Chen Wanqing went to the washroom. When she came out, Zhao Jing helped her out of her outer robe. "You’re heavily pregnant, so don’t go outside anymore. Lie down on the bed and get a good rest."

Chen Wanqing nodded. It had been an exhausting day, both physically and mentally. It wasn’t that she couldn’t push herself to go to the front courtyard, but until Zhao Jing was officially appointed to a government post, her presence there wouldn’t serve any practical purpose.

She settled comfortably on the bed to rest and urged Zhao Jing, "Go to the front. Didn’t Eldest Uncle say there were a few elders he wanted you and De’an to meet?"

"I’ll go after you fall asleep."

"Hurry up and go. The nanny is watching over me here, so you don’t need to stay."

Zhao Jing finally left. Chen Wanqing was exhausted and quickly fell asleep.

When she woke up again, the room was dead silent. Listening closely, she couldn’t hear a single sound from the courtyard or beyond.

She sat up and rang the bell. A maid and the nanny walked in at the same time.

"Is the banquet over? Has my husband returned?"

The nanny replied, "The banquet ended a while ago, but your husband hasn’t returned yet. I heard that a few of Eldest Master’s old friends are testing the young masters on their studies. He probably won’t be able to get away anytime soon.

"Your mother came by once, but seeing that you were sound asleep, she didn’t wake you."

Chen Wanqing nodded. She sat up, drank a few sips of water, and ate two pieces of pastry before going to look for her mother.

Her mother wasn’t in Yulan Hall but had gone to the old madam’s courtyard. Chen Wanqing walked a little further to see her grandmother.

Her two younger cousins from the Xu family and Mrs. Guo were also there, gathered around the old madam and keeping her entertained. Seeing her arrive, Xu Su Ying waved her over to sit nearby.

"I heard His Majesty and Madam came over today? Your grandfather is unbelievable for actually making you and Jing go serve them. You’re pregnant and don’t know the rules and taboos around such noble figures. I was terrified when I found out, worried sick that you’d make a mistake and suffer for it."

The old madam and Mrs. Guo also looked at Chen Wanqing with awe, completely blindsided by the fact that such distinguished guests had visited the estate without their knowledge.

They frequently visited the palace and were privileged enough to speak with Madam and the Empress Dowager. It was certainly an honor, but the accompanying sense of trepidation was something that lingered long after.

Qing’er hadn’t seen many grand occasions, nor had she formally learned proper etiquette, yet she had been summoned to serve the Empress...

The old madam lowered her voice and scolded, "Your grandfather handled this poorly. I’ll have a word with him when he gets back."

Chen Wanqing hurriedly said, "Grandmother, please don’t be angry with Grandfather. He only gave Jing and me such a lucrative opportunity because he thinks highly of us. If we had been a bit more sweet-talkative and managed to please them, earning a promotion or a noble title would have just taken a single word."

The old madam was amused, and even Mrs. Guo and Xu Su Ying couldn’t help but laugh.

"A promotion and a noble title? Do you think this is a child’s game? His Majesty is a wise ruler. He wouldn’t grant you such things just because of a few sweet words."

When it came down to it, this only happened because Miss Huang wasn’t home.

If Miss Huang had been home, it would have been Yanlin and Miss Huang serving His Majesty and Madam.

Then again, it wasn’t a certainty. The old man always had his own way of doing things. Perhaps he had some other profound reason for arranging this young couple to make an appearance.

The group didn’t dwell on the matter any longer and instead asked for the specific details of her time serving the distinguished guests. Worried that she might have said something inappropriate and broken any of Madam’s taboos, Chen Wanqing recounted everything she had done and said.

The old madam, Mrs. Guo, and Xu Su Ying listened with rapt attention, nodding in satisfaction from time to time.

None of the children in their family were inadequate. Even if she had grown up in the countryside, she had the Xu family’s blood running through her veins, which meant she was bound to be exceptional.

Their worries slightly eased. No longer overly concerned about Madam’s reaction, they latched onto the topic of the "little brother" and began asking questions.

"Is it really a boy?"

"Did the Crown Prince tell at first glance?"

"Oh my, this is pure fate! Just you wait—this little one in your belly is going to have tremendous fortune in the future..."