Yan Palace
Yan Yi entered and saw his young master leisurely drinking tea. His long, slender fingers held the teacup, radiating an air of noble elegance. Even looking at him was a pleasure.
"Young Master," he said, stepping forward and bowing slightly.
Yan Zhao raised his eyes. His refined and handsome face was placid, his dark pupils like a galaxy, exceptionally brilliant. Even Yan Yi, a man, couldn't help but be stunned, let alone women?
"What is it?" Yan Zhao asked indifferently.
Yan Yi withdrew his gaze and said, "Your subordinate has discovered that Nangong Yue is investigating matters concerning you."
"Investigating me?" Yan Zhao looked at him calmly. After a long while, he asked, "Who is Nangong Yue?" Da Feng Novel Network
Yan Yi: "..."
Seeing Yan Yi's hesitation, Yan Zhao recalled. It seemed there was a young girl beside the Empress yesterday.
"Nangong Yue from Zhaoping?" Yan Zhao asked.
Yan Yi breathed a sigh of relief. "Young Master, it's quite difficult for you to remember."
"What has she found out about me?" Yan Zhao put down his teacup, his gaze calm.
Upon hearing this, Yan Yi said with a proud expression, "How could she possibly find out anything about you? Rest assured, Young Master."
Yan Zhao heard this and said faintly, "Go and investigate Nangong Yue's matters in Zhaoping."
"Young Master, why investigate her?" Yan Yi was a little confused as to why his young master wanted to investigate Nangong Yue.
Yan Zhao raised his eyes, his brows and eyes conveying a hint of coldness. He said indifferently, "Courtesy demands reciprocity."
Yan Yi: "..."
He had forgotten that his young master was the most vengeful.
Perhaps because his young master was too good at pretending, he had almost forgotten.
"Young Master, Miss Nangong has sent someone to invite you over," Yan Er walked in.
Yan Yi heard this and said, "How could the Young Master possibly go? I'll go and refuse her."
Men and women should not touch each other, and besides, the Young Master was ostensibly the Empress's person.
Yan Er stopped Yan Yi and said, "I haven't finished speaking."
Yan Er came to Yan Zhao's side and whispered, "Young Master, the Empress will also be coming."
As expected, Yan Zhao raised his eyes and said to Yan Er calmly, "Do you think I would go?"
Yan Er was startled and thought to himself, wouldn't he?
"No," Yan Zhao withdrew his gaze and said coldly.
Yan Yi smiled gleefully as he walked out, saying, "I'll go and refuse."
Zhaoxiu Palace
Nangong Yue, elegantly dressed, sat in a chair, gazing at the entrance. Soon, Shi Qi's figure appeared. She looked at the empty space behind Shi Qi, and her gaze turned cold.
Shi Qi walked in, inexplicably feeling a chill in her heart. Her voice trembled as she spoke, "Mis... Miss..."
"Where is he?" Nangong Yue asked, word by word.
Shi Qi couldn't help but shiver. She knelt on the ground with a thud, begging for mercy. "Miss, spare my life. This servant went to Yan Palace, but I was driven out by the guards beside Young Master Yan."
"Didn't you say the Empress would also come?" Nangong Yue narrowed her eyes and asked coldly.
"I... I did, but Young Master Yan replied with two words."
"What words?"
"No," Shi Qi said cautiously.
Nangong Yue heard this and looked at the trembling Shi Qi. She said, "Get up. Kneeling there, you make it seem like I'm bullying you."
Shi Qi quickly got up and came to Nangong Yue's side.
Nangong Yue propped her chin, a gleam of brilliance in her eyes, and murmured, "Yan Zhao..."
"Miss, Young Master Yan is, after all, the Empress's person. You..." Shi Qi dared not continue, afraid that Nangong Yue would get angry if she said too much.
"So what? The only thing I, Nangong Yue, lack is that identity." Nangong Yue raised her eyes and picked up a bronze mirror. In the mirror, she was as beautiful as a flower.
Which man would refuse such beauty?
"Shi Qi, go and invite the Empress. Tell her I've made a lot of Zhaoping food for her." Nangong Yue turned to Shi Qi.
Zhaoyuan Palace
Xue Zining looked at the trembling maidservant of Nangong Yue and said gently, "Good, I understand."
Shi Qi breathed a sigh of relief. The Empress was much gentler than she had imagined.
After Nangong Yue's maidservant left, Xue Yan walked forward and looked at the Empress, who was still engrossed in reading medical books, as if she had something to say.
Xue Zining sensed Xue Yan's hesitation, put down her medical book, and asked, "Is there something?"
Xue Yan nodded and said, "This morning, Miss Nangong sent someone to invite Young Master Yan."
Xue Zining's gaze paused slightly. "He didn't agree."
Xue Yan was stunned and asked in surprise, "Your Majesty, how do you know?"
Xue Zining smiled faintly. Why did she know?
Because she had known Yan Zhao for two lifetimes.
Although she didn't know why Yan Zhao's temperament had changed towards her in this life.
However, she had always believed that Yan Zhao should have the same temperament as in the previous life.
Cold and distant, keeping people a thousand miles away.
"I guessed," Xue Zining said.
Xue Yan looked at Xue Zining and said softly, "Your Majesty, isn't Miss Nangong a bit too presumptuous?"
Xue Zining raised her eyes, her gaze clear and cold. Xue Yan quickly took a step back and bowed, "Your servant has overstepped."
"No, what you think is not unreasonable." Xue Zining found that this meeting with Nangong Yue seemed different from their previous open encounters.
She had her secrets, and Nangong Yue had her secrets too.
"Xue Yan, arrange for someone to go to Zhaoping. I want to know everything that happened to Nangong Yue in Zhaoping."
Xue Yan nodded. "Your Majesty, rest assured, your servant will arrange it now."
"I'm going to see Ah Yue," Xue Zining stood up, glanced at the bronze mirror, and walked outside.
"Ah Yue..." Xue Zining entered Zhaoxiu Palace and saw Nangong Yue busy there.
Nangong Yue was kneading dough, with flour smudged on her face. Seeing her, she smiled, "Your Majesty has arrived. Please sit down quickly, the noodles will be ready soon."
Xue Zining sat down. Her memory seemed to return to her youth. At that time, Ah Yue was her companion reader. Whenever it was her birthday, Ah Yue would personally make a bowl of longevity noodles.
"The longevity noodles are ready." Nangong Yue served the noodles.
Xue Zining came back to her senses and saw that the bowl still had her favorite green vegetables and egg.
"Your Majesty, today is your birthday. Ah Yue knows you lack nothing, so only this bowl of longevity noodles is something no one else can make," Nangong Yue said with a smile.
Xue Zining looked at Nangong Yue and said, "Only this bowl of longevity noodles is what I've been yearning for."
"Your Majesty..."
"Call me Ah Ning, just like when you were little."
Nangong Yue smiled, tilted her head, and called out, "Ah Ning."
"Ah Yue, thank you," Xue Zining said earnestly, raising her eyes.
Her clear eyes were limpid and transparent, yet unfathomably deep.
Long, long.
Nangong Yue was stunned. "Ah Yue..."
Xue Zining withdrew her gaze, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat. After taking a bite, she slowly said, "The taste is the same as before."
"That's good. I thought I would be rusty after not making it for so many years."
"Ah Yue..."
Nangong Yue raised her eyes and asked, "What is it, Ah Ning?"
"How have you been all these years?" Xue Zining raised her eyes, her gaze clear with a hint of coldness.
Nangong Yue trembled all over, then quickly lowered her head. "I... I'm very well."