Chapter 347: On the Way
The winter sun was bright, though not particularly hot. Still, seeing the sunlight always put one in a better mood.
When standing at a high vantage point, Mianmian took Little Tree out of her bag. She wanted to place Little Tree on the railing so that it could also see the scenery before them…
After raising it for so long, Mianmian was still a little unsure whether Little Tree identified her by her scent or by sight. Humans always tended to think from their own perspective, so she subconsciously assumed Little Tree also used its eyes to see.
It turned out that the cross-section of the palace railings felt rather slippery, making it impossible to set anything down. No wonder the birds flying in the sky rarely landed there to rest.
Mianmian held Little Tree in her hand, facing outwards.
Seeing the giant ant on Mianmian’s hand, Eunuch Yan’s usually composed face twitched slightly.
“What is this?”
“Well, Mother says it’s a Guardian Spirit. It’s been with me since we were in Kaner Village, growing up alongside me. But it grows very, very slowly. After all this time, it’s only the size of my palm.”
Eunuch Yan looked at its black shell, which glistened in the sunlight, its slender waist, and large pincers. Just one extra glance made him shiver.
He had heard that Princess Huiyun’s beloved pet in the past was a small flower snake. At first, it was as thin as a finger, but later it grew so large that it took two people to lift it…
She really was Princess Huiyun’s own granddaughter; their hobbies were so similar.
He watched her sun the giant ant for a while, chatting away with it. She was even telling it to look at the imperial palace.
Then she put the ant on the ground. Eunuch Yan took out a handkerchief and wiped Mianmian’s hands, cleaning them thoroughly.
“Illness enters through the mouth. You must keep your hands clean, especially in the palace. Don’t just eat or drink anything,” Eunuch Yan admonished while wiping her hands.
After wiping them, he couldn’t help but ruffle her hair.
Time is cruel, yet time is also miraculous. That babe in swaddling clothes from back then had already become a beautiful young girl. She was unrestrained and carefree, with a bright, warm smile.
He didn’t know why, but even though he had watched Sister Yu and Feng Ge’er grow up, he felt closest to this little one. It was as if she were truly his own child.
Perhaps it was because Sister Yu and Feng Ge’er were grown up now. One already had two children, and the other was about to get married. He felt he had no sense of involvement anymore.
Only this little one before him was still small and incredibly mischievous. Seeing her, Eunuch Yan felt as if he were seeing Jiang the Second’s body housing Xia Jie’s heart.
That older sister was actually a very bold young woman. She possessed many excellent qualities. He truly felt like he was looking at his own child when he looked at Mianmian.
At that moment, Eunuch Yan understood why some of his colleagues in the palace would indulge their godchildren in their misdeeds outside. Because he felt right now that if she wanted to cause trouble outside, he would indulge her too.
In reality, she was a princess’s granddaughter now, so she didn’t need his indulgence. But although the little girl seemed quite proud, her upbringing was excellent. She called him “Godfather” with every breath, and it sounded very natural.
Mianmian noticed that her Godfather was very clean and also very progressive. He could actually say the phrase “illness enters through the mouth.” It was a plain, unremarkable phrase, yet it held countless meanings; it was even used as a propaganda slogan in the modern era. It seemed one really couldn’t eat just anything in the palace—the modern propaganda slogans here were derived from lessons paid for with human lives.
The winter wind was cold, chilling her cheeks until they were icy. Godfather had wiped Mianmian’s hands again. Mianmian suspected that if he had wet wipes or alcohol, he would have used them on her too.
“It’s too cold. Let’s go down after a while.”
“Okay.”
Mianmian, whose nose was running from the wind, couldn’t help but sniffle. Hearing this sound, the corners of Eunuch Yan’s mouth rose uncontrollably.
Children in the village were always sniffling in winter; Little Yu used to be like that when she was small. Seeing the squeaky-clean Mianmian doing the same, his pace felt much lighter than usual.
The two strolled around slowly. Eunuch Yan did not take Mianmian to the consorts’ quarters.
Because in a place where a group of women competed for one man, when that man never appeared, the entire harem turned into an even stranger place.
Once life had no goal and one fell into despair, it was terrifying. It was even more terrifying than the eunuch circles. Although cruel, at least they still struggled to climb upwards, holding onto a sliver of hope.
The palace was small, yet it was also vast. Countless people struggled and drifted here for a lifetime.
There were very few old people in the palace because it was filled with young lives, and few lived to old age. It was flashy, beautiful, and cruel.
Walking through the palace with Mianmian right now, she was seriously admiring the pillars, the steps, and the stones on the ground. He said he was showing Mianmian around, but in reality, Mianmian was showing him.
He walked here every day, but he had never stopped to appreciate the scenery. It was truly beautiful, but having grown accustomed to it, he always felt there were more important things to do and couldn’t stop.
Mianmian looked at every building with great earnestness. Eunuch Yan had the flair of a tour guide, very good at explaining things, citing classics and historical references. His voice was pleasant, his logic was clear, and he spoke interestingly. If he were in the modern era, he could at least be a famous tour guide.
The imperial palace was very lively today. Speak of the devil, the Seventh Prince arrived. Just after Princess Huiyun had lodged her complaint, the Seventh Prince showed up.
Upon seeing the Emperor in such a state, the Seventh Prince shed tears on the spot, crying very sorrowfully. Perhaps because the Emperor was ill, seeing a child he used to dislike in such a state made him soften his heart.
Princess Huiyun felt somewhat uncomfortable. She had originally thought that the Seventh Prince and Yu Luan were both fine, but she hadn’t expected Zhou Rongrong to do such things. She had taken great care of the Seventh Prince and Jiang Yuluan; otherwise, an imperial prince abandoned by the Emperor, whose Mother had also died, would hardly have survived in the palace until now—many princes had died young in the palace. This was a rare instance of her meddling in others’ affairs. The result was that she was thoroughly disgusted. Thinking back to how she had spared no effort in caring for them—even if they were miserable, they had never gone hungry once—but her Tian’er…
Seeing that the Seventh Prince had arrived, Princess Huiyun took her leave directly. The Seventh Prince put on a pitiful and sorrowful expression.
In the past, whenever Princess Huiyun saw this child with that expression, she couldn’t help but feel her heart ache. But now, seeing him, she thought of Tian’er.
Tian’er never deliberately acted pitiful; he always showed his strong side, yet Princess Huiyun still loved him to death. By comparison, the Seventh Prince was too hypocritical. His hypocrisy was loathsome.
“Imperial Brother, I’m going to pick up Mianmian. You two father and son have a good chat, and rest well.” Princess Huiyun left just like that. The Emperor was reluctant to let her go and was also a bit displeased.
The Seventh Prince lowered his eyelids. Not long after walking out, she ran into Mianmian. She was by the pond looking at the fish. It was a rare moment of quiet; she was sitting in the pavilion by the pond, swinging her feet, admiring the fish in the pond, and occasionally tossing food into it.
Eunuch Yan stood by her side. Princess Huiyun felt the air become a bit sweeter, and her heart relaxed. When she approached, she heard the little girl ask, “Godfather, can that white one be eaten? Have you eaten it before? When I leave the palace, can I take a few fish with me?”
Huiyun:…
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