Chapter 134: Staying in the Palace

The red and yellow colors, the armed guards, the eunuchs and palace maids. Every single detail in this place was telling Xiaoguo that this was the palace!

“Huh?!”

Xiaoguo inhaled deeply. The palace?

“Mother? Mother?”

Zhuang Zhuang did not know what was wrong with Xiaoguo. Didn’t she just lift the curtain? Why did she appear paralyzed?

Outside the sedan, Guanxi seemed to have heard Xiaoguo’s exclamation. A smile tugged at his lips.

Xiaoguo’s heart was beating wildly. Her ears were filled with a ringing sound—she could not hear what Zhuang Zhuang was saying at all.

All she could think about was what to do, what was going on, and why they had come to the palace.

Good lord, she must be the first person to get to stay in the palace.

“Mother, Mother?”

Zhuang Zhuang leaned on Xiaoguo’s shoulder and called out to her.

“Good boy, I heard you.”

Xiaoguo was still in her soul-dissociating state. Why had she come to the palace? Could it be an illusion? Perhaps it was just a place of interest? Yes, a tourist spot like in modern times!

No way. This was ancient times. Only the palace could look like this.

Xiaoguo calmed Zhuang Zhuang down and quietly lifted the curtain to reveal a small gap. She looked around carefully. She had to be careful. Wasn’t it a taboo to look around the palace on television?

The carriage traveled on the cobblestone road. The high walls were blocking out the sunlight. Along the way, the palace maids and eunuchs who saw the sedan chair rushed to either side of the carriage to pay their respects.

No, it wasn’t because of the sedan exactly. It was at the sight of Guanxi..

“What was Guanxi’s status? Wasn’t he just a lowly official beside Magistrate Liu.”

“Guanxi.”

Xiaoguo didn’t even dare to speak loudly. She could only call his name in a breathy voice.

At first, Guanxi thought he was hearing things, until he glanced sideways and saw half of a small hand reaching out from the sedan chair. It was shaking quickly, as if trying to attract his attention.

“What happened?”

Guanxi slowed down to walk beside the sedan.

“This isn’t the palace, is it?”

Xiaoguo hoped that Guanxi would tell her what she wanted to hear.

Guanxi shook his head and Xiaoguo’s eyes lit up. Before she could smile, she heard Guanxi say the next line.

“This is the palace.”

After shaking his head, Guanxi revealed the brutal truth, shattering Xiaoguo’s only hope.

Xiaoguo jumped back into the carriage and hugged Zhuang Zhuang in her arms. She looked helplessly at the top of the sedan. What was going on? They were looking for accommodation and now they have arrived at the emperor’s lair.

Then, Xiaoguo suddenly stuck her head out and looked at Guanxi closely. Zhuang Zhuang was rocked about in her arms as a result.

“Guanxi, why did we come to the palace?”

What kind of backing did the Jiang family have? To think that she had the opportunity to come to the palace. She was so scared that her legs and stomach were feeling weak. It was no joke.

Guanxi looked at Xiaoguo and gave her an intriguing smile. Without a word, he strode to the front, leaving Xiaoguo with a view of his back.

“Hey, hey, Guanxi!”

Seeing that he was ignoring her, Xiaoguo couldn’t help but feel a little anxious. However, she didn’t dare to raise her voice. She could only continue to call out to him in a whispering voice.

But this damn Guanxi actually ignored her when he heard her. He was actually keeping her in suspense and making her feel fearful.

Seeing that she couldn’t get anything out of him, Xiaoguo let go of the curtain and returned to her seat.

Zhuang Zhuang looked up and down with his round eyes, not understanding what was wrong with Xiaoguo.

“The palace? What about the palace?”

Zhuang Zhuang looked at Xiaoguo and did not disturb her. At this moment, Xiaoguo was absorbed in her own thoughts. Zhuang Zhuang remained sitting obediently in her arms.

The sedan chair kept moving forward. At this moment, Xiaoguo felt as if every second was like a year. She could not sit still. It felt like there were nails growing under her butt. She lifted the curtain and looked outside.

The palace was bigger than she had imagined. Xiaoguo estimated that the size of the palace was enough to contain three Peach Blossom villages.

Under Xiaoguo’s longing and resistance, the carriage finally stopped.

Xiaoguo didn’t dare to move, but her ears were perked up as she listened to the commotion outside. At the same time, she didn’t forget to remind Zhuang Zhuang to remain silent. He had to hold off speaking until tomorrow.

Zhuang Zhuang nodded like he understood. He pursed his lips tightly and nodded at Xiaoguo.

Xiaoguo pressed her ear against the sedan and listened quietly to the sounds outside.

“How are you Commander Guan?”

A feminine voice was speaking.

“Eunuch Su, sorry to keep you waiting.”

Guanxi’s voice sounded in reply.

Xiaoguo leaned on the sedan and listened intently to the sounds outside. Commander Guan? So Guanxi was one the imperial guards and not a low ranking guard? But why would an Imperial guard be involved in such trivial matters?

“I was ordered to wait here for you. Is she inside?”

Eunuch Su’s voice was getting closer and closer to the sedan chair.

Xiaoguo quickly sat up straight and pretended to be calm.

After a while, Guanxi’s voice rang out from outside, accompanied by a knock on the sedan chair, signaling Xiaoguo to get out of the car.

Xiaoguo whispered into Zhuang Zhuang’s ear. “Don’t say anything. Save it for tomorrow.”

After ensuring that Zhuang Zhuang got her instructions, Xiaoguo carried Zhuang Zhuang out of the carriage.

It wasn’t as scary as Xiaoguo had imagined. There weren’t many people outside. There was the eunuch, Guan Xi, a few guards, and no one else. She heaved a sigh of relief.

Xiaoguo took a quick look around and lowered her head. She didn’t know what was going on yet. She had to be careful.

“This must be Madam Qin.”

Although it was a question, it was spoken with an affirmative tone. Eunuch Su was sizing her up and he seemed happy with what he saw. He was very satisfied with her tact. When she came out, she did not gawk at her surroundings. Instead, she kept her head lowered obediently. He was very pleased by her behavior.

“Yes.”

Xiaoguo first took a glance at Guan Xi and nodded, acknowledging that she was Madam Qin.

At this moment, Eunuch Su realized that there was a little black head wrapped in her arms. He exclaimed, “This is?”

Xiaoguo was startled by his cry and quickly said, “This is my son, Jiang Qingwen.”

When Zhuang Zhuang heard his name, he raised his head and took a look. Then, he lowered his head and returned to Xiaoguo’s arms. He followed Xiaoguo’s instructions and did not look around or say anything.

Eunuch Su was obviously charmed by Zhuang Zhuang’s cute appearance. Looking at this familiar-looking face, he said, “How alike! How alike!”

Xiaoguo was confused by his comments. What was he saying?

Guan Xi coughed when he heard this. Eunuch Su came back to his senses and knew that he had almost said something that he shouldn’t have. He quickly patted his mouth and said, “It’s nothing, it’s nothing. You must be hungry from the journey. It’s time to eat.”

Xiaoguo entered the house in a daze. Then, she sat in an extremely large and opulent room and watched as the little palace maids served the dishes and set the chopsticks on the table. On the table, there was a wide assortment of food. There were vegetarian and meat dishes. Some of the meat came from animals living on land, and some from those living in the sea.

Xiaoguo was stunned. Why does this feel like a trap?

Zhuang Zhuang was also shocked by the scene. What was going on? He looked up at Xiaoguo—his eyes were beckoning for answers.

Xiaoguo happened to look down and made eye contact with him, she gave him a look indicating she had no idea.

The mother and son stared at each other in confusion. However, in the face of this sumptuous spread, they made a decision together.

Eat first, and talk later.