Chapter 64: Dust Settles Under the Banquet ('Flying Fairy' Immortal Fate +4)

  The one walking in the front was an eleven or twelve-year-old boy, with eyes shining like stars and a face as bright as the moon. He had a moderate build and wore a pair of black boots with a thousand layers of cloud patterns on the soles. On his body, he wore a blue robe with golden python patterns on the sleeves, which made his skin look even whiter. —— It was Xia Zhi, the only son of Princess Wei.

  Xia Ming Emperor and his brother were born of different mothers, but they had a very good relationship since childhood.

  Xia Ming, the elder brother, was the son of the former emperor's first empress. As the eldest legitimate son, he naturally occupied the throne and changed the imperial title to "Ming" upon his ascension, proclaiming himself Emperor Ming.

  His younger brother Xia Liang was the son of a concubine of the previous emperor, and was several years younger than Emperor Xiaoming. He was created a prince after Emperor Xiaoming's ascension to the throne.

  The royal title of the Great Xia Empire was downgraded and inherited in the same way as other titles, with a demotion every five generations.

  Only four great families' national marquis titles are hereditary and have been passed down with the Great Xia Empire.

  The Shen family and the Minister of War jointly controlled the world's soldiers and horses, just like the God of Wealth Wu was always with the Ministry of Revenue to control the world's money and silver. The head of the Zheng family, who had been in charge of the Imperial Pen for generations, directly served as the Minister of Rites, and this had never changed for a thousand years. The people of the Great Xia Dynasty also sincerely admired this.

  For in terms of etiquette, there is no one more suitable than the Zheng family.

  Everyone is familiar with various etiquette and rules, which were actually laid down by the first generation of Zheng's family.

  Shennong Fu was once in charge of the Imperial Hospital.

  But sixteen years ago, because Old Master Sheng gave Xia Mingdi the wrong medicine, after being executed by Empress Dowager Sheng in anger, the Imperial Hospital had a new hospital judge.

  Xia Mingdi's brother Xia Liang, this prince, is purely a idle prince, who doesn't understand anything about politics, and is best at eating, drinking and having fun.

  Xia Liang Wangye's only legitimate son, Xia Zhi, was different from his father. He worshiped under Zheng Lao Yezi and followed him to study the classics, history, and poetry, and was one of Zheng Lao Yezi's most favored disciples.

  "Having seen the Imperial Grandmother!" Xia Zhi arrived in front of the Empress Dowager and respectfully kowtowed.

  The empress smiled all over her face and beckoned him to come over. Holding his hand, she examined it carefully and said: "You've lost so much weight! This time you had a severe case of acne, I heard it was really serious. Looking at your appearance, you probably haven't been taking good care of yourself either. Fortunately, Sheng Qi has returned, he's an excellent doctor, you can come to the palace and let him take a look at you, I'll have him help you recover."

  "Thank you, Imperial Grandmother!" Xia Zhi revealed a surprised smile. "Father also wanted to ask Duke Sheng to take his pulse, but he knew that Duke Sheng was busy taking care of the Emperor's uncle in the palace and had no time."

  "Sheng Qi is indeed very busy and may not have the time to visit your palace. However, since you've come to the palace, he should still be able to spare some time. He'll help you with a thorough examination." The Empress Dowager said with a warm smile, nodding at Princess Wei.

  The queen consort hastily thanked the empress dowager and took Xia Zhi aside.

  Zheng Suxin hastily gave her daughter Wu Yujuan a signal with her eyes.

  Wu Chanjuan was about to take a step forward when she heard a loud sneeze coming from behind her!

  Achoo!

  Everyone on the platform looked over at the sound.

  Just saw a little girl wearing an orange embroidered auspicious cloud patterned cheongsam with a shallow orange high-waisted skirt, rubbing her red nose with her hand.

  That little girl was petite. She had a plump, barrel-shaped figure, but her round apple face and phoenix-like eyes sparkled with life, extremely captivating. Her hair was styled in two buns, tied only with light-colored ribbons, without any head ornaments. —— It was precisely Sheng Siyan who couldn't help but sneeze at the scent on Wu Chanjuan's body.

  The Empress Dowager was originally going to call Wu Chanjuan over for a chat, but suddenly heard a sneeze. She looked up and saw that it was Sheng Siyan, and thinking of the dust-washing banquet being held for the Sheng family today, she changed her mind and beckoned Sheng Siyan over, "You're Sheng Qi's daughter, aren't you? Come here and let me take a look at you."

  Sheng Siyan was sneezing and her eyes were brimming with tears, feeling extremely uncomfortable. However, the Empress Dowager had summoned her, so she couldn't not go, and could only slowly make her way forward, paying respects to the Empress Dowager: "Greetings, Your Majesty... Ah-choo!"

  Got it. Then let out another sneeze.

  Zheng Suxin stepped forward, blocking the Empress Dowager's path, and said to Sheng Siyan: "Miss Sheng, if you're not feeling well, you can go rest in the adjacent room. The Empress Dowager's body is worth a thousand gold, and cannot be taken lightly." Hinting that Sheng Siyan was ill, and if she still wanted to see the Empress Dowager, it would be intentional transmission of disease.

  Sheng Siyan didn't want to be the first to see Empress Dowager, but she also didn't want Zheng Suhui to think she was deliberately bringing her illness to see the empress dowager. So, she used a handkerchief to wipe her nose again, took out a thin mint leaf from her sleeve and sniffed it, then covered her mouth and nose and said in a soft voice: "Zheng Dàniáng, I'm not sick. It's just that I can't stand the smell on you and your daughter... That smell is too pungent, and when I smell it, I want to sneeze. If you don't believe me, you can ask my mother; at home, we couldn't put any flowers in the house or burn incense, only fresh fruit."

  Wang stepped forward, standing beside Sheng Siyan, and exchanged a glance with Zheng Suhe. In a light tone, she said: "Madam Zheng, my daughter is indeed sensitive to certain flower scents, it's not that she's ill. As someone who understands medicine, Madam Zheng didn't even use the four diagnostic methods of looking, smelling, asking, and cutting, yet you were able to determine that my daughter was ill? Truly, your reputation is well-deserved..."

  Sheng Siyan covered her nose and said in a muffled voice: "Zheng Dàniáng, please stand further away, I won't sneeze then."

  "Zheng Yiren, you'd better let her through. You're blocking the Empress Dowager." Yao Nu Gong said with a smile from behind.

  Zheng Suxin took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down, backing away until she reached the door, bringing Wu Zhuangzhuang with her.

  Sheng Siyan sniffled and waved her handkerchief in the air in front of her, smiling at the Empress Dowager: "Siyan was rude, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

  The empress dowager curiously asked her: "Is there really a smell? What kind of smell is it? Why can't I smell it?"

  Sheng Siyan was momentarily speechless. She did know the reason, though. She had some pollen allergies and some flowers didn't have a scent but still had pollen spreading in the air. However, she couldn't explain it that way to the empress dowager.

  Sheng Siyan's eyes sparkled as he smiled and said, "My mother always said that my nose is even more sensitive than a dog's. I can smell things that ordinary people can't. Maybe it's because I was blind for five years when I was young and couldn't see anything, so my nose became especially keen and was trained."

  "What? Were you blind when you were young?" The empress was very surprised, but looking at Sheng Siyan's now lively phoenix eyes, she felt a different kind of closeness.

  Yao Nu Gong glanced at Sheng Siyan, then looked at the Empress Dowager and smiled: "Empress Dowager, this Sheng girl's eyes are quite similar to yours!"

  They are all big and round phoenix eyes, with the corners of their eyes slanting upwards, making their eye lines extremely long.

  However, Empress Dowager was over fifty years old, but her charm and beauty were still like those of a young woman in her twenty-fifth or sixth year, extremely captivating.

  Sheng Siyan was only just eleven years old, and because she was a bit chubby, she looked even younger than her actual age. Her eyes actually only had a few similarities with his.

  Sheng Siyan raised her eyes and took a look at the Empress's expression, unexpectedly, she saw that the Empress's eyes revealed a few hints of sadness, hastily lowered her head and smiled: "Yao Nu Gong has overpraised me. I'm not even worthy of holding the Empress's shoes. I'm so fat, one of my legs is as thick as two of the Empress's." The people in the room couldn't help but laugh while covering their mouths.

  The empress dowager was delighted, pointing at Sheng Siyan with her finger and saying: "This child is really good at talking and laughing, she even dares to make fun of me, how bold! — Come, let's reward her!" While calling Sheng Siyan "bold", she also wanted to reward her, the empress dowager's thoughts were as clear as day in front of everyone.

  Today, Japan has come again to help the Sheng family restart their business, so the ladies in the central hall are rushing over, taking advantage of the Empress Dowager's reward, and also presenting the gifts they have prepared for Sheng Siyan.

  Sheng Siyan didn't expect to receive a small windfall, and was overjoyed, her mouth stretched wide in a smile, as if smeared with honey. The ladies of the house were all delighted, their faces beaming with joy, thinking that this little girl was not only plump but also sweet-tongued and lovely, stirring up their maternal instincts.

  Sheng Siyan turned her head and saw Wu Chanjuan's face, which was darkened on one side, and couldn't help but make a ghostly face in her heart.

  It's not her fault. Sheng Siyan was particularly liked by middle-aged and elderly people in her previous life, and every time there was a family gathering, she was the younger one who received the most care from her elders...

  Wang didn't expect Sheng Siyan to be so at ease here, she had been worried that her daughter, who grew up in the countryside and hadn't seen much of the world, would be timid.

  It was really unnecessary to worry!

  But Sheng Siyan's limelight has been enough, it's time to let the young lady of the host family show her face. Haven't you seen that the mother and daughter of the host family are staring at her with eyes that seem to swallow her whole?

  Mr. Wang coughed lightly.

  Sheng Siyan immediately came to her senses, smiled and bowed to the crowd, then hugged a bunch of jade pendants, gold hairpins, armlets and jade bangles back to Wang's side, and handed them over to her maid Mugui to put away.

  Zheng Suxin's body moved slightly, wanting to take her own daughter forward.

  The empress dowager did not look at her, but instead glanced at Imperial Consort Yao.

  Madam Yao understood the Empress Dowager's intention and hastily stepped forward, saying: "The Empress Dowager is tired and wants to return to the palace." As she spoke, she called out to those outside the door, "Prepare the sedan chair!"

  The palace maid outside immediately went to arrange for the imperial carriage.

  Wu Chanjuan was so angry that her whole body was shaking. She never thought that from the very beginning, she would be surpassed by Sheng Siyan. Then, before she could even show her face in front of the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager actually wanted to return to the palace!

  Wu Chanjuan couldn't help but want to walk forward.

  Zheng Suxin grabbed her arm, "Halt!"

  Wu Chanjuan's tears suddenly flowed out of her dark, heavy eyelids and down her smooth cheeks onto the new clothes she had just changed into. This was a camisole made by Ma Pozi, the embroidery house of Tian Gongyuan, specifically for her using silk from the ice silkworms, which repelled water. The crystal clear tears flowed down the camisole and fell straight to the ground with a plop, shattering into seven or eight pieces.

  "Hurry up and swallow your tears. What time is it? Where are we? Can't you even withstand this little setback?" Zheng Suhui bent down, her face full of gentle sympathy, gently wiping away Wu Cujuan's tears, but the words that came out of her mouth were very severe, "How did Mother teach you before? Have you forgotten?"

  The fourth update for "Flying Fairy" is here. Goodnight, everyone! Mwah mwah! By the way, don't forget to vote with your pink tickets and recommendation tickets~~~ Once we reach 180 pink tickets, there will be three updates~~~ The first update this morning has been revised, you can go back and take a look.