A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace Chapter 1223: Outing

In order not to attract attention,

Ni Manxue gave a shallow bow with the children and quickly ushered them inside the mansion.

Since the children were still young, and she was the elder, heading to the back courtyard didn’t breach any etiquette.

Besides, Xia Tingfeng wasn’t home, and she couldn’t possibly take the guests to the front courtyard to entertain them, right?

Thus, Ni Manxue instructed the servants to lead them to the back courtyard.

In the back courtyard of Hou Mansion.

Zhao Qichen led his younger siblings to respectfully greet Ni Manxue as their elder.

Ni Manxue hurriedly sat to the side.

"Your Highness, Crown Prince, you are too courteous; I dare not accept such formality!"

Before Zhao Qichen could speak, Yue Er spoke up.

"Aunt, what are you talking about? On the court, we discuss rulers and ministers, but in the backyard, we only talk about family!"

"Mother said you are our aunt, an elder! We are family!"

Ni Manxue looked at Yue Er with a face full of surprise.

"Oh! I haven’t seen the Fourth Princess for a while, and she’s grown quite a bit taller!"

"Nevertheless...what the Princess said, I absolutely dare not accept!"

Zhao Qiheng and Zhao Qiye quickly waved their hands after hearing this.

"Aunt, you’re being too kind!"

Zhao Qichen nodded as well.

"Aunt, there’s no need to be so polite; after all, we are family!"

The children eagerly spoke one after another, leaving Ni Manxue somewhat embarrassed.

"Alright, alright!"

"I appreciate the goodwill of the children!"

"Since that’s the case, you should play well! I have some things to do as well!"

As she got up to leave, she didn’t forget to instruct them.

"Zeze, Huihui, take good care of your younger siblings! No mischief allowed!"

"Yes!"

Ni Manxue looked around to confirm everything was fine before leading the servants out.

Leaving behind the cousins and siblings in the room, facing each other in puzzlement.

They talked back and forth for some time before the atmosphere gradually became lively.

Yue Er tugged on Xia Chengze’s arm and asked.

"Cousin, are there any fun places in the Capital City? Can you take me to see them?"

Xia Chengze smiled gently and tapped Yue Er’s nose.

"It’s been a while since I last saw you, and you’ve become even more mischievous!"

"Does the Empress not discipline you?"

Yue Er frowned and made a funny face at him.

"Cousin, you’re so mean!"

"In the palace, Mother keeps lecturing me!"

"And now that I’m out of the palace, you start too!"

"You are stricter than my brothers!"

Xia Chengze was amused yet helpless.

"I just said a few words, and you’re already bombarding me!"

"Alright then!"

"Wherever you want to go, I’ll take you, how’s that?"

Yue Er’s eyes lit up.

"Really?"

Xia Chengze nodded.

"Of course! A cousin’s word is as good as gold!"

Seated aside, sipping tea, Zhao Qichen frowned slightly, feeling a sharp discontent rising in his heart.

In theory, if someone treats Yue Er well, he should be happy.

But in reality,

Aside from the Emperor, he couldn’t allow Yue Er to admire any other man, not even Xia Chengze!

Zhao Qichen put down his teacup and stood up, speaking to Yue Er.

"Yue Er, wherever you want to go, I’ll take you!"

Yue Er seemed puzzled, suspiciously asking.

"Brother!"

"You are always in the study or at the martial training grounds; how would you know the fun places?"

"Isn’t it better to let Cousin take us? He lives outside the palace; he must know very well!"

Zhao Qichen: "..."

He seemed to hear the sound of his own heartbreak.

Jealous, sour! Dissatisfied!

Yue Er actually relied on Xia Chengze so much!

This feeling was simply like having his carefully nurtured flower being uprooted by a boar.

Thinking about it, it’s just cousins; everyone is close because they’re relatives.

No matter how like a beast Xia Chengze is, he wouldn’t eat the grass near his den or do anything to Yue Er, a little girl.

But in the future...if Yue Er were to marry...then what?

Ouch!

A sharp pain swept through his heart.

Zhao Qichen frowned, not daring to think further.

He felt that no man in the world was worthy of Yue Er.

If anyone dared to pick the delicate flower he had nurtured from childhood,

Perhaps even before the Emperor takes action, he himself would break that person’s arms and legs!

(The author sympathizes with Xiao Lele for a moment: Little girl, your path of affection is destined not to be ordinary~)

Zhao Qichen still couldn’t prevent Xia Chengze from taking Yue Er and the others out.

After all, not only Yue Er wanted to go out, but Henger and Yeye, the two little rascals, were also eagerly wanting to go out and play.

He couldn’t help but sigh deeply.

"A sister grows up free from her brother’s care!"

As for the brothers?

Oh well! Brothers don’t count; brothers mean nothing!

Henger: "..."

Yeye: Humph! You’ll regret this, Imperial Brother; one day you’ll find that it’s still brothers you can rely on!

...

They mounted their horses.

Passed by the most bustling streets of the Capital City and arrived at another relatively quieter area.

Though it wasn’t considered prosperous, it wasn’t silent either. People came and went continuously.

Yue Er couldn’t help but jump off her horse first.

"Cousin, what is this place!"

Xia Chengze also dismounted and smiled.

"Naturally a fun place!"

"Sister, just walk inside!"

Zhao Qichen also grew curious and dismounted.

Zhao Qiheng and Zhao Qiye were even more worried about falling behind, each dismounted swiftly.

They all walked in following Xia Chengze.

At first, it seemed like an ordinary street.

But as they walked further,

There were all sorts of flowers, birds, and cultural items, with landscape paintings, amber, agate, pearls, white jade, and jade Pixiu.

In general, all things the literati love to play with were available here.

Upon seeing these.

The others weren’t much affected, but Zhao Qiheng was the first who couldn’t hold back.

"I never knew there was a place like this in the Capital City! Truly eye-opening!"

He kept expressing his amazement as he walked.

Having a hard time resisting, he checked out the shops along the way.

Whatever he liked, he added to his collection directly. A eunuch disguised as a servant boy behind him took care of the payments.

They hadn’t even walked halfway, and the servant boy’s package was already bulging.

Yue Er couldn’t help but laugh.

"Third Brother, what happened to you?"

"Normally, you always seem uninterested in things!"

"Why now do you like all these items?"

Zhao Qiheng laughed, shaking his fan.

"Yue Er, you don’t understand!"

"There are countless things in the world that I don’t favor, except for these cultural and elegant items, which truly captivate me!"

"I think beautiful things are certainly worth buying back to appreciate!"

Yue Er nodded.

"Oh well!"

Knowing her Third Brother’s nature, she didn’t bother to say much.

...

They continued onward.

After the cultural items, there was an area of bonsai and ornaments.

Just now indifferent, Yue Er’s eyes lit up this time.

"The ornaments in my room before were all carved from jade and agate!"

"Who knew that here, they’re all real!"

"I’ve never seen real ones!"

"Brother, I want them!"

Yue Er turned back, not seeing her brother but met Xia Chengze’s gaze instead.

Xia Chengze was somewhat pleasantly surprised.

"Yue Er also likes these?"

Yue Er chuckled.

"It’s not about liking them; I just find them quite novel!"

"Moreover, I don’t know how to care for them yet!"