Cold-Blooded Fifth had to use his stealth techniques to protect Ye Lang. This was an important skill that an assassin needed to learn, as it allowed him to use alchemical tools to freeze parts of the environment so that they appeared unchanged from the outside.
"What's wrong? Don't be so nervous. I'll find a way to deal with it if you find out." Ye Lang noticed immediately when Cold-Blooded Fifth was using something; he was quite sensitive to such things.
"You have a way... but I don't, okay?" Cold-Blooded Fifth didn't want to say more to Ye Lang, afraid that Ye Lang would give another speechless answer.
"Oh, okay! You do your thing, I'll eat mine!" Ye Lang started eating snacks and tea, drinking fragrant tea, looking quite content.
Royal items are indeed extraordinary, but Ye Lang won't be able to enjoy them for long...
"The Empress Dowager is here?!" The official was surprised to hear the guard's announcement that the Empress Dowager would be arriving soon.
Is the Empress Dowager going to personally attend to this Lady Lei Di? Or is it just a coincidence, and she's merely passing by?
"Let's go and greet her!" In any case, since the Empress Dowager is coming, we must go out to welcome her.
Officials and maids immediately came out and lined up to wait. Ye Lang thought this was even better and continued eating and drinking tea, showing no intention of going back to hide properly.
Don't forget, if the Empress Dowager comes here, she will definitely speak with Lady Lei Di, and at that time, Ye Lang on the table will definitely be discovered.
"Go back here!" Cold-Blooded Fifth dragged Ye Lang back and jumped back into the small satchel where he was hiding.
"My snacks..." Ye Lang mumbled, his mouth stuffed full of snacks and tea.
"Snacks my foot! Why don't you just have the puppet take them back? Idiot!!" Cold-Blooded Fifth smacked Ye Lang in annoyance, grabbing his hand to prevent him from running away again.
"Oh right, no one can see it now. I can put those things in my bag and no one will say my puppet is being rude." Ye Lang only realized this at this moment, and immediately controlled the puppet to get the things and stuff them into the bag.
He didn't even consider why the Empress Dowager had come here, or how he should deal with her!
Cold-Blooded Fifth was also puzzled, but he knew that the Empress Dowager herself would find out the truth.
Soon, the Empress Dowager arrived, sat down in front of the Puppet Girl, and looked at Puppet Girl for a while...
At this moment, Cold-Blooded Fifth, along with the officials and maids, were all waiting for the Puppet Girl (Ye Lang) to make a move. The Empress Dowager had already arrived, so why were they still sitting? At the very least, they should stand up and pay their respects.
To their surprise, Ye Lang not only remained silent, but also uttered a statement that left the entire audience speechless—
"Auntie, you should try some of this too, it tastes really good." The Puppet Girl saw the Empress Dowager sitting in front of her and politely invited her to eat. Under normal circumstances, she would not be impolite when it came to etiquette.
Those who know Ye Lang well won't worry about him; he just gets confused sometimes!
At this moment, he became confused and actually called the Empress Dowager "Auntie." This was naturally because he did not know that the person in front of him was the Empress Dowager. If she were, he would definitely call her Empress Dowager.
Ye Lang hadn't paid any attention to what the Vermilion Bird officials were saying and didn't know the Empress Dowager was coming. Even if he had known, he certainly wouldn't have thought the person in front of him was the Empress Dowager if no one had told him.
This cannot be blamed on Ye Lang, because this Empress Dowager is too young. She looks only in her forties, like a noble and beautiful lady, not at all like the legendary Empress Dowager.
It should be noted that the emperor of the Vermilion Bird Empire is already over forty years old, while his mother, the Empress Dowager, is in her sixties or seventies.
How can one possibly regard the person before them as the Empress Dowager?
"How dare you!!"
"Rude!"
"Do you even know who she is...?"
Suddenly, the Vermilion Bird officials and maids began to speak, rebuking Ye Lang. However, they quickly quieted down, as the Empress Dowager gently raised her hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.
"Please keep quiet. Calling me Auntie is fine too. It's been so long since I've heard that title. It makes me feel decades younger," the Empress Dowager said with a light laugh.
"You're still decades younger, otherwise you'd turn into a little girl." The Puppet Girl said blankly. Forty years minus decades would make you a teenager, or even younger. Let alone a teenager, you could be considered decades older.
"Hehe, you're a very interesting young lady. Those words make me feel very comfortable." The Empress Dowager smiled, seemingly very happy. Women, no matter how old, always hope to hear others praise their youth and beauty.
"..."
Is Lady Lei Di feigning ignorance to please the Empress Dowager? She seems to be no ordinary person! This was the opinion of the officials and maids.
Cold-Blooded Fifth, who was with Ye Lang, also thought that Ye Lang was coaxing the Empress Dowager and paving the way for the mission. Little did he know that the Empress Dowager was indeed too young, at least in appearance. She couldn't see people through the eyes of a puppet like Ye Lang did.
"You..." The Puppet Girl stared at the Empress Dowager, seemingly deep in thought, her expression mirroring Ye Lang's. Ye Lang and the Puppet Girl were now thinking in sync.
What do you mean, "you"? How long do you intend to sit with the Empress Dowager? What an ill-mannered noble lady.
"Auntie, I feel like I've seen your face somewhere before..." The Puppet Girl looked at the Empress Dowager, trying hard to recall. She felt very strange. The aunt in front of her seemed somewhat familiar, but she couldn't remember knowing such an aunt.
"Perhaps we've met before!" The Empress Dowager paused for a moment, then laughed. Anyone who didn't know better would think the little girl was trying to flirt with her, but if that were the case, it would be too obvious.
"Maybe. I don't remember..." The Puppet Girl shook her head, unable to recall anything, and had no choice but to give up.
"Little girl, your name is Lady, right?" the Empress Dowager asked with a smile.
"Yes, Auntie, what about you?" the Puppet Girl asked in return.
Auntie...
"My name is... but you should just call me Auntie. Telling you my name will cause you a lot of trouble," the Empress Dowager began, but the people around her immediately tried to stop her, so she changed her address.
The Empress Dowager's name is not something to be spoken casually, nor is it something that just anyone can hear. If she were to say it now, everyone here would be in trouble.
"Oh, okay, Auntie!"
"Good girl!" The Empress Dowager gently patted the Puppet Girl, then continued, "Lady, I heard you bought a necklace at the auction yesterday. Could you let me have it? My little granddaughter really liked it, but you snatched it from her. That girl almost cried her eyes out yesterday!"