"Don't be nervous. Just relax; there aren't any fussy rules here." Xu Lanqing took a sip of sweet fruit juice and smiled warmly at the woman, who was clearly ill at ease.
Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya had taken to it quickly, eating daintily in small bites.
"Ah, all... all right, Your Highness." The woman hurriedly nodded.
Xu Lanqing said no more. It was hard to change a person's habits in a short time, especially when they were already ingrained.
The woman had been poor all her life. When had she ever seen a scene like this?
"Mom, have some of this. It's good for your health." Jiang Nannan placed a piece of meat in the woman's bowl, her voice soft.
"Ah, all right." The woman
Footsteps sounded, and Xu Lanqing turned his gaze toward the doorway. The others did the same.
A guard clad from head to toe in bright silver armor entered. He was one of the two guards who had been protecting this palace all along.
The guard walked over to Xu Lanqing and said quietly, "Your Highness, His Majesty asks you to come see him."
Xu Lanqing raised an eyebrow. So urgent?
He had only just returned, and had barely eaten anything before being summoned. Could something have happened?
"Keep eating. I'm going out for a while. Don't wait for me." Xu Lanqing picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, then stood and said.
"I'll go with you." Snow Empress rose as well.
"...All right, but you can only wait outside. Sorry to put you out."
Looking into Snow Empress's gentle yet resolute eyes, Xu Lanqing agreed.
For security reasons, outsiders and anyone deemed a threat were not allowed into the emperor's bedchamber, so Snow Empress could only wait outside.
He had initially wanted to