Just like that, the Empress Dowager didn't continue to question Yun Xi about the refugees and directly started chatting about daily matters.
The Queen first mentioned the relics Yun Xi had previously donated to the temple, and the Empress Dowager praised Yun Xi for her noble righteousness. Then, Concubine Yu mentioned that Yun Xi's younger brother, Yun Qi, was extremely talented at a young age. He even risked his life to save the Crown Prince and became the Crown Prince's study companion.
Although the conversation seemed ordinary, Yun Xi felt an undercurrent of confrontation.
Caught in the middle, she neither wanted to play both sides nor offend either party.
Carefully aware of the unfathomable gaze of the Empress Dowager, Yun Xi ate the whole lunch nervously.
Even when faced with her favorite food, she tried hard to suppress her inner desire and ate very reluctantly, until someone showed up.
"Grandson pays respects to the Empress Dowager, Mother, and Concubine Yu."
A figure in bright yellow strode into the hall. The moment he saw Yun Xi, the Crown Prince, Qi Yu, immediately showed a kind smile.
"What a coincidence. Miss Yun is here too?"
It seemed as if he had no idea that Yun Xi had been summoned by the Empress Dowager to enter the palace today.
The moment the Queen saw her son, her eyes flickered, but the Empress Dowager smiled and quickly greeted the Crown Prince:
"Good grandson, come quickly and have lunch with your grandmother."
Although Concubine Yu was from the Li family, the same family as the Empress Dowager, and the Empress Dowager favored her greatly, she also truly valued and loved the Crown Prince, Qi Yu, as her eldest grandson.
The Crown Prince was always modest and polite to his elders. Since he returned to the capital, he had never missed a day of paying respects to the Empress Dowager in the Kunning Palace.
It was just that he rarely came at this time.
Seeing the Crown Prince's arrival, Concubine Yu reluctantly prepared to give up the seat beside her, but the Crown Prince stopped her:
"Thank you, Concubine Yu. Grandmother, grandson will just sit here."
He smiled and exchanged a glance with Yun Xi beside him, then sat down on his own.
A look of surprise flashed across the Empress Dowager's eyes. As if she had discovered something, she suddenly smiled.
Feeling the Empress Dowager's scrutiny, Yun Xi felt extremely uncomfortable. Seeing the purse hanging on the Crown Prince's waist, she even lost her appetite.
"Why aren't you eating?"
Noticing that Yun Xi had put down her chopsticks, Qi Yu asked.
Noticing that Yun Xi's gaze seemed to be fixed on something, he mistakenly thought that she really wanted to eat it, so he stretched out his arm and moved the plate in front of Yun Xi.
"Now you can reach it, right?"
Qi Yu's eyes were filled with a smile, and his voice was gentle.
Since just now, his eyes had been fixed on Yun Xi, completely unaware that more than a dozen pairs of eyes were simultaneously staring at him, sizing up the relationship between him and Yun Xi.
Under such attention, Yun Xi felt as if she had a fishbone stuck in her throat and was almost suffocating. She even regretted wearing this light yellow dress today!
She really wanted to remind Qi Yu to pay attention to the occasion, or plead with him not to involve her and arouse people's speculation.
However, when she met Qi Yu's gentle and innocent gaze, she couldn't say a single word of blame. She could only force a smile and nod:
"Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
After saying this, she felt like crying inside. She could almost feel the sharp gaze of the Queen, as if it could burn several holes in her!
At this moment, she couldn't help but think of Qi Rong's warning to her, and suddenly didn't feel so resentful.
Maybe he reminded her like that just to prevent her from losing her life?
It seemed that even the despicable Qi Rong had a kind heart sometimes. She had misunderstood him!
During this otherwise nice palace banquet, Yun Xi felt extremely uncomfortable and couldn't enjoy her food. She just wanted to finish eating quickly and leave the palace.
Finally, after leaving the Kunning Palace, Yun Xi was about to chew a hawthorn pill to relieve the tension in her stomach when the Crown Prince, Qi Yu, also walked out.
"It's getting late. I'll take you back to your mansion."
Seeing this, Yun Xi couldn't help but look blankly at the bright sky and the sun above.
The sun was still shining brightly. Saying it was getting late seemed inappropriate.
Realizing that he had given the wrong reason in a hurry, Qi Yu couldn't help but cough awkwardly, and a faint blush appeared on his fair face.
"Um, last time you helped me embroider the purse, and I haven't thanked you yet. I thought of strolling on the street today to find a gift for you in return. I wonder if Miss Yun has the time?"
Having never had a crush on a girl before, Qi Yu didn't know how to please her. He could only express himself clumsily.
He just wanted to spend more time with Yun Xi.
Hearing that the Crown Prince wanted to give her a gift in return and even go shopping with her, Yun Xi immediately thought of Qi Rong's gloomy face. She quickly shook her head and said:
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, you're too kind. Mending the purse is just a piece of cake. You don't have to take it to heart at all."
Coincidentally, after they separated outside the city that day, the Crown Prince went to the Prime Minister's Mansion the next day.
On the surface, he went there to learn from his father, but in fact, he was entrusted by Xiao He to deliver the music scores used by her mother before.
Since it was related to her mother, she naturally wouldn't decline.
Moreover, after she got her mother's Ziyue zither, she also started practicing the zither. Before Xiao He left the capital, he often gave her guidance. After he left, he would ask the Crown Prince to deliver things for her.
That day, after the Crown Prince delivered the things, Yun Xi thanked him. Seeing that his purse was torn, she didn't think much and helped him mend it.
She even embroidered a carp on it to cover the tear. Now that she thought about it, she really hated that she had been so impulsive!
Now, not only was she being pestered by Qi Rong, who forced her to make a purse for him, but even the Crown Prince...
Yun Xi sighed and felt that life was really difficult, especially when getting involved with the royal family!
Just as Yun Xi was wracking her brains to find an excuse, a noble voice suddenly sounded from behind.
"Yu'er, what are you standing there for? Don't delay Yun Xi from going back to her mansion."
Seeing the Queen with a gentle expression but a somewhat sharp look in her eyes, Yun Xi felt a chill down her back.
"Your Majesty the Queen."
Yun Xi curtsied. The Queen nodded slightly.
"It's getting late. You should go back quickly."
Seeing that Qi Yu was about to speak, the Queen continued:
"Yu'er, you go to my palace first. Mother has something to ask you."
Qi Yu's eyes flickered slightly. He couldn't help but glance at Yun Xi, then nodded respectfully:
"Yes, Mother."
After simply saying goodbye to Yun Xi, Qi Yu walked away first.
The Queen looked at Yun Xi, smiled, and reached out to stroke her smooth and fair cheek.
"You're truly a beauty. Your dressing today is very fresh and elegant. Even I can't take my eyes off you."
The fingernails painted with red nail polish slowly slid down from the side of Yun Xi's face. The Queen's eyes glanced at Yun Xi's current clothes and said in a calm tone:
"However, the color of this dress doesn't seem to suit you."
Although the Queen's words were simple, Yun Xi understood them clearly. Her eyes darkened, and she immediately said:
"Your Majesty the Queen is right. Yun Xi also thinks so."
It seemed that from now on, she couldn't wear this light yellow dress anymore. She had only worn it once and really liked it.
However, for the Queen's advice, she could only give it up!