Chapter 63: Cloyingly Sweet

Chapter 63: Cloyingly Sweet

Alongside wine, fine food, fruits, and pastries, feasts naturally called for opera and musical dance. First came the performances prepared by the dancing troupes—song after song, hardly stunning, just ordinary.

Following the troupe's dances, Jiang Feixue presented one of her own. It was evident she had put in considerable effort; her foundational skills were no match for the professional dancers, and the choreography was remarkably smooth and dazzling.

In this regard, Ye Wanwan truly could not compare; she had never learned to dance and knew nothing of it. To mold her into a qualified empress, the Empress Dowager had made her study numerous subjects, but dance was the sole exception. An empress was expected to be dignified—what need was there for her to entertain others with dance?

"Splendid!"

Zhao Yi was evidently well pleased.

Jiang Feixue was still catching her breath after finishing her dance, and upon hearing that praise, she smiled with shy delight.

With Jiang Feixue having danced, the others were not to be outdone. Noble Lady Liu played a tune, and Zhao Yi, being in high spirits, waved his hand grandly and promoted both women to the rank of Zhaoyi.

Jiang Feixue was so thrilled she nearly leaped from her seat; her hands were shaking as she stood to express her gratitude.

Yet that very night, Zhao Yi summoned Noble Lady Liu to attend him. Jiang Feixue was left speechless.

Under the full moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the deeper the night grew, the more vivid the autumn wind, the bright moon, and the white jade plate of the sky became.

Ye Wanwan had tables set up behind the Guanju Palace, laden with fruits and pastries, inviting the palace attendants to sit together and enjoy the moon.

She had also sent someone to invite Jiang Feixue, but it was clear Jiang Feixue was in no mood for it now.

Perhaps because it was a holiday, and coupled with Ye Wanwan's generous rewards, the attendants rarely had the chance to gather and speak freely, chattering away animatedly.

Ye Wanwan sat at a short distance away, yet the striking red of her attire, vivid even against the night, did not appear lonely.

"Why don't you go over there?"

"This servant dislikes noise, and prefers to stay here to await Your Ladyship's commands."

With a subtle shift of her deep, limpid eyes, she glanced at the person beside her and felt she had asked a foolish question. If he were the type to join in the lively bustle, he would no longer be Yan Chen.

Raising her gaze to the moon in the sky, she lifted her wine cup and drained it in one gulp, narrowing her eyes slightly. It was hard to tell whether she was intoxicated by the fragrant wine or mesmerized by the moonlight.

Perhaps the moonlight tonight was simply too enchanting; Ye Wanwan found herself losing track of her thoughts and murmured, "The Mid-Autumn moon is full, and people on earth are reunited. Heh, a person like me—whom am I to reunite with?"

As the reigning noble consort, the legitimate daughter of the Ye family, and the niece of the Empress Dowager, she seemed to have no shortage of family. Yet on this night of reunion, there was not a single one she wished to see, nor did she care to reunite with any of them.

Such a joyous occasion of family togetherness felt more like an execution for her.

"There are lanterns on the streets tonight, and the city has no curfew..."

She spoke a few words, then suddenly stopped short. Ye Wanwan herself was stunned—why bring up the outside of the palace out of nowhere? The more she thought about it, the lonelier she felt.

Ye Wanwan remained silent for a long while, until Yan Chen broke the silence. He knelt before Ye Wanwan and said, "Your Ladyship, this servant has a favor to ask."

Ye Wanwan's mood was neither particularly good nor bad, but she replied, "Let's hear it."

Yan Chen responded, "This servant begs Your Ladyship to grant permission first; otherwise, this servant will never speak of it."

Hmph, trying that trick on her.

Perhaps out of sheer boredom, Ye Wanwan actually agreed, and then—

As the capital of the realm, the prosperity of Shangjing was beyond doubt. Ordinarily, crowds surged through its streets in an endless stream, with people from all nations gathering there, making the markets extraordinarily lively.

Today, being the annual Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival, it was naturally even more bustling. The grand streets were brightly lit, and even close to midnight, the crowds showed no sign of thinning.

All manner of peddlers' stalls lined both sides of the thoroughfare, while the city river beside it drifted full of floating lanterns bearing wishes.

Amidst the throng, a man and a woman moved slowly forward with the current—they were none other than Ye Wanwan and Yan Chen.

They had truly come out.

Looking at the lively human world before her, and then back up at the bright moon in the sky, that usually cold and aloof moon seemed to acquire a trace of warmth.

Ye Wanwan never imagined that Yan Chen's request would be for her to accompany him out of the palace, and that he would actually manage to bring her out.

Ye Wanwan wore a light purple ruqun dress and a veil, perfectly disguised as an unmarried young lady. Her features concealed, she did not stand out in the crowd. Yan Chen, on the other hand, had changed into plain black commoner's garb. Though the clothing was inexpensive, his tall, slender frame, cold and composed demeanor, and striking looks made him resemble a young noble scion deliberately masquerading as a commoner. Who could ever guess he was merely a eunuch?

Ye Wanwan had strolled through these Mid-Autumn lanterns a few times in her childhood, and strictly speaking, she had even ventured out last year. But counting her previous lifetime, in the seven years since entering the palace, she had not stepped foot outside a single time.

Consumed by inner torment and self-inflicted imprisonment, she had never had the mood for such things, nor was there any opportunity to slip away.

Suddenly, something appeared right before her eyes. Looking closely, it turned out to be a skewer of pastries.

It was still steaming hot, but its color alone made it look cloyingly sweet.