CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER 51: RIGHT ABOVE HER HEAD!

Mu Hongxuan immediately stood in front of Prince Su, blocking that mound of flesh.

"Boohoo... Ziyin, you’re being too indifferent to your mother. It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other, don’t you miss your mother?" The mound raised her sleeve and cried softly.

"Alright, mother, stop pretending to cry; this trick doesn’t work on me." Xie Jiuxiao spoke casually, immune to her cries long ago.

"Hmph, you brat, you have no idea how to cherish beauty, how will you find a wife? Are you destined to live alone forever?"

The Dowager no longer pretended, she flung her sleeve, her face full of fat barely disguising her once delicate features, with no tears at the corner of her eyes.

"Cough, cough, mother, Ziyin already has a fiancée." Emperor Anqing reminded her.

Only then did the Dowager notice Yu Nianzhao, seeing her standing close to Xie Jiuxiao, her face still rosy, she suddenly became anxious, "Look, she can stand so close to you, meaning the Evil Qi around you has lessened, right? Now mother can be close to you? I haven’t hugged you since you were six, let mother hold you properly."

"Mother, only Zhaozhao is the exception." Xie Jiuxiao’s tone carried a hint of helplessness.

"Really?" The Dowager frowned, not quite believing.

"Mother, the ministers are all here at the New Year’s Eve banquet, you need to mind your image." Emperor Anqing lowered his voice.

Only then did the Dowager slightly lift her chin, regaining her usual dignified demeanor.

As she approached Xie Jiuxiao, the Evil Qi was still bone-cold, and the Dowager promptly surrendered, seating herself beside Emperor Anqing.

After exchanging pleasantries, Emperor Anqing glanced at Yu Nianzhao and announced publicly, "I have bestowed marriage upon Prince Su, Yu Nianzhao will henceforth be Princess Consort Su."

"Who exactly is this Yu Nianzhao? There’s no Mr. Yu in Shangjing, is there?"

"Could she be the daughter of Magistrate Yu from Tanzhou?"

"But that’s not right, hasn’t it been heard that Mr. Yu doesn’t have a daughter?"

Murmurs spread across the banquet, all curious about Yu Nianzhao.

Pei Yuanzheng was very embarrassed, wanting to speak but not knowing how to start.

Emperor Anqing had no intention of letting him off, "I heard, Mr. Pei, that you and Yu Nianzhao have severed family ties?"

Suddenly being named, all eyes fell on Pei Yuanzheng.

Pei Yunzhi also sat like on pins and needles, her eyes fearful, afraid that her fake noble status would be exposed.

Pei Yuanzheng stiffened, helplessly saying, "Your Majesty, that’s indeed the word, but it’s just childish caprice, it shouldn’t count, right?"

Xie Jiuxiao coldly replied, "Why shouldn’t it count? I witnessed it myself; is Mr. Pei going back on his word now?"

"Of course not!" Seeing Xie Jiuxiao’s relentless pursuit, Pei Yuanzheng had no choice but to admit the severance.

Pei Yunzhi immediately felt relieved.

"Wait, severed ties? So, this girl was originally the daughter of the Marquis Wu’an household? Now she has become a lone orphan?" The Dowager frowned, not very pleased.

"Yes, it’s quite fine this way." Xie Jiuxiao wasn’t concerned about Yu Nianzhao’s family background at all.

The Dowager, however, scrutinized Yu Nianzhao with a picky gaze; she was pretty, but her lineage was lacking!

"Mother, Ziyin has had no women close to him for so many years, having one near him is already good enough."

Emperor Anqing only needed a glance to understand the Dowager’s thoughts, lowering his voice, "You know Ziyin’s fate; he needs to leave behind a bloodline."

The Dowager gave him a glare, "Nonsense, Ziyin can live to be a hundred."

Emperor Anqing was indifferent, "Then find a concubine for Ziyin later!"

He also felt Yu Nianzhao was reaching too high, his own brother was deserving of the best in the world.

The Dowager thought it over, then reluctantly nodded, "Alright then, let the Imperial Astronomer select an auspicious date for their wedding."

Yu Nianzhao was disinterested from beginning to end, only staring at the top of the Dowager’s head, making the Dowager uneasy, she couldn’t help but scold, "What are you looking at? Even if you have severed ties with the Pei Family, didn’t the Marquis Wu’an household teach you not to stare at elders?"

"Being an orphan, who would teach me?" Yu Nianzhao shrugged, "I’m looking at the little ghost on the Dowager’s body, everyone went to Five Balance Mountain to pray, yet not one noticed this little ghost, what kind of amateur standards are these?"

Little ghost?

The banquet fell silent!

The Dowager was even more startled, wanting to get up, but remembering her status, she forced herself to remain seated.

Emperor Anqing frowned and looked over, "Why does the Emperor see nothing? Yu Nianzhao, can you see ghosts?"

"Zhaozhao’s mystical skills are beyond even Dongfang Chenyuan." Xie Jiuxiao explained for her, then turned to seriously ask, "Zhaozhao, you see a little ghost on mother’s body? Where is it?"

"Right on top of her head!"

Yu Nianzhao casually pointed, exactly at the Dowager’s head.

The Dowager only felt her head weigh a thousand pounds, forcing a smile, "You must be joking, this old lady has been praying at Five Balance Mountain for over half a month, if there were a ghost, it would have been purified by the chants."

"When did the Dowager’s figure start changing?" Yu Nianzhao ignored her words and directly asked.

The Dowager’s face changed dramatically, eyes igniting with anger.

Her figure-changing had always been her sore spot, Yu Nianzhao’s question hit her where it hurt!

Pei Yuanzheng could no longer care about the severance matter, immediately scolding, "Zhaozhao, what nonsense are you spouting? Quickly apologize to the Dowager."

Lien Yanran frowned, "Cousin Zhaozhao really has no sense of rules, even if she learned some Taoist arts, showing off in front of the Dowager and the Emperor is like lifting a rock to smash her own foot, she’s really reckless."

Pei Yunzhi’s lips curled into a fake smile, "I hope the Dowager doesn’t blame Cousin Zhaozhao."

Xie Yunzhe murmured, "This Yu Nianzhao is really strange, can she really see ghosts?"

Xie Jiarou nodded quickly, "Of course she can, I believe her!"

Having been possessed by the ghost of Wei Zhao, Xie Jiarou had significant authority.

Emperor Anqing squinted, "Yu Nianzhao, even though the Emperor just granted your marriage to Prince Su, what you say about the Dowager isn’t a joke; if you speak carelessly, you’ll lose your head!"

Yu Nianzhao pouted, "The royal family is truly dignified, always threatening to take heads."

Xie Jiuxiao glanced at Emperor Anqing, coldly saying, "Don’t frighten Zhaozhao, royal brother!"

Xie Jiuxiao’s gaze made Emperor Anqing shiver, if no one were around, he would bite his sleeve.

His cherished younger brother, giving him a cold stare for another woman?

It was truly too much!

Xie Jiuxiao turned to answer, "Two years before father passed, mother’s figure began to change, not only did she eat more, but she became lazy to move. I found it strange, but mother spent a month at Five Balance Mountain each year without issue, so I didn’t pay attention."