Situ Yan looked down at him from a height, his voice a low, deliberately sexy husky whisper in his ear, "I see you're staring, yet there's no hint of jealousy."
"So, you'll eat it for me?"
"Is the Empress mocking your husband?"
"How would I dare, your subject?"
"I think you're quite bold." He bit her ear, her sensitive spot, and Lu Nianfu almost gasped. She quickly covered her mouth, "Your Majesty, don't mess around, we're outside."
Situ Yan scooped her up horizontally, "I'll carry you back to the palace now."
Then he could kiss her however he pleased.
Lu Nianfu's face instantly flushed crimson, "No, Xiao Fei is still waiting for me."
Just as she spoke, Qingmiao's voice sounded not far away, "Empress, are you there?"
Situ Yan asked irritably, "What is it?"
Qingmiao, unaware she was interrupting the Emperor and Empress's private moment, said, "Your Ladyship, I have invited young master Lu Fei into the side hall. When will you be joining him?"
"I'll be there shortly."
Lu Nianfu jumped down from Situ Yan's embrace, tidied her hair, and couldn't resist glaring at him, "It's all your fault for delaying us so long."
Situ Yan shook his head and feigned a sigh, "It's just that my charm isn't great enough. One little brother has already stolen your heart."
"Bah, hurry and go see Yao'er. He should be asleep by now."
"Then you also don't chat for too long. If you really miss Xiao Fei, let him stay in the palace for a night and you can reunite tomorrow."
"Mhm."
Lu Fei, dressed in newly tailored brocade, stood with his hands behind his back in the side hall. The childishness of the past had faded, and he had grown into a handsome young man. Even without his scholar's robes, the scholarly aura about him was undeniable. Seeing Lu Nianfu enter, he quickly knelt to bow, "This commoner pays his respects..."
He was stopped halfway by Lu Nianfu pulling him up, "We haven't seen each other for just over a month, and my brother has become estranged from his sister?"
"Not at all, but propriety cannot be abandoned."
"For a private meeting between us siblings, let's forgo these formalities. Why do you look a bit thinner? Is your coursework too heavy?"
"Next year is the imperial examination, so the teacher's assignments have increased."
"It's right to study hard, but you must also take care of your health. I'll have the imperial physicians examine you and give you some nourishing herbs to take back another day." It's the New Year, and the imperial physicians deserve a holiday too.
Lu Fei said, "Is that necessary? My classmates all study this way, there's no need to trouble the imperial physicians."
Lu Nianfu said, "It's convenient to call imperial physicians now anyway."
Lu Fei: "...Alright, as long as my sister is happy. But you should also take care of yourself and don't overwork."
After a bit of casual chat, Lu Fei produced a set of infant clothes, "This is the outfit my mother made for the Second Prince."
"Mother's craftsmanship has improved considerably."
"She has nothing to do these days but to study needlework at home. Everything I wear, from the inside out, from head to toe, is made by her."
Lu Nianfu praised her again, and finally asked Qingmiao to prepare several bolts of tribute silk for Lu Fei to take back. In recent years, Madam Li had become increasingly well-behaved, focusing only on seeing Lu Fei succeed and no longer causing her trouble.
After the siblings had chatted, Hongshao announced that Madam Ban had requested an audience.
Lu Nianfu wanted Lu Fei to stay the night, but Lu Fei refused, "Sister, Mother is still waiting for me at home."
"Why didn't Mother come to the palace with you?"
Lu Fei sighed, "It's not hard to guess her thoughts. She probably feels her background isn't noble enough and is afraid of embarrassing herself in front of those noble ladies."
Lu Nianfu smiled, "Then you must work hard and earn her a noble title in the future. Then she can walk with her head held high wherever she goes."
"Of course. During the holiday break at home, she talks about this to me every day, I'm almost going deaf."
People are different. If Lu Chaosheng were still alive, and Lu Nianfu became Empress, she would undoubtedly arrange a marquis title for him. But for Madam Li, to put it bluntly, the fact that she wasn't pursuing her for her past misdeeds was solely for Lu Fei's sake.
Why would she rush to request a noble title for her?
It would be best for Lu Fei to handle this himself.
Lu Fei wanted to go home to keep the New Year's vigil with Madam Li, so Lu Nianfu arranged for a carriage to send him out of the palace early, and then had Qingmiao escort Madam Ban in.
Madam Ban had made new clothes for Yao'er and Xiao Er, and two pairs of tiger-head shoes were particularly lifelike. Lu Nianfu accepted them with a smile and examined Madam Ban carefully, "Your complexion is rosy, you must be living quite comfortably."
"Nothing to worry about day in and day out, so naturally my heart is at ease and my body is plump."
Lu Nianfu smiled ambiguously, "It seems Uncle Yan is a very capable steward."
Two rosy clouds appeared on Madam Ban's face, "Don't talk nonsense."
It seemed the two were progressing well, but they hadn't yet broken the ice. Lu Nianfu didn't rush it. Judging by Uncle Yan's demeanor, her mother would eventually be a member of the Yan family.
After mother and daughter chatted for a while, the palace banquet was nearing its end.
Like Lu Fei, Madam Ban declined Lu Nianfu's invitation to stay the night. Throughout their conversation, she never mentioned Zeng Weiyang's name, nor did she bring up Zeng Weiyang's unreasonable demands.