Chapter 224: Avoid It For Fear It Will Not Be Able To (Thanks Jiang Li for the monthly ticket increase)

Following the National Master’s instructions, Mrs. Xie sent Xie Pan’Er’s birth hair to the National Master and had Xie Pan’Er and Xie Yingying eat, drink, and sleep together. As expected, Xie Yingying quickly recovered.

Later, as the National Master had instructed, Mrs. Xie had Madam Luo formally acknowledge Xie Yingying’s birth details and attribute them to Xie Pan’Er. From then on, Xie Yingying lived under Xie Pan’Er’s birthdate and, according to seniority, became the eldest young lady of the Xie Family, known as their First Miss.

The National Master had once said that Xie Yingying’s fate clashed with the Capital City. It would be best to send her out of the Capital City when she was older and only allow her to return after she had passed the age susceptible to premature death.

Therefore, when Xie Yingying turned ten, Mrs. Xie found an excuse: the Xie Family’s old Ancestral Hall was in disrepair.

She sent the Steward south to their old family estate to find someone to refurbish the Ancestral Hall. Claiming that Xie Yingying was growing up and needed to learn about managing household affairs, Mrs. Xie sent her and Xie Pan’Er out of the Capital City together.

More than three years passed in a flash. Gradually, Xie Yingying reached a marriageable age, and matchmakers began to visit the Xie Family in twos and threes. However, the Xie Family’s standing was too low, and Lin Shuang’Er (Xie Yingying’s mother) looked down on all the families the matchmakers proposed.

Just then, Lin Shuang’Er received a letter from her daughter, Xie Yingying, mentioning a young man named Lu Yunsheng, the legitimate son of Minister Lu. Lin Shuang’Er took note. However, despite her attempts to ’coincidentally’ encounter Minister Lu’s wife, the woman wouldn’t even spare her a glance.

Lin Shuang’Er, being proud, arrogant, and obstinate, then had an idea: she quietly leaked the birth details associated with the Phoenix Destiny.

That was why, when Ji Youze presented the birth details he had investigated to the National Master, they didn’t match the physiognomy Xiaosuisui had read!

Lin Shuang’Er tearfully returned to her maternal home, only to go back to her husband’s home full of renewed fighting spirit. Gazing at the ’Phoenix Destiny’ birth details in her hand, she began to scheme how she could get them into the Palace.

While Lin Shuang’Er was plotting to have her daughter ascend the Empress’s throne, the true owner of those birth details was at the Xie Family’s residence, finishing her explanation of everything concerning herself and Xiaosuisui.

The rain had just stopped, and darkness was falling. Huo Xing’Er had someone deliver a message to the Xie Family, stating that the Princess required the Third Miss Xie’s (Xie Pan’Er’s) company and that she would be staying at the Ji Mansion tonight.

Xiaosuisui was delighted. She sat beside Xie Pan’Er and happily ate her dinner.

Xiaosuisui certainly enjoyed her meal, but it was torture for Xie Pan’Er. Everyone else at the table was a prominent figure, while she was just an ordinary commoner. Consequently, she spent the entire dinner practically counting grains of rice in her bowl!

After dinner, the young Emperor announced his intention to return to the Palace. He then casually asked Xiaosuisui, "My dear girl, how about you come back to the Palace with your adoptive father, the Emperor, for a few days?"

Xiaosuisui was about to nod without a second thought when Ji Youzhi coolly reminded him, "Your Majesty! Xiaosuisui’s jinx isn’t fully under control yet! Bringing her into the Palace... don’t you think that might prove a little *too* exciting?"

The young Emperor was speechless.

This is a huge problem!

Without further thought, he turned to leave, pretending he hadn’t said a word.

Definitely need to make a quick getaway!

Seeing the young Emperor react this way, the Ji Family members were stunned.

Just a moment ago, he was affectionately calling her ’daughter,’ and now he’s acting like he’s afraid she’ll cling to him?

Before the Ji Family members could even finish marveling at how the young girl’s jinx was so potent that even His Majesty was desperate to avoid it, the sound of gongs—CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!—rang out from outside.

"Help! Someone’s fallen into the Lotus Pond! Quickly, come rescue them!"

The Ji Family exchanged bewildered glances.

What’s going on? How could someone just fall into the Lotus Pond like that?

"Quick, go see who fell in! We must rescue them immediately!" Old Madam Xie shouted anxiously, while Ji Youzhi and Ji Youze had already rushed out to help.

Zhu Xiuxiu supported the old madam as they headed towards the Lotus Pond. Meanwhile, Huo Xing’Er and Xie Pan’Er instinctively glanced at Xiaosuisui.

Please, don’t let it be *that* person who fell into the Lotus Pond!

they both thought.