Chapter 495: The Hunt Begins

Honored Lady Du remained still.

After a while, almost everyone had left.

Seizing the moment when there were fewer people, Honored Lady Du went to the inner chamber of Jiaofang Hall to request an audience with the Empress.

"Lady Yu Lan, please go in and announce my visit!"

Honored Lady Du, pulling at Yu Lan, almost pleaded in a whisper.

Yu Lan was in a difficult position.

"Honored Lady Du, it’s not that I don’t want to announce your visit; it’s really that our Empress is unavailable!"

"Ever since the Little Princess arrived, our Empress has been toiling and caring for her personally, even late into the night!"

Honored Lady Du added, "I know the Empress has it hard, but I wouldn’t come to seek an audience with Her Highness if it weren’t something important..."

She couldn’t get through with pleading, nor by insistence.

To put it bluntly, at this moment, Honored Lady Du was more tenacious than a barnacle.

Yu Lan, pestered beyond her limits, had no other choice but to agree to announce the visit.

Inside the inner chamber, the Empress was personally watching the Little Princess nurse.

Yu Lan entered and repeated Honored Lady Du’s request for an audience.

The Empress’s gaze flickered slightly. She pondered for a moment, then said, "Let her wait in the main hall. I’ll come see her in a while!"

Yu Lan respectfully acknowledged with a "Yes, Your Highness."

...

Leaving the Little Princess’s west wing room, the Empress, leaning on Yu Lan’s arm, went to the main hall.

Honored Lady Du had already kneeled.

"Greetings to the Empress!"

The Empress smiled faintly. "Honored Lady Du wishes to see me. Is there a particular matter?"

Kneeling on the ground, Honored Lady Du hesitated, unsure of how to begin.

The Empress was in no rush and leisurely sipped her tea.

The time it took to drink a cup of tea passed, and Honored Lady Du remained silent.

Feigning ignorance, the Empress said, "Honored Lady Du, if there’s anything, just speak up. How can I help you if you don’t speak?"

That one sentence filled Honored Lady Du with boundless courage.

Twisting a handkerchief in her hands, she bit her lip and said, "Empress, about the matter of accompanying His Majesty outside the palace..."

"I... I..."

The Empress cast a seemingly unintentional, cold glance at her. She set down her teacup with a smile and said, "That matter has already been decided, and it is also the Emperor’s wish. Could it be that Honored Lady Du has any objections?"

Once Honored Lady Du heard it was the Emperor’s wish, she dared not harbor any thoughts of her own.

She quickly denied it. "No... not at all..."

The Empress then smiled. "Since you have no objections, then you are dismissed. The Little Princess is unwell, and I must personally care for her!"

Honored Lady Du was stunned, still feeling discontent in her heart.

She neither left nor spoke, just dawdled.

The Empress gradually grew impatient and waved her hand. "Yu Lan, escort Honored Lady Du out."

As she was about to leave, Honored Lady Du panicked.

She hurriedly said, "Empress, why can’t I go? Empress, I too wish to go!"

The Empress stood up and looked at her. "So you do question the Emperor’s decision?"

Honored Lady Du kneeled on the ground, silent.

The Empress, not bothering with more words, stated directly, "I can’t assist you with this matter. However..."

The Empress stopped midway through her sentence, not willing to continue. She waved her hand dismissively. "Never mind. Yu Lan, see her out."

With that, the Empress left.

Honored Lady Du walked away, dejected. All the way, she couldn’t figure out the meaning behind the Empress’s unfinished words.

Ding Xiang looked at her disdainfully.

Clearly out of favor, yet still making a nuisance of herself, not even reflecting on why!

What use are good looks?

If you’re trying to win favor, you should at least show some sincerity!

Not even understanding such basic social cues, no wonder she’s out of favor.

...

In the Harem, those who had been called upon started to pack their things one after another.

「Qingya Residence」

Zi Yue and the others, always proactive, had nearly finished packing.

In the side hall, ten large trunks were piled up.

Xia Ruqing was completely flabbergasted. "All these things for Little Bun, must we take them all?"

Zi Yue laughed. "Certainly! They are all for the Little Prince’s use!"

Xia Ruqing was dumbstruck. "But still, we can’t take ten huge trunks. No, no! That’s too much!"

Little boys aren’t that delicate.

Zi Yue thought for a moment. "How about... we take out some of Da Bai and Xiao Bai’s things? After all, we can’t reduce what belongs to our master."

Xia Ruqing had her open the trunks so she could review each item.

"We don’t need this..."

"And we don’t need this either!"

Zi Yue was also perplexed. "My lady, if you take everything out, what will the Little Prince use? Besides, these are the items you personally checked on the list."

Xia Ruqing then said, "How would I know? Once it’s all packed, it adds up to so much. At most five trunks, no more. Take out all of Da Bai and Xiao Bai’s things, and if it really comes down to it, we just won’t bring them along."

Zi Yue was aware of the limits.

Leaving the palace for a full fortnight, and packing so much, was indeed a bit excessive.

The two cats... if they couldn’t be brought along, then so be it.

Zi Yue took the list, removed Da Bai and Xiao Bai’s items, then pared down the rest item by item.

Finally, everything fit into five trunks.

...

As August came, the hunting expedition commenced.

Compared to the first one, this time the scale was much grander.

Within the palace, Fifth Master, Sixth Master, and Seventh Master were all going.

The Royal Clan outside the palace, Civil and Military Officials, all went with their families in tow.

Yang He, General Xiao, the two other Commanders of the Imperial Forest Army, and the younger ones like Yang Chenyi, Xia Tingfeng, among others.

In short, anyone who could ride a horse and draw a bow was going.

All who wished to come were welcomed.

The hunting expedition was of such massive scale, and the scene so lively, that even that group of outspoken court officials was eager to try.

They privately weighed whether their old bones could endure the weariness of travel.

Why not? We could just go and join in the fun.

Worst case, we don’t have to participate; we can just watch from the sidelines.

Upon considering this, quite a few responded affirmatively. They all readily agreed to go.

However, being Civil Officials, scholars with thin skins, they were embarrassed to bring their families. In fact, they didn’t even bring a Maid to serve them.

A group of scholars, old men exuding an air of stale pedantry, thus set off.

In truth, they would all soon come to regret their decision.

While others would stroll by the riverbank, hold hands, and later enjoy some... intimate nighttime pursuits, these men were left staring blankly at each other!

Their insides were twisted with regret, weren’t they?!

...

The destination this time was different from last year.

Last year’s hunt took place near the Capital City. This year was different; it was a bit farther away.

In late July and early August, it was considered a summer retreat.

The main troop exited the Capital City and headed north.

Xia Ruqing, sitting idly in the carriage with nothing to do, took to looking at maps.

She pointed at one route and said to Little Bun, "Look here, we are right here now!"

Little Bun was no child prodigy; he didn’t understand either. He held the map with his little hands, looking left and right, and was just about to chew on it.

Xia Ruqing promptly stopped him. "Son, you can’t just eat anything!"

With that, she took out the snack box and picked a piece of malt sugar to give to him.