Yan Yunning nodded in surprise and asked again, “How many are there following Xiaoxiao?”

“A few hundred,” Ye Chen replied.

“Good. You change your clothes too and follow us out of the palace.”

“Out of the palace?” Ye Chen frowned. “Should we inform His Majesty?”

“No.” The little one still had anger in his heart.

The “alright” that had risen to Yan Yunning’s lips was swallowed back down.

“Mother Empress, let’s go to Auntie’s residence,” the little one requested.

“Of course. Wherever Xiaoxiao wants to go, we’ll go.” Yan Yunning smiled and agreed.

Since Xuan Yuncheng had spoken thus, Ye Chen could only nod.

——

At Yan Shiyao’s residence, when Yan Yunning led the little one to the front gate, Yan Shiyao, Shiyu, Qi Qingchen, and Lou Ao were in the pavilion in the courtyard making dumplings together.

Beside them, three little children were each crouched on the ground gnawing on a piece of fruit.

“Now that Qilan has submitted to Xuanzhao, things have become much more convenient,” Shiyu said with a curve of her lips.

Lou Ao nudged Shiyu’s arm and glanced toward Qi Qingchen.

Shiyu laughed awkwardly.

“It’s fine. Isn’t it quite good the way things are now?” Qi Qingchen’s gaze rested on Yan Shiyao, then drifted to their pair of children.

“Is that… Her Highness the Xuan Empress? His Highness the Crown Prince?” Lou Ao was just about to say “indeed” when he looked up and saw Yan Yunning standing at the wide-open gate, holding Xuan Yuncheng’s hand.

“We pay our respects to Her Highness the Xuan Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince.” Everyone set down the dough in their hands and bowed in greeting.

“Rise, rise. Outside the palace, please address me as you always have.” Yan Yunning led the little one across the threshold and helped Yan Shiyao and Shiyu to their feet.

“Ningning, you’ve come at just the right time — stay for dumplings.” Yan Shiyao was genuinely delighted to see Yan Yunning.

In these past five years, she had often shared meals with Shiyu’s family, but never once had all three sisters dined together with their children.

“Wonderful. I’ll come help too.” Yan Yunning rolled up her sleeves, her face breaking into a smile.

“Second Elder Sister, you just watch over the four children and make sure they don’t start fighting.” Shiyu laughed and waved toward her little troublemaker. “Jingzhou, come greet Auntie and your little brother.”

Lou Jingzhou trotted over to Shiyu’s side and, mimicking how the adults had just bowed, dipped into a curtsy. “Greetings, Auntie and little brother.”

Lou Ao’s mouth twitched.

Qi Xingqian, not to be outdone, ran up to Yan Yunning with a piece of fruit hanging from his mouth, and with muffled words managed a curtsy. “Greetings, Auntie and big brother.”

Lou Jingzhou, indignant, went again: “Greetings, Auntie and little brother.”

“Greetings, Auntie and big brother,” Qi Xingqian fired back.

“……”

“……”

Shiyu threw up her hands. “Second Elder Sister, don’t bother managing them. When they tire themselves out, they’ll know to rest on their own.”

Yan Yunning: “……”

Qi Xingyou looked at the two bickering little brothers without a word, then walked up to Xuan Yuncheng, who was standing quietly and well-behaved, and greeted him with a smile.

The little one smiled back politely.

“Do you want some fruit? I’ll get you some.” With that, the little girl ran inside and came back with two freshly washed pieces of fruit, handing one each to Yan Yunning and Xuan Yuncheng.

“No, thank you.” The little one took a step back.

Imperial Grandfather had told him that whether inside or outside the palace, except for food given by those he was close to and familiar with, no matter how much he might want to eat what others offered, he must not accept it.

If he wanted something, he could go back to the palace and tell Imperial Grandfather, and Imperial Grandfather would have it sent to him. In short, Imperial Grandfather did not permit him to eat food given by outsiders.

“A’Jie, I want it.” Qi Xingqian, worn out from shouting, took the fruit for himself, then tilted his head and looked at Xuan Yuncheng in puzzlement. “Big brother, it’s delicious. Why don’t you know?”

“Know what?” Lou Jingzhou crowded up next to Qi Xingqian and took a bite of his fruit.

“Mother!” Qi Xingqian wailed. “He already ate his own, and now he’s eating mine.”

“Stingy,” Lou Jingzhou said, trotting over to Qi Xingyou, his voice turning sweet. “A’Jie, I want more.”

“Mother, he’s calling me stingy too,” Qi Xingqian sobbed, running to Yan Shiyao’s side, his eyes round and red.

Yan Shiyao was busy rolling out the dough and waved him off distractedly. “Go find your Auntie to get justice.”

“Oh.” Qi Xingqian tugged at the sleeve of Shiyu standing beside him. “Auntie.”

“Be good,” Shiyu said, stirring the filling and sparing him a quick glance. “Wait until Auntie is done. Qianqian, if you’re in a hurry, ask your father to get justice for you.”

Before Qi Xingqian could open his mouth, Qi Qingchen said, “Go bother your uncle-by-marriage.”

Qi Xingqian pouted, his watery eyes drifting toward Lou Ao. Lou Ao cleared his throat. “Zhouzou, apologize to your little brother.”

Lou Jingzhou pretended not to hear, his curious gaze fixed on Xuan Yuncheng, sizing him up.

“Qianqian, how about you go bite a piece of big brother’s fruit?” Lou Ao suggested.

“Okay!” The little one wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeve and ran over to Lou Jingzhou. Catching him off guard, he took a large bite out of his fruit.

Shiyu kicked Lou Ao’s leg. “Are you trying to make them fight?” she said, exasperated.

“Surely not? Isn’t Her Highness the Xuan Empress watching?”

Yan Shiyao shook her head with a laugh. “He made him cry — go comfort him yourself. Coming up with such a terrible idea.”

Lou Ao: “……”

“Qi Xingqian!!” Lou Jingzhou stared in disbelief at the fruit now missing a large chunk, and shouted, “I didn’t eat nearly that much of yours!!”

Qi Xingqian’s cheeks were stuffed full of fruit. He shook his head with great satisfaction.

“You—”

“Mother Empress, they’re so noisy. Let’s go.” Xuan Yuncheng could take no more. He grabbed the edge of Yan Yunning’s sleeve and turned to leave.

The “you” that had barely escaped Lou Jingzhou’s lips went silent.

“Zhouzou, Qianqian, behave yourselves. Sit quietly on the stone stools and wait for the dumplings.” Yan Shiyao finished wrapping one dumpling, turned her head, and gave them both a word of instruction.

“Mother, I’ll keep an eye on them,” Qi Xingyou said, taking each of them by the hand and pressing them down onto the stone stools.

“Xiaoxiao, go play with your older brother and sisters.” Yan Yunning crouched down and straightened the little one’s clothes, her voice very gentle. “Didn’t Mother Empress just promise Auntie that we would stay for the meal? So we’ll leave after we’ve eaten, alright?”

The little one hesitated, then nodded.

Seeing Xuan Yuncheng settle in with the other three small children, Yan Yunning washed her hands and came to help in the pavilion as well.

She didn’t know how to wrap dumplings, so she dusted the wrapped ones with flour and arranged them neatly.

Watching them roll out the dough and fill it with practiced ease, Yan Yunning felt no small measure of astonishment in her heart.

The eldest daughter of the Chancellor’s household, the third daughter, the young Marquis, and His Highness the Third Prince of Qilan — in five years’ time, they had all learned to wrap dumplings.

“Ningning, now that you and Xiaoxiao are dining here, should we send word to His Majesty?” Yan Shiyao asked with a smile.

“No need. Xiaoxiao and I will head back a little early.” Yan Yunning picked up a piece of dough as well.

“Put in a moderate amount of filling — too much and they’ll burst when boiled; too little and they won’t taste good,” Qi Qingchen advised.

“Understood.” Yan Yunning nodded.

“Next time you come, bring His Majesty along so the whole family can share a meal together.” Lou Ao’s eyes held a warm smile.