“Do you want to poison me?”
Hearing the man’s resentful voice that seemed to be squeezed through gritted teeth, Yuan Siyin paused in her movements.
“This is plantain. It can stop bleeding and promote wound healing. Never mind, you probably wouldn’t know even if I told you.”
After cleaning the gravel from his wound, she applied the crushed leaves with extracted juice to his palm. Then she tugged at her sleeve and tore off a strip of cloth with a “rip” sound, wrapping it firmly and tying it into a neat bow before nodding with satisfaction.
After completing all this, Yuan Siyin suddenly came to her senses.
Wait.
This doesn’t seem vicious enough.
To salvage her image, she picked up the golden silk whip and kicked fiercely in his direction.
The motion was all too familiar to Yu Shiyan, yet he felt no pain anywhere on his body.
Yuan Siyin deliberately snorted with feigned ferocity, stepped over his leg with an unfriendly tone, and strode away without looking back.
Her acting was truly masterful.
While appearing to kick him, she actually kicked the rockery instead. The accompanying “thud” sound, even if he felt no pain, would convincingly reinforce her image as the vicious supporting female character.
Wasn’t the vicious image perfectly established now?
Ah, her clever little mind was truly beyond words.
Yuan Siyin felt smug inwardly. Emerging from the rockery and seeing Jianzhang Palace ahead, she became even more delighted, her heart blooming with joy.
The male lead’s powerful connections! She’s coming!
Yu Shiyan used the protruding rocks of the rockery to stand up, his body swaying unsteadily.
Yuan Siyin, what exactly are her intentions?
He snorted coldly, unwrapped the bandage without blinking, and shook off all the crushed leaves from his palm.
“Aunt—”
Yuan Siyin slipped into the inner hall as effortlessly as a fish moving through water, immediately spotting the Empress Dowager seated in the main position.
She wore an exquisite golden hairpin, and her high-collared black palace robe with golden patterns and wide sleeves accentuated her dignified and majestic presence. Every gesture carried an indescribable authority.
The woman seemed advanced in years, her slightly furrowed brows inevitably bearing traces of weariness, like an old cat curled up by the fireplace for warmth and rest in winter, occasionally twitching its tail.
“Siyin pays respects to Aunt—”
Yuan Siyin drew out the ending tone, smiling cheerfully as she bowed to the Empress Dowager on the elevated seat, her words brimming with unmistakable affection.
The Empress Dowager dearly loved her niece (the original host), so in her presence, being excessively obedient and sweet-tongued was definitely the right approach.
“Good child, no need for such formalities. Rise quickly and come sit beside me.”
The Empress Dowager nodded to the palace maid at her side, signaling her to provide a seat, then beckoned Yuan Siyin affectionately to come closer.
Yuan Siyin obediently acknowledged and walked over to sit in the spot beside her. She then looked up at the Empress Dowager, a brilliant smile curving her lips.
Outside, the sun shone brightly, but the hall was refreshingly cool. This was because numerous ice blocks were placed throughout the room, each topped with a thin layer of white mist that emitted waves of invigorating cold fragrance.
It seemed her aunt really knew how to enjoy life.
Yuan Siyin comfortably narrowed her eyes, savoring the natural “air conditioning.”
“It’s been quite some time since I last saw you. Your father is often away from home due to official duties, but you never think to visit the palace more often to keep me company.”
The Empress Dowager complained about her verbally, but there was not a hint of reproach in her eyes. Holding her hand, she turned and instructed her personal palace maid: “Feicui, where is the Chestnut Cream Cake I asked you to save yesterday? Go fetch it quickly.”
Feicui had already anticipated this and promptly brought it over with a cheerful smile, pushing it before Yuan Siyin: “Miss, please don’t take the Empress Dowager’s complaints to heart. In truth, Her Majesty has been eagerly thinking of you these past few days. The Imperial Kitchen freshly made this Chestnut Cream Cake yesterday. And just as expected, since you were coming to the palace today, Her Majesty didn’t take a single bite and asked me to save it for you.”
The Empress Dowager pretended to be angry and lightly tapped the back of Feicui’s hand: “If I’m an old fool, does that make you one too? You chatter away incessantly—I ought to send you out of the palace to become a storyteller.”
“Please don’t, I wouldn’t dare, I truly wouldn’t dare again.”
Feicui covered her mouth playfully, putting on an amusing act that had everyone in the hall bursting into laughter.