Chu Qianli boarded the carriage at nightfall, accompanying the Ling Wangfei to the palace.
"Where are the 世子 and 郡主?" she asked, not having seen them depart together.
There was only one carriage, and inside, it was just her and the Ling Wangfei.
The Ling Wangfei smiled and said, "Those two went into the palace early to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager."
Chu Qianli returned a smile, not asking further.
The two must have wanted to reach the Empress Dowager's side earlier to curry favor.
In truth, living in the imperial family was not easy for these children.
Favor meant a good life; lack of favor meant being bullied.
The carriage traveled along the streets.
During the journey, the Ling Wangfei and Chu Qianli exchanged only a few pleasantries.
The Ling Wangfei was not a garrulous person, but she was not cold either. Though she didn't speak much, she was warm and gentle.
The Ling Wangfei did not inquire about Chu Qianli's past, clearly a very considerate person.
If Chu Qianli hadn't seen her with her own eyes in the Grand Preceptor's Lingjiu Hall that day, she wouldn't have wanted to trouble such a gentle and beautiful woman.
Why couldn't she be as simple as she appeared on the surface?
The Ling Wang was straightforward and loyal. If the Ling Wangfei could be as simple as him, their life would undoubtedly be enviably comfortable and warm.
Lost in thought, they arrived at the palace gates.
"Today, the Empress Dowager is hosting a banquet, so we won't be using the Qianwu Gate. We'll enter directly through the Ziwei Gate, which leads to the inner palace. Please don't mind it, Miss."
As they alighted and entered, the Ling Wangfei thoughtfully explained, "This is not disrespectful to guests; it's simply for convenience."
Major figures generally entered the palace through the Qianwu Gate, but they primarily met the Emperor.
A banquet hosted by the Empress Dowager was naturally different.
Chu Qianli merely nodded and smiled faintly, not taking it to heart.
Fu Ning walked beside her.
The Ling Wangfei glanced at Fu Ning and said with a smile, "Miss Fu Ning will have to rest in Qingxin Garden later."
"I understand. The palace has its rules," Chu Qianli waved her hand.
After Fu Ning bowed, she followed a maidservant to Qingxin Garden to wait for the banquet's end before returning with her mistress.
Before leaving, Chu Qianli gave Fu Ning a meaningful look.
Fu Ning nodded, understanding her meaning.
Try not to clash with anyone, she certainly kept that in mind.
Endure if you can. After all, this was Nanming, not their territory.
After Fu Ning departed, Chu Qianli followed the Ling Wangfei through several corridors and archways, entering a garden.
Although the palace architecture was beautiful, Chu Qianli had seen too much of it and wasn't particularly impressed today.
Instead, she felt an inexplicable urge to meet the Emperor of Nanming, who was rumored to have no harem.
In the inner palace, the Empress Dowager was the sole authority, precisely because there were no consorts within the inner palace.
"Why hasn't the Emperor chosen any consorts?" Chu Qianli asked softly.
Upon hearing this, the Ling Wangfei's expression didn't change, and she didn't even need to lower her voice.
She smiled and said, "The Emperor has unique tastes. Despite the myriad beauties in this world, none have caught his eye. The Empress Dowager is quite anxious about this, but helpless."
Chu Qianli looked at her, somewhat surprised.
Seeing this, the smile on the Ling Wangfei's lips couldn't help but deepen. "It's fine. This isn't a secret in Nanming, nor is it a palace secret. There's no need to be discreet."
Chu Qianli sighed silently.
It seemed she had been overthinking.
The Ling Wangfei, however, looked at her again, her gaze rather intriguing.
She suddenly lowered her voice and asked quietly, "Do you know why the Empress Dowager is so keen on hosting banquets and inviting you as well?"