In a flash, Xiaosuisui and the Emperor flew out of the area where the party was resting.
「A gentle stream flowed, carrying the fragrance of sweet osmanthus in August.」
By the stream, a maiden in a long white gown, her hair secured with a wooden hairpin, was bending down to draw water with a water pouch.
"Wow! Such a beautiful big sister!"
Xiaosuisui was mesmerized, her mouth agape, even drooling a little.
The young emperor reached out to wipe the corner of her mouth, gently reminding her, "Wake up, don’t forget you’re a lovely little girl!"
Xiaosuisui retorted, "Little girls like beautiful big sisters too!"
"It’s a good thing you’re a girl. If you were a boy, you’d probably grow up to be a little lech!"
The young emperor blurted this out without much thought.
Xiaosuisui was a curious child, at an age where she was inquisitive about everything.
"What’s a lech?"
The young Emperor: ... Is it too late to take back what I just said?!
"That’s not a nice word, Suisui. You should forget it!"
The father and daughter pair were watching the beautiful woman from behind a large tree, only to unexpectedly witness a drama unfold.
Behind the beautiful woman came another young maiden, about seventeen or eighteen years old. Her attire and adornments were far superior to those of the ’beautiful big sister’ Xiaosuisui had been admiring. Gilded hairpins and silk robes, her entire figure gleamed with gold.
"Born of a lowly maid, always a lowly maid! Your mother was so skilled at seducing men, and I didn’t expect you to grow up to be just like her, seducing Brother Lu until he’s utterly smitten! He even insisted on bringing you back to the capital this time, claiming it was Grandmother’s wish! Xie Pan’Er, you certainly have your ways!"
Upon her arrival, the richly dressed woman immediately began to taunt and ridicule the maiden drawing water.
Xiaosuisui couldn’t understand these words and immediately reverted to her curious self.
"Your Majesty, Adoptive Father, what does ’seducing’ mean? And what are ’ways’? Does it mean your hand is going to be broken?"
The young emperor looked up at the sky, speechless. This ’good little girl’ act is just an illusion, he thought. My daughter is an absolute curious cat!
"Sweetie, we can’t talk now. Be careful, or that pretty sister might hear and discover us. She might even think we’re Peeping Toms."
Upon hearing this, Xiaosuisui opened her mouth, wanting to ask His Majesty, her Adoptive Father, what ’Peeping Toms’ meant. However, when he gave her a look that clearly meant ’be quiet,’ she obediently closed her mouth.
I’ll save these questions, she thought to herself, and ask my aunts when we get back.
As Xiaosuisui was thinking this, voices from where the beautiful woman was carried over.
"Xie Yingying, considering we are of the same blood, I don’t want to hold today’s disrespectful words against you. But I’m warning you, watch what you say in the future, or I won’t be so polite."
Xie Pan’Er finished filling her water pouch and had just put the stopper on, intending to leave, when Xie Yingying suddenly grabbed and pulled her back.
"Who do you think you are to threaten me! Let’s see how I teach you a lesson!"
Xie Yingying grabbed Xie Pan’Er, forcefully pushed her into the stream, and then began to punch and kick her. As soon as Xie Yingying started, her maidservants rushed forward, kicking Xie Pan’Er’s back, stomach, thighs, and calves.
"Your Majesty, Adoptive Father, are they fighting?"
The young emperor didn’t answer. Instead, holding Xiaosuisui in one arm, he snapped off a tree branch with his other hand and threw it directly into the stream!
SWOOSH! The branch fell from the sky, startling Xie Yingying and her maidservants.
"Who is it? Who’s there? Come out! Stop your mysterious tricks!"
Xie Yingying and her group were quite frightened. After shouting out a few times and getting no response, she turned back and kicked Xie Pan’Er several more times!
Watching this, the young emperor’s eyes narrowed. He snapped off another tree branch and held it in his hand.