He raised his eyebrows and glanced at the sweet potato in his hand, already frozen hard like a stone.
The little girl stood up from the ground herself and patted the snow off her backside.
Her watery eyes shimmered with a soft glow: "Big brother, next time I'll give you a delicious sweet potato. Please give this one back to me."
Her voice was soft and pitiful.
In such a gloomy winter, her curled lashes couldn't hide the brightness of her eyes.
Feng Fuce's left hand still held a long knife stained with blood, but the little girl in front of him did not retreat or tremble in fear like others.
After a moment's thought, Feng Fuce handed over the sweet potato, and the little girl happily reached out her small hand to take it.
Her squinting, joyous expression resembled a little squirrel bouncing through the forest.
She gave a sweet smile, showing her tiny white teeth: "Big brother, thank you for helping me out. When you go home later, be careful of the bumpy carriage ride. Riding a horse is better!"
With that, she hugged the sweet potato, turned around joyfully, and obediently lined up again.
Feng Fuce watched her figure, his deep eyes inscrutable, as if pondering something.
"Marquis, we should go," the Evil Face Envoy stepped forward, whispering a reminder.
Feng Fuce said no more and left with a group of people.
After they left, the surrounding Palace Attendants finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Someone muttered under their breath about bad luck.
"How did we encounter these Evil Stars!"
After the previous incident, everyone seemed apprehensive, and even the two little eunuchs didn't dare bother the little girl.
Soon, it was her turn.
The two aunts standing at the entrance, with their stout arms, rudely dragged the little girl forward and directly checked her earlobes.
The Emperor had said that his daughter had a small red mole on her ear.
Only he couldn't remember if it was on the left or right ear.
For days, many families would rather poke two red dots on their daughters' ears directly, taking a risk to send them into the palace.
Because being recognized as the Princess would mean endless wealth and glory!
The aunt saw a small red mole on the little girl's right earlobe.
She rubbed it twice with great force, immediately reddening the little girl's delicate skin.
After confirming it wasn't fake, the aunt was about to push her inside, but suddenly saw her clutching half a sweet potato!
"You can't take that inside!"
The little girl hurriedly protected it in her arms: "No, I can't! Zhi'er wants to keep it for Daddy to eat!"
The aunt pulled her twice but found the little girl quite strong.
A Palace Attendant nearby advised, "Let it be, aunt. She's the last one today. Let's just let her in, and we can finish early."
Thus, the little girl was allowed through, directly pushed into the hall.
Upon entering the grand hall, she was immediately enveloped by a warm atmosphere.
Inside, the earth dragon burned hotly, keeping the harsh winter winds at bay.
The floor was paved with top-grade White Jade, reflective like a mirror, and as the little girl looked up, she saw a huge South Sea Pearl hanging in the center.
A human-height golden crane lamp lit the way forward in the hall.
Sumptuous yet oppressive, the golden hues dazzled one's eyes.
An official wearing a blue robe stood at the forefront, with a massive, opaque golden screen behind him.
He was over thirty, sporting a mustache, slender in build, yet with a calm gaze.
"State your name, age, and where are you from?" he asked.
The little girl blinked her round dark eyes at him and softly said, "I want to talk directly to the person behind the screen."
The official was immediately taken aback.
How did she know someone was there?