The Daily Life of Influencing the Empress [Transmigration into a Book GL] - Chapter 7

Xiao Yunlan smiled, the meaning self-evident, but Wen Ping looked a little lost and unsure of what to do.

“Are you hungry?” Xiao Yunlan suddenly asked. Zhiyan rushed to the kitchen the moment the question was asked.

“Have something to eat first,” Xiao Yunlan said.

“I,” Wen Ping wanted to say something, but held back. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the pear blossoms on Xiao Yunlan’s windowsill table. “The ones you picked for me that day had flower buds,” Xiao Yunlan followed her gaze. “They actually can last for several days in water.”

“Next time I visit, will you pick another branch for me? Is that okay?”

Wen Ping nodded heavily, and as if remembering something, she replied, “Okay.”

Just then, Zhiyan came in carrying a plate of pastries and placed it in the center of the table. Xiao Yunlan offered a piece to Wen Ping and picked up one herself.

“Although this isn’t made with pear blossoms, the taste is still quite good.” She then asked, “Do you like it?”

“Thank you.” Wen Ping still didn’t know what else to say and could only keep expressing her gratitude.

“Miss,” Zhiyan leaned in close to Xiao Yunlan to remind her, “We should be going home.” Xiao Yunlan hadn’t forgotten that her mother had specifically instructed her to be home for lunch today. She certainly remembered, but there was Wen Ping.

“I, I should go back,” As Xiao Yunlan was thinking of a solution, Wen Ping suddenly jumped off the chair.

“You…” Seeing this, Xiao Yunlan immediately recalled the scene of her jumping off the tree.

“I’m fine,” Wen Ping said. Sitting on this chair, which was about twenty centimeters high, was a trivial matter compared to jumping off the tree.

“Still, don’t jump down like that next time,” Xiao Yunlan said. “What if you get a leg cramp…”

Wen Ping looked half-comprehending.

“It’s when your leg suddenly goes numb,” Xiao Yunlan clarified. She thought about their current relationship and knew Wen Ping might not listen, yet the girl actually nodded and whispered, “I will be careful in the future.”

“Such a good girl!” Xiao Yunlan praised involuntarily.

“Zhiyan,” Xiao Yunlan turned and said, “Package some pastries.” After giving the instruction, she called in the palace maid responsible for sweeping the courtyard. “Would you mind having Mingyue go with you?”

Wen Ping naturally tried to refuse.

“You don’t know the way,” Xiao Yunlan said. “It’s better to have someone escort you.” Most importantly, if she ran into someone again on the road.

Thinking of this, Xiao Yunlan couldn’t help but add an instruction, “Try to stay in the palace as much as possible from now on, understood?”

“I’ll remember everything,” Wen Ping repeated her thanks and accepted all the advice.

“What a good girl!” Watching her walk out the door, Xiao Yunlan still couldn’t help but sigh. She wondered how such an obedient child turned into the aloof, cold-blooded Empress described in the book!

“Miss, you truly are kind-hearted,” Zhiyan murmured. For her Miss to inexplicably help a child from the Cold Palace, Zhiyan could find no other reason besides kindness.

“Please don’t pin that label on me.” Xiao Yunlan flatly refused, saying it made her blush. She was here to complete a mission, so that label didn’t fit at all. Speaking of which, “System, why have you been so silent?”

The System’s presence was too minimal; Xiao Yunlan barely noticed its existence.

[Host,] the System quickly replied. [If you have any questions, I will tell you everything I know!]

The service attitude was quite good. Xiao Yunlan thought for a moment and asked, “What is the Empress’s current Life Value?”

[Eighty.] The System replied even faster.

It hadn’t increased or decreased. Xiao Yunlan couldn’t help but ponder the Life Value. The System said it included various metrics, one of which was the health index. Regarding Wen Ping, Xiao Yunlan could say without exaggeration that no matter which hospital she entered, her health score would be failing.

[Host,] the System, having a rare moment of leisure, couldn’t help but chat a bit more. [What do you plan to do next?]

“What to do next?” Xiao Yunlan said. “Naturally, I need to focus on conditioning her body.” But Wen Ping was in the Cold Palace. She couldn’t deliver food to her every day, and it wasn’t easy for her to go inside. What if Wen Ping came out instead?

Xiao Yunlan began a new hypothesis. “System, does this book have any prequels, sequels, or side stories?” Even fragments of information about the Empress would be helpful!

[Host,] the System replied. [Those are perks reserved for the main characters.]

“Don’t side characters also get side stories?” Xiao Yunlan argued stubbornly.

[The Empress does not.] The System answered. [Not in this book.]

Xiao Yunlan pulled back the carriage curtain, seeing the Xiao manor nearby, and straightened her clothes.

[Host,] the System surprisingly offered a farewell today. [I’m going offline now.]

“Mhm mhm,” Xiao Yunlan nodded.

“Miss,” as soon as she entered the door, Jiang Bi, the maid next to Madam Xiao, greeted her. “Madam is waiting for you!”

“I was held up by some matters in the palace,” Xiao Yunlan explained, then added, “I’ll go pay my respects to Grand-Aunt first.”

“Yes,” Jiang Bi replied.

Elder Madam Xiao’s already fragile health had worsened after the news of Xiao Yunlan’s rumored death. Xiao’s father had taken leave for this reason. Now that Xiao Yunlan was back, the Elder Madam’s illness was gradually improving.

“Lan’er is here.” As soon as she stepped inside, Xiao Yunlan saw a large group of people gathered around the Elder Madam: her uncle’s children and the two children of Aunt Liu.

“Greetings, Elder Sister,” they quickly bowed in greeting.

Xiao Yunlan first paid her respects to the Elder Madam, then allowed them all to rise. “Grand-Aunt,” the wet nurse beside the Elder Madam tactfully stepped back, and Xiao Yunlan stepped forward to support the Elder Madam.

“Do you have to go back to the palace today?” the Elder Madam asked.

“No,” Xiao Yunlan smiled. “I’ll go back tomorrow.”

“Elder Sister,” a clear childish voice sweetly called out. Xiao Yunlan looked and saw her uncle’s youngest son, Xiao Yunchen. “Is being a Fuzi teaching the princes and princesses?”

“Yes,” Xiao Yunlan replied.

“Elder Sister,” Xiao Yunchen was clearly delighted. “I heard that some of the study companions next to the Princesses are the same age as you!”

The adults around them were amused by him. It was true, as Xiao Yunchen said, some of the study companions were the same age as Xiao Yunlan.

“I’m just assisting Mentor Li,” Xiao Yunlan said.

“That’s still amazing!” Xiao Yunchen praised sincerely.

“If only you hadn’t been sick last time,” the Elder Madam lamented regretfully. “Your Elder Sister might have been teaching you now.”

The study companions for the princes and princesses were chosen from various manors. To prevent the royal children from being misled by those around them, the Emperor adjusted their study companions every year. Currently, only Xiao Yunchen was qualified from the Xiao family, but unfortunately, he had fallen seriously ill at the time.

“Grand-Aunt,” Xiao Yunlan comforted her. “Yunchen is still young. He’ll have another chance next year.”

“That’s true,” the Elder Madam agreed deeply.

“You just returned,” the Elder Madam added. “And I’ve kept you here talking to me for half the morning. Go back and see your mother quickly.”

Just then, a middle-aged man walked in. He was of average height but had an attractive appearance, with the passage of time barely visible on his face, suggesting he had been a handsome man in his youth. He was now a gentle and refined middle-aged uncle.

Xiao Yunlan had briefly met him once and knew he was the youngest brother of Xiao’s father, her uncle.

“Lan’er is here too!” Uncle Xiao was clearly surprised to see her. “Did you come to see Mother?”

“Why are you free to visit today?” the Elder Madam asked happily. He had been busy recently and could only see her in the evenings.

“Mother, I just finished my work today.”

Seeing the mother and son catching up, Xiao Yunlan excused herself and went to Madam Xiao.

“Quickly, sit down,” Madam Xiao had initially wanted to chat with her before eating, but after all the coming and going, Xiao Yunlan was pulled to the table as soon as she arrived.

“Eat more.” Madam Xiao didn’t use her own chopsticks; she just watched her. Only when Xiao Yunlan looked at her did she start eating.

“Mother,” Xiao Yunlan said. “I’m doing very well in the palace.” She had rushed back quickly precisely because she worried about their concern.

“I can see Brother often—”

“Your brother,” Madam Xiao sounded a bit melancholic when Xiao Yuntan was mentioned. Xiao Yunlan was looking at her and naturally noticed it.

Since her daughter was in front of her, Madam Xiao didn’t need to hide anything. “Have you met Gentleman Xu?”

“I haven’t seen him in person,” only from a distance.

“Your brother, ah!” Madam Xiao sighed. “He only ever speaks well; he won’t say anything about the hardships he suffers in the palace.”

“Mother, are you missing Brother?” Xiao Yunlan said. “You can go to the palace to visit him.”

“It looks bad to keep going to the palace!” Madam Xiao said.

Xiao Yunlan naturally understood the reasoning behind this. “Mother, don’t worry too much. I think Brother is doing well for now. If Mother worries about this, I’m afraid Brother will feel uneasy.”

“It’s convenient for you to go into the palace now,” Madam Xiao said. “Spend more time with your brother when you can. He is alone in the palace and has no one to talk to.”

“I’ve noted everything,” Xiao Yunlan replied.

Looking at her sensible daughter, Madam Xiao suddenly remembered the serious matter she hadn’t mentioned yet.

“Lan’er,” Madam Xiao saw her concentrating on her meal and cautiously asked, “Have you had any contact with any young men recently?”

“No, not at all!”

“In Lanxi,” Madam Xiao continued to ask, “What about at your Great-Aunt’s place?”

“None either,” Xiao Yunlan said.

Madam Xiao felt much relieved. Her daughter had been away for six years, and there were many students at her aunt’s place. Although men and women studied separately, they inevitably spoke to each other, and she was afraid her daughter might have fallen for someone.

“Mother,” as soon as she spoke, Xiao Yunlan understood what she was about to say. “I haven’t established my career yet, so there’s no need to rush these matters.”

“I know, I know.” She was aware of the Xiao family’s rule of establishing a career before starting a family. “Mother is just keeping an eye out for you first. I won’t make you marry.”

“Mother,” Xiao Yunlan smiled. “If your daughter doesn’t establish her career for several years, how many years will you have to keep an eye out?”

“Nonsense,” Madam Xiao became anxious hearing this. “The imperial exams are next year.”

Xiao Yunlan had already passed the first two levels of exams (Tong Sheng and Xiu Cai) while in Lanxi, but she did not plan to participate in next year’s imperial exam for the third level.

“Mother,” Xiao Yunlan said, “There’s no rush for the imperial exam. I’ve been away from home for a while and am now teaching in the palace. I don’t have much time to review right now. It would be better to wait for the next one when I can be more stable.”

“Father has already agreed to this,” Xiao Yunlan added.

“Alright then.” If her father had agreed, what could she say?

“But your marriage cannot wait,” Madam Xiao insisted. “You now hold a minor official position, so we must start looking properly.”

Was she going to be pressured into marriage at such a young age? Xiao Yunlan could only speak vaguely, “Mother can quietly keep an eye out. There’s no rush.”

Anyway, there was still a year until her coming-of-age ceremony! She had to give Madam Xiao a process of adjustment and couldn’t expect her to give up immediately.