jdhmnovel Chapter 217 Joyful Palace
Chapter 217 Joyful Palace
Sunlight streamed onto the glazed tiles of the palace, reflecting a dazzling light that made the entire complex shimmer. In the Imperial Garden, Xiao Nan Yi and Xiao Nan Yao were playing and laughing. Xiao Nan Yi wore a bright yellow brocade robe, a jade belt inlaid with jewels around his waist, and an exquisite small crown on his head. His jet-black hair was neatly tied up in the crown, making him look spirited. He held a small bamboo whip in his hand, imitating a rider as he ran and jumped among the flowers, occasionally shouting "Giddy up!" Xiao Nan Yao wore a pink silk dress, the hem embroidered with colorful butterflies. With each step, the butterflies seemed about to flutter and take flight. A small gold hairpin adorned her hair, swaying gently with her movements and making a crisp, melodious sound. She held a delicate kite in her hand, trying hard to let it fly into the sky, her silvery laughter echoing through the garden.
Just then, a young eunuch rushed over, his face beaming with barely suppressed excitement, and exclaimed, "Your Highness, Your Highness, the Emperor Emeritus and the Empress Dowager want you to come over!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Nanyi and Xiao Nanyao's eyes lit up instantly, their excitement overflowing. They immediately dropped their toys and, like two joyful little deer, dashed towards the palace gate. Along the way, Xiao Nanyi ran incredibly fast, occasionally turning back to urge Xiao Nanyao, "Yao'er, hurry up, don't dawdle!" Xiao Nanyao replied breathlessly, "Brother, wait for me! I can't keep up!"
As they ran to the palace gate, they saw the Emperor and Empress slowly alighting from their carriage. The Emperor wore a magnificent dragon robe embroidered with lifelike golden dragons, which looked majestic in the sunlight. The Empress wore a dignified and elegant phoenix robe and a phoenix crown adorned with various precious gems, making her dazzling.
"Grandpa! Grandma!" Xiao Nanyi and Xiao Nanyao called out in unison, their voices filled with joy and excitement. Without hesitation, they rushed into their grandpa and grandma's arms, hugging them tightly, as if afraid they would leave again.
Grandpa smiled and patted Xiao Nan Yi's head, saying, "My little Yi'er, you've grown taller again. Have you been behaving well at home?" Xiao Nan Yao held Grandma's hand and said sweetly, "Grandma, why have you been gone for so long? Yao'er missed you so much." Grandma smiled gently and pinched Xiao Nan Yao's cheek, saying, "My dear granddaughter, Grandma missed you too. This time, I brought you so many good things from Jiangnan."
As they spoke, the servants behind the Emperor and Empress carried over several large boxes. Little Nan Yi and Little Nan Yao stared at the boxes with curiosity, their eyes sparkling with anticipation, eager to know what was inside.
Seeing the children's eager expressions, Grandpa smiled and said, "Come on, open the box and let me show you what surprises Grandpa and Grandma have brought for you."
The servants carefully opened the boxes, and a sweet aroma instantly filled the air. The first box was filled with Jiangnan delicacies: soft and sweet osmanthus cake, delicate and smooth water chestnut cake, crisp and delicious cloud cake, and candied fruit made from fresh fruit. Little Nanyao's eyes widened at the sight of these delicacies, and she clapped her hands excitedly, saying, "Wow, so much delicious food! I want osmanthus cake! I love osmanthus cake the most!" She reached out to grab some. The Empress Dowager quickly stopped her, smiling, "Don't rush, don't rush. Wash your hands first, or you'll get a stomachache." Little Nanyao reluctantly withdrew her hand and obediently went to wash her hands.
Xiao Nanyi was more interested in another box. He curiously went closer and found it contained all sorts of exquisite toys. There were lifelike wooden dolls, each dressed in different clothes, with vivid expressions, as if telling different stories; there was also an exquisite kite painted with a colorful phoenix, the feathers on its wings so lifelike that it seemed ready to take flight at any moment; in addition, there was a beautiful Go set, the pieces made of precious jade, shimmering with a warm luster in the sunlight, and the Go board made of high-quality wood, with fine texture and a wonderful feel.
"Grandpa, this kite is so beautiful!" Xiao Nanyi said excitedly as he picked up the kite. "When the weather is nice, I want to go fly kites with Yao'er." Grandpa smiled and nodded: "Okay, when the weather is nice, Grandpa will go with you."
When Xiao Nanyao came back after washing her hands, she saw the kite in Xiao Nanyi's hand and couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, what a beautiful phoenix kite! Brother, let's have a competition and see whose kite flies higher." Xiao Nanyi said confidently, "Okay, I'm sure I can fly higher than you."
Next, they saw the wooden dolls. Little Nan Yao was immediately drawn to one of the dolls wearing a pink dress. She picked it up, examined it closely, and a look of delight appeared on her face: "This doll is so pretty! I'm going to name her Little Pink." Little Nan Yi picked up a doll holding a sword, imitated its pose, and said majestically, "Behold my sword! I'm a great hero!" Grandpa and Grandma couldn't help but laugh at the children's innocent and adorable appearance.
Afterwards, the family arrived at the pavilion in the Imperial Garden. The servants placed the food on the stone table, and Xiao Nanyi and Xiao Nanyao eagerly began to savor these delicacies from Jiangnan. Xiao Nanyao took a bite of the osmanthus cake, its soft, sweet, and fragrant texture delighting her. She murmured between bites, "It's so delicious! This is the best osmanthus cake I've ever eaten. Grandmother, what other delicious foods does Jiangnan have?" Grandmother smiled and patiently introduced the children to various Jiangnan delicacies, from tender perch to fragrant water shield soup, and then to the rich yet not greasy Dongpo pork. Xiao Nanyi and Xiao Nanyao listened with drooling mouths, eagerly anticipating the next time they could taste even more delicious food.
After finishing their meal, Xiao Nanyi and Xiao Nanyao started playing with their toys again. Xiao Nanyi pulled his grandfather, wanting to play Go with him. His grandfather readily agreed, and the two sat down at the stone table for a small game. Although still young, Xiao Nanyi had already grasped the basic rules and techniques of Go under his grandfather's tutelage. His brow furrowed as he carefully considered each move, his eyes fixed on the board as if engaged in a fierce battle. His grandfather, unhurried, explained Go strategies and approaches to Xiao Nanyi as they played. Xiao Nanyao, clutching her little pink doll, watched them play, occasionally chiming in to cheer on her brother.
After a while, Xiao Nanyao felt a little bored. She tugged at her grandmother's hand and said, "Grandma, shall we go fly kites?" Grandma smiled and said, "Sure, but the wind isn't strong enough yet. We'll go when the wind is stronger. Now, Grandma will tell you a story about Jiangnan." Xiao Nanyao immediately became interested. She sat obediently beside her grandmother, listening intently as her grandmother recounted the beautiful scenery and interesting folk tales of Jiangnan. From ancient stone bridges to tranquil water towns, from beautiful lotus ponds to bustling markets, Grandma's vivid narration made Xiao Nanyao feel as if she were there, filling her with longing for Jiangnan.
As time passed, the sun gradually sank in the west, and a magnificent sunset painted the sky. The imperial kitchen delivered a sumptuous dinner, the table laden with various delicacies, including several specialty dishes prepared with ingredients from the Jiangnan region. The family sat together, sharing this warm and cozy dinner. Little Nan Yi and Little Nan Yao ate their delicious food while constantly sharing their amusing experiences in the palace with their grandparents, their laughter echoing throughout the pavilion.
After dinner, it was completely dark. The lanterns in the palace lit up one by one, like twinkling stars, making the entire palace exceptionally beautiful. Xiao Nan Yi and Xiao Nan Yao were still immersed in the joy of receiving their gifts, showing no signs of sleepiness. They fiddled with the toys for a while, then savored the delicious food, as if they could never get enough of playing and eating.
"Grandpa, Grandma, will you go to Jiangnan again next time?" Little Nanyao asked expectantly, holding her grandmother's hand. Grandpa smiled and said, "When you grow up, Grandpa and Grandma will take you to Jiangnan, okay?" Little Nanyi and Little Nanyao jumped up excitedly and shouted, "Yes, yes! We want to go to Jiangnan, to eat more delicious food and play more fun games!"