The children followed Uncle Li, starting their journey back along the original route... When they passed the Imperial Garden again, they still skirted around it. In truth, Xiao Xi really wanted Ning'er to see the beautiful scenery in the garden, but now his mind was only focused on good food. Of course, if electronic sports were mentioned, that would be a different story.
So, Ah Jun and the others could only catch a glimpse of the outline from the outside, but even just the exterior was satisfying enough—the Imperial Garden truly lived up to its name...
"Wow... it smells so good, that's not flower fragrance—Oh, right, it's the sauce for zha jiang mian (fried sauce noodles), what a coincidence!"
"Hmm? Young Master Xiao Xi, have you forgotten? You already reserved this with the chef a week ago..."
"Oh... ha, look at my memory, it's about as good as a fish's—Ah Jun, Ning'er, hurry up! That noodle dish is so delicious, even my dad can't make it taste like that!"
Everyone burst into laughter, compelled to quicken their pace, following Xiao Xi in his pursuit of good food. Soon, they arrived outside a building with an extremely vintage design.
Uncle Li mentioned that this was the Zui Xian Lou (Drunken Immortal Pavilion), which had always been the palace's top-tier banquet hall, boasting a history of several thousand years. For all these years, only the most distinguished guests were invited here to enjoy an Imperial Banquet. Naturally, the royal family's private banquets were also held here...
Listening to the professional explanation, Ah Jun looked up carefully. The building's structure truly looked identical to the inns seen in TV dramas, with three stories, its facade already renovated to be splendidly golden, yet with high-tech infrastructure subtly integrated into the details. Walking into this building felt like stepping into a xianxia (immortal heroes) drama, where masters arrive at the inn for a feast, perhaps followed by a friendly competition.
—Except, children can't drink alcohol!
Inside the building, the mixed décor was a blend of ancient and modern—a retro structure and interior furnishings, dotted with subtle modern facilities, both elegant and fashionable. The Imperial Kitchen, mentioned earlier, was not inside; it was in a separate building adjacent to the hall. Compared to Zui Xian Lou, the difference was significant.
The Imperial Kitchen, which should have been grand, looked short, poor, and ugly by comparison—single-story, with a relatively low ceiling height. Although it had a fully modern central kitchen exterior, it lacked any unique distinguishing features, appearing quite ordinary. While the equipment looked excellent, there is no harm without comparison.
Tonight's family banquet was held on the second floor of the building, the most exclusive area—the exquisite luxury stunned Ah Jun.
After all, the child came from a small place, so it was natural that he hadn't seen anything like it. Of course, this was also the opinion the spoiled little princess would surely express!
However, when Ah Jun and the others arrived, the unruly little princess and her escort, Yuwen Lyu, had not yet appeared—Strange, shouldn't they have arrived already?
—Well... that's probably a good thing, otherwise Ah Jun would have been verbally attacked again.
"His Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress are here!"
After a while, with the announcement from a civil official, the two important figures, dressed in formal attire, slowly entered the banquet hall hand-in-hand—the Empress was still as impressive on the outside, but inside, she carried only seriousness.
—Is it because of my tardiness just now that the Empress is still upset with me? Or is it because I passed the trial, but her daughter hasn't, leading to a bit of jealousy? In that case, might she have been punished too, causing her to be absent...
Hmm! Ah Jun's worry was not unfounded. After all, the child was sensitive since childhood, and the Auntie's expression was indeed not very pleasant. Putting those pieces of information together made it quite probable.
Fortunately, His Majesty was an understanding person, always wearing a cheerful smile, very approachable, and completely without airs—he motioned for the children to sit down, then chatted with Ah Jun to distract him. It worked well; Ah Jun quickly escaped his worry, though he still seemed a little puzzled.
"Hmm? Uncle Li, aren't you eating with us? Sit down..."
"Hmm... that wouldn't be appropriate. Those two seats are for the Princess and the Princely Heir..."
"Why don't we just add another one? It's still very spacious! And there are so many dishes!"
"Cough..."
"Hehe, thank you for your concern, Young Master Ah Jun. We have our own staff meal, which is quite good too—and thanks to Young Master Ah Jun and everyone, we even got an extra dish today, we can't let it go to waste!"
"Extra dish—Uncle Li, surely it's not that South Garden Big Chicken Leg again... Hey, it really is, that's way too outdated... already..."
"Xiao Xi... Hmm, the chicken leg is quite good, I even want one, haha!"
"Hmm... is that so? Should I save one for you later?"
"Ah, yes! Uncle Li, get three... Oh my, that old flavor, I haven't had it in a long time, I actually miss it—Ning'er, let me tell you, that..."
"Cough, cough..."
"Understood—Well then, everyone, I shall take my leave first!"
In fact, asking for that ordinary big chicken leg amidst the exquisite top-tier food of such a luxurious family banquet, Xiao Xi was truly clueless, to the point that the Empress next to him was coughing, almost getting a headache. Furthermore, Uncle Li was originally just being kind, not seriously intending anything, as who would eat a big chicken leg when so many high-end dishes were right in front of them? Ah Jun, the child, was also aware; his words were merely meant to lighten the mood, but who would have thought Xiao Xi would get so excited? Therefore, even the battle-experienced Uncle Li felt slightly awkward at this moment, only managing a wry smile and looking for an opportunity to quickly withdraw.
One must know that in such wealthy households, dining involved many rules—who could sit, who ate first, how to eat... Oh, what a headache. Moreover, this was an Imperial Night Banquet, which was bound to be even more troublesome. However, Xiao Xi's family was an exception, and Ah Jun was just a child from an ordinary family, so neither of them naturally understood anything.
His Majesty, sensing the strange atmosphere, could only continue to warmly greet the children to divert attention and prevent the mood from being ruined.
But, good things never last. Just as the atmosphere was gradually becoming harmonious and they were chatting casually, Ah Jun's rival, the girl, arrived—with another announcement from the official, the little princess and Yuwen Lyu arrived fashionably late. Looking from afar, she must have washed and dressed up.
—That makes sense. The little princess was training earlier, so she wasn't so particular. But now she's attending a banquet, so she should naturally take it seriously, after all, she is a royal princess, and the eldest princess at that.
The girl was wearing a pink dress, elegantly designed and made of high-end material, along with red crystal customized semi-transparent high heels. Coupled with her long wavy hair, her figure and fair complexion were flawlessly displayed. Even without mentioning her facial features, her overall presentation already exuded infinite charm. Looking at her face, she appeared to have applied light makeup, making her exquisite features and small face look like a celebrity's. Both the young man and woman were infinitely charming.
When the girl first arrived at the banquet hall, she was smiling brightly, looking beautiful beyond compare. Of course, since she was still under 16 years old, she retained some childishness. But as she was now, though one couldn't say she was stunning enough to overthrow a kingdom like her mother, she was certainly capable of stunning a city.
Compared to the little princess, Ning'er was definitely her equal, only their temperaments were different, making a direct comparison impossible. Otherwise, why would Xiao Xi fall in love with his little fairy at first sight but be so displeased with the little princess?
The girl was seen linking arms with her male companion, walking gracefully and slowly towards everyone shoulder to shoulder, like movie stars on a red carpet. Yuwen Lyu also seemed to have been revamped, putting on a custom-made Tang suit; his smartly dressed appearance was quite handsome. However, that high-collared undershirt he never took off was still unchanged, obscuring some of his good looks, which was indeed a bit unnecessary.
Watching the two children walk together, handsome man and beautiful woman, they looked perfectly matched—His Majesty was squinting his eyes, looking very pleased. Of course, the Empress remained the same, unmoved, not even glancing their way.
"Hey, Ah Jun..."
"Ah Jun?"
"Hey! What are you looking at, haven't you seen a beautiful woman before, you pervert!"
"Hey, what are you saying! I said... Bro! Hey, what's wrong with you... Huh? Is this girl pretty—Aiya, don't look at her now like she's all feminine, when she was a kid, she was a tomboy, short hair, loved to fight, and so overbearing..."
"Oh! Hmm... Ah, no—I just think, they look like a couple."
"Ah? Hmm... Hey, you're right, they kinda do—Right, Ning'er!"
However, the harmonious atmosphere could only last for so long. As Ah Jun and the girl got closer, the little princess's expression gradually changed from relaxed and pleasant to annoyed and furious, her face filled with surprise. Coupled with the two brothers playing matchmaker nearby, the situation immediately became tense again.
So, next, His Majesty had to prepare to intervene again...
"What are you guys talking about... What about me and Brother Lyu? Don't talk nonsense!"
"Cough!"
"Aiya... Xin'er, it's just a joke—Come, little Lyu, sit down!"
"Father Emperor! Didn't you say there was a distinguished guest tonight—Is it them? Humph... I wish I hadn't come!"
"Hey, hey, hey, what kind of talk is that!"
"Alright, children... Come on, eat, eat!"
Indeed, His Majesty's ability to mediate was absolutely top-notch. Coupled with the Empress's silent gaze, the little princess could only pout, sitting down extremely reluctantly. But coincidentally, of the two remaining seats, one was close to the Empress, and the other was next to Ah Jun.
Having just angered her mother, the little princess's heart was still uneasy. Moreover, His Majesty kept inviting Yuwen Lyu to sit next to himself.
Thus, the little princess awkwardly sat in the seat next to Ah Jun, then immediately rotated her chair slightly, trying to exclude the person next to her from her line of sight. Then, she just kept huffing, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
"Dishes are served..."
The Imperial Palace was the Imperial Palace after all. Although having a meal was complicated, the skill of the Imperial Chef was truly top-tier. A simple home-style dish was rendered into a work of art, making even Xiao Xi, the little foodie, admit his inferiority. So, the two brothers were busy sampling what the other recommended, enjoying the delicious food, and having a great time.
However, the chewing sounds were a bit loud, especially Xiao Xi's—while everyone else's manner of eating was undoubtedly elegant, as they had been trained since childhood.
Seeing such table manners, the Empress's face nearly turned green, and this made the usually dignified and polite little princess feel extremely speechless, almost going crazy!
"Hey, Ah Jun, look at that... Ning'er!"
"Hmm... Ah, right!"
"Isn't it cute?"
"Hmm, so cute!"
"Hey... what are you two doing here, why are you eating so loudly—and why are you staring at me, praising me won't help... Humph!"
—Uh... you're overthinking it!
"Meow!"
As the saying goes, when you are full, you have nothing to do!
Just as everyone was finishing up and starting to chat, Xiao Xi suddenly seemed to discover something and pulled Ah Jun to look in the direction of the little princess—and the silly boy actually looked, not only with a joyful expression but also constantly praising... At this, the girl was really about to explode. She turned her head and scolded Ah Jun and the others.
Although, in the girl's understanding, this was how she should treat such people, the reality was far from what she imagined. Next, Xiao Xi proudly pointed far away, and Ah Jun also nodded blankly. A soft meowing sound reached the little princess's ears—it was it...
"Hey, did you think he was talking about you?"
"I—Humph, you two... Huh? Ah, Xiao Mei... why are you here? Oh, did you miss me?"
"Meow!"
At this point, the girl quickly spun around, and a small figure suddenly darted into her arms—it was a cat, a white Persian cat, with long, silky fur that looked meticulously cared for. Its small, plump body suggested it was well-fed, and it was meowing!
—Talk about cute!
Not long after the cat arrived, even though Xiao Xi's tongue remained sharp, the little princess's bad mood gradually disappeared—the girl reverted to her charming self. She gently held her pet, a smile on her face, looking especially happy, and she truly looked adorable!
"Xiao Xi... Is that cat named Xiao Mei (Little Sister)?"
"Ah? No, but it's close enough... I'll tell you quietly, this girl has wanted a little sister since she was a child, but ended up with a little brother, haha—so..."
"Oh... I see—Hmm... This cat, though different from Little Dimple, is quite cute too!"
"You... want to hold it? Aiya, don't even think about it—that's a rare breed, her exclusive pet, even His Majesty isn't allowed to touch it!"
"Seriously?"
"Meow~"
"Hey... Awesome, now she's going to have to eat her own words!"
"Ah... where are you going—Huh? Hey! You... why did you run over to him, come back quickly!"
"Meow~"
However, after the little princess's mood improved for a short while, things took a turn again—due to Ah Jun's unique constitution, he somehow won the cat's favor. At this, Xiao Xi couldn't help but mock himself while watching, looking quite amused.
But the little princess definitely wasn't happy—her attitude instantly changed, and she threw a fit. After failing to negotiate with Xiao Mei, the girl lunged forward, trying to grab her cat... but she missed.
The cat wagged its tail, leaped at the moment it was about to be caught, landed in Ah Jun's arms, and then scrambled onto his shoulder—Heh, it just latched onto him... So what to do? Nothing can be done!
Thus, under everyone's watchful eyes, the little princess almost fell onto Ah Jun—That was a close call! This made Yuwen Lyu's face turn pale with anxiety.
Fortunately, Ah Jun was relatively calm. With a flash of quick wit, he managed to steady the girl, his hand positioned on a safe area.
Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief! Otherwise, if the two had actually made contact, it could have led to a scene unsuitable for minors. Given the little princess's temperament, the innocent Ah Jun might have been swallowed whole!
"You... what are you doing, let go of me—Pervert, don't touch me with your dirty hands!"
"Xin'er... talk nicely."
"I'm... sorry! I didn't mean to touch you..."
"Didn't mean to? Humph! How is that possible? You did it on purpose, you've been staring at me all along... Pervert, give me back my cat!"
"I..."
"Hey, I'm telling you, her cat ran over here on its own, why are you acting like the victim! Bro... don't bother with her—Aiya, but thinking about it, your constitution really does attract them, huh..."
"Who likes him... Nonsense!"
"I wasn't talking about you..."
"—Aiya, alright, children, stop making a scene!"
"Humph, stinky boy, I'll show you how to teach you a lesson—Come, follow me outside, our previous duel hasn't been settled yet!"
"Xin'er—This... Hey, I said, why aren't you stopping them, this..."
"Alright... look at yourself—Let them have a match, I want to see... I know, alright... I have my own measure!"
It seemed that grudges were hard to settle, and no matter how careful Ah Jun was, he still couldn't avoid misunderstandings and conflicts—The conflict upon meeting, the accumulated resentment, plus the current farce... Boom! It all exploded at once, and the battle commenced again, this time with no one daring to stop it.
Of course, except for the Empress, but she remained calm, seemingly even anticipating it.
Seeing the little princess suddenly run outside, the designated Ah Jun had no choice but to follow. Of course, he was just worried, a sort of sequelae of self-reproach.
"Ah Jun, wait... Aiya, where are you going? She clearly wants to fight you..."
"Ah Jun..."
Immediately after, Xiao Xi and Ning'er, like Yuwen Lyu, followed suit at the first moment, fearing any mishap for Ah Jun. His Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress were more composed, and after a while, they followed the children, slowly arriving at the plaza outside the hall.
"Your Royal Highness, we just finished eating not long ago, it's best not to run around; it affects your health!"
"Still pretending... No need, let's start now—Humph, today, this Princess is going to teach you a good lesson, I'll beat you so hard you'll be looking for your teeth all over the ground!"
"Ah, wait... how can I hit a girl? My Elder Sister taught me to protect girls!"
"Ah? What... looking down on girls, are you—You're a man, why are you being so wishy-washy... Take this!"
"Hey, wait a minute... it's not suitable for you to be dressed like that, what if..."
"Stop babbling—What if what... I'm wearing pants, alright—Hey, where are you looking!"
The plaza outside the Zui Xian Lou was very large, and there was a big lawn in the center, which was neatly and cleanly maintained. Since he couldn't persuade the opponent to stop fighting, and there was no outside mediation, the helpless Ah Jun had no choice but to try to move the battleground step-by-step to the large lawn under the little princess's attacks, thereby increasing safety.
The little princess, at this moment, couldn't care less. Now, in her eyes, there was only fighting—She quickly followed, and upon reaching the lawn, she quickly kicked off her feet, and those exquisite high-end good shoes were thus gracefully discarded. Then, she quickly tied up her hair.
—At this moment, that little lady of extraordinary temperament instantly transformed into a female warrior, and a beautiful girl warrior at that!
"Kung Fu: Wing Chun!"
In the next few minutes, everyone saw one person attacking and the other defending. The girl began to test the opponent's strength with fundamental moves.
Naturally, Ah Jun was definitely the one on the defensive, not because he couldn't win, but because he didn't want to—After all, he had received rigorous training since childhood. Although he had rarely used his abilities due to his physical condition, purely on fundamental skills, this child was no less capable than his peers. Moreover, now that Ah Jun had passed all the trials, his physical constitution was naturally incomparable to before, and he should be able to cope with ease.
Therefore, the attacking girl gained no advantage even when using martial arts secret techniques—Although it looked like the boy was being beaten without any power to fight back, in reality, the little princess was beginning to realize that the opponent was merely putting on a show and wasn't fighting properly at all!
—Her anger should have subsided, right? That's how my brother-in-law used to calm Elder Sister down when she was angry... I wonder if I can request a ceasefire now...
"Hey, what are you doing... Are you looking down on me—Fine, I'll show you my power!"
"No! I didn't... How about we stop, you look quite tired?"
"I... How dare you belittle me—Take that!"
However, what Ah Jun, the boy, couldn't understand was that even his Elder Sister, with her big temper, could be placated, but this girl was so difficult to appease—The little princess not only didn't appreciate it, but she even took advantage of Ah Jun's distraction to launch a high-kick attack.
Fortunately, Ah Jun, the silly boy, looked dull but was actually quick to react—In that instant, he glared, raised his hand and blocked with full force, and actually caught it...
—But that wasn't the end of it.
Ah Jun, not yet fully adapted to his new strength, raised his hand too high in that moment and accidentally hooked the girl's heel. As a result, the two maintained the same posture, locked in a stalemate. Therefore, the misunderstanding that followed became even harder to explain—The little princess, who realized what was happening a moment later, now truly had the impulse to destroy Ah Jun!
—Whoa, that was close... Hmm? What is this... Ah, where am I looking, look not at what is improper! Phew, luckily she wasn't deceiving me, otherwise, it would have been inexplicable...
"Stinky boy, you... What are you doing? Ah! Pervert, you dare to peep, I'm going to gouge your eyes out!!"
—Xiao Xi, what should I do? Is it over? Help me think of a way!
Facing such a tricky predicament, Ah Jun had to look towards the audience, hoping for outside assistance—But it seemed no one could manage it... Oh, someone probably could, but definitely not Xiao Xi!
—Bro, what are you doing? Counter-attack quickly!
Uh...
—Is Ah Jun, does he like her... They just met, how could that be?
Hmm?
—That brat!
Ah~
—These two children are really something... But with Xin'er's temper—No, I must quickly ask the Empress to stop them!
Oh!
It seemed Ah Jun's call for help had failed. And just as he was covering his eyes, his inner thoughts spinning, his head heating up, the girl opposite, whose leg he had supported, was so angry that her little face was red. This posture was upsetting for anyone—Ah Jun quickly realized the seriousness of the problem and immediately withdrew his strength. The little princess instantly retracted her attack, looking at the opponent with murderous intent.
Such a tense scene made the audience on the sidelines unable to remain cold observers—Although the Empress still looked calm, the fist in her hand was beginning to clench. It seemed Ah Jun's actions had pushed her past her limit. His Majesty, next to her, had been worried about the children's safety all along and was now urging his 'Tiger Mom' to call a stop quickly.
As for Yuwen Lyu, he looked as expressionless as the Empress, but in reality, there were ripples in his heart—the good feelings that had just accumulated between friends were now practically non-existent.
And then there was Xiao Xi, who was even more of a goofball than Ah Jun, actually clapping and praising—Hmm... that move was perfectly received. Ah Jun's foundation is solid; the little princess's Kung Fu is not mere superficial show.
—Sigh, look at this child, he might be more than just clueless, he's practically brainless... He keeps provoking the little princess, not even paying attention to the girl beside him.
At this time, Ning'er was clenching her hands tightly, her brows furrowed, her eyes revealing displeasure. Clearly, her feelings were very complicated. It was probably the physical contact and the progression of the male-female relationship between the two that made her uneasy. This was a girl's unique sixth sense, and it was likely very accurate!
"Yǐ... Tiān... Sword!!!"
Next, with a loud shout, the little princess once again summoned her treasured sword, preparing to execute justice on behalf of heaven—This truly startled the bystanders and caught Ah Jun off guard. Originally, he wanted to find an opportunity to stop the fight, but now, it only got worse. What was he to do?
—I've seen the power of that treasured sword before. Even with just ordinary sparring, it's hard to defend myself with my level of skill... Now, I can't summon the Golden Arrow and Silver Bow, what if I hurt her? Alas, it seems I have to keep dodging...
"Hey! What are you still daydreaming about... Pervert, take this—Sword Art of the Yue Maiden!"
Seeing Ah Jun still lost in thought, the little princess was driven by anger and shame—She immediately wielded her sword, unleashing the Yue Nv Sword Art, one of the Ten Ancient Sword Arts. The fierce sword shadow went straight for Ah Jun's eyes.
—Oh my, Xin'er is really showing no mercy. He's a distinguished guest after all; if she hurts him by making a scene like this, the old Marquis of the White Tiger Commandery state will surely demand my life... No, that child must not be harmed!
Although Ah Jun seemed to have been slightly at fault first, he couldn't just allow himself to be slaughtered—So, the boy moved his feet, nimbly dodging the opponent's attacks, doing so with ease. This calmed everyone down considerably, but it also made the little princess, who was being mocked by his agility, attack with increasing fury.
—Aiya! A man who only knows how to flee in battle... The key is that I can't even hit him, it's truly maddening! You... just you wait, I'll show you!
"Yǐ Tiān... Falling... Petals!"
Thus, with a cry full of hatred, to the astonishment of the crowd, the Yǐ Tiān Sword was suddenly surrounded by petals. But unlike before, the main color this time was silver-grey, reflecting the girl's mood at the moment. As the sword light flashed, a beam of light made of petals shot towards Ah Jun at extreme speed—Fortunately, the boy was quick-eyed and nimble-footed, and he managed to narrowly avoid it.
Of course, he was still shaken, because there were now three thin lines on Ah Jun's jacket, clearly sliced by the residual energy of the sword's Qi.