"I'm looking for my seat, but I just can't find it..." Xiaoyao replied.
"Hmph, who do you think you are? You don't have a seat at all," At this moment, someone Xiaoyao didn't particularly care for appeared - that was Miss Shi Zhenxiang from the Shi family.
"Shi Zhenxiang, haven't you learned your lesson yet?" Le Youran said with slight anger.
"Hmph!!" Shi Zhenxiang was very defiant. "You're just a little servant recognized by the Eldest Princess. Maybe the Eldest Princess was just having a crazy episode, and once it passes, you'll have no place left. Do you still think you're somebody important?"
Shi Zhenxiang was very displeased with Xiaoyao. She already knew about Xiaoyao's identity and knew that the banquet had ended unpleasantly because of this matter, which had affected the Shi family's status for quite some time. Only now were they starting to recover.
She was very indignant, feeling that Xiaoyao was just someone recognized by the crazy woman Eldest Princess during one of her episodes - it was just luck. But she felt this luck wouldn't last long, and after it was over, she would definitely find a way to get revenge.
"I only consider myself a little servant. Miss Shi, please don't stare at me like that. If you're dissatisfied and want to settle accounts, go find Le Youran, she's the one who brought me there!" Xiaoyao very heartlessly pushed Le Youran forward.
"..." Le Youran was silent for a moment, then said, "That's right, if there's any problem, come find me. What's the point of targeting a little servant? It's beneath the Shi family's dignity!!"
...
"You two chat slowly. Since there's no place for me, I'll take off first!" Xiaoyao said. The banquet hadn't started yet, so leaving now wouldn't be considered rude. Otherwise, if everyone had a seat except him, it would be very embarrassing.
"You, where are you going?" Ning Xin'er, who was beside Le Youran, said. Whenever Le Youran was present, she would stay with her.
"I don't have a seat here, so I'm going to find Imperial Aunt to eat!" Xiaoyao said casually. As for how he addressed the Eldest Princess, he didn't care much about it now, feeling it was just a title. Even changing it wouldn't have any other meaning.
He always varied his forms of address, sometimes calling the Eldest Princess "Aunt," sometimes "Imperial Aunt Your Highness," sometimes "Auntie Princess..."
"No, you do have a seat. You can't leave," Ning Xin'er immediately said.
"I have a seat? Where? I just looked and couldn't find it!" Xiaoyao asked puzzledly.
"Your seat is up there. Naturally you couldn't find it here."
"Up there?!" Shi Zhenxiang exclaimed in shock. She could hardly believe it. Up there wasn't a place ordinary people could sit. How could a little servant like Xiaoyao sit up there? She herself was only in the middle tier.
What shocked Shi Zhenxiang even more was yet to come...
"Up there? I looked there too. I was just up there with the Young Miss and didn't see my name," Xiaoyao said.
"The 'up there' I'm talking about isn't that up there, but that up there!" Ning Xin'er pointed at the great hall, where Ning Zhiyuan's position was located. Nearby were only a few important royal family positions, even those princes weren't qualified to sit up there.
It couldn't be true. How was this possible? Shi Zhenxiang wouldn't believe it even if beaten to death, that Xiaoyao could sit up there, especially on such an occasion.
"You're joking, right? How could I possibly be up there!" Xiaoyao shook his head, feeling Ning Xin'er was joking. He also felt it was impossible. Up there were the most important figures of the Great Tang Empire. He was obviously not qualified, no, he should say he didn't have even the slightest qualification.
Even if he represented the Eldest Princess, he shouldn't be up there, because he was just a representative, not the Eldest Princess herself.
If it were the Eldest Princess herself, then there would be no question, she could definitely sit up there. Because she wasn't just the Eldest Princess but also an peerless expert. Either qualification alone would allow her to sit up there, let alone both combined.
"Exactly, you're joking!" Shi Zhenxiang made no effort to hide her thoughts. She didn't believe Xiaoyao could sit up there.
"Xin'er, you don't need to speak up for him. Facts are facts, this won't help him!" Le Youran also felt it was impossible, thinking Ning Xin'er was just speaking up for Xiaoyao.
"No, I'm not! I've seen the seating arrangements. He really is up there, and in one of the main seats near the head table..." Ning Xin'er shook her head.
"Impossible!" Le Youran and Shi Zhenxiang rarely spoke in unison.
"That's just how it is!" Ning Xin'er pointed upward. "If you don't believe it, see for yourselves. Mr. Xiaoyao will be escorted up there shortly..."
Looking at Ning Xin'er's manner, she didn't seem to be lying, because if this were a lie, it would be exposed very quickly. No one would persist with such a thing, and it wasn't in Ning Xin'er's character either.
Originally, Ning Xin'er never told lies. Her words had extremely high credibility. If this matter weren't somewhat unbelievable, no one would doubt what she said.
Just then, someone proved this point, and in a way that surprised everyone!!
"Xiaoyao, your seat is here. Come over quickly!!" Ning Zhiyuan beckoned to Xiaoyao. This was indeed surprising, to think Ning Zhiyuan would personally call out. What did this indicate?
Either Xiaoyao was someone very useful to Ning Zhiyuan, or Ning Zhiyuan considered Xiaoyao one of his own.
Whichever it was, it showed one thing, Xiaoyao was very important to Ning Zhiyuan. Now anyone who wanted to move against him would have to consider not just the Eldest Princess, but also Ning Zhiyuan's attitude.
But why would Ning Zhiyuan have this attitude, and why show it at this time? This was almost like announcing it to the world.
"??" Xiaoyao was somewhat puzzled but didn't act coy. He walked directly toward the seat beside Ning Zhiyuan. Looking at the nameplate above, his name was indeed there, linked with the Eldest Princess's, seemingly indicating that he represented the Eldest Princess and explaining why he could sit up there.
Without any reason, what qualification would he have to be up there? It would make many people dissatisfied. Ning Zhiyuan understood this well, so he wanted to tell everyone the reason. Although this reason might not be the real reason Xiaoyao was up there, it was still a very good reason.
Although Xiaoyao always said he was just a little servant, that didn't mean he would refuse to sit up there. He didn't care whether it was the seat of honor or whether those people were surprised.
Xiaoyao sat directly in his seat with bold confidence. Regarding everyone's attitudes, he just smiled and nodded in response, then sat quietly waiting for the banquet to begin.
Before the banquet officially started, even if Xiaoyao was hungry, he wouldn't make a move. This was basic courtesy. Xiaoyao had always been very proper in etiquette, otherwise, how could he be competent in his profession as a servant?
Afterward, everyone only discussed it for a while. Although they were very surprised that Xiaoyao sat up there, they didn't pay too much attention to it and wouldn't focus all their conversation on this topic unless Xiaoyao had further actions that could generate discussion. But Xiaoyao continued sitting quietly there, and no one bothered him, so naturally there were no more topics.
"Strange, why would His Majesty let the little servant sit up there?" Nangong Suxin felt very surprised seeing this situation. She felt that in what Xiaoyao had said earlier, there should be many things he hadn't explained clearly.
"Because he represents the Eldest Princess, look up there," the Young Miss said casually. She wasn't very concerned about this.
"No, it shouldn't be for that reason. There must be other reasons. Even if he represents the Eldest Princess, he wouldn't receive this treatment. He should be with us. For him to be up there, His Majesty must value some aspect of him." Third Miss said at this moment, her brow slightly furrowed. She felt there was something behind this.
She didn't have enough intelligence to analyze this matter yet. She only hoped it wasn't that His Majesty wanted to use Xiaoyao, wanting him to do certain things and thus showing favor.
"Mm, I hope this is a good thing and nothing else happens," Nangong Suxin also said with some worry.
Only the Young Miss said very indifferently, "What are you worried about? He's just a little servant. What designs could His Majesty have on him? If there's anything, naturally they'd come to me. I'm his Young Miss. If there's anything, naturally I'll handle it. Otherwise, I wouldn't be qualified to be his Young Miss..."
At this moment, Xiaoyao was just waiting for when the banquet could begin. Although his stomach wasn't hungry, he really wanted to eat something.
"Today is our national celebration day. From when our founding emperor established the nation..."
Ning Zhiyuan's speech continued for a long time. Although Xiaoyao felt these words were somewhat excessive, they were necessary to say. If not said, this wouldn't be the imperial palace or a celebration, it would just be an ordinary banquet.
Fortunately, while Ning Zhiyuan spoke, the maids also began serving dishes and wine. Although Xiaoyao couldn't officially start eating, he could have some small snacks and sip some wine.
However, although this wine was good wine, it seemed to lack something. Oh well, he'd drink it for now.
When the Young Miss saw the wine being served, she stopped talking. Her eyes lit up, and she quickly downed a whole pot. Her manner was very unrefined, but it had a certain boldness that made many generals who hadn't particularly liked the two female war gods change their opinion of the Young Miss. They thought she was quite good.
Those generals began drinking with the Young Miss, though without making noise, just using the special communication that wine lovers share.
The two Nangong sisters didn't stop the Young Miss, not only because they knew they couldn't stop her when she was drinking, but also because they knew that with the wine here, the Young Miss could drink for half a day without getting drunk.
(End of Chapter)