Zhan Xuerou, guided by a young eunuch, visited the imperial palace, accompanied by Qiuyue.
She arrived at Princess Si Yao's residence. Conventionally, princes and princesses are expected to move out of the palace upon reaching adulthood. However, Emperor Xuanwu doted on Princess Si Yao extensively.
Thus, she did not have her own Princess Mansion and continued residing within the palace.
In the luxuriously decorated palace, Princess Si Yao was inserting red plum blossoms into a vase. Upon seeing Zhan Xuerou, she put down the flower branches.
Zhan Xuerou smelled the pleasant fragrance in the room, then felt a warmth in her hands as Princess Si Yao grasped them, saying affectionately, "Xuerou, it's been a long time since you've visited me."
Zhan Xuerou bowed slightly, smiling softly, "My health has not been well, and it's been too cold to go out. But today the weather is very nice, so I came to see Your Highness."