5088

Chapter 5088: 5.0840 Awkward

"Qiao Qiao, quickly, come to Mother," the Empress said with a smile, beckoning to her.

Qiao Mu stepped forward, bowed, then walked to the Empress's side and was pulled by the Empress to sit down.

The Empress, upon seeing the little stoic, immediately forgot the mother and daughter kneeling on the ground, and only cared about holding Qiao Mu's hand, asking with a smile, "Child, do you feel any discomfort lately?"

"If you feel unwell anywhere, you must tell Mother early so that the Imperial Physician can come and take a look," Empress Bai babbled with a smile. "Back when Mother was pregnant with Little Glutinous Rice Ball, that scoundrel boy certainly gave his mother, me, a lot of trouble."

"Little Glutinous Rice Ball was naughty?" the little stoic asked with a curious expression.

"He wouldn't stop," Empress Bai waved her hand, an expression of disdain on her face. "In the early stages, he made me throw up so much that nothing tasted good."

"Qiao Qiao," Empress Bai pulled the little stoic, examining her up and down. "You seem quite well to me. How's your appetite lately?"

The little stoic shook her head expressionlessly. "Nothing uncomfortable, everything tastes good."

The old momma (wet nurse/nanny) by the Empress's side couldn't help but twitch her lips.

She always felt that the conversation between the little stoic Crown Princess and Her Imperial Highness the Empress was somewhat comical...

"That's good, that's good," Empress Bai nodded, smiling.

The Empress and the little Crown Princess conversed there, oblivious to others, which utterly distressed the Xiao Bao family mother and daughter kneeling on the ground.

The two knelt there, not daring to wipe their mouths or stand up on their own.

By the time Empress Bai finished "chatting" with the little Crown Princess, a quarter of an hour had passed.

The Empress turned her head, a look of surprise on her face. "Why haven't you left yet? Is there something else?"

Zhenzhu and several other palace maids all looked towards the Xiao Bao family mother and daughter.

The two women immediately felt their faces flush with shame. What could be more awkward than being ignored by others?

The two had been ignored by Empress Bai until now, and her words, as if she had just realized their presence, greatly annoyed the Xiao Bao family mother and daughter.

They hailed from the Huainan Earl's Estate, being Consort Fang's legitimate maternal family. Now that Consort Fang was in trouble, the mother and daughter had eagerly entered the palace to express their filial piety, yet they were being so disdained by Her Imperial Highness the Empress!

Zhenzhu stepped forward, bowed, and suppressed a smile as she said to the two women, "Second Aunt, Miss Mingyue, please."

Fang Mingyue's face turned pale, looking very unpleasant.

The Second Madam of Huainan Earl's Estate timidly bowed to Empress Bai, shrank her head, pulled her daughter's sleeve, and led her out.

"Who are they?" As Fang Mingyue was leaving, she happened to hear the little Crown Princess crisply ask, feeling even more displeased.

This Crown Princess had been back in the imperial capital for so long, yet she still couldn't even fully remember the names of the ladies and young misses from the major noble residences in the capital.

"They are the Second Aunt of Huainan Earl's Estate." Empress Bai couldn't help but get angry. "I haven't seen Huainan Earl for many years; he's truly getting more confused with age."

Out of respect for Huainan Earl, I called her 'Second Madam', did she really think she was a legitimate madam?

"With such a major incident concerning Consort Fang, Huainan Earl shouldn't have sent a Second Aunt from his estate to inquire about the matter," Zhenzhu also whispered. "Even if the Huainan Earl's Madam has been in poor health for years, the Earl should have sent the Eldest Miss Fang to inquire."

The little Crown Princess rubbed her stomach, then "hmmed," turned to Empress Bai, "Mother, when do we eat?"

Everyone: ...

Truly, they couldn't keep up with the little Crown Princess's jumping thoughts!