419: Chapter 419 Split Up and Continue the Strategy

Su Yingxue walked to the empty seat beside King Feiyun and bowed slightly, "Senior King Feiyun, is this seat taken?"

King Feiyun lifted her eyes and glanced at her, "No."

"Then I will sit here."

Su Yingxue sat down gracefully, and Hua Liuli took the seat to her left.

Shen Youqing walked around to the other side of the table and sat down next to Jasmine.

The movements were smooth and natural, as if they had agreed to come for tea.

King Feiyun picked up her teacup and took a sip, saying nothing.

Su Yingxue was not in a hurry to speak; instead, she picked up the teapot in front of her and refilled King Feiyun's cup.

"Senior, this tea was roasted by the Lin family itself, with some spirit flower petals added. Please taste it and see if it suits your palate."

King Feiyun looked down at the clear tea in the cup, then lifted her eyes to look at Su Yingxue, "You are quite thoughtful."

"It is only proper."

Su Yingxue smiled gently, her tone as casual as if she were chatting with an elder.

"Senior, you have worked hard these past few days, helping us hold down the fort and worrying about King Xuanyin's affairs for us."

"I have been looking for an opportunity to thank you properly, Senior."

"No need for formalities." King Feiyun's tone remained flat, "It is part of my duty."

Su Yingxue smiled and replied, "Even duties require effort."

"If you don't mind, Senior, please come to the Lin family residence another day, and we will prepare a few of our signature dishes for you."

King Feiyun did not respond.

She held the teacup, her gaze resting on the spirit flower petals floating in the cup, and was silent for a moment.

Then she lifted her eyes and looked at Su Yingxue, "Your husband looks to be in good spirits today."

The tone was flat, like an ordinary polite remark.

But Su Yingxue still caught something.

The three words "your husband" had a tail end that landed a half-beat slower than normal speech.

Su Yingxue smiled calmly, "Him? He is happy today. Having married a new bride, how could he not be in good spirits?"

King Feiyun gave a "hmm," and did not say anything more.

But Su Yingxue noticed that after saying that, her gaze glanced in Lin Yun's direction.

It was very brief.

So brief that if Su Yingxue hadn't been paying attention to her gaze, she wouldn't have noticed it at all.

Su Yingxue cheered for her husband in her heart.

To think that even King Feiyun is starting to be moved by her husband.

Her husband is indeed something else.

Meanwhile, Shen Youqing also began her move.

Sitting in the position next to Jasmine, she held her teacup and smiled brightly at the little loli, "Senior, this short jacket you are wearing today is beautiful. This lotus root color makes your skin look especially fair."

Jasmine had been looking down, pondering the matter of Xuanyin. Upon hearing this, she lifted her head to glance at her, her small face lifted slightly, "That is true. All my clothes are custom-made."

"I knew it, the embroidery work looks extraordinary at a glance."

Shen Youqing leaned in a little closer and pointed to the small daisy on her cuff, "This flower is embroidered so delicately. Which shop's craftsmanship is this?"

"The embroidery shop in the west of the city. Why, do you want to make one too?"

"Yes! When will you take me to see it, Senior?"

Jasmine was amused by her question, "Sure, I'll take you another day."

Shen Youqing took the opportunity to shift half a body length forward and lowered her voice slightly, "Senior, I just saw you staring at my husband. Are you especially curious about him?"

Jasmine's hand holding the cup paused, "No."

"Really?"

"Really."

"But from the beginning of the wedding banquet until now, you have looked in his direction no less than ten times."

Jasmine glared at her, "You counted quite clearly."

Shen Youqing giggled, "Of course, serving a Senior requires attentiveness."

Jasmine was choked by her words.

She did not expect this little girl to be so direct.

She was indeed watching Lin Yun, and indeed pondering what Xuanyin meant by "you will know once you have more contact with him."

But being called out to her face by a Junior, she still felt a bit embarrassed.

Jasmine let out a "hmph," and took a large gulp from her teacup.

Shen Youqing was in no hurry; she just sat beside her with a smile, waiting quietly.

After a long while, Jasmine put down her teacup and suddenly turned her head to look at her, "What does your husband usually do at home?"

"Cultivate, and spend time with us."

"Just that?"

"Just that."

Jasmine wrinkled her nose and made a "tsk" sound.

Shen Youqing watched her puzzled expression, finding it funny, but her face remained gentle, "If you have time, Senior, come to our home another day. Won't you know once you see it with your own eyes?"

Jasmine lifted her eyes to look at her.

That glance contained a bit of scrutiny, a bit of hesitation, and a bit of indescribable conflict.

In the end, she just gave a "hmm," turned her head away, and took another sip from her teacup.

The table was quiet for a moment.

Hua Liuli had been sitting beside Su Yingxue, listening and watching quietly, occasionally picking up her teacup to take a sip.

Her gaze lingered on Ziyi for a moment, but she was in no hurry to speak.

Ziyi had been quiet the whole time, occasionally picking up a piece of food, occasionally drinking tea, looking no different from an ordinary guest.

But Hua Liuli noticed.

When Ziyi's gaze swept over the direction where Lin Yun was, it would always linger for just a little bit longer.

Just that little bit.

A half-beat slower than a normal scan.

Hua Liuli put down her teacup and turned slightly toward Ziyi, "Senior Ziyi, this honey-glazed lotus root is well-made. Would you like to try it?"

Ziyi turned her head to look at her, slightly stunned, then nodded, "Okay."

She picked up a piece of lotus root, put it in her mouth, chewed twice, and nodded gently, "It is indeed good."

Hua Liuli smiled gently, "I am glad you like it, Senior. This dish was made by a new cook in the kitchen, who learned the craft in the Qilin Kingdom. My husband likes it very much."

When she said the word "husband," her tone was full of pride.

Ziyi's chopsticks paused.

The movement was extremely slight, so small that if Hua Liuli hadn't been watching her actions closely, she wouldn't have noticed.

"Qilin Kingdom..." Ziyi repeated the place name, "Isn't that your hometown?"

"Yes, that is our hometown. The new cook just arrived from there."

"Senior, between the food from the Qilin Kingdom and the food here in the Lingyuan Empire, which one do you find more to your taste?"

Ziyi thought for a moment, "Each has its own merits. Qilin's honey-glazed dishes are on the sweeter side, while Lingyuan's braised dishes are on the saltier side."

Hua Liuli smiled and replied, "Then please come to the Lin family residence for another meal, Senior. We will have the cook prepare a table of Qilin-style dishes, paired with a few of Lingyuan's signature dishes, so you can compare them."

Ziyi glanced at her, the corners of her mouth curving up, "You are quite the organizer."

"If you can grace us with your presence, Senior, it would be our greatest blessing."

Hua Liuli spoke with a sincere tone.

Ziyi neither refused nor agreed, just gave a soft "hmm."

Hua Liuli kept that "hmm" in her heart and did not ask any more questions.

The atmosphere at the table, through several exchanges of conversation, unknowingly became a bit more relaxed.

King Feiyun sat upright as before.

Ziyi also switched to a more relaxed sitting posture.

Jasmine was coaxed by Shen Youqing until her small face was beaming.

Muttering from time to time, "How is it that you, little girl, are so good with words?" yet she did not actually get up to leave.

Su Yingxue saw all of this, and the curve of her lips deepened a little more.