Chapter 654 (2/2)

“Didn’t I say you have to call her Gu Gu?” The empress dowager frowned, displeased.

[Auntie (Gu Gu) = a greeting for your aunt - father’s sister]

“Ah… habit…” She stuck out her tongue mischievously, like a child. This was not an expression she made often. However, it was normal in front of the empress dowager.

As for her previous greeting, Long Anqi had wanted her to call her as Ah-Yi so no one would suspect their relationship. There was one important reason- Long Anqi still refused to recognise Princess Longji as her own niece- meaning she did not recognise her blood ties to the Vermilion Bird Empire.

The term Ah-Yi could be used everywhere, it did not clearly state one’s relationship. It could be used out of respect.

“Are Lanyu and the rest interested in coming over?” asked the empress dowager.

“About that… They don’t seem to like the palace very much... Not that they don’t like this place, they just aren’t interested in palaces. Perhaps due to that incident,” she said wistfully, shaking her head.

The empress dowager was silent for a moment, understanding what Princess Longji meant.

She was referring to Zhao Yarou usurping her father’s throne. A trauma like that would not heal so easily, especially for the seventh princess.

The empress dowager did not know that the seventh princess didn’t like palaces not just for this reason- she never liked places of political and mind games. She never liked the palace during her childhood either. She just had no choice but to live in it.

Zhao Yarou’s incident made her completely cut ties with palaces. Not living in one was good news to her!

“If they don’t like it, we won’t force them! But I can visit them.” The empress dowager smiled. She did not care about customs,especially not regarding people she cared about.

“Mmm, you can visit, Auntie never directly objected to you visiting them.” Princess Longji nodded. She was familiar with the empress dowager’s antics. More importantly, Ye Lang had visited once and the empress dowager had already grown close to him.

“We’ll both visit them together later! Right, why are you here today? Don’t tell me it’s just to visit us, you don’t care that much,” teased the empress dowager.

She did not think that Princess Longji would visit so early just to greet her. There must be something else. If she really wanted, she would have done this a long time ago.

Of course, the empress dowager also knew why she was so busy. It was for her own birthday ceremony, spending time with Long Anqi and the rest in the empress dowager’s place.

“No, I care a lot…” The princess pouted.

“Tell me what you’re here for, I won’t judge,” she said, squinting her eyes at her beloved granddaughter.

“Father told me to come, he said there’s a princess from Ai La Empire coming and I should welcome her. He says my identity is appropriate for this,” said the princess.

“Your identity is appropriate? You’re not the only princess in the palace, plus you know your rank is a special one here. You mean Ai La’s princess isn’t here for the ceremony, but for something else?” the empress dowager furrowed her brows.