113 An Encroaching Sense of Foreboding 5 (1/2)

The quiet interior of the carriage had been completely eradicated, instead suffused with bubbly laughter and giggling.

When An Fei finally opened her eyes, the young girl noticed before her, two maidens and one empress seated around the table, exchanging jokes and stories without any regard for social distinction of an empress and her subjects.

One maiden was an attractive belle around the age of fifteen years, dressed in a begonia spring dress with long sleeves trailing onto the floor. The black hair was strung in a single ponytail that coiled around the right shoulder, exuding a mesmerizing aura.

The other was more refined in appearance, with her hair carefully gathered around her waist. Dressed in a white robe, the maiden sat with her back facing An Fei as she chatted with the empress, her elegant fingers fluttering in small movements.

”Oh? Your Imperial Highness, the girl woke up!”

The maiden in the begonia spring dress called out after noticing that An Fei's eyes had opened.

Faced with three pairs of eyes that bored holes into her body, the young girl gently sighed to herself before climbing off of the couch, sitting at the unoccupied side of the table.

After expending half of a day asleep, the young girl was naturally hungry. Her hand trembled as it reached for a piece of candied apple, her mouth watering at the mixed fragrances of the delicious snacks.

Her free hand tugged at the veil covering her face, but paused as Wei Xuan's cautionary words floated into her ear.

You must not let anyone make contact.

Her left hand deftly raising the slightly lowered veil to cover her countenance once more, An Fei awkwardly chewed on the piece of candied fruit underneath the gaze of two maidens and one empress of Great Yong.

In an attempt to distract herself, the young girl rapidly chewed onto the shard of candied apple, closing her eyes and swaying her body in satisfaction.

”This…” the maiden dressed in the white robe raised her voice in a cautionary and curious tone.

”The young girl over there, can you… tell us your name?”

An Fei froze at the sudden suggestion, and the pair of scarlet irises gazed deeply at the maiden who had just spoken.

Before the maiden could feel uncomfortable, the young girl had opened her mouth, three words fleeing from her lips with great fervor.

”Wei… An Fei…”

”Hm?”

The maiden dressed in white paused for a moment at the unexpected answer, her countenance displaying a look of utter confusion.

Upon realizing that the young girl before her had actually spoken in such a quiet voice, the maiden revealed a warm smile, her hands reaching out to clasp An Fei's.

”Wei An Fei, was it? An Fei… for a peaceful heart jade, and Wei as in Uncle Wei's surname… you're his daughter?”

The maiden murmured in a soft voice, before displaying an awkward smile to the girl. Placing her left hand above her bosom, the maiden introduced herself in an unhurried tone.

”I am Luo Xi, xi for warmth, and Luo… Luo as my surname. Uncle Wei should have talked to you about me…?”

”Oh? Since Sister Xi has introduced herself, let this Young Miss pitch her name in as well, ah! Zhang Yuewen, remember it well!”

The belle in the begonia spring robe waved her hands in an energetic manner towards the young girl, her voice light and exuberant.

Flabbergasted by the direct difference in the manner of speech employed by the two maidens, An Fei could only blink her eyes as she raised her right hand in a hesitant manner, awkwardly mimicking the belle's movements.

Zhang Yuewen broke into joyful laughter at the sight of An Fei's stiff movements, before pushing forward a bowl of candied hawthorn as a token of apology.

”Sorry, that was a little too startling that I couldn't help it,” the belle in the begonia dress wiped at her eyes with her fingers.

”That's right, you should call just call me Sister Wen or Yuewen, no need to be formal like this Sister Xi over here.”

…

”Sister Yuewen, you've startled Sister An Fei,” Luo Xi gently wiped her fingers with a silk cloth, chastising the belle in a soft and collected manner.

”Eh? Then, I'm sor – why am I apologizing? Maybe it is just you who scared Sister Fei with your usage of formal speech, ah!”

”Sister Yuewen, we may not be around our elders at this present moment, but there is an elder presiding over our elders just across the table, no?”

”So?” the belle twirled the right sleeve around her finger in boredom.

”Her Imperial Highness herself commanded us to be relaxed and carefree even amongst her presence, so why bother maintaining a polite distance? We're all women here, why act as if you're around a handsome male?”

The elegant and collected Luo Xi then engaged into another argument with the carefree Zhang Yuewen, causing another storm of laughter and giggles to arise within the imperial carriage.

”Wei An Fei, as Xiao Wen has just spoken, we are all women here,” Feng Yu Xin suddenly spoke in a gentle voice, her eyes carefully examining the young girl aside from her.