Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family-Chapter 1085 - 1084: Going to the Banquet

"..."

Liu Sisi moved her lips a few times but said nothing at all.

Lin Xiner’s gaze darkened, and she couldn’t help but reach out to grasp Liu Sisi’s hand and place it on her own chest, "Sisi, are you still angry with Mom?"

"I, I..."

Liu Sisi pursed her lips tightly, her gaze slightly evasive, and forcibly withdrew her hand to divert the conversation.

"Tonight, Father Emperor is hosting a banquet for you, isn’t he? It’s getting late, you should head back and get ready. Sisi will take her leave first."

Having said that, she didn’t wait for the carriage to come to a complete stop before she jumped down from it and dashed toward the manor.

"Sisi, Sisi!"

Lin Xiner called out several times from behind but couldn’t get Liu Sisi to turn back.

After standing in a daze for a while, she had no choice but to let down the carriage curtain and close her eyes wearily, "Let’s go! Back to the hostel."

Twenty years of a missing family bond were not easily mended on a whim; it was too much to expect.

Liu Sisi watched in silence as the carriage slowly left the mansion’s gate, unable to pinpoint the feeling in her heart.

She heaved a sigh, turning around only to catch the heavy-hearted gaze of Di Yelei standing beside the flower stand; a smile involuntarily bubbled up within her.

"Ye Lei, I’m back."

Di Yelei looked up at her and smiled, "It’s good you’re back. His Majesty has already sent Eunuch Xiao to invite us to tonight’s feast. It’s getting late; it’s about time to get ready."

"It’s just as well I returned at the right time."

Liu Sisi deliberately spoke cheerfully and made her way to the small courtyard, with Di Yelei following right behind.

Entering the room, she took off her heavy headdress in passing and sat down at the dressing table, "Ye Lei, do you have something on your mind?"

Ms. Gao hurried forward to help Liu Sisi let down her hair bun and began to comb it out smoothly.

Di Yelei glanced at her, pondered for a moment, then took a couple of steps to the desk, bent down, and casually lifted the big blade.

"How is this big blade here?"

Liu Sisi was familiar with Zuo Xingyu’s weapons, and Di Yelei, being a military commander, was certainly no stranger to the blade either.

But its sudden appearance here truly startled him.

"This blade was found by the followers behind the house; no one knows when it was placed there. Ms. Gao informed me about it only today, and I haven’t had the chance to discuss it with you. What do you think this is all about?"

Liu Sisi’s speech was especially calm, yet she inquired of Di Yelei instead.

Di Yelei met her gaze, right into the clarity of her eyes, then cleared his throat, "After I discovered this big blade, I sent people to look for Zuo Xingyu. Neither his residence nor anywhere in the village has shown any trace of him for a long time. They also checked his room and found that the plaque of Mother Zuo went missing, so they went to her grave. They discovered that the grave was dug up, and the bones inside were gone."

Liu Sisi could no longer care about tending to her hair and stood up abruptly, "You mean..."

"I suspect that Zuo Xingyu took away Mother Zuo’s bones and the plaque," Di Yelei said with a grave expression.

Liu Sisi slowly sat back down, a tumult of thoughts swirling in her mind. Once again, she lifted her head, her words trembling slightly, "You’re saying he left with Mother Zuo’s bones, perhaps... never to return in a lifetime?"

"Only that would make sense."

Even abandoning his own big blade, which had been his constant companion, said a lot.

Moreover, the disappearance of Mother Zuo’s remains and her memorial plaque together with the rest, when added up, probably confirmed his suspicions by eight or nine out of ten.

"Is that so?... Well, that’s good!"

Liu Sisi’s lips turned pale as she struggled to form this response after a while.

Di Yelei observed her expression, his hand whitening as he gripped the big blade, remaining silent for a while before softly consoling, "If he can let go, it means that he can start a new life in the future. That’s good!"

Liu Sisi smiled faintly but did not engage further, clearly in low spirits.

She allowed Ms. Gao to arrange her hair, staying silent for quite some time.

Since it was His Majesty who had dispatched Eunuch Xiao to inform them about attending the banquet, it wasn’t just Liu Sisi and Di Yelei who had to go tonight, but also Chou Chou, Di Ying, Di Xuan, Di Cheng, and the others.

She placed great importance on tonight’s banquet, changing her clothes over and over, almost turning out all the clothes she had stored away, until finally, she selected an emerald green spring dress in a rush. Only then did she hurriedly put it on and boarded the carriage with several others.

Apart from Liu Sisi and Chou Chou, Little Ying and Prefecture Princess Luo were also seated in the carriage, heading to the banquet together.

"Ying’er, do you think this outfit suits me?"

Liu Sisi asked with some trepidation, subconsciously tugging at her dress.

Di Ying’s mouth twitched slightly: "Mom, you look very beautiful like this."

"Beautiful? Mom, you’ve asked Elder Sister eight times tonight, you seem so distracted, Mom! What on earth is the matter with you?"

"What do you mean distracted? If you can’t speak properly, then don’t talk nonsense."

Liu Sisi’s face burned with embarrassment as she quickly sat up straight and imposingly, casting a stern glance at Chou Chou. Tonight’s banquet was not like any other, and her increased attention was only natural.

Little Ying beside her covered her mouth, giggling incessantly, while Thirteenth Luo also pursed her lips, biting her lower lip and saying nothing.

After sitting for only a moment, Liu Sisi couldn’t resist adjusting her hair again and turned to look at Di Ying, "Ying’er, has my hair gotten messy again?"

"Oh, Mom!"

Chou Chou covered his face: "You never used to fuss like this when attending palace banquets, what’s gotten into you today? Ow—ow—ow—ow... Mom!"

"See if you dare not speak properly!"

Liu Sisi jabbed Chou Chou’s forehead with force, then let him go: "Thinking about it, this is the first time I’m having a meal with my parents... It’s normal to attach a little more importance to it..."

This statement suddenly quieted everyone in the carriage.

Though she did not say it, tonight, for the first time, their family of three could be considered to be truly united. It was understandable that she attached importance to tonight’s banquet!

However, to be looked down upon by her own son, how could she not be furious and embarrassed?

What a pity, she didn’t know if her big brother, Nan Tianzong, would come tonight.

Liu Sisi looked at the nearby Macheng County government office and sighed in her heart.

Di Yelei, mounted on his tall horse, took the lead in dismounting and pulled open the carriage curtain.

Liu Sisi and the others stepped out of the carriage and walked in slowly, Eunuch Xiao hurried over from afar with a smile spread across his aged face: "This old servant pays respects to Princess Ruyu! Pays respects to Marquis Yongping, and greetings to Prefecture Princess Luo. Please, all of you come inside, His Majesty has been waiting for a long time."

"Then we shall trouble Eunuch Xiao to lead the way."

Liu Sisi quickly offered the purse she had prepared in advance.

"Not at all, not at all, please follow me inside," Eunuch Xiao replied, his old face breaking into an even deeper smile as he led them inside.