By the time Cai Wei and Nangong Yi returned to the Waterside Pavilion in the Imperial Garden, the noon hour had passed, but the feast had not yet begun. The many invited nobles and their sons and daughters gathered in small groups, engaging in loud laughter or hushed whispers, all patiently waiting for Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, showing no signs of impatience.
Cai Wei and Nangong Yi immediately drew everyone's attention upon their return.
In the male guest seats, all the young masters looked enviously at Nangong Yi, firmly believing that he had just partaken in a blissful and intimate encounter, their envy towards his good fortune clear to see.
A couple of princes close to Nangong Yi cast meaningful smiles his way, their expressions suggestive, as if they shared some unspoken secret.
As for the probing and insinuations from the crowd, Nangong Yi offered no explanation, simply returning to his seat at a leisurely pace, a faint smile on his handsome face.
