After traveling through time, I was raised by a little brat

On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the weather was freezing cold and snowy. The palace distributed two bowls of Laba porridge: one for the Duke's residence by the Emperor, and the other specially for Tang Wenshu by the Crown Prince. This gesture once again sparked jealousy and resentment among the various members of the palace, and their resentment towards Tang Wenshu deepened.

Tang Qi had been carrying Tang Wenshu to school for some time, and their relationship had grown stronger. However, time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was the Little New Year. Then came New Year's Eve, the most important holiday of the year.

Traditionally, a grand palace banquet was held every New Year's Eve. Bringing together nobles, ministers, and other important figures from the court, it was a crucial occasion to showcase the majesty and unity of the imperial family. However, Tang Wenshu cared little for such vanity, preferring instead to enjoy the warm moments spent with her family.

Tang Wenshu's leg injury had long since healed, but Tang Qi still insisted on carrying her to school. He felt this way would allow him to better care for his sister and was also a way to express his love. Tang Wenshu gladly accepted this love from her brother, knowing that his concern for her was genuine, a love that could not be expressed in words.

However, the palace banquet stipulated that only officials of the fifth rank and above and their families were eligible to attend, and they had to be legitimate children. Tang Tian and the others gnashed their teeth at this, yet there was nothing they could do. After all, a concubine's birth remained a concubine's birth, unless she could be recognized by her mother and adopted as a legitimate daughter. Perhaps it was precisely for this reason that Tang Qi became a thorn in their eyes. From birth, Tang Qi had been raised by Zeng Yuan and raised as a legitimate son.

Today was New Year's Eve, and the people from the Duke's Mansion had packed up early and were preparing to enter the palace. When they arrived at the palace gate, as was customary, they were required to disembark and walk into the palace. Just then, a group of eunuchs carrying a sedan chair approached them, offering to escort Tang Wenshu to the Crown Prince's Mansion for a short gathering. This treatment surprised Tang Wenshu, as she knew that even the old lady of the Duke's Mansion did not have such an honor. Tang Zixin and the others walking ahead were furious when they saw this scene, but since they were in the palace, they did not dare to express their dissatisfaction.

"It's true, she can't live without a man for a moment." Tang Zixin muttered softly, feeling a little disdainful of Tang Wenshu in her heart.

"Be careful with what you say and do!" Wu Yu immediately stopped her softly after hearing her words, and at the same time gave her a sidelong glance, signaling her not to talk too much.

Tang Wenshu, who had already departed, was naturally unaware of this scene. She sat in her sedan chair, observing the scenery with great interest. A young eunuch beside her was happy to explain the palace's affairs to her. He explained that the Empress Dowager often worshipped Buddha at Lingyun Temple and rarely returned to the palace. The highest-ranking official in the harem was the Empress, followed by Imperial Noble Consort, Noble Consort, Virtuous Consort, and Consort Shu.

In the Imperial Garden, sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating dappled shadows. A pure white cat gracefully darted among the trees, nimbly leaping and chasing fluttering butterflies. Tang Wenshu was captivated by the scene and ordered the eunuchs to stop and admire. She whispered, "How adorable!"

The young eunuch turned around, frowning slightly, as if he was a little worried. Then, he told everyone to quicken their pace and continue forward with Tang Wenshu in the sedan chair. Tang Wenshu felt a little puzzled, but didn't ask any more questions.

The young eunuch lowered his voice and explained, "That is the beloved cat of Concubine Shu." Tang Wenshu suddenly realized that this was the case. She secretly sighed in her heart that it was true that the nobler the owner, the nobler the pet, and even the pet was different from others.

They walked through a long corridor and finally arrived at the Prince's residence. The gate was closed, and two guards stood in front of it. The young eunuch stepped forward to announce it, and the guards respectfully opened the gate and let Tang Wenshu and the young eunuch into the mansion.

Upon entering the Prince's Mansion, Tang Wenshu was immediately struck by a solemn and majestic atmosphere. The architecture within, with its magnificent architecture, soaring eaves, brackets, carved beams, and painted rafters, exudes a royal elegance. However, compared to the Imperial Palace, the decor here is much more understated, lacking excessive ornate ornamentation, yet exuding a restrained luxury.

Tang Wenshu walked around and observed her surroundings, filled with curiosity about the mansion. She noticed that the gardens were exquisitely designed, with rockery, flowing water, pavilions and towers arranged in an orderly manner, giving people a sense of tranquility and elegance.

After walking down a quiet path, they arrived at a spacious courtyard. In the center of the courtyard stood an exquisite stone table, surrounded by several comfortable chairs. The young eunuch gestured for Tang Wenshu to rest for a moment before quietly departing.

Tang Wenshu sat on a stone bench, admiring the surrounding beauty. A gentle breeze brought bursts of floral fragrance, bringing a delightful mood. She thought to herself, "This is such a pleasant place! I hope I can spend some quality time here in the future."

Tang Wenshu waited for a moment before she saw someone approaching. It was none other than the Crown Prince, dressed in a bright yellow robe adorned with a golden dragon. A gentle smile spread across her face. "Shushu, what do you think of this place? Do you like it?" She then walked over to Tang Wenshu and sat down next to her.

Tang Wenshu was delighted, but still pretended to be a little aggrieved and said, "I thought you had forgotten me..."

Her Royal Highness the Crown Prince quickly explained, "How could that be? I've been so busy lately that I haven't had time to ask you out. But today I finally have the chance." As she spoke, she took out an exquisite gold hairpin from her bosom, gently inserted it diagonally into Tang Wenshu's hair, and signaled the palace maid to bring a mirror.

Tang Wenshu looked at herself carefully in the mirror. She saw the golden hairpin gleaming brightly, complementing her lovely figure perfectly. She couldn't help but exclaim, "It looks so beautiful! Thank you!"

Afterwards, the Crown Prince took Tang Wenshu on a tour of the Prince's residence. At each location, the Crown Prince carefully asked for Tang Wenshu's opinions and suggestions, then decorated the house to her liking. The two chatted as they walked, the atmosphere harmonious.

Just as they were immersed in joy, a palace maid suddenly rushed in to report: "Your Highness, the head palace maid of the Empress is here to urge you and the young lady to go to the palace banquet as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, His Royal Highness frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing across his face, but he quickly regained his composure. He turned to look at Tang Wenshu and said gently, "It seems we need to hurry over. We can't keep Mother waiting too long."

Tang Wenshu nodded, a flicker of nervousness in her eyes. She knew this palace banquet was of great significance to her, and she had to put on her best self to win everyone's approval and admiration. Most importantly, she couldn't embarrass His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

And so, the Crown Prince and Tang Wenshu boarded their sedan chairs, one behind the other, leaving the place where they had planned their future and heading for the unknown palace banquet. Along the way, both remained silent, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. The Crown Prince felt a sense of apprehension, unsure of what would transpire at the banquet; Tang Wenshu, on the other hand, silently prayed for everything to go smoothly.

Finally, the sedan stopped in front of the palace gate. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince got out first, then offered his hand to help Tang Wenshu down. Together, they walked through the palace gate and toward the banquet hall. Along the way, Tang Wenshu held His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's hand tightly, feeling her warmth and strength.

As they entered the banquet hall, everyone's attention was focused on them. Tang Wenshu took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. She smiled and saluted everyone, displaying an elegant and generous demeanor. The Crown Prince also indicated that there was no need to salute and sat down next to the Queen. Tang Wenshu also took her seat at the Duke's Mansion.