"Remove this presumptuous fellow at once," Xue Qinghe declared without mercy.
A squad of soldiers promptly arrived to escort away the pale-faced young man.
Xue Qinghe quickly approached Shen An, her warm smile returning. "My apologies for that, Shen An. Let me show you around while we talk."
"Of course! It's been too long since I last saw you, Brother Xue. I've missed you dearly," Shen An replied with equal cheer. He was more than willing—accompanying Xue Qinghe would undoubtedly garner more attention. Anything that helped boost his fame points was worth doing.
Tom tugged at Shen An's pant leg, pointing eagerly at the nearby banquet table laden with delicacies, his drool nearly pooling on the floor.
"Brother Xue, is the food here free for the taking?" Shen An immediately understood Tom's meaning and turned to ask Xue Qinghe.
Xue Qinghe chuckled. "Naturally, everything here is for enjoyment. Let them go ahead."
Upon receiving permission, Tom and Jerry's eyes sparkled with excitement. They promptly tied napkins around their necks, grabbed forks and knives, and looked ready to pounce.
A sudden foreboding struck Shen An. "Hey, you two—eat all you want, but show some restraint. Don't clean everything out."
"Shen An, you worry too much," Xue Qinghe laughed heartily. "There's always surplus at these feasts—running out of food has never happened. Let them eat their fill—I insist."
She found the idea amusing. Tom and Jerry were so tiny—how much could they possibly eat? Besides, many dishes contained spirit beast meat, packed with dense energy. Even ordinary soul masters would feel full after just a few bites.
"Wait—" Before Shen An could finish, Tom and Jerry had already scrambled onto the table and begun devouring everything in sight.
Shen An shot Xue Qinghe a pitying look. He was certain he would regret this.
Having never witnessed Tom and Jerry's eating capabilities, Xue Qinghe had no idea what horrors they were capable of.
Xue Qinghe even began commenting cheerfully, "Haha, Shen An, Tom is hilarious! He swallowed a cake bigger than himself in one gulp, and now his head's turned into a cake!"
"...Wait, holy—how are they eating so fast?!"
His expression suddenly went blank. The ever-gentle Xue Qinghe had actually cursed aloud.
And he wasn't the only one. All the nobles scattered around, engaged in conversation, now stared dumbfounded at the two little gluttons.
For two full minutes, the entire hall fell into silence as everyone watched Tom and Jerry feast.
Starting from opposite ends of the long banquet tables, Tom and Jerry opened their tiny mouths and proceeded to vacuum up everything in their path—fruits, vegetables, meats, fish—all disappearing into their bottomless stomachs without so much as a change in their figures. Finally seated at the tables' ends, they daintily wiped their mouths with napkins.
Xue Qinghe suddenly felt incredibly foolish. Of course Tom and Jerry—who could nullify her soul bone skills—wouldn't be ordinary cat and mouse!
Expressionless, she snapped her fingers. A servant immediately approached. "Have the kitchens prepare another full spread immediately. For now, bring out whatever fruits and light dishes you can as stopgaps."
This annual Grand Noble Banquet was hosted by the imperial family as a display of prestige. As this year's organizer, any mishap would reflect poorly on the royal house.
"Ahem. Tom, Jerry, come back now," Shen An called out awkwardly.
The duo blinked their large, innocent eyes at Xue Qinghe as if to say, "You told us we could eat."
Xue Qinghe forced a smile. "It's fine. I've already ordered more food. If you're still hungry... well, I'll treat you two separately next time."
Under their hopeful gazes, she couldn't bring herself to repeat her earlier invitation—the kitchens might actually collapse from exhaustion.
As Xue Qinghe guided Shen An through the expansive banquet grounds—more akin to a small garden than a mere party—she explained, "Truthfully, there's not much to say. It's like any other gathering, just restricted to nobility."
"There will be performances. In previous years, Aunt Yuehua's musical pieces were the highlight. But with Tom and Jerry here, this year's event should be even more spectacular."
"Then what's the purpose of this banquet?" Shen An asked curiously.
Xue Qinghe smiled wryly. "To demonstrate the imperial family's strength. Young representatives from noble houses and major factions across the Empire will challenge the royal faction—after all, youth represent the Empire's future."
"If the royal family fails to withstand these challenges or avoids confrontation, it would be seen as weakness."
Shen An's interest piqued. A stage for various challengers? He was perfect for this.
Just as expected, Xue Qinghe continued, "So Shen An, I must ask you to represent the Heaven Dou imperial family in these matches."
"With the Empire already unstable, I hope you can help preserve the royal house's dignity."
Shen An immediately agreed. "Consider it done."
Xue Qinghe looked genuinely moved. She'd expected his compliance, but not such immediate enthusiasm.
Meanwhile, Shen An was inwardly ecstatic. After Tom and Jerry's spectacle today, plus his own performance, his fame points would skyrocket beyond imagination!
As their conversation continued, a melodious voice interrupted.
"Shen An! You're here too! What a coincidence!"
Before Shen An could react, Xue Qinghe shot an annoyed glance toward the speaker—who dared interrupt their talk?
Her displeasure only deepened upon seeing the newcomers: Shui Yue'er and Shui Bing'er.
Shui Bing'er was tolerable—she showed no particular interest in Shen An. But Shui Yue'er? At the last exchange meet, she'd practically been ready to devour Shen An on the spot.
Xue Qinghe now gazed at Shen An with the resentful air of a jealous lover.
"Oh, it's you two. What a coincidence indeed," Shen An replied.
"Yes yes! We're so fated to meet!" Shui Yue'er chirped. "This banquet is boring anyway. Shen An, let's go eat somewhere else!"
Shen An was momentarily speechless. Such bold enthusiasm left him at a loss.
Xue Qinghe's temper flared. "Isn't it rather inappropriate to say such things in my presence? Especially when I'm the host?"
Only then did Shui Yue'er notice Xue Qinghe. With an adorable pout, she stuck out her tongue playfully—a move that would melt most men's hearts.
But Xue Qinghe remained utterly unaffected. If anything, she found Shui Yueeer's cutesy act disgustingly artificial. How fake could one be?
"My apologies, Your Highness. My sister misspoke," the previously silent Shui Bing'er interjected smoothly.
Despite being younger, she carried herself with far more maturity than her sister—the very reason why, at the Shui Clan Academy, even older girls addressed her as "Big Sister."