"Your Majesty, I cannot tell. I am only ten years old and have not yet received any formal education."

The last sentence is pure nonsense.

"You... alright, since you say it's a dragon, then send it to the warehouse."

The Emperor spoke, and Eunuch Cao immediately arranged for people to move it to the storeroom.

When everyone returned to the main hall, someone reported that Fengcheng had now returned to normal and there was no trace of the flood.

The Emperor was pleased again. This time, he gave Ji Yingying a special glare, afraid that she might say something outrageous that would anger him.

[Xiangxiang, have some melon seeds. Why don't you open a melon seed about the emperor?]

[Okay, last night the Emperor went to the Empress's palace but was turned away.]

Why? Could it be that this old man is trying to force the Empress to do something she doesn't want to do?

No, it's because he was too noisy. He kept cursing and swearing in the Empress's ear. The Empress has been busy these past few days, and with him constantly making a fuss, she kicked him out. The Emperor, not wanting to lose face, did so.

[Did he do something shady? Hehe~] Ji Yingying laughed in a lewd way, seemingly overjoyed to have gotten gossip about her boss.

[Yes, he told the public that the Empress had angered him and ordered her confinement. Then, half an hour later, he and Eunuch Cao brought a plate of pastries to the table, claiming it was a gift from the Empress. And just like that, a confinement that hadn't even begun ended.]

Oh my, he's so shameless.

Ji Yingying was secretly overjoyed. Not only him, but all the ministers were trembling slightly. This emperor was truly amusing; he could even act!

Even the crown prince lowered his head and trembled.

The emperor, as the person directly involved, clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth, repeatedly thinking to himself: This ancestor is still useful, still useful, he can't be killed, he can't be killed!

He endured the hardship, but Ji Yingying ate happily. She even asked Xiangxiang, "Xiangxiang, have some more melon, it's the Emperor's, he's so funny."

[Yes, when he was little, he liked to compete with others to see who could pee the highest. Once, during a competition, he was so eager that he pooped along with the pee, and the stench spread for miles around. Not only that, he also accidentally peed on his younger sister's mouth, and then his mother chased him and beat him for two miles.]

Good grief, what a troublemaker!

"Ha..." Suddenly someone accidentally let out a sound, and immediately someone knelt down: "Your Majesty, I remember now, my sow is about to give birth, I request leave to go back and take a look."

"My mother has also given birth, and I request leave to go back and see her."

I can't listen anymore, I can't listen anymore! This isn't just about being beheaded anymore, I can't hold it in any longer.

Your Majesty... you're such a mischievous little devil!

"This works?" Ji Yingying whispered, then knelt down with a thud before the third person could: [Ouch~ I was careless, my knees!]

He quickly got into position and said, "Your Majesty, my mother... is ill, and I must go back to see her."

"Minister Ji..." the Emperor called out to Ji Cailiang. The next second, Ji Cailiang stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty, I know what to do."

What did Dad do? How does he know I took leave?

The next second, Ji Yingying saw her father roll up his sleeves and walk in her direction.

She knew Ji Cailiang all too well, and ignoring the pain in her knees, she got up and ran to the side.

"Dad, I didn't, I didn't! I just wanted to sleep, Dad, please let me go, ah... no~."

Ji Yingying couldn't outrun her father and was eventually caught by Ji Cailiang, who then proceeded to beat her. The Emperor was pleased and even had Eunuch Cao bring him a cup of tea, which he drank happily while watching Ji Yingying get beaten.

Then... news spread that Lord Ji was chased and beaten by his own father in the Hall of Diligent Governance for asking for leave from court.

It circulated in both the imperial harem and the streets.

The morning court session ended, and Ji Yingying walked out of the Hall of Diligent Governance with a limp. Her eyes held not hatred, but rather a carefree, arrogant, and disdainful air.

After she walked out, the ministers behind her couldn't help but gossip, saying, "Young Master Ji is so steady-minded. This girl is no less capable than any of you. She has such a temperament at such a young age. I'm afraid she will be even more so in the future."

"Yes, we are ashamed, Lord Ji, you really know how to raise children."

Ji Cailiang sighed. Raising two sons didn't take much effort, but raising this girl... he wept every night, fearing that one day she might offend someone she shouldn't have because of him.

"Father, I can't walk anymore." Ji Yingying returned and looked at Ji Cailiang at the door.

Actually, she was halfway there when she suddenly realized she shouldn't just walk like that. She should at least let her dad carry her, since he had already given her a beating.

"They're here."

What are these people talking about?

[You're probably asking your dad for advice, after all, he raised you very well.]

"Of course! Who else is as powerful as me? I became an official at the age of ten, and not just a minor official, but a fifth-rank official, someone who could meet the emperor."

[However, what business do I have with my dad? They want to learn from my experience in teaching their child, so they asked me, but I'm a teacher, after all.]

[Host, someone asked you, what did you say?]

[Of course, it means: give them a beating! What kid doesn't get a beating? If they don't listen after one beating, then give them two. "Spare the rod and spoil the child." If they don't listen, then see how thick the rod is. Look at my father, in the Hall of Diligent Governance, he beat me in front of the Emperor! Did the Emperor say anything? He doesn't care about his subjects at all, and he's still drinking tea and enjoying himself.]

I'll curse this kind of boss to death sooner or later.

Ji Cailiang took the person away directly.

As for those still in the main hall, they were all stunned, and then suddenly realized what was going on.

On that day, many mansions echoed with heart-wrenching cries, so loud that even passing dogs dared not approach, fearing they would be the next victim.

...

Mu Kaiji was accompanying An Yi as she wrote the storybook; it would be more accurate to say he was supervising the work.

An Yi wrote diligently, while Mu Kaiji drank his tea attentively. His health had improved considerably thanks to the medicine prescribed by Ji Yingying.

"You're back?"

"Hmm, oh dear." Ji Yingying sat down and poured herself a cup of tea.

"You...you got into a fight?"

"Hmm." Ji Yingying took a sip of her drink, then heard him ask, "You've never hit someone before?"

"Heh, I can't even fight back."

"Why?"

"My dad, of course. I wanted to ask for leave from the morning court session. Everyone else can ask for leave to go back and take care of pigs that have given birth. An octogenarian is having a baby, so why can't I come back to take care of my mom? And then... I got beaten up."

Mu Kaiji couldn't help but laugh. She must have been gossiping about something that made her want to laugh, and then she asked for leave to go out. She even wanted to ask for leave.

"What reason do you have for serving your mother?"

There's no reason.

"Of course I won't tell you the reason I used my old students to deal with me." Ji Yingying took a sip of tea to hide her embarrassed expression.