Su Xuening was somewhat shocked: "Doesn't Xiaobao want to drink the milk from other wet nurses?"

What could be the reason for this?

Duanmu Junyu also felt sorry for Xiaobao: "That's right, he refused to nurse for a whole day and night. The wet nurses tried everything, but nothing worked. Xiaobao kept crying and fussing. In the end, I had no choice but to have someone bring over a ewe, and he finally agreed to eat a couple of bites. However, he hasn't been eating much these past few days."

Even with goat's milk, the little guy barely eats it; he'll probably only take a couple of sips when he's really hungry.

Then Duanmu Junyu analyzed the reason: "It's probably because you fed him yourself before, and Xiao Bao recognizes your scent, so he won't drink milk that smells like other wet nurses. Hurry up and feed him milk."

"Let's go out first." Pei Luo tactfully led Su Yun'an out.

After they left, Su Xuening took off her clothes to breastfeed Xiaobao.

As soon as he touched his bowl, Xiao Bao immediately began to suckle with all his might.

Su Xuening touched Xiao Bao's face with heartache. She guessed that he hadn't been eating well these past few days, and the once chubby little guy had lost a lot of weight.

Perhaps sensing Su Xuening's distress, Duanmu Junyu advised, "Children are easy to raise; they'll recover in a few days."

Su Xuening nodded, relieved that she hadn't let her milk dry up.

Xiao Bao must have been really hungry. This time, he drank all of Su Xuening's milk from both breasts before finally stopping, completely satisfied.

While the baby was drinking milk, Duanmu Junyu asked about the situation in Dongchu: "Now that the matter in Dongchu has been resolved, is your husband going to succeed to the throne of Dongchu?"

Su Xuening nodded: "Yes. He himself has an army of 300,000, and with the support of his father's military seal, none of the Emperor's princes are his match. Moreover, after the Emperor's puppet curse was lifted, he also dealt with several princes. Now, apart from the eldest prince being demoted, the second prince has been exiled for treason, and the third prince has been torn apart by five horses for plotting against the Emperor. Therefore, the Emperor has also recognized Xuan Yuanzhan and made him the Crown Prince of Eastern Chu."

Duanmu Junyu understood. Now that she had regained her memories, she knew that among those princes, only the second and third princes could compete for the throne. The eldest prince was useless and had no chance of winning the throne.

Now that the Second Prince has been exiled, the Third Prince has been killed, and the useless First Prince has been demoted, there is indeed no one left to compete with Xuanyuan Zhan for the throne.

As if remembering something, Duanmu Junyu asked again, "Is there any progress on your father's matter?"

"Not yet." Su Xuening shook her head and recounted Su Yun'an's nighttime meeting with Li Jinyuan and the others at the Huangli military camp: "Those three are all old foxes. Yun'an didn't get anything out of them this time, but he said he already has a plan, so we can only wait for the next opportunity."

Duanmu Junyu fell silent, somewhat wistful.

Perhaps recognizing Su Xuening's scent, after finishing his milk, Xiao Bao snuggled against Su Xuening and fell into a deep sleep.

Su Xuening gently wiped the milk from Xiaobao's lips, then leaned down and kissed his forehead. She took the swaddle from the bed and wrapped Xiaobao in it: "Mother, the Emperor's condition in Dongchu is not good. I have to take Xiaobao back quickly."

Duanmu Junyu snapped out of her reverie and, as if having made up her mind, said, "I'll go back to Dongchu with you."

"You're going to Dongchu too?" Su Xuening was stunned. She guessed that it was because of her father's matter. Going to Dongchu was fine, but... "Can you leave Xiliang?"

She just purged Duanmu Shenghua and took over the Xiliang regime and military power. Now that she's leaving, who knows what trouble it might cause.

Duanmu Junyu didn't care: "Now that Duanmu Shenghua is dead, the only person in Xiliang who opposed me is gone. The remaining people can't cause any trouble! Besides, with the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast around, who can go against the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast!"

As long as the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast remains the guardian beast of Western Liang, the throne of Western Liang can only belong to her and Ning'er, because the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast only recognizes her and Ning'er.

Since Duanmu Junyu had said so, Su Xuening naturally wouldn't stop her from returning to Dongchu: "Then is there anything else you need to explain to the ministers?"

"Give me the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and I will immediately summon a few key officials to give me some instructions."

Before Su Xuening could speak, Duanmu Junyu hurriedly sent Jinzhu to deliver the imperial decree, while she herself went to the imperial study to meet with the ministers.

Su Yun'an was somewhat surprised to hear that his mother was going back to Dongchu with them: "Mother is going back to Dongchu too? But can she leave Xiliang?"

“My mother said it’s nothing. I guess she wants to go back to Dongchu because of my father,” Su Xuening explained.

Upon hearing this, Su Yun'an immediately felt guilty: "It's my fault for being useless and failing to find out my father's whereabouts."

Su Xuening rubbed his head to comfort him, "Who said we Yun'an are useless? We Yun'an have a way. I believe you will be able to find out where Father is next time."

Su Xuening's words of comfort made Su Yun'an smile, and he promised, "I'll definitely be able to do it next time."

"What are you saying?" Duanmu Junyu returned after the siblings had only been talking for a short while.

"Have you explained everything?" Su Xuening didn't explain anything, she just asked.

"Alright, let's go."

This time, Duanmu Junyu not only went back with Su Xuening and the others, but also brought Jinzhu with her.

The group rode together on the Vermilion Bird divine beast and returned to Eastern Chu.

Meanwhile, in Dongchu, Xuanyuan Peng's condition worsened as night fell.

Bai kept calling to him from beside him: "Xuanyuan Peng, don't sleep. Aren't you waiting for Xiaobao to come back? Xiaobao will be back soon. Just hang in there a little longer."

“Xiao Bao…” Xuan Yuanpeng murmured, as if Xiao Bao was the only motivation for him to keep going.

Xuanyuan Zhan and Zong Jiu were also by Xuanyuan Peng's side. Seeing that Xuanyuan Peng was not in good condition, Xuanyuan Zhan frowned and said, "Go and call Xuanyuan Duo and Xuanyuan Zhi here."

He's in bad shape now. Even though Xuanyuan Duo and Xuanyuan Zhi did wrong, he'll probably want to see them again before he dies.

"This old servant will go and deliver the imperial decree immediately." Zong Jiu wiped away his tears and went out.

Soon, Xuanyuan Duo arrived, and Xuanyuan Zhi was also brought over from the prison by the jailers.

Xuan Yuanzhan frowned as he looked at the handcuffs and shackles on Xuan Yuanzhi's body and then at the jailers: "Untie them for him."

"Yes." The two responded and stepped forward together to unlock Xuan Yuanzhi's handcuffs and shackles.

Xuanyuan Zhan gestured with his chin toward the two of them: "He's dying, you should go see him."

Upon hearing that Xuanyuan Peng was on the verge of death, the two finally panicked and rushed into the main hall together.

"Father." Seeing Xuanyuan Peng lying on the bed, his life hanging by a thread, the two men's eyes instantly reddened.

They used to think they didn't care about their father at all, but now that things have really come to this, they realize how important their father is to them!