"Soy-braised duck?" The Empress Dowager never expected this. Looking at the little boy's eager expression, she thought he wanted something extraordinary.

Upon hearing this request, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but laugh. She immediately thought of how Xuandi had gone to such lengths to please her yesterday, trying to win her over and pleading with her not to badmouth him to his father.

The Empress Dowager smiled and lowered her head, meeting the bright, dark eyes of the little baby in her arms. The eyes seemed to reflect a sky full of stars, sparkling with expectation. The Empress Dowager's heart softened immediately, and there was no reason not to agree.

"good……"

"no!"

The Empress Dowager had barely opened her mouth, before she could even finish the first word, when the young man beside her forcefully interrupted her.

Emperor Chongjin was originally going to ask what kind of person was "auspicious and blessed," but the Empress Dowager seemed not to care and started coaxing the little dumpling to give him a reward.

Hearing her son bypass his grandmother and directly contradict the Empress Dowager, she glared at him sternly.

However, before Emperor Chongjin could speak, Huo Chengche explained to the Empress Dowager, who was frowning, "Grandmother, Niannian ate braised duck at noon, and even ate an extra piece. If she eats it again for dinner, she will definitely cough tomorrow, and her voice may even become so hoarse that she can't speak."

As he spoke, Huo Chengche glanced at Zhuang You.

Seeing this, Zhuangyou quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, that's right! You mustn't indulge the little princess!"

The moment she heard the little boy's tender "soy sauce duck," her eyelids twitched, and she knew something was wrong. Fortunately, the Crown Prince, who at least had some principles, stopped the Empress Dowager in time.

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager suddenly realized that she had forgotten about it for a moment. She nodded and said, "Yes, yes, yes, if Che'er hadn't reminded me, I would have forgotten about it."

Seeing this, Emperor Chongjin could only swallow the reprimand that was on the tip of his tongue, and looked at his son with great surprise—wasn't this kid always disliked the younger siblings in the palace? How come he knows so much about the little boy's affairs in just a day or two?

He didn't even know.

Emperor Chongjin sat to the side, and couldn't help but feel that he couldn't get a word in edgewise. Looking at the three of them, grandfather, grandfather, and grandson, who were having a "happy time" together, he suddenly felt very frustrated. Why did he feel like he was all alone again?

Emperor Chongjin's face darkened, and he reached out and snatched the soft little baby from the Empress Dowager's arms.

Meeting the surprised looks from the Empress Dowager and her son, Emperor Chongjin coughed lightly and said calmly, "Mother, don't tire yourself out. Give it to me."

As he spoke, he preemptively glared at Huo Chengche, "And you, why don't you know how to share the burden of your grandmother? Even though Niannian is small, she can't be held by your grandmother all the time!"

Huo Chengche: ...?

The Empress Dowager looked at her son, who had suddenly gone mad, and frowned in confusion. The soft little dumpling in her arms had suddenly disappeared, and for a moment she felt an emptiness in her arms.

At that moment, she caught a glimpse of her grandson's bewildered and innocent expression out of the corner of her eye. Instantly, a surge of anger rose within her, her face darkened, and she snorted coldly, "What, is this how the Emperor shares my burdens—by allowing the Crown Prince, who has just recovered from a serious illness, to leave the palace and make me worry?"

Emperor Chongjin choked and coughed.

The little baby in my arms is only thinking about her braised duck right now; she didn't even get enough of it at lunchtime.

The little one, held in Chongjindi's arms, immediately brightened up, her eyes sparkling. She happily jumped into his embrace, tilted her head back, blinked her bright, dark eyes, and asked in a sweet, childish voice, "Is Godfather going to take Niannian to eat braised duck? Godfather is the best! Niannian knows that Godfather loves Niannian the most!"