Chapter 262 Double Reward

The news that Qiao Muyang had been detained in the Ministry of Justice's death row reached Su Junyao's ears in less than an hour.

He remained silent when he heard the news. He had only one question in his mind: judging from Qiu Qiu's thoughts, Qiao Muyang should be the protagonist of their world. Now that he is dead, will this world collapse or will his whole family escape the deadly situation?

He looked up at the sky, which was clear and bright; it must be the second possibility.

"My lord, someone from the palace has arrived."

Su Junyao got up to go out and happened to run into Yun Jinglan who was walking towards him. He was taken aback. "Madam, are you going to receive the imperial decree together?"

Yun Jinglan said, "The Empress has sent someone."

Coincidentally, Su Junyao received word that it was Eunuch Liu, who served His Majesty, who personally came to the mansion.

Both Eunuch Liu and Granny Cui, who served the Empress, stood waiting for the couple's arrival. However, Eunuch Liu, holding the bright yellow imperial edict, appeared even more imposing, while Granny Cui still seemed to be in a daze, as if in a dream.

"Lord Su, please accept the imperial decree."

Su Junyao led his entire family to kneel down and receive the imperial decree. He wondered to himself how the emperor and empress could issue such a decree at the same time when everyone in his family had been behaving themselves.

Oh right! Where's Chiu Chiu?

Su Junyao then realized that neither Qiuqiu nor Shisan, who had gone to the Zhao family for their early education, had returned!

If nothing unexpected happens, then something must have gone wrong with Chuchu...

Su Junyao and Yun Jinglan felt a sudden darkness before their eyes and a chill run down their necks.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Su Yu, daughter of the Marquis of Wenyang, is gentle, virtuous, intelligent, and quick-witted, which greatly pleases me. She is hereby conferred the title of Princess of Fushun County, and granted a fief of three hundred households and ten thousand taels of gold. This is the imperial decree!"

Eunuch Liu handed the imperial edict to Su Junyao, "Lord Su, why don't you accept the edict on behalf of our Lady Fushun?"

"Your subject Su Junyao receives the imperial decree." Su Junyao accepted the decree with a blank expression.

The Su family, like Granny Cui, felt as if they were dreaming. How could Qiuqiu have become a county princess after just one trip? Before they could even react, Granny Cui delivered another imperial edict from the Empress.

"Lord Su, Lady Su, this old servant conveys the Empress's decree to reward Princess Fushun with one hundred taels of gold, three thousand taels of silver, and a pair of jade pendants with double carp and lotus patterns."

Granny Cui only regretted that she was now old and slow, and the Empress's reward seemed somewhat coveted in front of His Majesty.

"Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness and Your Majesty the Empress for your generous gift."

Yun Jinglan slipped some silver to the two men, saying, "Thank you, Eunuch and Granny, for making this special trip. I wonder what my little chick..."

Granny Cui: "Madam, please rest assured, Miss Qiuqiu and Miss Diandian are both in the Empress's palace. This old servant has already sent someone to inform the Lu family. The Empress and Princess Funing like the two young ladies and wish to have them stay in the palace for a few more days. I wonder if Madam would agree?"

How could Yun Jinglan possibly disagree? She quickly agreed, "It is my honor to be favored by Her Majesty the Empress."

What's wrong with my daughter staying in the palace for a few days after receiving so many rewards! When she goes out in the future, people won't say whose daughter Qiuqiu is anymore, they'll just call her County Princess, what an honor!

However, there are also some worrying things, such as the fear that this little brat might become arrogant and conceited in the future.

Eunuch Liu and Su Junyao still had things to discuss, so the two went directly to the study. Granny Cui took away the little fish doll that Qiuqiu wanted to sleep with that night.

Now that there were no outsiders around, Su Xiucheng suddenly asked, "Mother, who is Su Yuhe?"

"Your sister." Qiuqiu's formal name was given to her by a master at Huguo Temple after the family donated money for incense offerings. However, it was a tongue twister and difficult to remember, and the two characters "Qiuqiu" were much cuter. Few people called her that anymore, and it still feels unfamiliar to her now.

Su Xiucheng pretended to be deep in thought, then exclaimed in surprise, "Chiu Chiu has become a county princess?"

While his sister's success brought him joy, his own failure left Su Xiucheng feeling depressed.

"When will I be as amazing as Chuchu?"

Su Jingwen comforted his younger brother: "When you can get first place in the academy."

Su Xiucheng's eyes were filled with tears: "Mother, what do you think about me becoming a good-for-nothing playboy?"

Yun Jinglan was furious. She grabbed her youngest son's ear and warned him, "Chiu Chiu became a county princess on her first day of school. What lesson does that teach you?"

Su Xiucheng: "Should I go to school with Qiuqiu tomorrow?"

Yun Jinglan tapped his forehead, utterly exasperated: "Stupid! You'd rather die than not study!"

Su Xiucheng wept bitterly, thinking it would have been better if he had just died.

"I hate reading!"

Little did Qiuqiu know that she was about to spark a reading craze in the capital. Right now, she was staring at the Crown Prince in the Empress's palace.

The prince looked at the slightly reserved little girl in front of him with great interest, poking her chubby cheeks. "Why are you always so nervous when you see me?"

How could Chiu Chiu not be nervous? Her first real-life experience of the idea that the more beautiful something is, the more poisonous it is, came from the Crown Prince. She now fully understands that this handsome older brother is nothing short of a beautiful man-eating flower!

Chirp wiggled her bottom, trying to move back. The prince, not minding her childishness, squatted in front of her. Every time she moved back a little, he would move forward a little.

Chiu Chiu raised her hand and pressed it against the prince's jade-like face. [Man, you're crossing the line.]

Lu nudged Princess Fu Ning, then waved his paw, "Go!"

Saving Chiu Chiu is Funing's responsibility!

Fu Ning has recently learned to roll her eyes at people. She glared at Lu Diandian and quickly moved on. Don't underestimate her; she's also afraid of her eldest brother.

The Crown Prince pretended not to notice the children's disdain for him and surrounded Qiuqiu, asking, "How did you get the Imperial Advisor to like you? Or should I ask you how you got everyone to like you?"

Chiu Chiu shook her head; she was the first to disagree. She wasn't money; how could she possibly be liked by everyone? Even money has people who see it as dirt!

Third, dislike.

Crown Prince: "You mean your third brother doesn't like you? That makes sense. He was supposed to be made a prince this year, but your father impeached him and he's now distributing porridge outside the city. No wonder he doesn't like you."

Chirp snorted and turned her head away, not wanting to acknowledge the Crown Prince. The reason the Third Prince disliked her wasn't because she was his!

How can someone who is not kind to small animals be expected to be kind to the people in the future?

When Fu Ning heard her elder brother, the Crown Prince, mention the Third Prince, her short eyebrows furrowed and her little face twisted into a grimace: "Third Brother, you're a bad guy!"

Lu Diandian looked at this one, then at that one, and, adhering to the life motto of "friends for life," she emphatically chimed in, "Third Prince, you're bad!"

The Crown Prince was stunned. Although his third brother's personality was somewhat fickle and sometimes difficult to understand, he hadn't expected him to be so unpopular among the children. In his memory, his third brother was still just a chubby little boy from childhood.

"Do you have some misunderstanding about the Third Prince?"

Only then did Qiuqiu realize just how strong the Crown Prince's bias was towards the Third Prince!

"No, it's just... naughty!" Chuchu clapped her little hands loudly, feeling a chill run down her spine at the thought of the Third Prince's sinister appearance. "Naughty! Naughty!"

[Naughty wrestling, dog eats!]

The Crown Prince was trying to clear up the misunderstanding between the babies and his third brother when a flustered eunuch rushed in: "Your Highness, something terrible has happened! The Third Prince has fallen in front of the palace and his face is covered in blood!"