Chapter 178 Princess Taiping Finds Trouble

Wen Li'er met Ye Caiwei's worried gaze, smiled at her, and was about to say a few words to ease the awkward atmosphere.

Suddenly, a sneer broke the harmony in the hall.

Looking up, I saw Princess Taiping beside the Queen Mother, covering her lips with a round fan, her eyes full of scorn.

The Queen Mother glared at her and told her to stop talking nonsense.

But Yan Shishu couldn't bear to see the queen in a depressed mood.

How could her best friend endure being bullied by a concubine?

What’s even more unbearable is that a child born to a concubine dares to compete for the favor of the empress’s legitimate son!

Yan Shishu picked up a piece of cake with the hand that was not holding the fan and took a bite slowly.

He looked at Wen Li'er with a half-smile in his eyes.

"Noble Concubine Wen needs to discipline the eldest prince properly. At such a young age, he's already vying for favor and attention. Could it be..."

Her eyes flickered, and she paused with a hint of meaning. "Is someone deliberately trying to teach me, using the childish behavior to win the Sage's favor?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the whole hall fell silent.

Even the musicians stopped playing, and only the ticking of the bronze clock could be clearly heard.

Wen Li'er looked innocent.

She thought to herself, it's so cold, why are you holding a fan?

Also, if you think this way, then just think this way, but you say it out loud and point fingers at me, what's the meaning?

Wen Li'er didn't remember offending Princess Taiping.

When she first met Princess Taiping, she was being bullied by Princess Taian, and it was Princess Taiping who stepped in to rescue her.

She was quite grateful to Princess Taiping at the time, as she felt that this princess was not as spoiled and overbearing as Princess Taian.

As a result, now...

Princess Tai'an sat quietly in a corner, talking with Prince Cheng and Prince Liang, and it was Princess Taiping who was picking on her...

After all, she is the Empress Dowager's biological daughter, and the Grand Empress Dowager dotes on this princess the most.

Wen Li'er didn't want to be angry with her, but she still had to say a few words for her son.

The owl in my arms seemed to sense something and twisted its little body restlessly.

Wen Li'er gently stroked the child's back, and waited until he calmed down before speaking with a smile.

"Princess, you're joking. The Emperor is the father of all people, and even more so, the prince's loving father. Xiaoxiao is young, and it's natural for him to be close to his biological father. How can there be any talk of competing for favor?"

After she finished speaking, the little owl in her arms seemed to understand and stretched out its little hand in the direction of Yan Shixu.

“Daddy…”

Princess Taiping had not expected that she would refute her in person, and she slammed the fan in her hand on the tea table.

"I'm really shortsighted. Imperial Concubine Wen is usually so gentle, but I didn't expect her to be so articulate. I'd like to ask, why did the Emperor just hug the Second Prince, and the First Prince burst into tears? If he doesn't understand the rules like this and develops a spoiled personality, how will he survive in this palace with its strict rules?"

Wen Li'er lowered her eyes to look at her son, then raised her eyes to look at the princess. After looking at each other several times, her tone became more and more innocent.

"Princess, Xiaoxiao isn't crying non-stop, and her tears haven't even fallen yet..."

Yan Shishu choked and her face turned red with anger.

Wen Li'er continued to explain the facts, "Princess, the Book of Rites says: 'Always look after young children and do not lie to them.' Xiaoxiao is only a year old, how could he understand any rules? Besides, the Emperor has taught him well, and Xiaoxiao has always been well-behaved and lovable. Today, it was merely his instinctive reaction to being close to his father. Princess, there is no need to worry."

Her voice was unhurried, like pearls falling on a plate, and her face was gentle, not as aggressive as Princess Taiping.

For a moment, Princess Taiping seemed a little unreasonable.

Wen Li'er wanted to say a few more words, but suddenly met the emperor's smiling gaze.

The rest of her words got stuck in her throat. She coughed and didn't say anything else.

Everyone in the hall had different expressions. Who didn't know that Princess Taiping was the apple of the eye of the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager's eye?

Even when the late emperor was alive, he loved Princess Taiping very much. Even Yang Guifei, who had been favored for many years, often suffered losses at her hands. Unexpectedly, Concubine Wen dared to contradict her in public.

Yan Shishu's complexion turned from red to white, and then from white to blue. Her nails painted with rouge dug deeply into her palms, and she looked at Wen Li'er with an extremely cold gaze.

Everyone was silent.

Yan Shishu opened her lips and was about to speak again when she heard a joyful chuckle from above.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw the young emperor raise his lips slightly and wave to the eldest prince.

"Xiaoxiao, come to your father."

Wen Li'er hurriedly took the child over.

Yan Shixu held the second prince on his lap with one hand and caught Xiaoxiao with the other.

As soon as Xiaoxiao entered the emperor's arms, he immediately burst into laughter.

The little head rubbed the emperor's chin affectionately, and called out softly: "Daddy..."

After shouting, he stretched out his little hand towards the second prince.

No one thought there was anything wrong. It was normal for children to move around and stretch their arms and legs.

But Wen Li'er was so frightened that she almost fell to her knees.

She prayed in her heart: My dear, now is not the time to use the iron sand palm, please don't slap me...

Yan Shixu's heart also skipped a beat. Seeing his son stretch out his hand, he immediately opened his mouth and gently bit his little hand.

Xiaoxiao thought his father was playing with him, and immediately started giggling.

After his father gave in, he still used his little hands to poke people's mouths.

That little expression seems to be saying: Bite it, bite it again~~~

This scene made everyone's expressions become subtle.

Yan Shishu's expression became increasingly ugly.

Seeing this scene, it is exactly the same as the scene when my father was alive and doted on Yang Guifei's children.

She can't accept it!

"Your Majesty! You are so indulgent..."

"Royal sister." Yan Shixu interrupted Yan Shishu with a warm and gentle smile on his face.

"I remember when my father was alive, my sister was six years old and she would still cling to him and ask for candy. Xiaoxiao is close to me, just like my sister is close to my father. There is no need to judge by rules."

Yan Shishu fell silent immediately, leaving only her beautiful eyes filled with resentment and anger.

She is the legitimate daughter of the Queen! How can a bastard compare to her?!

The Buddhist beads in the Empress Dowager's hand made a slight "click" sound.

She looked at Yan Shishu deeply, with some disappointment in her eyes.

After being looked at like this by her, Yan Shishu didn't dare to speak again.

The Empress Dowager cast a loving glance over the two princes and said with a smile, "I see that both princes are close to the Emperor. Dayan governs the country with filial piety, and the Emperor sets an example of father-son affection, which is a blessing for the country."

Everyone echoed in agreement, and the sound of music and singing filled the hall again.