Chapter 112

Ye Yan looked up and saw a miniature version of Qin Su a dozen steps away.

Although he was mentally prepared and guessed that Qin Su might also have shrunk, he was still dumbfounded. He opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything for a long time.

On the one hand, Qin Su's appearance was too sudden. He was struggling with the limitations of information in ancient times and didn't know where to start. The person he had been longing for appeared in front of him, and the surprise was too overwhelming. On the other hand, the three-headed little Qin Su was just too cute.

Qin Su's beauty has always been undeniable. She is the kind of beauty that would dazzle you upon close contact, possessing a radiant glow that seems almost tangible. Wherever she stands, the light in that area is half-brighter.

No one would associate her with cuteness, and no one would have imagined that Qin Su had chubby cheeks and short legs when she was a child.

Ye Yan sat there stunned for a full minute, staring at Qin Su without blinking.

The palace servants nearby saw that the young master was standing there blankly, not knowing how to respond to the princess, and wanted to remind him, but Qin Su raised her hand to stop them.

Qin Su moved closer and stood about four or five steps away from Ye Yan to observe him.

Upon meeting him in person, she felt he looked very familiar, and the feeling that had been lingering in her mind for the past few days—"I feel like I've forgotten something"—became even more pronounced.

She thought for a moment and asked Ye Yan, "The way you look at me is strange. Do you know me?"

Ye Yan barely came to his senses, and was stunned again by the question.

His first reaction was that Qin Su was acting again, but when he met Qin Su's eyes, his heart sank.

Those clear, bright eyes, that pure emotion... it doesn't seem like acting.

Qin Su never sees people that way.

But Ye Yan still held onto a sliver of hope and tentatively asked, "You... Princess, don't you remember me?"

Qin Su glanced at him, then turned to look at Qingmei.

She could tell that Ye Yan's behavior was very genuine, as if he really knew her, but she had no recollection of him at all.

Qingmei had been following her the whole time, so if she had seen Ye Yan, Qingmei would definitely know.

Qingmei looked at Ye Yan carefully and shook her head, saying, "Your Highness has never seen this person before."

Qin Su was Emperor Jingxi's most beloved daughter. She grew up surrounded by servants and was always accompanied by palace attendants wherever she went. Even people inside the palace might not be able to get close enough to talk to her, let alone children outside the palace.

Logically and emotionally, she couldn't have had any contact with Ye Yan.

Qin Su understood this principle, but she also trusted her instincts.

However, since this matter was completely unfounded and seemed suspicious, she refrained from bringing it up again.

At this moment, Ye Yan also realized that he was still in the palace of ancient feudal society. Qin Su was a princess and he was a subject. There were a lot of eyes watching them, so it was not the time to speak.

He suppressed his doubts, stood up, and bowed to Qin Su, saying, "Your subject Ye Yan greets Princess Zhaoyang."

Qin Su's title is Zhaoyang. Only Emperor Jingxi can call her by her given name. Palace servants and outsiders should refer to her by her title.

The audience system in Dayu was not strict. Apart from the imperial court, formal etiquette was not required. Men could bow and clasp their hands, and women could squat down while lifting their skirts. This was considered proper etiquette.

Qin Su hummed in agreement and opened her arms to Qingmei beside her. Qingmei tacitly picked her up and placed her on the chair next to Ye Yan.

Ye Yan's eyes flickered as he glanced discreetly at Qin Su's legs and the chair, a thought flashing through his mind: It's a pity there are no cameras in this world.

"Father said he summoned you to the palace to play with me, so what games can you play?" Qin Su, unaware that her short legs had caught Ye Yan's attention, asked seriously.

Before entering the palace, Ye Yan had not expected that Qin Su was the legendary Princess Zhaoyang. So he was thinking about making himself unlikable in order to get rid of this task. He was completely unprepared. If he answered that he was practicing horseback riding and swordsmanship, he would probably not be able to play with her. In desperation, he could only say, "I can play chess."

He regretted it as soon as he said it; what child his age would like to play chess?

However, denying it at this point would be inappropriate, so he added, "It's a very novel way to play, and I learned it by accident."

Qin Su asked curiously, "A novel way to play? How do you play it?"

Ye Yan asked a palace servant to bring over the Go set, set it up one by one, and said, "This is called Gomoku."

He demonstrated it to Qin Su once, and Qin Su immediately understood it and played two rounds with him.

Qin Su was having a great time, but Ye Yan was somewhat lost in thought while playing with her.

Before entering the palace, the people from the General of the State's mansion specifically told Ye Yan about Princess Zhaoyang in the palace.

The princess was born to the late empress and was the legitimate eldest princess. She was personally raised by Emperor Jingxi and was deeply favored. She was exceptionally intelligent and, despite her young age, she was not to be underestimated. She often made surprising remarks and had an unusually bold personality.

At the beginning of this year, Xun Ziqi, a high-ranking official, had a dispute with the emperor in the imperial study. The emperor was furious and wanted to drag him out and execute him. Princess Zhaoyang, who was practicing calligraphy nearby, calmly said, "Wait a minute." Then she took a pair of scissors and cut off Xun Ziqi's beard. She said to Emperor Jingxi, "Father, in ancient times, people cut off their hair to replace their heads. I see that Lord Xun cherishes his beard so much that it must be as important as his hair. Why don't we let his beard replace his head?"

Xun Ziqi was thus spared from death.

There are very few people who dare to interfere when the emperor is angry and even make him retract his order, which shows the high status of Princess Zhaoyang.

There were even rumors that Emperor Jingxi would let Princess Zhaoyang choose the best items presented to the palace first, and only what was left would be given to him and others.

Before Ye Yan knew that Qin Su was Zhao Yang, he could only sigh inwardly at how favored this princess was.

Treatment and such were secondary; what was most astonishing was that she could actually enter and leave the Imperial Study and stay by the side when the Emperor and his important ministers were talking.

Throughout history, princes and princesses who received this kind of treatment were all quite formidable.

Therefore, before entering the palace, Ye Yan decided to stay away from Princess Zhaoyang as soon as possible to avoid future troubles. Unexpectedly, Princess Zhaoyang was Qin Su, and Ye Yan's thoughts were immediately overturned.

The most favored princess? Isn't that to be expected? How could anyone in this world not like Su Su?

Trouble? Not at all. He will do his best to support whatever Qin Su wants to do.

And Ye Yan began to genuinely feel sorry for Qin Su.

Given the material conditions and production levels in ancient times, let alone televisions, mobile phones, and air conditioners, children didn't even have toys.

Qin Su suffered so much hardship and injustice.

Ye Yan felt increasingly heartbroken as he thought about it, and began to ponder what he could do for Qin Su to play with given the current situation.

As he pondered, he came up with something that was easy and quick to do.

He said to Qin Su, "Your Highness, I entered the palace in a hurry this time and didn't have time to prepare anything. I'll bring you something fun next time I enter the palace."

Qin Su casually asked, "What fun things?"

Ye Yan explained roughly: "It's about making wood into different shapes and then assembling them to make houses or other things."

Qin Su put down the chess piece in her hand, looked up at him, and asked, "You mean mortise and tenon joints?"

She waved her hand, and immediately a palace servant carried over a small box and opened it.

Upon closer inspection, Ye Yan saw that the box contained a palace constructed entirely of wood.

Qin Su said, "I have plenty of these things, you don't need to bring them for me."

Ye Yan: "..."