Song Tianhe couldn't help but chuckle. These two had nothing better to do than compare whose disciple was more handsome.

The Empress Dowager was in a daze in the carriage. Zhang Chu and Granny Zhong looked at her and exchanged a glance. Just then, they heard Zhao Shu riding a horse and hurriedly said with a smile, "The princess has gone out to deceive people again dressed as a man. To this day, no one in the neighborhood knows that the young master of the road is our princess."

"Speaking of this matter, I don't know why the princess doesn't allow the maids who follow her to dress as men. Whenever I see the maids following her, dressed in colorful clothes, I feel worried."

The Empress Dowager remained silent. Granny Zhong glanced at her and knew that the Empress Dowager would not respond, so she forced herself to speak, "The Princess said that a handsome young man like Ruyu should be paired with a beautiful woman, so she does not allow the maids around her to dress as men. That is why our Princess has such a strange idea."

However, the Empress Dowager remained silent, and finally closed her eyes. The two looked at each other and fell silent as well.

Five years ago, Zhao Shu set off from the capital and couldn't remember how long it took to reach Guanzhou. Now, on her return journey, it took her two months.

I rushed back to the capital before May 17th.

May 17th is the birthday of Emperor Mingde.

Zhao Shu rode a horse most of the way, but she could not ride a horse into the capital. Before entering the capital, she changed out of her women's clothes and combed her hair at the post station.

She wore a light purple and gold-trimmed Shu brocade coat with cloud patterns, underneath which was a light purple and pear-white gradient bustier dress. Her hair was styled in a tassel bun, adorned with a few pink and purple beaded flowers.

With her eyebrows and eyes lightly powdered, her features became more defined and delicate. She stood on either side of the Empress Dowager, alongside Sun Yun, who wore a moon-white, wide-sleeved dress that draped over her chest.

The imperial carriage moved slowly forward, and at noon, it finally met Emperor Mingde at the pavilion outside the capital.

Zhang Chu lifted the carriage curtain, and Zhao Shu and Sun Yun helped the Empress Dowager out of the carriage and onto the seat. Behind Emperor Mingde, the ministers and princes and grandsons all knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Greetings to the Empress Dowager/Grandmother, may the Empress Dowager/Grandmother live a thousand years!"

"Your subject greets Your Majesty." Emperor Mingde also bowed in greeting.

After the greetings were exchanged, those following the Empress Dowager, including Zhao Shu, naturally knelt down first to pay their respects to Emperor Mingde, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!" The tens of thousands of soldiers on this side spoke in unison, their voices deafening.

Everyone knelt down, but the mother and son seemed to be separated by thousands of miles, yet their hearts were connected.

Emperor Mingde looked at the Empress Dowager. He knew that Zhihai had left, but Zhihai had taught several disciples who did not serve him. He did not want to hold a grudge about this, but... his gaze fell on Zhao Shu, and he sighed inwardly, so be it.

In the end, the Empress Dowager compromised. When parents and children argue, it is always the parents who give in first, whether in a visible or invisible place. Perhaps they will not say it outright, but their love speaks for itself.

"My lords, you may rise." The Empress Dowager spoke first. "Let's return to the palace." She glanced at Consort Hao beside Emperor Mingde, and said no more.

As she finished speaking, Xie En's voice rang out in unison. Zhao Shu and the others stood up, and Emperor Mingde beckoned to Zhao Shu, "A-Jun, come here."

Zhao Shu looked at the Empress Dowager, who nodded. With the help of Zhang Chu and Sun Yun, she entered the carriage before walking toward Emperor Mingde.

Emperor Mingde gestured with his hands, "This is how tall I was when I left, and this is how tall I am now." He placed his hand on his chest; he was 1.6 meters tall, and there was still room for him to grow taller.

She curtsied and said, "Greetings to my Imperial Uncle. When I was in Guanzhou, I missed the capital very much. But today, seeing you, my Imperial Uncle, it feels just like yesterday when I went to Guanzhou. You haven't changed at all."

"Hahaha, seeing you bamboo shoots growing taller and taller, I know that I am getting old. Come, tell me how my Ah Jun has been singing and laughing wildly all these years."

After saying this, he led Zhao Shu into his carriage. The ministers, princes and grandsons, and Consort Hao had different thoughts. Most of the princes and grandsons were dissatisfied, and Consort Hao was naturally the first to be affected. But what could they do?

Everyone was already used to riding in the same carriage as the Empress Dowager, as she was favored by her. However, even the Crown Prince did not receive such treatment, as he rode in the Emperor's carriage. This showed how much the Emperor favored her. In addition, when everyone accompanied the Emperor out of the palace to welcome the Empress Dowager, apart from the Emperor arriving in his carriage and Consort Hao having her own carriage, and those who could ride horses doing so, everyone else walked.

However, Zhao Shu did not think that this meant she was favored by the emperor, but she would not refuse it. She did not return to the capital to be mistreated, so she naturally wanted to be flamboyant, high-profile, and carefree.

"Uncle, your carriage isn't as comfortable as A-Jun's; the cushions are too hard," she complained as she sat down.

The ministers, princes, and grandsons who were nearby thought to themselves, 'If you think it's too hard, why are you sitting here?!'

Emperor Mingde burst into laughter, seemingly extremely pleased, "In the whole world, the only one who dares to complain that my carriage is not comfortable to ride in is you."

Zhao Shu immediately retorted boldly, "No way, others also find it uncomfortable to sit on. You can ask your uncle if you don't believe me." She gestured to Prince Hui, who was riding a horse beside her.

Upon hearing this, Prince Hui cursed Zhao Shu in his heart, thinking, "That little brat! She's already tricked me as soon as she got back!" Emperor Mingde looked at him, and he quickly apologized, "Your Majesty, I am terrified, I dare not."

Seeing his expression, Emperor Mingde lost interest in continuing the conversation. Whether he dared or not, he kept it to himself; who would dare to tell others aloud? Only this niece dared to say that his carriage was uncomfortable.

However, Zhao Shu had no intention of letting it go so easily. "Uncle, Uncle is lying. Look, his ears are all red. I've heard that the ears of a liar turn red."

King Hui hurriedly touched his ears, but he couldn't see them himself. In fact, due to his old age, his skin was naturally not as fair as that of a young man. If we didn't say that his ears were red, it would be understandable.

However, touching his ears like this displeased Emperor Mingde even more.

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