Luo Hu shook his head and chuckled, "The princess and Brother Jiang are indeed very similar, both so shameless."

Zhao Shu was overjoyed. "So, you've agreed, sir? Don't worry, sir, I'll come to formally become your disciple tomorrow. May I ask where you are staying now?"

"I consider the world my home." Luo Hu laughed heartily and strode away.

Zhao Shu was secretly anxious, wondering what would happen if she couldn't find him tomorrow. Just then, a whistle sounded behind her. Zhao Shu turned around and saw Huo Baichuan calling a Huo family servant to follow Luo Hu.

"Thank you, sir." Zhao Shu's gratitude was heartfelt.

Huo Baichuan waved his hand dismissively at her thanks, and had Duozi bring over a horse. "Let's go." He mounted the horse and rode up to Zhao Shu. "Don't even think about it, you can't ride into the city in your father's carriage."

Zhao Shu was unwilling to give up. She looked up at him angrily—no, she looked directly at him—and asked, “Why?” Although she knew why, she still wanted to sit in the carriage and enter the city in style.

This is a disease, a disease of wanting to show off.

Huo Baichuan ignored her, gestured for Duozi to lift her onto the horse, and then drove the horse alongside the procession. Before long, they arrived at Prince Yong's carriage and rode side by side with it.

"Princess, Princess." Xiao Guozi rode up to the side of the ceremonial guard, dismounted, and knelt down to pay his respects to Prince Yong. "This servant greets Your Highness."

"Little Guozi, get up. Go quickly and tell Grandmother that Father will be entering the city soon." Zhao Shuyang ordered Little Guozi to hurry back to the city to report.

Xiao Guozi nodded hurriedly, "Yes, this servant will go right away." He stood up, mounted his horse, flicked his whip, and rode off.

After the procession had been going on for about 15 minutes, Chu Chun and the others arrived. However, they could only watch from afar as Zhao Shu sat on her horse, happily talking to Prince Yong.

“The prince has changed. He doesn’t smile often anymore. When His Highness Prince Duan came to our residence before, we thought our prince was too effeminate. Now it seems that ten Princes Duan are not as good as our prince.” These were the words of Sheng Xia.

"So you think Prince Duan is good, but I initially thought our Prince was better. One day, I went to look for Sister Biqiao and saw the Prince drinking in the waterside pavilion." Wan Dong paused here, unable to find a better word to describe him. She thought for a long time before continuing, "Peerless in his elegance, yes, only these four words can fully capture the temperament of our Prince."

"I heard that our prince didn't have this reputation back then. He was made a prince at a young age and was the youngest carefree prince. He even went out to explore the martial arts world. That's when he met the princess. Later, the princess died in childbirth, and that's when the prince changed his appearance." Chu Chun shared the gossip she had heard with the young ladies in a low voice.

When it comes to gossip, everyone seems to have something to gossip about. Sheng Xia lowered her voice, and the group huddled together. She said, "I'm telling you this, but don't tell anyone else. The prince doesn't actually recognize people."

“You’re talking nonsense. How could I not recognize someone?” Chu Chun was the first to retort.

Then Wan Dong chimed in, "The prince isn't stupid, how could he not recognize people? Don't be delusional."

“You still don’t believe me? Let me tell you two,” Luckily, there were only the three maids in the carriage, and Wu Feng was driving. He lowered his voice so that Wu Feng couldn’t hear what was going on inside. “Once, I was ordered to go to the Prince. Do you know what the Prince called me? He called me Bi Qiao. I thought the Prince had made a mistake, but when he looked at me, it was as if he knew me. He treated me like Sister Bi Qiao. After that, I didn’t dare to tell anyone. I was afraid.”

"Shh." Chu Chun made a shushing gesture. "Are you out of your mind? How dare you say such a thing? Forget it, we didn't hear anything, we don't know anything. Don't let the Empress Dowager know that we know the Prince's secret, or else..." She made a beheading gesture, and the three of them fell silent, filled with lingering fear.

Despite saying that, the group couldn't help but exchange glances, utterly puzzled. The prince usually didn't seem to be someone who couldn't recognize people.

However, they were puzzled, and no one would explain it to them. Soon, Guanzhou City was faintly visible. The sounds of horns and drums were deafening. They couldn't care less about gossip and began to peek through the carriage curtain.

As they approached the city, Prince Duan sat calmly in his carriage, clearly accustomed to such a grand display.

However, this was the first time Zhao Shu had ever seen such a magnificent scene. The bugle calls rose and fell in a high-pitched and sharp manner, the gongs and drums resounded loudly and powerfully, and the brocade banners and umbrellas fluttered in the wind.

Upon reaching the city gate, the people waiting to enter the city knelt on the ground. Officials from the Secretariat loudly proclaimed the imperial edict. Upon hearing the edict, regardless of whether they understood it or not, they all shouted, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Prince!"

Prince Yong sat in the carriage, occasionally smiling and waving to the people on the roadside who shouted "Long live the Emperor!" His smile was extremely sincere and warm.

Huo Baichuan's horse rode alongside Zhao Shu's. Seeing Zhao Shu's radiant appearance, he smiled as well. It wasn't a fake smile, but a genuine smile from the bottom of his heart. From the first moment he saw Zhao Shu, he knew that this little girl was unhappy and had a vicissitude that was extremely incompatible with her age. It was very uncomfortable to look at her, so he always couldn't help but let her go home to embroider.

At the same time, he was unsure what she wanted. Now he understood: all she wanted was for Prince Yong to receive the respect he deserved, and for the Crown Prince to uphold the throne of Dayong.

Upon closer reflection, Huo Baichuan couldn't help but smile again. This little girl knew better than others what she wanted and how to get it.

The ceremonial procession slowly entered the city. On both sides of the street stood members of the imperial family, noble families, and ordinary people, as well as yamen runners and Pengcheng soldiers to maintain order. When Prince Yong's carriage entered the city, everyone knelt down and shouted, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Prince!"

A deafening voice rang out, "Long live the Prince!" Zhao Shu felt a tightness in her chest, a lump in her throat, and her eyes welled up with tears. Her gaze swept over the members of the imperial family and other noble clans, and a sense of pride rose from the bottom of her heart.

With that kneel, her father was no longer seen as a foolish prince, and no one would point at him and call him a disgrace to the royal family. From then on, Prince Yong was a prince recommended by civil and military officials to tour the country on behalf of the emperor.

The ceremonial procession passed through the long street and across the pontoon bridge, arriving at the palace. The Empress Dowager and everyone inside the palace were already waiting at the palace gate.

A poem says: A loving mother's thread, a traveler's clothes. Before departure, she sews them carefully, fearing his long absence. Who can say that a blade of grass can repay the warmth of spring?

Although the Empress Dowager and Prince Yong were not an ordinary mother and son, all mothers in the world share the same heart, hoping to be surrounded by their children and grandchildren and enjoy family bliss.

Prince Yong stepped down from the carriage, flicked his robes, and knelt respectfully. "Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty. I have caused Your Majesty worry and deserve to die. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

No amount of glory or achievement can compare to the guilt that makes my mother worry.