Chapter 278 I Want to Build My Own Power

"Huh?" Sheng Sheng retorted seriously, "No, no, you can only sleep when you're full. You can't sleep on an empty stomach. Besides, Sheng Sheng always rinses her mouth before going to bed, so it's not good."

Sheng Sheng jumped up and reached out to grab her peach shortbread, but Pei Ji raised his hand, deliberately preventing her from touching it: "Okay, eat it."

Sheng Sheng: "?"

Sheng Sheng stared blankly at his hand, which was being raised higher and higher, wondering if she had misheard.

Um?

Didn't you say it was okay? Why don't you just give it to her?

The little dumpling jumped around several times, but still couldn't reach it, and got a little angry: "Brother Pei Ji, how could you do this!"

How could you steal a child's peach shortbread!

Pei Ji was amused by her and let out a deep laugh from his chest. His heart was melting, but he still didn't forget to "educate" her.

"This is what happens when you eat too many snacks and not enough meals: you won't grow tall."

"No, Sheng Sheng eats a lot too." Sheng Sheng pouted. "If I hadn't had dinner yet, I wouldn't be eating snacks at this time."

She paused, then added hesitantly, "I only eat it before bed."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jiuzhu couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Pei Ji, however, focused on another remark she made, frowning as he asked, "Why didn't you eat today?"

Sheng Sheng simply summarized what she had been busy with that afternoon in one sentence. Pei Ji didn't seem surprised at all. He just handed the peach shortbread back to her and said, "Eat this to tide you over. I'll have Afu make you something to eat."

"No need, Brother Pei Ji, Sheng Sheng should go back now. Fourth Brother and the others are still waiting for Sheng Sheng."

Sheng Sheng had only intended to take Yan Hu back. Xie Yunwen, Xie Yunjia, and Xie Yunyang were also waiting for her, and Sheng Sheng didn't want to keep them waiting too long.

Sheng Sheng told Zi Juan to go to the vegetable garden in the backyard to call Xie Yunqi out, and said to Pei Ji, "But Sheng Sheng will come to see Brother Pei Ji again tomorrow."

She specially brought back red bean and jujube paste cakes from Tianjin. She was in too much of a rush today, so she'll bring them to him tomorrow.

"Okay, remember to eat when you get back."

"Uh-huh."

Xie Yunqi came out of the backyard yelling and screaming. When she heard Sheng Sheng saying that he was going back to the palace for a late-night snack, she didn't bother to ask Xiao Jiuzhu any more questions.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go! I've been craving the grilled fish at your Yuqing Palace!"

"Grilled fish? But where are we going to find fish now? We can't just catch one by hand when we pass by Nanhu Lake later."

"Is that not allowed?"

Sheng Sheng: "...Hmm, maybe it will work."

Xie Yunqi then launched into a long, detailed account of the special grilled fish she had heard about from others, complaining somewhat that she wasn't given any to eat.

"Hmm... there were no fish back then."

"Hmph, I know, you must have sent all the fish to Jingyue Pavilion, didn't you?" Xie Yunqi said jealously.

No, there isn't.

"You still say no."

The brother and sister walked away, chatting away. Pei Ji stood in the courtyard until the figure disappeared into the bamboo forest. Only then did Xiao Jiuzhu say thoughtfully, "This second princess... is a little different from what I imagined."

When they first met, Xiao Jiuzhu thought Sheng Sheng was a child who was more intelligent than ordinary people. Because Pei Ji seemed to trust her a lot, Xiao Jiuzhu did not pay much attention to her.

This really surprised him.

Catching a tiger isn't scary, as long as your martial arts skills are high enough. Just like Xiao Jiuzhu himself, if he really wanted to catch a tiger and keep it at home, he could conquer it with force.

What's frightening is that he can tell that the white tiger cub truly submits to humans.

Oh no, not submission to people, but submission to that child.

He had never seen anything like it before.

I've never even heard of it, let alone seen it.

Wild animals are born with boundless wildness. Even cubs raised by humans from birth will occasionally reveal their sharp claws and teeth; it is their nature.

Moreover, it is the cub of the king of beasts.

Do you recognize a small, round white tiger as your primary offspring?

interesting.

Pei Ji had a faint smile in his eyes, seemingly not surprised at all; even when he saw the stone earlier, he was only slightly surprised.

Xiao Jiuzhu raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean? Why do you seem so unsurprised?"

Pei Ji recalled the scene from the day they first met. He was so dazed that his consciousness was fading, and the little dumpling was talking to someone. The clear voice that came from it brought him back to his senses.

Pei Ji smiled, perhaps realizing a secret known only to the two of them, and was in an exceptionally good mood: "Yes, an unexpected surprise."

"Um?"

Xiao Jiuzhu was puzzled by his answer and wanted to ask more, but Pei Ji did not intend to answer anymore.

Pei Ji said seriously, "Uncle Xiao, I want to establish my own power."

*

I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but the atmosphere in the palace has suddenly become very tense these past few days. Especially when I’m having dinner with Xie Yunchuan, Xie Yunxiang is mentioned occasionally, and the originally harmonious atmosphere becomes subtle.

Sheng Sheng was focused on studying the Rejuvenating Herb in the palace and didn't pay attention to anything else, so she didn't know what had happened.

Xie Yunwen was the same; he didn't like going out much and preferred reading in the palace, so he was completely unaware of what had happened.

It wasn't until lunchtime today that Xie Yunchuan fell silent again when Shengsheng mentioned Xie Yunyang, and Shengsheng and Xie Yunwen realized that something seemed to have happened outside.

After lunch, Xie Yunchuan went out to run errands again, leaving Xie Yunwen with a long, confusing explanation.

"Brother has been investigating Haijin's affairs all this time, so how could he have a conflict with the Crown Prince?"

While turning over the soil with a small shovel, Sheng Sheng frowned and spoke to Xie Yunwen beside her.

Xie Yunwen, with a thin blanket covering his legs, watched as Sheng Sheng dug one pit after another, and said, "Everything was fine a few days ago, how could it suddenly turn out like this? Neither Second Brother nor the Crown Prince are the type to hold grudges or quarrel over trivial matters. Moreover, judging from Second Brother's expression, it seems that he himself is also helpless. So I think... something must have happened that has put them in a difficult position."

"Hmm...that makes sense. I agree with that statement."

Both men are quite old and steady, with a deep brotherly bond. Aside from reasons beyond their control, Sheng Sheng doesn't believe the two would suddenly turn against each other.

However, Xie Yunchuan has been busy with Haijin's affairs lately, so what will happen to cause a rift between the two?

Or rather, is it about Haijin?

"Ah, that's right!" Sheng Sheng slapped her palm, "The second branch of the Crown Prince's mother's family is in business!"

The prosperity of the Haijin canal transport also represented the advantages of traveling merchants.

If Haijin's matter is really related to Xie Yun, it seems that this is the only possible explanation.