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◎Warm night.◎

Eunuch Zhao Cai, who was sent by He Yuanjing from Qingyang, was directly invited to the back hall of Qianyuan Hall.

The rear hall is five rooms wide, with the main hall in the middle. Emperor Xingwu liked to have meals here in spring, summer and autumn. In winter, when it was cold, he liked to stay in the smaller but warmer east room.

Zhao Cai helped the Crown Princess take off her cloak in the main hall. He Yuanjing was waiting in front of the door of the east side room, and when the Crown Princess came over, he helped lift the silk curtain.

When Qingyang stepped in, he saw his father and mother both lying on the warm couch by the window. His father was leaning against the south windowsill, his long legs in bright yellow silk trousers crossed, playing with a jade pendant in his hand. His mother was sitting at a rosewood low table next to them, holding a book. Judging from the sound just now, his mother should be reading to his father.

Qingyang feigned dissatisfaction: "Father really knows how to enjoy himself. As soon as he has some free time, he starts ordering Mother around."

Emperor Xingwu cooperated with his daughter, his eyes frivolously falling on Concubine Li's face. "Of course, I snatched your mother from the people just to use her."

Concubine Li: “…”

Seeing both father and daughter burst into laughter, Concubine Li blushed in anger and gently threw the book in her hand towards her daughter: "Alright, it's your turn to honor your father."

Emperor Xingwu put down the jade pendant and sat down at the end of the low table. He picked up the book and threw it on the windowsill, urging his daughter, "Come up quickly! Your face is pale from the cold."

There were only three people in the room. Qingyang took off his winter boots with a smile, then walked around his father and sat next to his mother, with his face against her shoulder and his arms around her waist. Concubine Li took the opportunity to cover her daughter's hand with her warm hand.

Emperor Xingwu: "...Okay, I've been clinging to your mother for several days now, and now that I'm here, I'm even more attached to her."

Qingyang: "But only sitting here can make it convenient for me to see my father."

If she were still a little girl, even at the age of eleven or twelve, Qingyang would have thrown herself into her father's arms, but she was already seventeen years old. It was okay for her to hug her father from behind through the back of the chair, but it was no longer appropriate to throw herself directly into her father's arms.

Emperor Xingwu was just saying this casually. After ordering He Yuanjing to serve the meal, he looked at his daughter's cheeks, which seemed to have turned a little pale, and asked, "You just started working in the Secretariat. Are you used to it?"

Qingyang nodded. "The left and right ministers are very attentive and explain clearly what needs to be done. Besides, I know almost all the officials there."

Concubine Li tilted her head to observe her daughter: "No one is giving you any trouble, right?"

Qingyang smiled, sat up straight and said, "No one dares to embarrass me."

Emperor Xingwu teased Concubine Li, "Lin'er is now the Crown Princess of Great Qi. Not only should the ministers outside respect her, but even you, her mother, are forbidden to discipline her at will. Just as you were afraid of me before, you must be afraid of Lin'er in the future. Otherwise, Lin'er will make a fuss over trivial matters just like I do and punish you at the slightest provocation."

Concubine Li couldn't help but glared at the old emperor opposite her.

Emperor Xingwu looked at her and smiled.

Qingyang: “…”

Emperor Xingwu coughed and stopped teasing Concubine Li, concentrating on chatting with his daughter. "When we left court, I seemed to hear you scolding Deng Kun?"

Qingyang: "Yes, if I hear him criticize my bloodline again, or if someone else spreads the word to me, I will have the Censorate arrest him."

Emperor Xingwu said: "They are just like your uncle, rough and outspoken. They may be stubborn at first, but scold them a few times and they will behave themselves."

Qingyang: "I understand what father means. Deng Chong is a founding hero of our Great Qi, and he is like a brother to father. In view of his merits and this friendship, I am willing to give Deng Kun a few more chances, but he must admit his mistakes and be willing to correct them."

Emperor Xingwu smiled and said, "My dear Lin'er, you are indeed the most like me."

Concubine Li listened quietly. She was worried about her daughter because she became the Crown Princess. But the Emperor dared to make his daughter the Crown Princess, and his daughter also dared to be the Crown Princess. Since the father and daughter had made up their minds, Concubine Li would not say anything to dampen their enthusiasm. She did not understand state affairs, but she would support whatever the father and daughter did.

The imperial kitchen delivered dinner.

Qingyang picked up some dishes for her father and mother before she took back her chopsticks. Emperor Xingwu and Concubine Li also handed their chopsticks to her daughter.

The family of three was in harmony. After dinner, Emperor Xingwu asked Concubine Li to go inside to rest first, as he wanted to play two games of chess with his daughter.

The father and daughter sat facing each other on both sides of the chessboard, with no one serving them.

Only then did Qingyang find an opportunity to persuade his father: "Father, I'm sorry for all the trouble you've been through for me lately. Now that I'm the crown prince, if anyone wants to embarrass me again, I can handle it myself. Father, just focus on state affairs. Otherwise, if you have to worry about everything, what's the point of me being the crown princess?"

Emperor Xingwu stroked his hair and sighed, "Your mother cried this afternoon, and now you're saying this again. Is it really that obvious that your father has aged?"

Qingyang: "My face hasn't aged, but I have more white hairs. Only a few black hairs are left. I think they can stay black for decades."

Emperor Xingwu laughed loudly, and suddenly started coughing.

Qingyang hurried over to help his father massage his back. After just two massages, Concubine Li ran out with a worried look on her face.

Emperor Xingwu waved his hands and blamed his daughter, saying, "It's all Lin'er's fault for making me laugh. I laughed myself to death."

Concubine Li didn't care about that. She made the decision for the father and daughter, saying, "Let's talk about it tomorrow. It's getting late today. The longer we delay, the stronger the wind will be outside. Let Lin'er go back early."

Emperor Xingwu had not slept well for a while, and after hearing this, he no longer forced his daughter to stay.

Qingyang put on his boots, then stood in front of the couch and hugged his father tightly.

Emperor Xingwu patted his daughter's shoulder and asked her if she wanted to stay in the east wing where she had lived as a child, otherwise she would have to walk back to Jiuhua Palace in the cold wind and loneliness.

Qingyang: "No, I'm not four or five years old anymore."

Emperor Xingwu watched his daughter, now half a head taller than Concubine Li, walk away with a smile. He then listened to the sound of footsteps outside. He held Concubine Li's hand and said, "She's grown up, but I still remember what Lin'er looked like when she was four or five years old. She would come to Qianyuan Hall whenever she wanted, and she would stay there until she saw that I was tired of her, then she would pout and run away."

Concubine Li didn't want him to recall these things, because the more he recalled them, the older the emperor seemed.

"The Emperor likes children. You can ask the Imperial Concubine to call Ying'er into the palace to stay for a few days. I will then have Ying'er come to bother you every day."

.

The wind made the lantern in Jie Yu's hand sway back and forth. The way back to the East Palace was so quiet that there was only the sound of the wind and the footsteps of the master and servant.

It was not until they entered Jiuhua Palace that the lanterns under the eaves and the joyful voices of the palace maids kneeling to welcome the Crown Princess broke the coldness and silence.

Qingyang smiled and exempted everyone from the formalities. After telling them a few words to be cautious, he asked all the palace people who had no errands to rest, including Jie Yu and Qin Fang who had been busy all day. He only asked Fu Liu and the other four palace maids to help her wash and change clothes.

Normally, Qingyang would read for half an hour before going to bed. But tonight, he came back late and couldn't calm down, so he asked Fuliu to turn off the lights and lay alone in the bed that had been warmed with a hot water bottle in advance.

Unable to sleep, Qingyang was lost in thought as she stared at the tent whose outlines were gradually becoming visible. She thought of her father and three elder brothers, her uncle Wang and the Deng Kun brothers, Zhang Su, whom she had seen briefly before leaving the court and who had given her a glare, the love between her father and mother that needed no words during dinner, and finally her upcoming wedding date.

Will she and Zhang Su be as loving as her father and mother?

At least on the way back just now, if Zhang Su was by her side, Qingyang would have jumped on Zhang Su's back with confidence, and Zhang Su would have definitely carried her back steadily.

【Author’s words】

Haha, now she is the Crown Princess who has come to her senses.

Second update from Shoushou, 100 little red envelopes, see you tomorrow!