At Yongqing Palace, by the small pond in the courtyard, two little bottoms were sticking out.

"Third brother, third brother, look! These two little fish are kissing mouth to mouth! Oh, how embarrassing!"

Helian You squatted down next to the little girl and looked in the direction she was pointing with her little finger. He nodded in agreement with her round face.

The lotus flower floated above the two dolls' heads, a lollipop dangling from its mouth as it peered in.

Wow, it's true! The world is going to the dogs!

A few steps away on the eaves and corridor, Helian Ci sat in a wheelchair, holding a military book in his hand, when he heard the two children's excited voices.

His exceptionally red lips curved slightly, and the pale golden afterglow of the setting sun shone on Helian Ci, softening some of the boy's sinister aura.

"Second Prince, Third Prince, Little Princess, dinner is ready. Would you like to eat?"

"want!"

It was Sisi who turned around and answered without hesitation, "Let's go, let's go, Second Brother, Third Brother, let's go eat! There's lots and lots of delicious food~"

Sister Yue'er secretly told me she can make big chicken drumsticks, hehe~

**

In the Imperial Study,

Helian Nie leaned back in his nanmu chair, looking at Nan Rongqing kneeling below with a mocking expression. He parted his thin lips slightly and spoke...

"My esteemed minister wishes to form a marriage alliance with the Lin family?"

"yes."

The emperor's aura was far more oppressive than ever before. Nan Rongqing didn't realize that a fine layer of cold sweat had appeared on his forehead, but he still forced himself to speak.

The marriage alliance with the Lin family was originally a decision the Nanrong family could make themselves, but the emperor was suspicious, especially given the recent events surrounding the Wen family's coup attempt.

At the height of the crisis, after much deliberation, he decided to meet with the Emperor to give his account in order to avoid causing further trouble.

"Thump, thump, thump"

The rhythmic tapping of fingers on the nanmu wood table seemed to tap into Nan Rongqing's heart.

"Didn't Nanrong Jinghua tell you, my dear minister, that he had already requested an imperial edict from me long ago?"

"Imperial...Imperial decree?"

Nan Rongqing suddenly looked up, his face full of shock. Jinghua had requested an imperial edict from the Emperor. How could this be? How could he not know?

"Your Majesty, this old minister dares to ask what imperial decree my grandson requested from Your Majesty?"

Helian Nie took in every detail of Nan Rongqing's reaction, his narrow, almond-shaped eyes slightly narrowed.

It's as if they really knew nothing about it. Nan Rong Jinghua is becoming more and more unfathomable.

"He asked me to bestow upon him the title of future imperial son-in-law."

"W-what?!"

Nan Rongqing's hand, clasped in a gesture of respect beneath her wide sleeves, trembled. Her saintly face widened, her eyes bulged, and her body swayed precariously.

Prince Consort!

His Majesty has only one daughter, the little princess. Putting aside the little princess's status, she is only five years old. How could Jinghua possibly be... how could she possibly be!

"Your Majesty, this...this..."

"My imperial decree has been issued, and now you, my dear minister, have come to tell me that the Nanrong family wants to form a marriage alliance with the Lin family. What, does your Nanrong family want to go back on its word, or do you want to steal my daughter's husband?"

The emperor's voice was as sinister as ever, making it impossible to fathom what the emperor was thinking. Yet, just one sentence was enough to fill Nan Rongqing with dread.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I dare not. It is only because my grandson did not explain this matter to me that I was confused. I beg Your Majesty to forgive me!"

Nan Rongqing wiped the sweat from her forehead with the corner of her pipa sleeve. The memory of the Wen family's extermination of nine generations was still fresh in her mind. If the label of disobeying imperial orders were to be attached to them, the Nan Rong family would absolutely not be able to withstand it.