Under everyone's watchful eyes, Sui Sui, like a little adult, calmly went to the washroom by herself.
When Chang Le saw her mother looking at her, she shook her head and prepared to slip away.
"Stop right there! The Empress Dowager won't pursue the matter of you not returning to the palace yesterday, but tell me, who is this Uncle Nangong that Sui Sui mentioned?"
"Mother, I... I really don't know."
Yonghe glanced at Chang Le, "You forgot? It seems to be the person who lives next door to the Jiang residence."
Chang Le thought for a moment and nodded: "Yes, he lives next door to Sister Jiang. He's very good to Sui Sui. Maybe he'll be Sister Jiang's husband in the future."
"Shut up, stop talking nonsense."
The Empress Dowager glared at Chang Le and then turned to look at Aunt Cai. "Tomorrow, invite that Granny Cui over. If you can't bear to be strict with her, this child might not be able to get married in the future."
"Who said I was going to get married? My brother the emperor can support me for the rest of my life, I'm not getting married." Chang Le raised her chin and said nonchalantly.
"Your Highness, Granny Cui is stern and doesn't smile much. The princess doesn't like that kind of personality. This matter..." Aunt Cai said, winking at Chang Le.
"Mother, now that you have Sui Sui, you won't stop liking Yun'er, will you?" Chang Le put away her stubbornness, threw herself into the Empress Dowager's arms, and pouted her little mouth to act coquettishly.
This trick never fails. The Empress Dowager couldn't help but hug Chang Le and pinch her cheek. "Think before you speak in the future. Don't be so loud and boisterous, or I'll hand you over to the Emperor to manage."
Chang Le shuddered, "No, no, no, Aunt Cai's teachings on manners are really good. I'll study hard tomorrow."
After the morning court session ended, officials came to the Imperial Study one after another.
Seeing the pile of memorials on the emperor's desk, Xiao Jingzhao instructed Eunuch Ma, "Go and summon Prime Minister Lin to speak with me."
Eunuch Ma bowed, accepted the order, and left.
Outside the window, a ray of setting sun shone into the room, and a beam of light fell precisely on a roll of brocade on the side of the imperial desk. The soft light and shadow reflected his exceptionally handsome profile, and the palace maids serving at the palace gate mustered their courage and secretly glanced at him several times.
After a busy day, fatigue set in, and Xiao Jingzhao closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Request an audience with the Deputy Commander."
A report came from the doorway.
"Come in."
A clear and magnetic voice rang out from inside the room.
"Your Majesty, everything is ready, and we'll send it over tomorrow," Xiangyang reported eagerly as he entered the room.
"It's inappropriate for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to handle this. It would be more formal to hand it over to the Ministry of Rites and have someone from the Ministry of Rites deliver it."
Xiang Yang listened attentively to the Emperor's instructions, but inwardly he thought, "What's the use of sending a plaque? Nangong Zeyue has already taken over as the manager."
Seeing that Xiang Yang seemed to be lost in thought, Xiao Jingzhao raised his voice a few decibels and asked, "Do you understand?"
"Your subordinate understands. With the plaque personally bestowed by His Majesty, Miss Jiang's business will surely prosper. When her business is doing well, she will naturally be in a good mood, and when she is in a good mood, she will naturally be more attentive to His Majesty..."
Before Xiangyang could finish speaking, he felt a chilly gaze fixed on him.
Looking up, I saw the Emperor turn his head to look at the memorial in front of him.
Xiang Yang hurriedly replied, "I'll go to the Ministry of Rites right away."
After leaving the imperial study, Xiangyang raised his hand and made a gesture as if slapping himself, "How could I be so talkative? How could I presume to guess what my master is thinking?"
"Deputy Commander, why did you slap yourself?"
Lin Xiangzhi walked towards them and, seeing Xiangyang's comical actions, couldn't help but laugh and ask.
Xiang Yang touched his face and smiled awkwardly, "Young Master Lin is mistaken, I was just swatting mosquitoes."
"Are the mosquitoes in the Imperial Study particularly fierce, the kind that can suck a mouthful of blood from your mouth with one bite?" Lin Xiangzhi asked with a serious expression, but his tone was full of teasing.
Xiang Yang's lips twitched. "Young Master Lin is joking. There aren't mosquitoes that big."
At this time of year, the climate in southern Yan is warm, so it's quite normal to see mosquitoes occasionally.
But the autumn winds were already blowing in the capital, and there was no trace of mosquitoes to be seen.
Seeing Xiang Yang leave in a panic, Lin Xiangzhi suppressed a laugh and went into the imperial study.
"You came in eighth place, that's quite auspicious?" Xiao Jingzhao put down his brush and pointed to the chair opposite him.
Lin Xiangzhi couldn't tell whether the emperor was teasing or praising him.
He glanced at the memorial that was over a foot tall, coughed lightly, and said, "Your Majesty, I'm sorry to disappoint you. I'm afraid I'm not destined for the position of Minister of Revenue. I only got this eighth place with Your Majesty's help."
If the emperor hadn't shown him some policy essays, he probably wouldn't have even ranked eighteenth in the exam, a fact that Prime Minister Lin knew perfectly well.
Xiao Jingzhao pulled out a document from the Ministry of Revenue from his desk and handed it over. "We don't need to discuss the position of Minister of Revenue for now. Just do your job well in the Ministry of Revenue."
Lin Xiangzhi knew that the emperor's bestowal of a seat upon him was never in vain.
Or rather, he had never gotten the better of Xiao Jingzhao since he was a child.
He cursed the scoundrel in his heart, but his body still obediently sat down.
"Your Majesty, have you heard? The Juxian Pavilion in the capital is opening tomorrow. Grand Scholar Zhen has booked several tables at the restaurant to celebrate Jingxiu's opening. Can you guess who owns the restaurant?"
Xiao Jingzhao gave Lin Xiangzhi a meaningful look, "Who cares who he is? Just finish dealing with these memorials today, and it won't delay your banquet tomorrow."
Xiao Jingzhao sat down and read the news from Yannan. The border war was about to break out, and a letter came from Yannan every other day.
Before the secret letter he sent by his envoy reached Liang, the soldiers he had dispatched to the frontier were about to arrive in Yannan. Liang learned that Yannan had sent a large contingent of troops there.
The current strategy is to remain inactive and observe Wanling's strength, with both sides' troops encamped on the border in a stalemate.
After finishing dealing with the important memorial, Xiao Jingzhao instructed Eunuch Ma: "Have the imperial kitchen send dinner to Young Master Lin in a little while. You stay and serve him. I will be back soon."
"Your Majesty, where are you going?"
When Lin Xiangzhi heard that the Emperor had left him alone in the Imperial Study, he became nervous. The Imperial Study was such an important place, yet the Emperor had actually left him there.
Xiao Jingzhao smiled, pointing towards the Cining Palace, "I'm going to see someone."
Xiao Jingzhao left with light steps, leaving Lin Xiangzhi and Eunuch Ma to exchange a glance.
Seeing that Lin Xiangzhi was looking at him, Eunuch Ma bowed and said, "This servant will go and make tea for the young master."
Lin Xiang later realized that the emperor's promise to return soon was just a ruse.
...
As soon as Xiao Jingzhao entered the Cining Palace, he heard laughter and cheerful voices coming from inside.
"Sui Sui, recite another poem for Grandma."
"Sui Sui, open your mouth, take a bite of pineapple cake and then read it."
"Sui Sui, you can play with this. This luminous pearl is very bright. I'll hang it by your bedside tonight."
Upon entering the hall, Xiao Jingzhao saw Sui Sui sitting on his mother's lap, with Yonghe and Changle holding food and a luminous pearl, respectively, surrounding Sui Sui.
A group of palace maids and Aunt Cai served him, making him the center of attention, while his son's little face beamed with joy.
"Year after year".
Upon hearing Xiao Jingzhao's voice, Sui Sui slid off the Empress Dowager's lap and rushed over with her short legs, calling out, "Daddy!"
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