On the banks of West Lake, sunlight gently shone on the small candied haws stall, casting a warm and cozy scene. The emperor stared at this seemingly ordinary yet vibrant candied haws stall, his eyes sweeping over Jiang Yan, Su Jinli, Nianli, and Si Yan one by one, as if he wanted to deeply engrave the appearance of this family in his heart. After a while, he seemed to be amused by something, and a smile suddenly broke out on his face. That smile contained both helplessness and a bit of admiration for this family's unique life: "Good! You guys really know how to enjoy yourself!"
As soon as the words fell, the emperor rushed forward and snatched the abacus that Si Yan was fiddling with. Si Yan was startled by this sudden action, and looked at the emperor with round eyes in surprise. The emperor took the abacus in his hand and fiddled with it seriously, muttering to himself: "One string is three cents, thirty-eight strings..." As he calculated, he frowned, looked up at Si Yan, and said in a serious tone: "No, Si Yan, you calculated it wrong!"
After hearing this, Si Yan's little face turned red instantly. He came close to the emperor, looked at the beads on the abacus, and said seriously: "Your Majesty, I didn't make a mistake. This is how I calculated it..." Si Yan's childish voice echoed in the air. He tried hard to explain his calculation ideas to the emperor. His seriousness made everyone around him couldn't help laughing.
Just then, there was a commotion in the crowd. Young Marquis Su, like a mischievous little monkey, squeezed his way through the crowd and finally emerged. He was clutching a box of freshly bought osmanthus cake, which exuded an alluring aroma, drawing the attention of those around him. Young Marquis Su happily ran toward the candied haws stall, calling out, "Sister! I knew you were here!"
Su Qingyao followed behind with light steps. She held up her newly bought pearl powder, a satisfied smile on her face. "Jiangnan's rouge is indeed delicate." She approached Su Jinli, handed her the pearl powder, and said, "Sister, try it too! Applying this powder on your face will definitely make your skin smoother."
Jiang Yan felt a surge of warmth in his heart as he watched the family reunion. He leaned slightly to the side and whispered to Su Jinli, "It seems the Emperor has calmed down." Su Jinli nodded slightly, her eyes filled with relief.
However, before they could even breathe a sigh of relief, the emperor's face suddenly hardened, his serious expression instantly making the previously relaxed and cheerful atmosphere tense. The emperor looked at Jiang Yan and Su Jinli and slowly said, "Although your escape has made it difficult for me to find you, but regarding Nianli's child bride... let's forget it!" Hearing the emperor's words, Jiang Yan and Su Jinli were overjoyed. They exchanged a glance, their eyes gleaming with surprise and gratitude.
The emperor changed the subject, picked up Nianli, his expression softened a little, and said, "But you have to go back to the palace with me. The empress dowager misses you." Nianli blinked her big watery eyes, tilted her head and thought for a while, then stretched out her little hands to hug the emperor's neck, stuffed the candied haws in her hand into his mouth, and said in a baby voice, "Grandpa Emperor, you can go back to the palace, but you have to buy me ten strings of candied haws!" Nianli's cute appearance and innocent words made everyone present couldn't help laughing.
The emperor was amused by Nianli and laughed heartily. He tapped Nianli's nose and said, "Okay, I'll do as you say. I'll buy you ten strings of candied haws. But you must come back to the palace with me obediently, and don't make a fuss about coming back later." Nianli clapped her hands happily and nodded repeatedly, "Okay, okay, I want to eat lots and lots of candied haws."
Su Jinli watched this scene. Although she still felt a little worried about returning to the palace, she felt relieved when she saw how harmoniously the emperor and Nianli were getting along. She stepped forward and said to the emperor, "Your Majesty, we left the capital without permission this time. We were truly helpless. We hope Your Majesty will forgive us. Since the Empress Dowager misses the children, we will naturally accompany Your Majesty back to the palace to visit them."
The emperor looked at Su Jinli, nodded slightly, and said, "Well, I understand your difficulties. But if anything happens again in the future, don't act so rashly. If you have anything to say, please tell me." Jiang Yan also hurried forward and said respectfully, "Your Majesty is magnanimous, and we are grateful. We will never be so reckless again in the future."
The emperor, holding Nianli in his arms, turned and said to the crowd, "Let's go! We'll set off for the palace now." Jiang Yan and Su Jinli began to pack up their candied haws stall, with Young Marquis Su and Su Qingyao helping. Soon, the stall was ready. Everyone followed the emperor and headed towards the capital.
Along the way, Nianli sat in the emperor's carriage, chattering excitedly. She told him about her interesting experiences in Jiangnan, such as seeing colorful butterflies, picking up beautiful stones, and playing with her friends by the lake. The emperor listened quietly, a gentle smile on his face, as if infected by Nianli's joy.
Jiang Yan and Su Jinli sat in the carriage at the back, feeling a little uneasy. Su Jinli leaned on Jiang Yan's shoulder and whispered, "I don't know what the situation will be like after returning to the palace. Although the emperor seems to have calmed down, his heart is unpredictable, and I'm still a little worried." Jiang Yan held Su Jinli's hand and comforted her, "Don't worry, I'm here. Since the emperor has promised not to mention the child bride issue anymore, I'm sure he won't make things difficult for us. Besides, the empress dowager has always loved children, so maybe going back this time will be a turning point."
The carriage sped along the official road, the scenery on both sides passing by quickly like a painting. Jiang Yan's family's mood was like this changing scenery, filled with worry about the unknown, but also with a hint of anticipation.
After several days of traveling, the group finally returned to the capital. The capital was still bustling and bustling, with the streets and alleys bustling with people. However, upon returning, Jiang Yan and his family were in a completely different state of mind than when they left.
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