Upon hearing this, Azi reacted as if struck by lightning. She released Di Jingcheng's ear in disgust, pushed him away with her small hand, and got up to sit on the other side. How could Di Jingcheng let her leave? He forcefully pulled Azi's delicate body into his arms.
He pinned the person to his lap and said, "Baby, are you disgusted with me?" His expression was as aggrieved as could be.
Azi pried his hands off her stomach, but couldn't budge them an inch: "How dare you say that! I sleep until noon every day, and you're still pushing your luck!"
Ah Zi snorted and lowered her little hands dejectedly: "Hurry up, I want to eat those crystal shrimp dumplings!"
Di Jingcheng held her tightly in his arms with one hand and fed her with chopsticks with the other: "Look, Azi can't do anything without me." He looked regretful and sorry, with a hint of mockery.
Azi pinched his arm hard, her big eyes glaring at him: "You still dare to talk! You still dare to talk nonsense!"
Di Jingcheng cried out in pain, but A Zi didn't even give him a look. This guy was always thinking about bullying her, so what was wrong with her pinching him?
Di Jing's sense of responsibility truly annoyed her, so he quickly tried to appease her by serving her food and being extremely attentive. A Zi ate happily and didn't say anything more.
"Honey, then... then Cai Ning, could we transfer her?" Di Jingcheng secretly plotted, as he was really worried about keeping Mu Wanyu by his side.
"She didn't do anything, did she? She took good care of those flowers and plants, so why transfer her?" Azi was puzzled. Although she disliked Mu Wanyu before, she hadn't directly harmed her in any substantial way, and now she seemed like a pretty normal person.
Di Jingcheng poked the shrimp dumplings in his bowl hard with his chopsticks, his lips pressed tightly together; he was very unhappy!
Seeing that he didn't speak, Azi became sullen and gently poked his handsome face: "Why? You have to give me a reason!"
Di Jingcheng picked up a shrimp dumpling and shoved it into his mouth, chewing it vigorously. He turned his head away, not wanting to speak, and even gave a haughty hum.
Azi got up and sat down to the side. The man was actually willing to let go. It seemed he was really angry? She propped her head up on the table with her hands, her lips curled up, and stared at him with a playful look in her eyes.
Di Jingcheng was getting increasingly frustrated as his beloved daughter failed to come and comfort him. He couldn't help but turn around and glance at her, only to be met with A Zi's ambiguous smile.
He quickly and guiltily looked away: "Hmph!"
Azi blinked indifferently: "Alright, since you're not hungry, I'll continue eating." With that, Azi picked up her chopsticks and started eating by herself.
Di Jingcheng took a deep breath. His darling really wouldn't comfort him! Fine, he'd better leave the comforting to him; his darling just needed to be happy. Besides, he wasn't really angry; he was just being playful.
He cautiously turned around and saw that Azi was already enjoying her food, her previous haughty demeanor completely replaced by a fawning attitude. He quickly and solicitously moved his chair closer to her: "What are you eating, darling? You're eating so deliciously!"
Azi looked at the plate of stir-fried bitter melon and said, "Here!" She picked up a slice and held it to his mouth, gesturing for him to open his mouth.
Di Jingcheng naturally opened his mouth with delight and ate it, but it was bitter and cold.
"This is just what I need to cool you down. Are you still angry?" Azi raised an eyebrow slightly and changed the dish to continue eating.
Di Jingcheng took the chopsticks from her hand and placed them on the table. He then pulled her back into his arms, feeling her warm fragrance and the sweet scent of her body filling his heart.
“My darling is right, I should get rid of this heat. Then… Cai Ning?” Di Jingcheng was still unwilling to give up.
“Honey, actually, the assassination attempt we had when we left the palace and the kidnapping of Jinghan were both her and Liu Xinqi’s doing. Although she is now Cai Ning and cannot be punished, it is still not safe to keep her by our side.”
Upon hearing this, Azi lost her appetite. So many things to do? It seemed she had underestimated this person. Her expression turned serious, and she grabbed Di Jingcheng's hand: "Then... you decide what to do. I won't interfere."
"How about kicking him out of the palace?" Di Jingcheng dared not say "kill him" to her face, although he would do it secretly.
Azi thought for a moment and said, "Wouldn't that be letting her off easy? Colluding with the enemy and betraying the country, assassinating the royal family—either of these are capital offenses!"
"So, what does the baby think we should do?"
"Let's lock him up," she thought, believing this was the most reasonable approach.
Di Jingcheng kissed her little face: "Whatever you say, baby!" He couldn't be happier. If he had told her everything earlier, this wouldn't have happened.
At night, Cai Ning returned to her room, only to trip over the threshold and fall hard on her head, instantly bleeding profusely. She was plunged into darkness, back into the same desolate space of consciousness she shared with Mu Wanyu.
She couldn't get out. She didn't know what would happen next, and could only slump in the corner, enduring boundless loneliness.
The next morning, Emperor Jingcheng went to the morning court. Azi was playing with her son in the courtyard. The late autumn sun still shone warmly on them. Azi lowered her head and kissed Chu'er's fair and tender skin. The golden sunlight shone on her alabaster cheeks, revealing the tiny, translucent downy hairs. Her delicate nose gently brushed against Chu'er's skin, and her expressive eyes were filled with loving light. Her rosy lips, unadorned with lipstick, opened and closed as she interacted with Chu'er.
A few strands of Azi's hair blew down from her ears, gently brushing against the little prince's hand. He waved his little hand, playing with the playful strands of hair, letting out innocent laughter. So considerate, afraid of hurting his mother, he gently held on and then let go.
The palace servants were captivated by the Empress's unparalleled beauty and extraordinary demeanor, while the lively laughter of the young Crown Prince filled their ears. Everyone watched the Empress and the young Crown Prince interact with smiles on their faces.
Children always have a milky scent, which Azi loves to smell. As she was gently sniffing, a young eunuch hurried over: "Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."
"Get up."
"Your Majesty, Cai Ning is dead. She was found lifeless this morning." The eunuch's words startled everyone, as he had only been there a few days ago.
Azi was slightly surprised. How could he have died so suddenly? Could it have been Cheng who did it?
"Take Chu'er inside." Azi handed the child to the wet nurse and then looked at the young eunuch.
"What happened?"
"Your Majesty, the head nanny said that when she was found this morning, she was already dead. The imperial physician examined her injuries and found that it was caused by excessive bleeding from a head injury."
"A collision?" Azi was even more puzzled.
"According to the palace maids in the same courtyard, nothing unusual was found last night. The people from the Imperial Household Department investigated and said that she had accidentally fallen and no one noticed."
Ah Zi sighed softly. "Just like that, he died? That's too absurd. But at least it solved a big problem."
"Have the Imperial Household Department send more silver to appease her family, and handle the rest according to the rules." She waved for the eunuch to leave, sat on the soft couch, slowly sipped her flower tea, and gazed at the lush, green pumpkin vine in the distance, lost in thought.
Qinghe was also surprised, but she didn't say anything.
When Emperor Jingcheng returned from court, he saw his little darling sitting in the courtyard, lost in thought. The courtyard was very quiet.
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