Chapter 158 Damn it, who made Mianmian cry?
Inside the imperial study, the emperor sat upright at his large desk, his fingertips slowly turning the pages of memorials, a bitter expression on his face.
But when he looked up from his desk and gazed at Xie Mianmian below, his expression immediately relaxed, and he couldn't help but smile.
The deep lines etched on his face over the past decade have softened.
While he was reviewing memorials, the emperor saw that Xie Mianmian had finished three plates of pastries and asked Desheng to refill five cups of tea.
What, did that old man from the Xie family not feed his daughter enough, so he made her go to the palace and eat her fill?
Seeing that Xie Mianmian kept avoiding the main topic and seemed preoccupied, the emperor was in no hurry to ask.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a pile of paintings on the side and said, "Mianmian, you've come at the right time. The Empress has brought many portraits of ladies from prominent families, saying they are candidates for Xiaoqi's principal wife. I know you two have been close since childhood, so come and help me make your judgments."
Desheng, who was standing to the side, picked up the top scroll, unfolded it with both hands, and gestured to Xie Mianmian, "Princess, please take a look, what do you think of this Miss Chen?"
Xie Mianmian put down her teacup and said in a low voice, "Miss Chen is virtuous and kind. She will surely be able to live in harmony with the Seventh Prince after marriage."
Desheng then unfurled another scroll. "This is the third young lady of the Qian family."
"Miss Qian is also excellent. I am fortunate to have tasted the delicacies she makes. I am sure the Seventh Prince will like them."
"Ah, this." Desheng looked at the emperor with difficulty.
The emperor shook his head inwardly. "Don't even mention that I, as your father, won't help you. I'm at a loss when it comes to people like you. You have to figure out your own feelings. How can others instigate you?"
Desheng scratched his head and took out another scroll. "This is Miss Gao."
Xie Mianmian's eyes darkened when she saw the beauty above. "Sister Gao is both talented in literature and martial arts, and she is the perfect match for the Seventh Prince."
"In your opinion, everyone is very good. Why don't we let Xiao Qi marry them all?"
Xie Mianmian said anxiously, "How can this be!"
When she saw the emperor's kind smile, she realized he was playing a trick on her.
"Uncle, I have an important question to ask you. Would you be able to answer it for me?"
Has this little wooden fish finally gotten the hang of it?
The emperor chuckled and said, "Ask me anything. My word is law, and I will not lie to you."
"I want to know what the situation is like on the northern border. Is that beastly army really that difficult to deal with?"
Heaven knows, not only did the Seventh Prince go to the border, but when she woke up, she found that her Third Brother had also led his troops out.
Two very important people in her life went to the border to fight against those ferocious beasts, and Xie Mianmian felt like the sky was falling.
The surrounding air seemed to turn into a sticky tide, constantly rushing towards her nose, forcing her to inhale it into her internal organs, making her feel uncomfortable and suffocated.
The emperor was taken aback by Xie Mianmian's question and stood there stunned, staring at the memorial in his hand with a slightly unfocused gaze.
This is the secret report that was delivered urgently today. The situation at the border is very bad, and his beloved son, Xiao Qi, is also heading to the battlefield. He is very reluctant to part with him and is also heartbroken.
However, this is what one must go through to become a qualified emperor.
Having just made that promise, the emperor, supporting his forehead with one hand, weakly handed the secret report to Desheng with the other.
Xie Mianmian took the secret report from her father-in-law, her clear eyes scanning the text quickly.
A small border town was besieged. Most of the soldiers in the town had gone to the front line, leaving the town weak and the civilians unarmed.
The bloodthirsty beasts swept through like locusts, unstoppable, taking pleasure in tearing people apart. The entire city was a bloody mess, filled with cries of agony, and only about twenty survivors remained.
The more he read, the more his hands trembled with the secret report, and droplets of water rolled onto the paper, blurring the hurriedly written ink.
Xie Mianmian couldn't bear to look any longer and silently returned the secret report to Desheng.
After a long pause, she raised her head and said firmly, "Uncle, you know I have the ability to control beasts. Let me go to the battlefield, I can..."
"Shut up!" The emperor suddenly stood up angrily. "This is a matter of great importance to the court, and it is not for ignorant women and children to interfere, Desheng!"
Desheng raised his hand and, looking troubled, led Xie Mianmian out.
As she skipped around, she shouted to the emperor, "Uncle Emperor, please believe me just this once! For the sake of the Great Zhou, for the sake of the innocent people, I can do it..."
Xie Mianmian's voice grew softer and softer until it could no longer be heard, and the emperor slumped back into his chair.
She is a good girl, a princess whom I love. The battlefield is dangerous, how can I bear to let her go? The soldiers of the Great Zhou are not to be trifled with.
Moreover, before Xiao Qi went on his expedition, he specifically came to instruct me that no matter how much trouble Xie Mianmian caused, I should take the blame.
But Mianmian was so stubborn, the emperor shook his head helplessly.
*
Xie Mianmian returned to the mansion dejectedly. Before she even entered her courtyard, she could hear the sounds of laughter and playful shouts from afar.
The black wolf and the parrot have returned.
Upon seeing Xie Mianmian, the parrot flapped its wings and landed on her shoulder, its colorful head nudging her face excitedly, "Wishing you prosperity! Wishing you prosperity!"
Black Wolf also came over excitedly, a lotus leaf package in its mouth, revealing bright red and plump wild fruits inside. It tilted its head to look at Xie Mianmian.
Why are you so unhappy? These are your favorite wild fruits. They spent a long time picking them to collect this handful of the sweetest ones.
Xie Mianmian half-squatted down, tightly hugging the black wolf's neck with both hands, burying her face in the fluffy fur, and rubbing against it as if to comfort herself.
The black wolf's large tail suddenly drooped down, its muzzle muscles twitched upwards, revealing its sharp teeth, and it glared fiercely at the giant python and the snow wolf.
Damn it, who made its little one cry!
Are you some kind of mute snake?
The python looked innocently to the side, indicating that it wasn't itself; it was also puzzled as to why its child had returned unwell after going out.
The black wolf bared its teeth at the other wolf, saying, "That's you, you brat!"
The snow wolf sat upright, tilting its head back and howling, letting out a series of aggrieved howls. "Father, you are wise! It did nothing wrong."
Black Wolf could only ask the woman leaning against him, "Mianmian, don't cry, what happened?"
Xie Mianmian told them the whole story, "Why won't my uncle let me go? Doesn't he trust me?"
"No, Mianmian, no, he's worried about you," Black Wolf comforted her.
The other two were furious when they heard about the Northern Rong.
The giant python's tail slammed against the ground, while the snow wolf opened its mouth wide, tearing at the hard iron sheet with its sharp teeth.
This was originally its food bowl, but it was smashed to pieces by the python during a playful fight, and then became its toy.
The snow wolf thought angrily, "It was the Northern Rong who harmed so many beasts back then, and even caused my mother to suffer physical and mental damage. Even the famous imperial physicians in the palace couldn't save her."
Its throat couldn't help but emit a mournful cry, it was so pitiful.
The snow wolf said, "Mianmian, let me go! I'll tear them all to shreds!"
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