Yinreng never expected that his identity would be exposed so quickly.
Caught off guard, he accidentally revealed his true identity to the girl he wanted to befriend...
Jingrou's mind is still replaying the phrase "Your Highness the Crown Prince" on repeat.
She was speaking eloquently in front of him, teaching him how to act coquettishly? Could it be that the object of her coquettishness was none other than His Majesty?
He even had the audacity to tell him to study hard, but the other man was the high and mighty Crown Prince!
She really couldn't understand why the polite and even vulnerable little boy in front of her had become the high and mighty crown prince. This was too outrageous. What kind of crown prince would leave the palace so frequently?
He didn't have the airs of a prince at all... Jingrou pouted.
Yinreng wanted to explain, but there were too many people here, and Hesheli was also watching them.
In everyone's eyes, he and Jingrou should not know each other, so Yinreng had no way to explain.
In order not to reveal any flaws, he simply bowed to Empress Hesheli and followed the palace maid into the Cining Palace. Then he saw the little girl enter behind him.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang warmly pulled the Crown Prince to her side, then helped Hesheli up, holding Jingrou's hands on either side.
"The Crown Prince arrived early today and happened to run into Jingrou... The two of you haven't met yet, have you? You can get to know each other..." Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said with a smile.
"From now on, when Jingrou stays in the palace, Your Highness must take good care of her." There was no need for the Crown Prince to take care of her; these were merely polite words to put Hesheli at ease.
Jingrou forced a smile, but inwardly she was saying expressionlessly, "No, they already know each other very well."
They had met several times and even had some history with each other, becoming friends who could talk about anything.
Good heavens, why did that person become the crown prince?
"Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness." Hesheli nodded, understanding the reasoning behind it. He didn't expect the Crown Prince to take care of a young girl; he was just wondering if he should try to send one of his sons into the palace so that the two of them could look after each other.
"But what's the proper way to address this person?" Hesheli smiled. The generational hierarchy was rather confusing.
First, there's Prince An's side. He's related to the Emperor by blood; they're both descendants of the Aisin Gioro family. If you count them that way, Jingrou is actually the Crown Prince's... cousin, who knows how many times she's been a cousin?
However, she comes from the Hesheli clan.
The Crown Prince's mother, Empress Hesheli, was his grandniece; in terms of their lineage, they were relatives.
So it's really a bit chaotic.
"If we really start arguing about these things, then the entire hierarchy of our royal family will be in chaos. Let's just call each other brother and sister!" Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang chuckled. She had also noticed this problem.
However, the two children are quite connected, being related by blood.
Yinreng forced himself to call out, "Sister Jingrou..." He cautiously looked at the person beside him, somewhat worried that she would be angry.
Jingrou wasn't angry.
If she were of such noble status as the Crown Prince, she would definitely have to conceal her identity when she was out in public, since her leaving the palace would be considered a kind of incognito visit, right?
It wouldn't be good if my name were revealed and I ended up in danger.
But she was still filled with mixed feelings.
Once she got the character binding card, she was bound to the Crown Prince. She suspected that the system did it on purpose! Or rather, the system subconsciously bound her to people who were powerful or very valuable to them!
Jingrou cursed the system in her heart.
Although Yinreng was handsome, Jingrou probably wouldn't have approached him if the system hadn't already bound her to him and required her to complete a task.
However, this one encounter not only helped her complete her mission, but also gave her a good friend of noble birth.
She kept insisting that she would stay away from the royal family, but she ended up becoming good friends with them without even knowing it!
In the darkness, it was as if I had sensed a trace of fate, or a feeling of being bound together.
"Crown Prince, brother." She met Yinreng's eyes. She spoke hesitantly, looking somewhat shy.
However, no one cared; she was only a three-year-old girl.
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang looked at the two of them with satisfaction.
The anxiety and concern in Yinreng's eyes immediately put her at ease.
If we ignore the difference in their social status, the two are truly just good friends, without any connection to their backgrounds, since that's what they said in the beginning.
Yinreng was initially worried, but the address of "Crown Prince Brother" made him feel comfortable all over, and he inexplicably felt warm all over.
There wasn't much to say, except that Minghui was brought out and introduced to Jingrou, which helped the girls get to know each other.
Actually, being called a "servant" meant she was just someone who came in to play with others. Moreover, Minghui was precocious—to be chosen by the Empress Dowager among so many princesses and kept by her side, besides being very likable, she also had a bit of cunning.
The professors didn't read much, after all, they were only three or four years old, how could they really have the patience to read books?
It's just giving myself another playmate.
However, the position of tutor was coveted by many, especially the tutors of the princes.
You see, although the Emperor is currently in good health and at the peak of his life, it would be the best thing if one could arrange for their own child to be placed next to a prince and develop a friendship from a young age!
Chen Yanjing was raised by the Emperor's side since he was a child!
They didn't talk for long before Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang sent them off to play together. Yinreng, who had just come to pay his respects to Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, was used as a tool and had to lead her around.
With nowhere else to go, Yinreng led her to the Imperial Garden.
The palace maids and eunuchs followed at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.
With only the two of them, it was a good opportunity for him to explain things properly to Jingrou.
"I didn't lie to you... Baocheng is my nickname..." Yinreng said guiltily, "But it was indeed my mistake to keep it from you. However, we've already agreed to be friends, so I just hope that even if you're angry, you won't go back on your word..."
He scratched his head, at a loss for words. He had never appeared humble in front of anyone.
He simply cherished the young girl in front of him and wouldn't say anything harsh to her.
Jingrou doesn't blame anyone but herself for so easily believing what others said, even though there were many mistakes and omissions in the process.
That's really stupid.
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