Chu Lan'an looked at the tiger tally in his hand, then looked up at the prince in front of him. In his memory, this royal uncle had always been very strict with him.
Moreover, everyone said that he had always harbored ambitions to usurp the throne, but now he has so easily returned the tiger tally to himself.
"Lan'an," the prince called out to his little nephew.
Chu Lan'an's beautiful eyes held a hint of doubt as she looked at the prince standing before her: "What's wrong, Uncle?"
"Don't be like your father." The prince patted his head and then said nothing more.
Chu Lan'an lowered his head and replied, "I understand."
He's not a child anymore, and he knows what kind of person his father was back then.
However, he still loved his father very much. Although his father had an ordinary life and had more than one woman than his mother, he was his only child and his father treated him very well.
More importantly, he held the tiger tally in his hand. Although it came somewhat easily, it was not entirely unexpected.
Before his father passed away, he told him that he would be the emperor in the future. Before he grew up, his uncle would protect the country for him.
The late emperor always trusted the prince and his younger brother, and never doubted him.
He was not a good ruler; he was mediocre from a young age, and if he had not been the eldest son, the title of emperor would not have fallen to him.
But no one knew that he only had one child, which he conceived himself.
To everyone else, the late emperor and the empress dowager were together because of mutual benefit. But no one knew that the late emperor had always deeply loved the empress dowager; it was just that the empress dowager disliked his mediocrity.
He only wanted to keep his and her child, so one Chu Lan'an was enough.
…
When the prince left, he glanced back at Chu Lan'an, but in the end, he left silently.
Chu Lan'an and Wan Ge are cousins, but because Wan Ge is in poor health and rarely goes out, the two are not very close.
Although the two are of similar age, they should be able to play together when they meet. However, the younger Wan Ge is more frail, and Chu Lan'an doesn't dare to get close to this younger sister, fearing that she might break if he touches her, let alone play with her.
Today is his sixteenth birthday, and also the day he truly takes power, so Wan Ge will be there.
…
When it was time for the banquet, all the ministers and their wives arrived.
Chu Lan'an also saw his sister, whom he hadn't seen for a long time. Wan Ge was already very beautiful, but because of her poor health, she had a sickly beauty.
Standing next to Wan Ge was Gu Wan, whom Chu Lan'an had also heard of and knew that Gu Wan was the future prince consort.
The two of them had been engaged a year ago. However… Chu Lan'an recalled what the imperial physician had said before: Wan Ge's health was poor, and she might not live past twenty. He wondered what the future held for her.
"Wange, it's been a long time." Chu Lan'an had prepared a place for Wange to rest beforehand. This younger sister is not in good health, so it's best if she doesn't get too much wind.
Chu Lan'an was already very happy that the other party came. She didn't have to be like others, who could stay in their palace to rest if they didn't want to attend.
Wan Ge said thank you, Your Majesty, and was then led by a palace maid to her bedchamber.
However, on the way there, they saw the Empress Dowager.
The current Empress Dowager is only in her thirties and is still very beautiful, but the composure in her eyes reveals her age.
The Empress Dowager looked at Wan Ge in front of her, a faint smile on her lips: "You really look like her."
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