Upon hearing the voice of the Ninth Prince, Yuan Yao's face flushed.
She blushed and withdrew from Yun Chan's embrace.
Upon seeing this, Yun Chan smiled faintly.
The calmer he remained, the redder Yuan Yao's face became.
Yuan Yao pulled her cloak tighter, turned around in the direction of the Ninth Prince, and changed the subject with a smug yet unconvincing tone: "Just now, who pushed me?"
Beside the Ninth Prince, Po Yue pulled her feet back slightly.
Yuan Yao: "?"
She knew it!
Only someone like Po Yue would ever be so audacious!
Moreover, he might be harboring thoughts of revenge against her.
As for what kind of revenge it was, she didn't know...
Yuan Yao cleared her throat and continued, "There are so many tree stumps and rocks here. What if I fall and get disfigured?"
Fortunately, Yunchan caught me.
She didn't intentionally throw herself into Yunchan's arms.
She was forced into it.
Um!
In this way, Father won't blame her for having found someone she loves and forgetting Father, right?
Yuan Yao glanced cautiously at the Ninth Prince.
The Ninth Prince glanced at her, then looked at Yun Chan and said coldly, "I'm tired."
Yun Chan said respectfully, "I have prepared an inn. Your Majesty must be tired from your journey. Why don't you go and rest first?"
"Hmm." The Ninth Prince snorted through his nostrils.
Yun Chan was somewhat uneasy.
He waved and ordered someone to bring the carriage over.
After the Ninth Prince boarded the carriage, Yun Chan raised her hand, ready to help Yuan Yao up.
Yuan Yao lifted the hem of her skirt with one hand, and was about to place her hand in Yun Chan's palm when a slender and delicate hand reached out from inside the carriage: "Little Yao'er."
Yuan Yao stuck out her tongue at Yun Chan, turned her hand, and placed it on the palm of the Ninth Prince.
With a forceful pull, the Ninth Prince dragged the person into the carriage.
Inside the carriage, a tea stove, hand warmer, and other amenities had already been prepared...
The Ninth Prince removed his cloak, sat on a stool with a thick cashmere cushion, and lowered his eyes slightly.
Yuan Yao obediently poured a cup of water and handed it over with both hands: "Father, please have some tea."
Her hands were trembling slightly.
The Ninth Prince lifted his eyelids: "Little Yao'er, what are you trembling about?"
Yuan Yao held up her teacup and answered truthfully, "Yao'er is afraid that Father will be angry."
The Ninth Prince took the teacup, his lips curving into a cold smile: "Father is quite unhappy."
ah?
Are you really angry?
Yuan Yao opened her bright black eyes wide and said coquettishly, "Although Yao'er doesn't know what she did wrong to upset Father, Yao'er still wants to apologize to Father."
Father, please don't be angry with Yao'er anymore, okay?
If Yao'er does anything wrong, Father must tell her, and Yao'er will correct it.
As she spoke, she tugged at his sleeve and shook it.
She almost spilled the water from the teacup...
The Ninth Prince deliberately kept a straight face, and after a moment, he said coldly, "My daughter, whom I raised with great care, has really benefited that brat Yun Chan!"
Yuan Yao: "???"
So, this is what upset Father?
Yuan Yao was both amused and exasperated.
Doesn't every father feel like his own cabbage has been eaten by a pig after finding out his daughter is dating?
Yuan Yao sat on the soft cushion at the feet of the Ninth Prince, obediently resting her head on his lap, and said softly, "If Father can't bear to part with Yao'er, then leave Yao'er to walk by herself, okay?"
During those years in the palace, Father was always busy with political affairs, and Yao'er never had enough time to spend with him...
Now that Father is finally free, Yao'er wants to spend more time with Father and be filial to him.
"Does this mean you want your father more than Yun Chan?" The Ninth Prince's dry, cool hand gently stroked the top of her head.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao raised her eyes and asked, "Would Father give Yao'er a difficult question like 'Is Father more important or Yun Chan more important?'"
Is Father more important, or Yun Chan?
The Ninth Prince smiled, gently stroking Yuan Yao's head, and asked, "Father won't ask you questions like that. Father will ask you a different question."
Yuan Yao opened her eyes wide.
Looking at the Ninth Prince, her eyelids twitched.
The Ninth Prince chuckled softly and asked slowly, "If Father and Yun Chan's horses both go mad and run in opposite directions, who will Xiao Yao chase first?"
Yuan Yao: "???"
This question is way too difficult!
This is even harder than the dilemma of "If your mother and girlfriend fell into the water, who would you save first?"
Yuan Yao looked at the Ninth Prince with a wronged expression: "Father, Yao'er's legs are too short to catch up with the mad horse..."
"Um?"
The old man's narrow eyes curved into a smile.
He vigorously ruffled the stray hairs on Yuan Yao's forehead: "You little dumpling, you really know how to change the subject."
Okay, I won't bluff anymore.
Father would never be jealous of a junior; that would be beneath his dignity.
Yuan Yao was finally relieved.
Her bangs brushed against the Ninth Prince's palm as she softly said, "Yao'er once said that in Yao'er's heart, Father is the most important, and the rest are secondary."
If Father truly does not wish for Yao'er to be with Yun Chan, Yao'er will listen to Father, go and explain things clearly to Yun Chan, and break up with him...
However, Yao'er will probably be sad and regretful for quite a while...
My palms are itchy.
The Ninth Prince raised his hand and pulled Yuan Yao up: "Come here."
Yuan Yao obediently got up.
The Ninth Prince pulled her down to sit before speaking slowly, "In Xiao Yao'er's heart, is Father a cold-blooded and heartless person?"
Yuan Yao quickly shook her head: "No."
The Ninth Prince then asked, "Then, is Father a selfish person?"
Yuan Yao shook her head again: "No."
The Ninth Prince curled his lips into a smile: "Have you ever seen Father break up lovers, arbitrarily matchmake couples, or separate lovers?"
"No!" Yuan Yao said earnestly, "Father is the kindest and most understanding person in the whole world!"
The good people around my father, from princesses and princes to palace servants, all lived very happy and fulfilling lives thanks to his protection.
The palace maids in the separate palaces would be beaten and punished if they were unhappy. When they reached a certain age, they would be sent out of the palace to fend for themselves.
Some were even worse off, being married off to eunuchs as "paired meals" and suffering greatly.
However, when the maids of Qianhua Palace reach a certain age, they can marry the person they love or do what they like...
Furthermore, if Huairou and Huaiyao were princesses from other countries, they would be used as tools or pawns after reaching marriageable age, married off to powerful ministers, or sent to marry for political reasons, spending their lives with someone they didn't love and who didn't love them.
Although Huairou and Huaiyao married into a foreign country, they married the people they loved and are very happy and sweet.
All of this is thanks to Father!
The higher the emperor listened, the more his lips curled into a smile.
He poured a cup of tea and handed it to Yuan Yao: "Are you tired of talking? Have some tea to soothe your throat."
"Thank you, Father." Yuan Yao took the teacup with both hands and took a sip.
The Ninth Prince gazed at her intently and said gently, "Little Yao'er, your father wants you to be happy more than anyone else."
Yunchan is a good child.
Why don't you choose a date and get married to him?
Seeing that you and Yunchan are so in love, your father suddenly feels like attending your wedding.
Married?
Yuan Yao was stunned for a moment before blushing and muttering, "Father, you said you would take Yao'er out to travel and have fun!"
"You're pressuring Yao'er to get married, are you planning to abandon her and run away with Uncle Ying?"
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