As she spoke with growing agitation, Jiang Yingcheng nimbly dodged the Imperial Physician who was applying medicine to her wounds. Darting between several eunuchs, her short little legs pattered rapidly as she ran several steps to stand before Jiang Yan Chuan.
Her eyes wide open, she stood on tiptoe, trying to make Jiang Yan Chuan see her more clearly.
[Look, the wounds!]
[It hurts!]
Jiang Yan Chuan: “……”
His gaze slowly lowered, settling on the small hands tightly clutching the hem of his robe.
This was truly a novel experience.
With his fearsome reputation, few princes or princesses dared approach him as freely as Jiang Yingcheng, embracing him without any reservation.
007 grew anxious: [Jiang Yan Chuan has an unpredictable temperament and dislikes excessive physical contact. Even……]
The voice abruptly stopped mid-sentence. Considering Jiang Yingcheng’s current childlike nature, it decided to change the subject, simply concluding: [Anyway, let go of him quickly!]
[I won’t!] Jiang Yingcheng’s milky voice sounded fierce, [Mind your own business!]
As she spoke, she carefully studied her handsome Father Emperor’s expression. Confirming no displeasure on his face, she grew bolder, spreading her arms wide and making a move that startled everyone present: “Carry me!”
If she couldn’t see clearly while standing, surely being held up would solve the problem!
The scene fell into dead silence.
Changshun stood frozen, mentally calculating how he might plead for the adorable Little Princess if His Majesty were to truly lose his temper.
The previously pleading eunuch even temporarily ceased his supplications.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Jiang Yan Chuan raised his elegant eyebrows, staring fixedly at Jiang Yingcheng for a long moment. Finally, with what could almost be described as good humor, he extended a hand from his cloak, folding one of Jiang Yingcheng’s small hands into a fist and slowly enclosing it within his palm.
Just as Changshun had held her hand earlier.
Knowing her anxiety about the outcome of this matter, he didn’t deliberately delay: “Ying Feng.”
A man immediately stepped forward, clasping his fists: “Present!”
“Drag him away. Get the full story.”
The man called Ying Feng had served Jiang Yan Chuan for many years and understood his working style perfectly. Upon hearing these brief six words, he automatically expanded them into nearly a hundred characters of instructions, each paragraph detailing bloody methods of torture.
With 007’s assistance, Jiang Yingcheng reached the same understanding as Ying Feng. Though she couldn’t witness Father Emperor dealing with the Fourth Prince personally, she knew this matter wouldn’t be simply dropped.
Finding this acceptable, she lowered her unheld hand and stood obediently beside her Father Emperor.
When her gaze shifted to Jiang Xingran, still kneeling on the ground, Jiang Yingcheng visibly stiffened on the spot.
[Oh no! I forgot about my big shot!]
[He’s been kneeling there so long while I’ve been wandering around. Will he hate me?]
[Wahhh, what should I do, my system?]
007: “……”
In that moment, it too experienced the vexation of being arbitrarily renamed: [First, find a way to get his attention.]
Jiang Yingcheng’s fake sobbing ceased abruptly. She nodded heavily: [Okay!]
With that, she raised her left hand, rapidly waving it toward Jiang Xingran’s direction: [Look at me, Seventh Brother, look at me!]
Her beautiful Father Emperor was currently handling official matters, and the habitual mindset of “adults are working, children shouldn’t interrupt” made her completely overlook the option of calling out to get his attention.
007’s voice sounded strained: [It’s about getting Jiang Yan Chuan to notice you.]
Jiang Yingcheng, who had been waving her little hands so fast they nearly blurred, paused and replied pitifully: [Oh.]
“Changshun,” Jiang Yan Chuan suddenly spoke, continuing after the other responded, “Take Xingran and the Imperial Physician to my hall together.”
As soon as these words fell, they immediately earned Jiang Yingcheng’s adoring gaze full of worship.
Along with another round of chaotic, undisciplined praise.
[Ahhh! I declare that my Father Emperor is the very, very, very best Father Emperor in the world!]
Jiang Yan Chuan almost imperceptibly lifted one corner of his lips, his voice deep and lazy: “Let’s go.”
There was one matter he was eager to verify.
In Xianyang Palace, Jiang Yingcheng, who had been chattering nonstop along the way, finally quieted down.
The Imperial Physician had already performed a simple cleaning of her forehead and was now applying scar-removing ointment.
The wound had scabbed over, so the application of the ointment didn’t cause her any pain; instead, it felt cool and quite comfortable.
She allowed the Imperial Physician to proceed, quietly listening as 007 explained the key events of this world to her, occasionally interrupting with playful banter.
By the time the Imperial Physician finished, she had gained a fairly comprehensive understanding of this world.
Under 007’s supervision, Jiang Yingcheng began summarizing.
[Hmm… three years from now, Father Emperor will be poisoned and die…]
Changshun, who had been waiting nearby, was so startled he nearly dropped the horsetail whisk in his arms. Jiang Yan Chuan, having heard this once before, showed little reaction.
He lounged comfortably with his right arm resting on the desk, chin propped on the back of his hand, casually sipping the Jin Gua Gong tea that Changshun had just served.
Though he appeared indifferent to the room’s activities, his full attention was focused on that soft, sticky rice-like inner voice.
[Ah… Fourth Brother actually attempts a coup later! He’s so wicked!]
[The male lead gathers civilian forces to seize the throne, but due to his lack of skill in the ways of emperorship, nearly leads Da Rui to ruin?!]
[Ohhh, in the end, it’s my Seventh Brother who turns the tide, reclaims the throne, and gradually restores Da Rui to its former strength and prosperity. He’s truly amazing!]
Hearing this, both Jiang Yan Chuan and Changshun Gonggong subtly shifted their gaze to Jiang Xingran, who was sitting beside Jiang Yingcheng.
The thin young boy maintained a stern expression, allowing the Imperial Physician to examine him without showing any emotion.
His features bore only a seventy percent resemblance to Jiang Yan Chuan, but his icy aura amplified this similarity to its peak. Were it not for his current lack of the imposing pressure befitting a ruler, he would be the spitting image of a miniature Jiang Yan Chuan.
Jiang Yan Chuan brought the white jade teacup to his lips again, using the action of drinking tea to conceal the emotions in his eyes.
If the future fate of Da Rui truly unfolded as Jiang Yingcheng described, he would need to seriously reconsider the direction of the princes’ training.
Unconsciously, he finished the entire cup of tea. As Jiang Yan Chuan set down the teacup, a palace attendant hurried over with quick, small steps and whispered a few words into Changshun’s ear.
The next moment, Changshun’s voice resonated through the hall: “Your Majesty, the several ministers have all assembled.”
Jiang Yan Chuan took the opportunity to set down his teacup: “Summon them.”
Before long, five middle-aged men dressed in red official robes entered the hall one after another, lining up in a single row before Jiang Yan Chuan.
This was Jiang Yan Chuan’s resting palace, a place he normally wouldn’t choose for summoning his ministers. The sudden summons to this location left them all somewhat bewildered.
Especially…
Because two Little Highnesses were sitting on the couch.
After the officials paid their respects, Jiang Yan Chuan didn’t speak immediately, only gesturing for Changshun to bring him another cup of hot tea.
Just as Changshun returned to the hall, Jiang Yingcheng’s inner voice happened to surface.
[Wow… You say this uncle embezzled nine hundred thousand taels of silver!]
Jiang Yingcheng’s voice paused briefly before continuing hesitantly: [But… how much is nine hundred thousand taels anyway…]