Chapter 106: Chapter 106

Emperor Yongning looked at her, wanting to speak yet not wanting to, simply yearning for a good sleep without any disturbance, and ultimately did not voice his question, "Ning Ning, you should sleep first and talk after you wake up."

"Hmm..." Jun Ning, too sleepy to open her eyes, muttered a reply and fell asleep immediately.

It was midsummer, and the weather was very hot.

Emperor Yongning, due to aging and to avoid getting chilled, along with his dragon body being unwell in recent months, had fewer ice containers placed in the room than in previous years.

This suited him as he didn’t feel the heat. But for Jun Ning, it was different.

Jun Ning found the room stuffy and hot. Seeking coolness, she fell asleep without covering herself with a blanket.

Emperor Yongning shook his head, personally covering Jun Ning’s belly with a cool blanket to prevent any stomach ache due to cold.

"Hot..." Jun Ning, in a sleep-induced daze, still kicked off the small blanket on her belly.

Emperor Yongning covered her again and asked Xiao Lizi to fetch a fan, helping to gently fan the air beside her.

This made Jun Ning behave, no longer kicking off the blanket.

"Your Majesty, shouldn’t you rest for a while?" asked Xiao Lizi.

Emperor Yongning waved his hand, "No need, I shall fan Ning Ning."

"Shall I, the servant, handle this?"

Emperor Yongning insisted on doing it himself, signaling Xiao Lizi not to speak further to keep the place quiet and not disturb the little one while asleep.

Xiao Lizi quietly shut up, not daring to say more.

It was half an hour later when Jun Ning woke up from her sleep.

Emperor Yongning had been fanning Jun Ning for the entire half-hour, his wrist feeling somewhat sore. As Jun Ning awoke, he put away the fan and massaged his sore wrist.

Jun Ning, just awake and groggy, noticed Emperor Yongning’s wrist-massaging action. Seeing the fan placed beside her, and recalling the comfortable gusts of cool air felt in her sleep, she understood everything.

"Father Emperor..." Jun Ning started to say something when Emperor Yongning interrupted, "Ning Ning, tell Father Emperor, is it true that the Empress often torments Seventeen?"

In Emperor Yongning’s view, the words Qiong Hua conveyed through Xiao Lizi weren’t entirely trustworthy.

To avoid hearing words that are exaggerated or self-serving, he wanted to hear Jun Ning personally speak about the matter.

In contrast to adults’ words, children’s innocent words are more trustworthy.

Jun Ning said, "Of course it’s true."

"...Then, how does she torment him?"

Jun Ning narrated to Emperor Yongning how the Empress forced Jun Yu to study, often let him go hungry if he didn’t do well, made him kneel as punishment, taunted him with sarcasm, and even physically hit him.

Emperor Yongning was as astonished internally as when he first learned of this from Xiao Lizi.

He thought asking Jun Ning again would offer something different, but unexpectedly, it did not.

Oh Empress, you’ve disappointed me again!

Emperor Yongning tightly clenched his fist held within his sleeve.

Seeing Emperor Yongning silent for a long while, Jun Ning said, "Father Emperor, don’t you believe your child’s words? If you don’t believe it, I’m sure Ah Yu is already back at Jiaofang Palace preparing to move to the Prince’s Quarters. The Empress wouldn’t show kindness to him; if you’re skeptical, why not come with me to check?"

"You cunning little rascal." Emperor Yongning pinched Jun Ning’s nose, "How do you know if the Empress will show a good face to Seventeen or not?"

Jun Ning raised her chin, "Just a guess!"

"I don’t believe it."

In times like these, with the Empress under house arrest in Jiaofang Palace, everyone in the harem is watching. If she still wants out, she wouldn’t treat Seventeen that way.

Little Ning’s guess was a bit off!

"Father Emperor, how about we make a bet?" Jun Ning suggested.

"A bet it is!" Emperor Yongning said, "What shall we wager?"

"A thousand taels of gold!" Jun Ning, the little money grub, made a wild demand, "If Father Emperor loses, give Baby a thousand taels of gold. Conversely, if Baby loses, I’ll give Father Emperor a thousand taels of gold."

"A thousand taels of gold?" Emperor Yongning chuckled, "Baby, you sure dare to bet! Father Emperor asks you, what if you lose, do you have that much gold to give Father Emperor?"

Last time, to make Jun Ning call him "Father Emperor," Emperor Yongning gave her five hundred taels of gold.

Before then, she ought not to have other extra money.

Counting it, now Jun Ning’s net worth might be at most five hundred taels of gold.

A person with only five hundred taels of gold dares to wager a thousand taels of gold?

Who gave her such courage?

Sigh, truly a child, ignorant and fearless!

Emperor Yongning looked at Jun Ning with a sense of wonder.

"I, I’m not going to lose!" Jun Ning, in her naivety, spoke with confidence.

"But what if you lose?" Emperor Yongning, with the look of a seasoned old fox, replied, "Things in this world are ever-changing, never fear a thousand chances, but fear that single possibility!"

Jun Ning wished to insist further that she wouldn’t lose, but seeing Emperor Yongning’s persistent disbelief, she feared maintaining such a stance would make him think she’s being naughty and refuse to bet with her, and her imminent thousand taels of gold would become a distant dream.

So she said, "If I lose, then I’ll give you the money."

"Silly Baby." Emperor Yongning rubbed Jun Ning’s head, "Do you have that much money?"

"I..." Surely not, she only had five hundred taels of gold, which she swindled from Father Emperor.

Due to the heaviness of the gold, Xiao Lizi wanted to bring it over for her, but she had no place to keep it, so she hadn’t taken it yet. Those gold pieces are still stored in Father Emperor’s private treasury!

"I don’t have it now, but it doesn’t mean I won’t have it in the future." Jun Ning tapped her little chest and assured, "Father Emperor rest assured, if I lose, I can write you an IOU."

Emperor Yongning said, "Then you are bound to lose, start thinking about the contents of the IOU now!" Content orıginally comes from 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭⚫𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦⚫𝘯𝘦𝘵

Why so confident she’ll lose?

She really won’t lose.

"What’s the saying again?" Jun Ning scratched her little head, "When destiny is undecided, you and I are both dark horses. Father Emperor, don’t be too sure."

"Enough said." Emperor Yongning adeptly helped Jun Ning with her outerwear and shoes, "Let’s go together to Jiaofang Palace to see, everything will be clear."

Jun Ning was not afraid at all.

Not only was she unafraid, but Jun Ning also showed great enthusiasm.

Emperor Yongning was speechless about her enthusiasm, thinking the little one truly has a childish heart and innocence, unable to perceive people’s emotions or foresee the trajectory of worldly affairs. Once she’s at Jiaofang Palace and sees how the Empress treats Seventeen, her enthusiasm will surely dampen.

At noon, Emperor Yongning took Jun Ning to the Jiaofang Palace together.

The doors of Jiaofang Palace were shut tight, and besides Palace Attendants delivering daily necessities, no one came or went.

Today, with Emperor Yongning coming, Jiaofang Palace was finally opened.