Chapter 117: Chapter 117

"If Grand Empress Dowager truly wants to give me a gift, why not give me some money instead!"

"Grand Empress Dowager also knows that these past years, I’ve lived with Mother in the Cold Palace, where we can’t eat our fill or dress warmly, let alone save any money. So giving money would be best, as I love money the most."

After speaking, Jun Ning, the little miser, stepped forward to hug the Empress Dowager’s leg, rubbing her head against it continuously, acting coquettishly. The opulent hem of the Empress Dowager’s skirt was visibly rumpled by her.

However, the Empress Dowager didn’t show any displeasure; instead, she looked at Jun Ning even more tenderly.

This little girl, rubbing here and there, wasn’t just wrinkling her clothes but was tugging at her heart.

The Empress Dowager’s heart softened immensely; raising a little girl was indeed much more enjoyable than those troublesome boys.

"Talking about money is so vulgar! Let’s not talk about money." The Empress Dowager rejected Jun Ning’s request with a disgusted face.

Upon hearing this, Jun Ning was momentarily stunned, quickly waving her hands, saying, "It’s not vulgar, not vulgar at all."

After all, money was her favorite thing!

Throughout her life, the Empress Dowager had enjoyed wealth and luxury, and there was never a time she lacked money. Thus, she was not so fond of it. She always thought that talking about money was vulgar, very, very vulgar.

Any genuine affection that could be expressed with money wasn’t true affection.

She genuinely wanted to give the little girl a gift, and it had to be the best, not something too vulgar.

Jun Ning still wanted to say something.

The Empress Dowager continued, "Eighteen! You’re still young and don’t truly understand what is most precious. Listen to me, let me personally make you a set of clothes. When you wear it out, everyone will envy you."

Speaking, the Empress Dowager pressed Jun Ning’s shoulders, turning her around so her back faced the Empress Dowager. She then gave Nanny Liu a meaningful look.

Nanny Liu quickly fetched a measuring ruler.

The Empress Dowager personally took Jun Ning’s measurements and ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to prepare the fabric.

Jun Ning was forced to accept this yet-to-be-prepared gift from her Grand Empress Dowager.

The three of them had lunch together and then went for a walk in the Imperial Garden.

The weather was still hot, the kind of stuffy heat where adults would sweat after just a few steps, their clothes sticking uncomfortably to their bodies. Active children were even more outrageous.

Jun Ning and Jun Yu were bouncing around in the Imperial Garden, sweating profusely as if drenched by rain.

The Empress Dowager ordered someone to find a pavilion for them to sit and rest, personally wiping the siblings’ foreheads and, fearing they still felt hot, ordered someone to fan them, making it less hot.

Nanny Zhang volunteered for the task.

She stood behind Jun Ning and Jun Yu, gently fanning for them.

This harmonious scene was quickly reported to the Empress by her informant. The source of this content ɪs 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝕟𝕖𝕥

Upon hearing it, the Empress was fuming mad.

She had intended for the Empress Dowager to reprimand Jun Ning after learning about Jun Ning’s cross-dressing, to show Jun Ning some tough love and make her understand that she wasn’t the one in charge in the palace and couldn’t act so willfully.

But what she didn’t expect was that the Empress Dowager not only didn’t mind but even turned a blind eye to it, treating Jun Ning as her true granddaughter, a hundredfold, a thousandfold better than the Princes before her.

It’s important to note that the seventeen Princes before Jun Ning, including the seventeenth Prince Jun Yu, who was raised under her name, were merely glanced at by the Empress Dowager at birth, awarded some random gifts by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and then left alone.

Never before had there been things like wiping sweat, preparing to make outfits by hand, or personally feeding.

Jun Ning is the first to receive the Empress Dowager’s affection.

Completely the opposite of what she anticipated.

Now Jun Ning not only had the Emperor as a backer but also the Empress Dowager.

She has ended up helping someone else make their dress!

If she had known it would turn out this way, she wouldn’t have bothered!

Regretfully, the Empress clenches her fists, trembling, while gnashing her teeth almost as if she would bite through her silver teeth.

Nanny Li urged, "Empress, don’t worry. In a few days, when the Marquis brings the real little princess into the palace, Jun Ning’s good days will come to an end."

"I’m not in a hurry," the Empress said through gritted teeth. "This concerns my future. I know I can’t rush and can hold my patience well."

If not, everything left in this Jiaofang Palace might not have survived before being smashed in a fit of rage by the Empress.

"That’s good to hear," Nanny Li said in relief.

After finishing a pile of memorials, Emperor Yongning tiredly rubbed his aching brow, lifting his head to glance at the small, empty stool beside him. It had been prepared especially for Jun Ning, to make her comfortable whenever she visited him here.

But for several days in a row, no one had sat on it.

"Xiao Lizi, what has Jun Ning been doing today? Has she gone to my mother’s place again?"

This little girl had been heading to Cining Palace daily in recent days and hadn’t come here to see him.

Emperor Yongning hadn’t seen Jun Ning for several days.

Xiao Lizi replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, the princess has gone to Cining Palace again."

Emperor Yongning couldn’t understand, "Hua Pin has already moved to Weiyang Palace, which has everything she could need, all brand new. Why doesn’t she stay there, but always runs to Cining Palace?"

"Could there be something in Cining Palace that attracts her?" Emperor Yongning speculated.

Xiao Lizi replied, "I heard that daily, Empress Dowager prepares her mung bean cakes, spicy soup, soup dumplings, fried dough...things she loves to eat, and naturally, the young one is drawn to it."

The expression on Emperor Yongning’s face turned dark instantly, "Are these things not available in Weiyang Palace? What is the Ministry of Internal Affairs doing?"

"Weiyang Palace has those too," Xiao Lizi quickly defended the Ministry of Internal Affairs. "It’s truly not their fault; Empress Dowager genuinely loves the little princess, having those snacks ready for her any time outside of the three main meals, meaning the little princess loves going there."

Emperor Yongning hadn’t anticipated that his mother’s affection for Jun Ning was growing stronger than his own.

"Ah..." Having another person to love his little daughter, he didn’t mind.

But it was becoming so hard to even see his little daughter!

"Xiao Lizi, make sure that the snacks the princess loves are always available here in the Imperial Study Room as well. If the princess knows, she will likely visit often, saving me from facing only these tedious memorials every day."

Your Majesty, is this really alright?

Is there any emperor who would provide such an array of things just to have someone come over?