Chapter 119: Chapter 119

The Marquis Zhongyong recently took leave to inspect the Jiangnan Grain Storehouse and indeed was not in the Imperial City, so this female officer was not wrong.

It was just unexpected that he would not only return soon but also bring back such news.

Emperor Yongning was somewhat surprised.

Xiao Lizi: "Take the person away."

The Imperial Guard took the person away.

Emperor Yongning then led Xiao Lizi and his entourage to Jiaofang Palace to confirm the matter once more with the Empress.

This matter was of great importance and could not be based solely on the words of a palace maid.

After learning of Emperor Yongning’s intention, the Empress showed him a letter written by Marquis Zhongyong and told him about the efforts she and the Marquis made in searching for the princess’s whereabouts among the common people.

After hearing this, Emperor Yongning confirmed that the Empress’s and Jiang Li’s statements matched, with no major discrepancies. He also confirmed the finding of his biological daughter.

A servant brought over some tea.

The Empress personally handed one cup of tea to Emperor Yongning, offering it to him, and said, "Your Majesty, my father said he will return tomorrow and wishes to bring the princess and her birth mother to the palace to see Your Majesty. Do you wish to see them, Your Majesty?"

Ignoring the cup of tea the Empress handed him, Emperor Yongning said, "See them."

The Empress, a bit disappointed, placed the cup back on the table and said, "Then I will immediately write to my father, asking him to bring the princess and my sister to the palace tomorrow to meet His Majesty."

Emperor Yongning could have summoned Marquis Zhongyong to the palace himself for a meeting; there’s no need for the Empress to write this letter. However, seeing how invested the Empress was in this matter and her willingness to invite Marquis Zhongyong on his behalf, he said nothing more and let the Empress handle it.

The Empress left to write the letter.

Emperor Yongning did not linger and returned to the Imperial Study Room.

Feeling slightly complex, he was unable to focus on the pile of memorials in front of him, sitting idly for a moment. Coming to, he asked Xiao Lizi to bring him paper to practice calligraphy.

To outsiders, his ability to calmly practice calligraphy might indicate that he was not bothered by this matter at all. Little did they know, his heart was as tumultuous as a chaotic battlefield.

You see, he had already accepted that Jun Ning was his little princess. As the Empress had said, he no longer put much effort into finding his biological daughter.

But suddenly, the Empress informed him that his biological daughter had been found.

With his biological daughter found, what does that mean for Yi Yi?

Where does he place Yi Yi now?

He knows not for the moment.

His mind was in turmoil.

Only by practicing calligraphy could he find a brief moment of peace.

"Your Majesty, are we still going to Weiyang Palace for dinner?"

Recently, Emperor Yongning has been busy sending people to inspect grain warehouses across the nation to have a sense of the autumn harvest situation.

He was busy to the point of exhaustion and hadn’t had much time to spend with his treasured little daughter.

Yet he couldn’t bear that each day was just busyness without seeing his little daughter.

So, he set a rule to dine at Weiyang Palace with Jun Ning and the others for dinner every evening for the past month. Xiao Lizi was responsible for reminding him as dinnertime approached.

If not for the unexpected finding of his biological daughter, Emperor Yongning would certainly continue dining at Weiyang Palace tonight.

Emperor Yongning’s emotions appeared very, very complex at this moment, seemingly with no mood for dining.

Whether to dine at Weiyang Palace was also uncertain.

Xiao Lizi had to ask once more.

Emperor Yongning thought for a moment and said, "...Not for now."

"...Understood, Your Majesty."

The dinner was already laid out, but Qiong Hua and the children, Jun Ning and Jun Yu, had yet to touch their chopsticks; they were all waiting for Emperor Yongning to join them.

However, they waited a long time, with the dishes heated three times, and yet no one arrived.

Just as they were about to send someone to inquire, Xiao Lizi’s messenger, Wei Lin, arrived.

Wei Lin said, "His Majesty will not dine at Weiyang Palace tonight, and wishes Lady Hua, Your Royal Highness, and the Seventeenth Prince to help themselves." This update ıs available on 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⚫𝙣𝙚𝙩

Having conveyed the message, he turned to leave.

Jun Ning called out to him, asking, "Mr. Wei, has something happened on the Emperor’s side that prevented him from joining us for dinner?"

Wei Lin shook his head.

He had heard roughly the same from his master, but he dared not speak out of turn.

Jun Ning assumed his shake of the head meant he didn’t know, so she said, "Since you don’t know, I won’t trouble you with questions. I’ll go see for myself?"

"Um... Your Highness, it’s better not to go...," Wei Lin advised.

"Why not?" Jun Ning’s clear, grape-like eyes were full of curiosity. "Is it inconvenient over there?"

She guessed, "Could it be that Father is unwell?"

"Your Highness, please do not speculate. His Majesty is fine, only that he might not come for dinner in the near future. My master asked me to inform Your Highness and Lady Hua so that you won’t wait for meals anymore in the future."

Without waiting for Jun Ning’s reply, Wei Lin left.

Jun Ning grasped the implication of his words: Father not only wouldn’t come today but possibly not again in the future.

"Mother, why is this?"

As she asked, Jun Ning faintly sensed the answer in her heart, yet she dared not confirm it.

Father used to enjoy coming to Weiyang Palace for meals because she was there. He liked her, his little daughter, so he would find any excuse to come see her every day.

Now, he suddenly stopped coming; could it be that he no longer liked her?

Qiong Hua patted Jun Ning’s head. "Yiyi, eat your food properly; don’t dwell on such things."

The favor of an emperor, like flowers in water, like the moon in a mirror, carries an air of illusion and unreality, fleeting and ephemeral.

Having endured over two long years in the Cold Palace, Qiong Hua came to see it as trivial.

Both presence and absence alike mattered little.

Regardless of where she was, she focused on living her life well.

As for her daughter, even without Emperor Yongning’s favor, she still enjoyed the Empress Dowager’s favor.

It was already enough.

No need to crave more.

Jun Ning didn’t crave too much either; she simply couldn’t comprehend why Emperor Yongning would suddenly stop liking her, leaving her feeling neglected?

Could it be she did something unforgivable to anger him?

After thinking carefully, Jun Ning felt she hadn’t done anything unforgivable.

Or perhaps it was because she often went to the Empress Dowager and seldom visited her father lately, leading her father to feel jealous and reject her?

Thinking this, Jun Ning let out a sarcastic laugh, feeling the urge to slap herself.

What strange ideas am I thinking?

Emperor Yongning is a dignified emperor; how could his heart be so narrow?

She was overthinking.

As night descended, Jun Ning continued to dwell on this matter, feeling so puzzled that she was unable to sleep.

With her mind spinning and her senses in a state of excitement, she couldn’t feel drowsy.

"Stop thinking and get some sleep," Jun Ning muttered to herself, "There’s no point in pondering so many things you can’t understand, ha!"