Chapter 188: Chapter 188
"I’m already old, not many days left to live!" The Empress Dowager sniffed, looking at Emperor Yongning with a heart full of grievances, looking as if she was about to cry, "I don’t ask for much; I just want you to keep what I entrusted you with in mind, not perfunctorily brush me off."
"..." Emperor Yongning felt genuinely aggrieved, "Mother, listen to me..."
But before Emperor Yongning could continue, the Empress Dowager interrupted angrily, "I don’t want to hear your nonsense; I only want you to bring Jun Ning back. Otherwise, you might never speak to me again."
With these words, the Empress Dowager closed her mouth, decisively retracting her gaze from Emperor Yongning.
It was clear that she was truly angry.
Seeing this, Emperor Yongning was so anxious that he scratched his head, trying to quickly find a way to comfort his elderly mother.
But even after messing up his hair, he couldn’t think of any good way.
Because the harem cannot interfere in politics, those intricate court affairs couldn’t be explained to his elderly mother.
Moreover, the Empress Dowager was old and had become quite slow; even if he explained, she might not be able to understand, and if not careful, she might blame him for trying to be elusive.
It’s better not to explain!
But if he doesn’t explain, how can he calm his mother’s anger?
Just as Emperor Yongning was in distress, Xiao Lizi came rushing in to report.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, good news, Princess, Princess she..."
Xiao Lizi was so excited from seeing Jun Ning outside the Imperial Study Room that he could barely speak. After saying "Princess" several times, he still couldn’t finish his sentence!
Emperor Yongning, however, thought it was that annoying impostor again, so he frowned and said, "When Princess An Ding comes over again, don’t report to me, just let Liu Pin take her away."
The Princess An Ding Emperor Yongning referred to was naturally Yao Yao.
A few days ago, Yao Yao had been formally titled as Princess An Ding. But her enfeoffment ceremony was so rough and simple that people doubted if she was really the Emperor’s own daughter?
The whole palace laughed at her because of this.
She was unwilling to accept it, pleaded with Liu Pin to bring her daily to kneel at the door of the Imperial Study Room, hoping to regain some favor.
But the more she did this, the more Emperor Yongning disliked her, so how could he bestow favor upon her?
Every time she came, Emperor Yongning would have her sent away.
This time, hearing the words "Princess," he didn’t even need to ask, he naturally assumed Yao Yao had come again. Annoyed, he decided not to respond to Yao Yao personally anymore but let Xiao Lizi handle it.
"But..." Xiao Lizi took a deep breath to ease his tense emotions, and said, "Your Majesty, it’s not Princess An Ding who has come, it is Princess Anle, An... Princess Anle has returned..."
Emperor Yongning and the Empress Dowager spoke simultaneously, their words laced with disbelief.
How did Jun Ning return?
With so many court officials opposed to her returning to the palace, how did she bypass those officials and return?
Emperor Yongning was exceedingly curious.
Xiao Lizi explained, "It was the Eldest Prince, the Eldest Prince brought her in."
Then that makes sense.
The Eldest Prince had been stationed at the border for years and had military merit. If he wanted to bring someone into the palace, his sheer determination could get anyone in; those officials probably didn’t have a chance to stop him.
Emperor Yongning smiled appreciatively, "It seems the years of honing at the border have matured the Eldest Prince significantly."
Emperor Yongning was in high spirits, "Quickly, summon the Eldest Prince and Princess Anle for an audience!"
"Yes!" Xiao Lizi went off joyfully to summon them.
The Empress Dowager feared she heard inaccurately, so she asked Emperor Yongning again if the little girl had truly returned and if the Eldest Prince had returned too? This time, did the Eldest Prince grow up considerably and even know to help bring his sister back?
Emperor Yongning confirmed all of the Empress Dowager’s questions.
"Good, good, good!" After expressing three ’goods,’ the Empress Dowager waited. Waited for her grandchildren to be brought in.
Just as usual, Jun Ning’s voice arrived before she did.
"Ah..." Emperor Yongning responded, hurriedly rising to greet the young girl.
As soon as the young girl reached the door, she unexpectedly collided into a large embrace, her feet off the ground, suddenly lifted by two safe and secure hands.
The person who lifted her was naturally Emperor Yongning; she didn’t even need to think about it.
Emperor Yongning held the young girl, spinning on the spot several times, and continually asked Jun Ning whether she missed Father during this time?
Jun Ning answered briefly, then giggled, her laughter conspicuous in the quiet Imperial Study Room.
This astonished the Eldest Prince who had followed them in!
In his memory, Father had never embraced any prince, but today he had lifted a useless princess? And with such joy? It was incredibly strange. Content orıginally comes from 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✦𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✦𝓷𝓮𝓽
The Eldest Prince, suppressing his inner oddity, greeted Emperor Yongning, intending to share the many difficulties he had faced at the border over the years. However, he never got the chance.
Emperor Yongning carried Jun Ning into the Imperial Study Room, and feeling lost, the Eldest Prince followed.
Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager was also there. The Eldest Prince quickly knelt to greet the Empress Dowager courteously, but after she nodded in response, her attention was utterly engrossed by Jun Ning in Emperor Yongning’s embrace; she barely noticed him.
Why even Grand Empress Dowager was ?
The Eldest Prince became increasingly disheartened.
"My dear, you finally returned home! Come over quickly, let Grand Empress Dowager hold you; do you know how much Grand Empress Dowager missed you while you were away from the palace?"
The Empress Dowager, choked with emotion, spoke as she extended her arms toward Jun Ning, awaiting her approach.
Emperor Yongning loosened his grip on the young girl slightly and said, "Go on!"
"Mm." Jun Ning slipped from Emperor Yongning’s embrace onto the floor, then walked towards the Empress Dowager, diving into her arms.
The Empress Dowager embraced the young girl, gently patting her back and spoke many things to her. Eventually, she even fetched the skirt and tiger-head shoes she had made for the young girl during her absence from the palace and showed them to Jun Ning.
Both the skirt and the shoes were made from the green fabric Jun Ning liked best.
The Empress Dowager did not disdain green as ugly, but rather embroidered various patterns on the green fabric using gold thread, making the green skirt and shoes appear sophisticated and uniquely charming.
It showed heartfelt effort!
The Eldest Prince stood aside for a while, unable to get a word in edgewise, until finally, after they finished exchanging pleasantries, he could speak.
However, he seemed somewhat displeased, speaking with pursed lips.
"Grand Empress Dowager, Father, this Princess Anle is infected with the plague; how can you be so close to her? Are you not afraid of catching the disease?"
The Eldest Prince worriedly said, "Quick, Grand Empress Dowager, you should push Princess Anle aside, and immediately call for an Imperial Physician to take a look. Otherwise, if anything happens, it wouldn’t be good."