Chapter 99: Chapter 99

But then she suddenly thought of the consequences of directly asking Emperor Yongning straight out, which would be not getting the answer she wanted at all, and then being taken as a child’s play and being brushed off with some excuse.

After hesitating again, Jun Ning decided not to ask for now.

If her guess was correct, she thought her mother would ask her more about Ah Yu and might even sneak out of the Cold Palace to secretly see Ah Yu at Jiaofang Palace.

Anyway, ever since her cheap dad issued the Imperial Decree to let her mother out of the Cold Palace, the people guarding the Cold Palace no longer restrained her and her mother from going anywhere.

But if her guess was wrong, she thought her mother would just take it as gossip, and after hearing it, she’d move on. After all, she and Ah Yu had only met a few times, not enough to be deeply troubled by his plight.

Unfortunately, Qiong Hua’s reaction after hearing it was the former.

She asked Jun Ning proactively many questions about Ah Yu, down to the minutest details of his eating and drinking, all with deep worry in her eyes.

Jun Ning saw it clearly and understood.

Next, it depended on whether her mother would sneak out of the Cold Palace.

These past two nights, Jun Ning had stayed in the Cold Palace, sleeping with Qiong Hua, to spite Emperor Yongning and didn’t go back to the Panlong Palace. So, she saw every move Qiong Hua made clearly.

As she had anticipated, on the night Qiong Hua could get out of bed and walk, which was also the fifth day after Jun Ning angrily left the Imperial Study Room. At midnight, when the night was quiet and everyone was asleep, Qiong Hua suddenly got up, dressed, and left the Cold Palace.

Jun Ning quickly got up and followed after her.

She saw her mother indeed made her way towards Jiaofang Palace.

Like Jun Ning’s initial attempt to sneak into Jiaofang Palace, Qiong Hua also wanted to sneak in to see Ah Yu. But the Jiaofang Palace was heavily guarded, not easy to enter.

After fruitless attempts, Qiong Hua began crying in a secluded place.

"Ah Yu, my poor child."

"You’re suffering, but mother can do nothing for you. I feel guilty!"

Qiong Hua choked out these words to herself.

All of her words fell into Jun Ning’s ears without missing a single one. As Jun Ning understood everything, she couldn’t help but step forward and hug Qiong Hua, who was squatting on the ground crying.

"Mother, don’t cry, I’ll bring Ah Yu back to you..." she promised Qiong Hua.

"Yi Yi?" Hearing this familiar voice, Qiong Hua looked back in surprise at the little girl holding onto her back. "Why are you here?"

"If Yi Yi didn’t come, I wouldn’t be able to know why mother wouldn’t leave the Cold Palace!"

"And I would miss the truth that Ah Yu and Yi Yi are twins, no, dragon and phoenix twins!"

Jun Ning spoke with wisdom beyond her years, neither looking nor sounding like a child.

Qiong Hua felt for a moment that she was talking to an adult, not a two-and-a-half-year-old child. But then she shook her head, looking at Jun Ning’s small frame, thinking she’d imagined it.

Yi Yi is just precocious, nothing more.

Her cleverness brought both joy and a sense of helplessness to her mother.

Qiong Hua didn’t know how to explain this situation to Jun Ning.

Children grow up, and it’s hard to deceive them!

If this is kept a secret, it clearly can no longer be concealed.

If she tells the truth, she’s afraid Yi Yi might act impulsively once she knows the reality.

"Mother, you don’t have to worry that Yi Yi will do something after knowing this," Jun Ning said confidently. "Yi Yi doesn’t need to do anything except stay by your side, and Father will naturally bring Ah Yu back to you and take you out of the Cold Palace."

Qiong Hua was surprised that Jun Ning guessed her thoughts, but also confused by her words, "Yi Yi, why are you so sure?"

Jun Ning smiled mysteriously, "Mother, guess why?"

Qiong Hua couldn’t guess.

"Can’t guess, right!" Jun Ning said, "Then stop guessing, just rest assured and wait for the day to come!"

Actually, Qiong Hua wasn’t too hopeful about Jun Ning; she was thinking about when the envoy from her mother’s clan would come. If they came, they might be able to help her.

For now, besides enduring the Cold Palace situation with Emperor Yongning, she could only wait patiently.

A cool breeze blew over suddenly, causing Jun Ning to shiver.

Only then did Qiong Hua notice that Jun Ning was only wearing her undergarments, and she worried, "Yi Yi, you’re already frail. How could you come out without dressing warmly? With the big temperature difference between day and night, what if you catch a cold and fall ill?"

Since they couldn’t get into Jiaofang Palace now, it was pointless to linger there.

Qiong Hua quickly took Jun Ning’s hand, "Come, let’s go back."

Another night of lying awake until dawn.

Before it was fully light, Emperor Yongning had already gotten up.

"Present!" Xiao Lizi came in, carrying washing supplies. While helping Emperor Yongning wash up, he noticed the dark circles under his eyes and said with concern, "Your Majesty, since the day Princess stormed out with anger, you have been troubled and haven’t had a good night’s sleep. Your body cannot withstand such a strain!"

Emperor Yongning rubbed his sore brow, remaining silent.

Xiao Lizi suggested, "Why not invite the Princess to accompany Your Majesty for breakfast after this morning’s assembly?"

Having breakfast together was just an excuse.

In fact, Xiao Lizi could see clearly that the Emperor, after these past few days, already had the intention of confessing the seventeenth prince’s true lineage to the princess.

Since that was the case, why not help create an opportunity for the two to reconcile quickly?

Not seeing Jun Ning for the past few days, Xiao Lizi also missed her.

Because whenever Jun Ning was beside the Emperor, Xiao Lizi’s work would be much easier. He truly missed the days when Jun Ning was often by the Emperor’s side.

Emperor Yongning waved his hand dismissively, "No need."

Is this a case of his pride?

Having been Emperor for so many years, ever had Yongning Emperor ever had to accommodate anyone? When had there ever been a time where he needed to comply with someone?

In his heart, he believed that having the privilege of dining with him was a rare honor that many concubines and princes would not pass on. As long as Xiao Lizi gave a hint that this was his intention, they would eagerly come to accompany him, with no need for him to lower himself to invite anyone.

Therefore, he did not invite her.

He only needed Xiao Lizi to spread the word that he intended to have a meal with the eighteenth princess, and his little darling would certainly come on her own.

Yes, exactly like that. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✶𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✶𝓷𝓮𝓽

Once Emperor Yongning figured this out, his heart was filled with expectation, and a sense of vigor appeared on his face.