Shen Qingqing had been about to refuse Ye Yubei's suggestion when she suddenly remembered that Tang Tang really had been behaving strangely these past few days, as though she had some illness.
"Be good, Tang Tang. Shall we let the Imperial Physician take a look first? Just to check your health."
"But Mommy, I don't want to see a doctor. I'm not sick. I don't want to!"
Ye Tangtang shook her head like a pellet drum and even squeezed out two tears for good measure. She was healthy and ate everything with relish. She did not want to see an Imperial Physician.
The Imperial Physician might even prescribe some horribly bitter medicine. It would taste awful, and she did not want any!
"Be good, Tang Tang. Just let him take a look."
Shen Qingqing took her daughter's little hand and offered it to the Imperial Physician.
[Aaaaaah! They're murdering their own daughter!]
[Murder!!!]
Shen Qingqing: "..."
Ye Yubei: "..."
Could someone throw this daughter out?
"Rest assured, Ninth Princess. This humble subject will read your pulse through a suspended thread."
Ye Tangtang knew she could not escape. Fine, he could read her pulse, so long as he did not make her take medicine.
The elderly Imperial Physician rested one hand on the thread, his brows drawing tighter and tighter.
Ye Yubei asked anxiously, "Well? Is it epilepsy?"
"Your Majesty, the little princess's pulse is steady, and she is in good health. There are no signs of illness. More nourishing food will help her grow faster."
Ye Yubei rose straight to his feet. "She isn't sick? It really isn't epilepsy? Check again."
"Your Majesty, the little princess is perfectly healthy. This humble subject is certain. There is no need to check again."
[Epilepsy! Could it be... my scumbag dad has epilepsy? Oh no, oh no! What if he passes it down to me? I'm supposed to be a healthy little baby!]
Ye Tangtang fell apart. Her scumbag dad had a hereditary illness? Why had the book never mentioned it?
Ye Yubei: "..."
"In that case, every one of you will take turns checking the little princess's pulse."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Then twenty-odd Imperial Physicians lined up to take Ye Tangtang's pulse one after another, and every one of them reached the same conclusion.
"Your Majesty, the little princess is in excellent health. She only needs more nourishing food to grow taller."
Ye Tangtang beamed. She really was a little lucky star. She had actually avoided inheriting her scumbag dad's epilepsy. Heaven seemed to favor her after all.
Shen Qingqing stroked her little daughter's head. Did she really not have epilepsy?
Why had Tang Tang been acting so strangely these past few days?
Ye Yubei said, "Mm. You may all withdraw."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Imperial Physicians all withdrew.
"Emperor Father, am I very healthy?"
"Yes, Tang Tang is very healthy."
Ye Tangtang blinked her big eyes. "Emperor Father, can I go back to sleep now?"
"Yes."
Ye Tangtang was about to leave when she noticed someone still sitting nearby. It was the male lead. Why hadn't he left yet?
[No way, no way! Is my scumbag dad planning to kill the male lead? He can't! If he kills the male lead and the plot collapses, I'll be gone, my beautiful mommy will be gone, and everyone will be gone!]
[No, no! I absolutely can't let my scumbag dad kill the male lead.]
Ye Yubei frowned. So killing Jun Yuyuan would not solve the problem either? Besides... he was the crown prince of the Qin Ye Kingdom. He could not be killed.
"Emperor Father, he's my good friend, and he saved me. I want to thank him properly. Can I invite him to the Palace of Gathered Elegance for a meal?"
Ye Tangtang pointed at Jun Yuyuan nearby, blinking her big, dark eyes and sending little hearts toward her Emperor Father.
Looking at his daughter's pretty little face, Ye Yubei nearly melted from her cuteness. He gave a few soft coughs. "All right. Go ahead."
"Thank you, Emperor Father."
Ye Tangtang walked over and took Jun Yuyuan's hand in her little one. "You saved me today, so I'll treat you to a meal."
[Come with me, quick! My scumbag dad will kill you in a minute. I've saved your life too, even though you don't know it...]
[Hahaha, I touched the male lead's hand again! Here come my lovely little points. Come on, come on! The more, the better. Bury me alive in points!]
Jun Yuyuan: "..."
Sure enough, she was still doing it for the points.
[Gossip... here comes the gossip! Tang Tang is ready to feast on some freshly served gossip.]
[Is there any juicy gossip this time? Who's put another green cuckold's hat on my scumbag dad? Hahahaha, that Lady Liu last time turned him green from head to toe. I'm dying of laughter.]
Ye Yubei pricked up his ears.
He wanted to see who else dared put a cuckold's hat on him!
The lush green grassland atop his head was already wide enough to race horses on, and his own daughter was laughing at him for it.
It seemed Lady Liu's punishment had been too light. He should have her and her lover put to death by a thousand cuts together!
[It's Consort Shu! She... she actually tumbled into bed with an actor. But this actor really is handsome. Better-looking than my scumbag dad, right?]
Ye Tangtang sneaked a glance at Ye Yubei in his seat. Her scumbag dad was still more handsome. Was something wrong with Consort Shu's taste? Why did she like an actor?
[Why is there a mosaic censor? I object! Little Useless System, remove the mosaic. Can't you play fair?]
System: [Viewing prohibited for minors!]
Ye Yubei's face darkened. He felt as though the top of his head was a sea of green.
This time it was Consort Shu. No, Lady Shu. He had already demoted her to a lady.
This was outrageous!
An actor?
He, the sovereign of an entire kingdom, could not even compare to an actor?
With a thunderous expression, Ye Yubei strode out of the palace hall.
"Huh? Where's Emperor Father going? He's walking so fast and looks so angry. I wonder who's about to suffer."
Ye Tangtang shook her little head. How had she ended up with such a bad-tempered scumbag dad? What if he was in a foul mood one day and bumped her off too? She had better keep him happy.
Shen Qingqing stroked her daughter's head. "Tang Tang, let's go home too."
"Yay! I'm going back to sleep. I'm a little tired."
"Weren't you going to invite me to a meal?"
At the sound of the boy's cool, clear voice, Ye Tangtang finally remembered that someone was still standing beside her. Her scumbag dad had left, so the male lead should be safe now.
"Let's eat another day. Didn't you just eat? I'm leaving now. Bye-bye."
Ye Tangtang waved a little hand and went back with her mommy, leaving Jun Yuyuan standing there alone.
What an ungrateful little thing. She tossed him aside as soon as she was done using him. The next time she ran out of points, she would certainly come looking for him herself. He would wait.
Ling Feng asked, "Your Highness, shall we head back too?"
"Mm."
Clad in black robes, Jun Yuyuan stood tall and slender with one hand behind his back. Though only in his teens, he already had the bearing of a sovereign who ruled all beneath heaven.
"Your Highness, the letter you asked me to send last time has been delivered."
Jun Yuyuan said, "Mm."
"But Your Highness, will the ruler of the Eastern Lin Kingdom really agree? Northern Li has strong troops and sturdy horses, and excels at warfare..."
Jun Yuyuan raised a hand to stop him as several young eunuchs up ahead crowded around them.
"Well, who do we have here? Just a dog that's lost its home. I heard you offended Eunuch Wang last time."
"Jun Yuyuan, you don't still think you're a crown prince, do you? You're just the crown prince of a fallen kingdom. If I were you, I'd live with my tail between my legs."
"That's right. His Majesty gives you a mouthful of food out of kindness. You think you're worthy of attending the Palace Banquet? Take a good look at yourself."
"A crown prince? His kingdom is gone. There hasn't been a crown prince for ages. He's nothing but a prisoner now."
Jun Yuyuan's eyes darkened, cold as the waters of a deep pool, while his expression remained as still as an unruffled surface.
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