"Brothers, are you laughing at me...?"
Ye Tangtang pouted, her big, dark eyes fixed on her brothers.
Ye Linze and the others immediately shook their heads. "No, how could we possibly laugh at our little sister?"
"Little sister, it's getting late. Why don't we hurry back to the palace? If Emperor Father finds out we sneaked out, he'll punish us severely. He might even break our legs," Ye Linxuan said.
"What! Break our legs? No way! Emperor Father couldn't possibly be that cruel. He can't even bear to hit me!"
Ye Tangtang shook her little head, not worried about her scumbag imperial daddy at all. He might look rather fierce, but that was all on the surface.
Her scumbag daddy was pretty good sometimes. He even avenged her and wouldn't let anyone bully her. He barely passed muster, so she would give him sixty points for now and see how he behaved later.
"That's because you don't know Emperor Father's temper. Little sister, we should hurry back."
Ye Linxun also said, "Yes, we've been out too long this time."
"Okay, let me buy one more little cloth tiger. That little tiger is so cute."
Ye Tangtang ran over to a stall. The vendor was a kind-looking old woman dressed in ragged clothes. Beside her stood a little boy who looked only three or four, with dark skin and a dry steamed bun clutched in his little hand, which he was gnawing on.
"Little miss, what would you like? These little cloth tigers are all handmade. They're cheap and pretty."
Ye Tangtang picked up a cloth tiger. It was exquisitely made, with even its eyes looking lifelike.
"Granny, I'd like a little tiger. How much is this?"
"You'd like this cloth tiger, little miss? It's very cheap. Only... twenty copper coins,"