"Your grandmother and great-grandmother? Have their lives been too comfortable? If they dare defy my wishes, I'll order your Marquis's Residence raided and confiscated. Let's see who dares object!"
Little Wanwan: Huh?
[Good grief, Auntie Empress Dowager really is such a good person. Love her, love her.]
[Just a few words, and my family's ruined and dead, huh?]
[Have you thought about what'll happen to my mommy without the Marquis's Residence?]
Fortunately, no one could hear her thoughts.
The Empress Dowager thought for a moment, then added, "We can't be so impulsive, either. What would Liu Wan do if we confiscated the Marquis's Residence?"
Little Wanwan: [Oh my, Auntie Empress Dowager has grown a brain!]
"That's right, have your mother remarry into the Imperial Palace. Then you'll be my little princess!"
"Who should she marry? The emperor is too old and too full of himself. He doesn't deserve a daughter like you!"
"Why don't I find her a prince? Your mother is only a few years older than them anyway. A wife three years older brings a gold brick to hold-Liu Wan is blessed indeed. She can take her pick of the princes born to the emperor and me!"
Little Wanwan: Huuuh?
[Mommy, your romantic luck is coming!]
Pan Chun's legs nearly gave out when she heard this.
Your Majesty, don't you know the eldest prince is seventeen now?
Eldest Madam married into the Marquis's Residence at fifteen. Now she's over twenty and has already had a daughter. Isn't this a little too absurd?
The Empress Dowager felt that neither this nor that was quite good enough, so she said, "I'll take you to see the emperor right now!"
She would see what they could do to lure this little thing into the palace.
Without caring whether the little one in her arms agreed, she set off straight for the emperor's Imperial Study.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please mind your appearance!"
The palace maids chased after her, almost in tears.
The Empress Dowager was covered in mud, and her face was filthy too. Calling the little one in her arms a tiny mud figurine would hardly be an exaggeration! How could they possibly present themselves to the emperor like this?
Aaaah!
Heavens, please save us!
Once the Empress Dowager's attendants left, the maids in the Princess's sleeping quarters scrambled to lie down in the pit.
The news that the pit beneath the Coral Tree could beautify the skin soon spread throughout the Imperial Palace.
Even Xia Zhao was eager to try it and pulled Liu Wan into the pit to lie down with her.
Liu Wan: ...
Where's my daughter?
A palace maid said, "The Empress Dowager took her to play with His Majesty."
Liu Wan breathed a sigh of relief.
Little Wanwan was carried along in a daze, and soon arrived at the Imperial Study.
The emperor was discussing the progress of disaster relief with the ministers of the six ministries.
The Minister of Revenue said, "Your Majesty, you have no idea! Ever since those coal spirits, including Marquis Jing'an's Heir Apparent, arrived in Anyuan County, the rain has grown lighter by the day. Those three Coal Mine Spirits are practically immortals! The Ministry of Revenue hardly had to allocate any funds before the disaster was brought under control."
"Indeed, indeed. Your Majesty is wise. Such a decision was truly a blessing for all the people," said the Minister of Works.
"Your Majesty, my son Liu Shi sent a letter home. He said the flooding would be resolved in a few days and he could return to court. However, the people are so grateful to Marquis Jing'an's Heir Apparent and his two companions that they weep and cannot bear to let them leave..."
Minister Liu looked conflicted.
The emperor slapped the table!
"Then what harm is there in having Marquis Jing'an's Heir Apparent and the others stay a few more months?"
"Your Majesty is wise and mighty! Long live our emperor!"
The emperor curled his lips slightly, revealing a charming jawline, then faintly furrowed his brow and touched his forehead with a rueful smile.
I told you I was the most handsome man under heaven.
I truly am an enlightened ruler.
An enlightened ruler seen only once in ten million years!
Just then.
A eunuch announced, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has arrived!"
The Empress Dowager entered the Imperial Study with a little mud figurine in her arms.
The little one's eyes were round as she stared blankly at everyone present.
"Mother, where did you find this clay doll? It's quite lifelike. And how did you end up looking like this?"
The emperor rose and gazed at the Empress Dowager, who had always loved cleanliness and maintained a dignified, proper appearance. Now she looked as though she had crawled out of a mud pit. He sank into contemplation.
Minister Liu also looked astonished. This doll was rather pretty. Why did she look a little familiar?
The Empress Dowager glanced at Minister Liu. "Ahem."
She signaled to the emperor with her eyes.
The emperor looked at her in confusion. "Is your throat bothering you?"
[Silly Uncle Emperor, she wants you to send my maternal grandfather away!]
The moment those words rang out.
Minister Liu and the emperor both froze!
They exchanged a glance. The atmosphere was awkward.
Minister Liu: Is this our Little Wanwan?
The emperor: Is this the little thing Liu Wan gave birth to?
"Minister Liu, you may withdraw!"
Minister Liu glanced at his granddaughter, then looked the emperor and Empress Dowager up and down.
Why do I feel like they're up to no good?
But he still went out. Several of his colleagues watched with their own eyes as a dignified Minister of Rites pressed himself against the door to eavesdrop.
The ministers shook their heads.
A disgrace to refinement. Such a disgrace.
Inside the Imperial Study.
Little Wanwan giggled and reached out to grab the emperor's dragon robe.
[Uncle Emperor, you're pretty handsome when you don't frown. Let me soak up some dragon qi. Sluuurp!]
The Empress Dowager set her on the floor and brushed the mud off herself. "Emperor, let me tell you, do you know how utterly precious this little thing is? All I did was lie in the same pit as her and take an afternoon nap. Look at my skin!"
Only then did the emperor notice the Empress Dowager's skin. Despite the dirt, it was smooth, delicate, and free of wrinkles. She looked more than twenty years younger.
He sighed softly in wonder. "Mother, go change into clean clothes first. I'll have someone wash this little one and bring her back."
The Empress Dowager eyed him suspiciously.
Trying to send me away so you can play with the little one alone?
Not a chance!
She snorted, picked Little Wanwan up again, and headed into a side room of the Imperial Study.
When the two emerged clean, they found the emperor watching them eagerly.
"Mother, are you truly my mother? If no one told me, I would have thought you were one of the beauties in my harem, lovely enough to topple cities and kingdoms!"
The emperor chuckled and showered her with flattery, but his eyes were fixed on the fair, plump baby in his mother's arms.
Little Wanwan was clean now. Sucking her thumb, she reached out to smooth the three furrows between the emperor's brows.
Only when the emperor stopped frowning did Little Wanwan bare her toothless gums in a smile.
[Hehehe, Uncle Emperor really is handsome when he doesn't frown!]
The emperor: !!!
Did you hear that? She said I'm handsome!
Did you hear?
The eunuch beside him and the Empress Dowager looked at him in confusion.
The emperor's smile grew even more unrestrained. Haha, none of you can hear Little Wanwan's thoughts. Only I can!
Before he had finished laughing.
The Empress Dowager said, "Emperor, I came to ask you to bestow the title of princess on Wanwan!"
The corners of the emperor's mouth stiffened.
The Empress Dowager said, "If Marquis Jing'an's Heir Apparent disagrees, just find some charge and throw him in prison!"
The corners of the emperor's mouth slowly drooped.
The Empress Dowager said, "If the elders of Jing'an Marquis Manor disagree, confiscating the entire household's property isn't out of the question!"
The emperor stopped smiling.
The Empress Dowager said, "If the Xie family's clan elders refuse, then execute all nine branches of the Xie family!"
Before you continue