We Systems Can't Have Everything Our Way!

After Eunuch Changshun's voice fell silent, no one else in the courtyard spoke.

Yet Emperor Mingze's ears were far from quiet.

007 was making the most of the time to explain the book's background to Jiang Yingcheng.

[Emperor Mingze, the youngest emperor in Great Rui's history, was also the emperor who had the most profound influence on later generations.]

[During his sixteen-year reign, he successfully expanded Great Rui's territory to three times its original size. However, his methods were harsh, and he treated prisoners of war with vicious cruelty. Thus, despite his achievements in expanding the realm, praise and condemnation followed him in equal measure throughout his life.]

To her, the system's words were like a breeze brushing past her ears. They circled lightly once, then scattered again without leaving the slightest trace.

Jiang Yingcheng murmured to 007, [But he's so good-looking.]

007 couldn't understand how the subject had suddenly shifted to this: [What?]

Jiang Yingcheng tried to reason with 007: [We systems can't have everything our way! My imperial father is already this handsome, so what! Does! It! Matter! if his methods are a little harsh?]

007 had no answer and disappeared for quite a while. Only after Jiang Yingcheng called for it several times in her mind did it reappear: [Let's get back to business.]

[In his haste, the person who pushed you today had a cuff button snagged off by your hair ornament. It's in the snow behind the stone steps. Find a chance to retrieve it in a moment and prove the seventh prince's innocence... are you listening?]

Only after finishing did 007 notice that Jiang Yingcheng's attention was elsewhere. Her little head kept swiveling between Emperor Mingze and the seventh prince. Not until it questioned her did she nod repeatedly.

Jiang Yingcheng brushed it off vaguely: [Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, I heard you.]

[The person who pushed me dropped a cuff button in the snow. Once we find it, we can prove Seventh Brother's innocence.]

Originally, she had planned to tell Emperor Mingze that she had fallen by accident. Now that there was a better way, she felt much more at ease.

The only difficulty now was that the fourth prince's maternal family held a distinguished position, one her "mother consort" couldn't possibly match. If she offended them rashly, neither of them would have anything pleasant awaiting them in the palace afterward.

She had to find a way to reveal this to her imperial father without leaving any trace.

As she pondered, Emperor Mingze's voice came from above her head, breaking his long silence.

"Changshun," he said unhurriedly, his cool voice pleasing to the ear, "send people to search the surrounding snow carefully and see whether they can find any clues."

Eunuch Changshun froze for a moment, then recovered swiftly. "As you command."

With that, he sent people spreading out to search the area around the stone steps, carefully going over it inch by inch.

Jiang Yingcheng was ecstatic. Flattery poured forth in her mind, one compliment after another, as though it cost her nothing.

[Aaaah, my imperial father is amazing!]

[Handsome and wise! No wonder he's an emperor whose praises will be sung for a thousand years!]

[Imperial Father is the best! Chengcheng is going to wave a great big banner for him!]

Emperor Mingze's half-lowered eyes concealed his emotions. Beneath his broad sleeves, his fingers rubbed lightly together twice as he set aside the questions in his heart for now.

Being able to hear a young child's thoughts was absurd enough. Rashly believing them before verifying their truth was even more inadvisable.

But...

Emperor Mingze's gaze passed over this daughter, who seemed strange in every possible way, and went straight to Jiang Huai'an and Jiang Xingran, kneeling behind her.

Jiang Xingran's expression was calm, as though nothing happening around him could stir him in the slightest. Only when his gaze occasionally passed over Jiang Yingcheng did a hint of hesitation appear.

He wondered whether Jiang Xingran could hear Jiang Yingcheng's thoughts too.

Jiang Huai'an's expression was much easier to read.

His face was ashen, his expression tense, and a fine sheen of sweat had appeared at his temples at a most unfortunate moment.

He might as well have written "I did it" across his face.

While the eunuchs searched the snow, Jiang Yingcheng continued saying things in her mind that Emperor Mingze couldn't entirely understand.

[Boo-hoo, my imperial father is actually this beautiful-oh, no, my imperial father is this handsome and dashing, like a jade tree standing in the breeze, as gorgeous as Pan An, as lovely as orchids and jade trees! I'm just so blessed!]

[But speaking of which, why did my imperial father die in the prime of his life?]

Emperor Mingze couldn't help listening intently.

His daughter seemed to be conversing with someone, but he couldn't hear the voice on the other end.

[Huh?]

Jiang Yingcheng seemed deeply startled by the other party's words.

[He worried too much and worked himself sick, and when he already only had a few years left to live, he was... he was poisoned by a villain too?]

Emperor Mingze's heart sank a little.

The first two conditions she mentioned matched the imperial physicians' assessments perfectly. If they found that cuff button in the snow in a moment, he would truly have to consider carefully how to treat this daughter of his.

Still oblivious, Jiang Yingcheng continued chatting with 007 in her mind: [But my imperial father is so formidable! Who would try to harm my beautiful imperial father?]

Emperor Mingze's gaze paused on Jiang Huai'an. He made a mental note to find an opportunity to teach this youngest daughter how she ought to show respect to her imperial father in everyday life, yet he also began listening even more closely.

He, too, very much wanted to know who could wield such far-reaching power.

007 replied: [The one who poisoned him was an enemy general, but it was the fourth prince who helped get that person into the palace.]

As though suddenly furious, Jiang Yingcheng stamped her foot hard, instantly drawing everyone's attention. She herself, however, seemed entirely unaware.

To everyone watching, the scene looked like an adorable little dumpling who had suddenly become angry with someone for no discernible reason. She kicked at the snow beneath her feet to vent her anger, sending snowflakes scattering over her shoes. The movement was childish and endearingly innocent, making her look all the more adorable.

Emperor Mingze, however, knew why she had done it.

[How can that person be so wicked!] Even angry, Jiang Yingcheng's soft, sweet voice sounded as though she were wheedling. [No, I'm going to be Daddy's most windproof little padded jacket!]

Her way of addressing him had changed several times within a few short breaths, yet strangely, he felt no irritation.

This was Emperor Mingze's first time encountering the inner thoughts of a daughter this age so directly, and he found it rather novel.

Jiang Yingcheng's indignant voice filled his ears. Although these thoughts hadn't directly identified the culprit, they still improved his mood a little.

Never mind.

If everything her thoughts said was true, he would eventually find a way to coax out the answers he wanted.

No sooner had this thought settled than the people searching the snow behind him finally made a discovery.

The person who had found the evidence hurried over with quick, short steps and handed it to Changshun, who then presented it to Emperor Mingze with both hands.

Changshun said respectfully, "Your Majesty, this is what we just found in the snow."

Emperor Mingze didn't draw his hands out of his cloak. He merely lowered his eyes and glanced twice at the object in Changshun's hands.

It was indeed a cuff button, and one of the standard kind used on palace eunuchs' uniforms. It matched what he had heard in her thoughts exactly.

Emperor Mingze raised his head. Before he could say anything, one of those kneeling on the ground began trembling uncontrollably.

His eyes abruptly darkened.

It seemed that everything this little snow dumpling had said was true.