Jiang Yanchuan carried the lantern himself as he hurried back to Xianyang Palace, with Eunuch Changshun jogging behind him and the Shadow Guard who had come ahead to report the news.
"Tell me everything."
The Shadow Guard wore a miserable expression. "Yes, Your Majesty!"
"At first, the Little Highness played with her little toys in Xianyang Palace as Your Majesty instructed. Partway through, she suddenly said she wanted to prepare a secret gift for Your Majesty and didn't want us to see it before you did, then chased all our people out."
"About an hour later, the Little Highness-"
The Shadow Guard's voice grew strained. "She came out carrying a little pillow, declaring that she was going to help Your Majesty handle state affairs..."
Tears of sorrow gathered into a river in his heart. The Shadow Guard practically wanted to give Emperor Mingze a live demonstration of a grown man weeping.
He dared not repeat what the Little Highness had said.
Things like-
"It's already so late. Don't the uncles have sweet, well-behaved daughters waiting for them at home?"
And-
"Chengcheng wants to see which uncle won't let Imperial Father spend time with Chengcheng!"
Not to mention-
"Chengcheng is taking her little pillow to the Imperial Study right now! Once I get there, I'll lie down on the couch and see who still refuses to let Imperial Father return to his palace and rest!"
And-
[Chengcheng already checked! Nothing important happened at court today. The uncles don't have to stay so late today at all!]
To better protect the Little Highness, Emperor Mingze had given all these Shadow Guards minor sinecures.
On the day the doors to a whole new world opened for them, he had even sent someone specifically to stop them from making a sound.
-By sealing every