The Prince of Nanyang's fief lay in the southeastern corner of Great Rui. He usually kept to his own little corner, putting on a perfect show of having no quarrel with the world. But was he actually this audacious?
They had long heard of this "nephew of the Deputy Chief Councillor." He had been bullying men, abusing women, and running rampant for several years now. So the prince's heir had been living in the capital under an assumed identity for that long?
What was he after?
Jiang Yingcheng wondered the same thing.
Why did he come running to the capital instead of staying with his parents?
To her, being able to stay with your parents when you were little was the most important thing in the world.
Staying with your parents was wonderful. You got to feast on delicious food and drink, and you even had pretty little clothes to wear.
Jiang Yingcheng kept stealing glances at Jiang Yanchuan.
Even though her beautiful imperial father made her get up before dawn, she still liked him very much.
Jiang Yanchuan: "..."
The assembled officials: "..."
Jiang Yingcheng suddenly let out an inward Ah!
The others hurriedly put aside their thoughts and focused on waiting for the little princess's next thoughts.
The Prince of Nanyang sent his heir to the capital ahead of time to buy off officials. Could he be planning a rebellion?!
Several officials stopped breathing, their hearts nearly leaping into their throats.
Buying off officials? Rebellion??
Such savage words-they simply-
Loved them!
They had said all along that the little princess was an auspicious blessing!
One quick-thinking official spoke before the others could. "I wish to report-"
The Prince of Nanyang had sent his heir to the capital to buy off officials. He wanted to rebel!
Huh? He just wanted them to put in a few good words with my beautiful imperial father? So Father would give them a more generous allocation of funds?
"Pfft-cough, cough, cough-" Pu Mingxu, who had just begun making his report, choked on a breath and coughed violently.
The loud disturbance failed to draw even a sliver of Jiang Yingcheng's attention. She was wholly absorbed in the secrets 007 was telling her.
Hahahahaha! Life in the capital really is better than life out on the frontier. It's only natural that the heir wouldn't want to go back.
But after coming to the capital, he did nothing but eat, drink, and have fun. Not only did he neglect every bit of his actual business, he also offended all the capital's officials. Wouldn't the Prince of Nanyang be furious enough to die?
He's already had a stroke from anger? Hahahahaha!
Her infectious laughter made quite a few people laugh along. In all of Wuyang Hall, only one man wanted to cry but had no tears.
"Minister Pu." Jiang Yanchuan set down his teacup, feeling a rare urge to tease. "What did you wish to report?"
Pu Mingxu closed his eyes in despair.
I wanted to report the Prince of Nanyang for rebellion. Could he whip one up right now?
Just for my sake?
Facing everyone's curious or mischievous gazes, Pu Mingxu declared resolutely, "I wish to report that the nephew of Deputy Chief Councillor Qian Pengyi has been running roughshod through the capital, yet Lord Qian has repeatedly cleaned up after him. Such abuse of authority shows utter contempt for the law!"
His words rang out forcefully in one uninterrupted breath, as though this had been his intended report all along.
He felt relieved, but Qian Pengyi, suddenly accused, was already trembling like chaff in a sieve.
His troublesome "nephew" could usually wander around the capital however he pleased without incident. After all, the last time he had visited as the prince's heir, he had still been a small boy with his hair in childhood tufts. No one could recognize his true identity from his present appearance.
But if the matter reached His Majesty, that would be another story entirely.
Qian Pengyi's legs went weak, and he immediately dropped to his knees. "I confess my guilt!"
Let this matter end with me!
Qian Pengyi was stripped of his official post on the spot.
Although the heir had not come to the capital to plot rebellion, this was still the crime of deceiving the sovereign. The fact that Jiang Yanchuan had not ordered his entire family executed was already a testament to his good mood that day.
With that, morning court finally came to a complete end.
Jiang Yingcheng gave a tiny yawn. Belated drowsiness made her stretch both hands toward her imperial father again.
That warm chest had been so comfortable to lean against. She wanted to sleep there again!
Jiang Yanchuan paused for a moment, then bent slightly and lifted the little girl from her chair.
Once he picked her up, he carried her straight to an elderly tutor with graying hair.
Dressed in splendid clothes, Fang Siwan sat in a cushioned chair at the front of the hall, looking somewhat ill at ease as she studied the entire row of little children before her.
More precisely, she was staring at the fair-skinned child in an indigo robe standing in the middle.
When Jiang Yanchuan entered carrying Jiang Yingcheng, everyone rose and bowed.
Without any change in expression, Jiang Yanchuan walked to the cushioned chair in the seat of honor and sat down. Only then did his red lips part slightly. "You may rise."
Only after everyone stood did Jiang Yingcheng wake from her brief nap.
"Mm?" As soon as Jiang Yingcheng opened her eyes, Fang Siwan, sitting opposite, caught her attention. "Imperial Consort?"
Wow, the Imperial Consort looks so pretty today!
She wore a pale green satin jacket and a white cloak edged with a ring of lustrous white fur. With her exquisite features and gentle bearing, a beauty like hers would never fade into the background, even in a palace where beautiful women gathered like clouds.
Pride shone in Jiang Yingcheng's eyes.
That was her Imperial Consort!
The little girl's reaction brought a knowing smile to Fang Siwan's face as well.
However, among the children lined up at the front of the hall, one subtly raised his head at this heartwarming scene and shot Jiang Yingcheng a glare brimming with jealousy and hatred.
Jiang Yingcheng's keen senses caught it.
And she was not the only one. Almost every adult present noticed that look immediately.
Young children did not know how to conceal their thoughts. Their every movement seemed magnified beneath lights as bright as day, with not the slightest detail escaping anyone's eyes.
Fang Siwan's breath caught.
When they had swapped the children back then, she had been reluctant to send her own child away. But once the plan was carried out, she had also taken good care of Yingcheng. Though she had not been entirely devoted during those first few years, she had at least never neglected any aspect of the girl's upbringing.
But how-how could her elder sister be so cruel as to raise her Jinshu into someone like this?!
How could a look so full of hatred appear in the eyes of such a young child?
Hidden beneath her cloak, Fang Siwan clenched her handkerchief fiercely, venting the hatred in her heart.
Fang Yiwan, everything you've done today-I'll repay it all someday, debt by debt!
The elderly tutor shook his head inwardly, judging the boy to have a poor disposition and to be unfit for important responsibilities.
Jiang Yanchuan raised his eyelids slightly and studied the child for a long moment with a dark gaze, reaching the same conclusion as the tutor.
A child so calculating at such a young age was unsuitable to remain in the palace as a study companion.
Looking at the varied expressions on everyone's faces, Fang Siwan finally realized something was wrong.
They seemed...
To be very dissatisfied with Jinshu's behavior...
This would never do!
Anxiety rose in her heart. Just as she was about to speak, that familiar inner voice came from the seat of honor-
Wow, wow, wow! It's the male lead!
Let me see what the peerless beauty described in the book looked like when he was little!
That fleeting glance earlier had been far too brief. She had not managed to get a proper look at anything!
Excited, Jiang Yingcheng braced herself against Jiang Yanchuan's arm and leaned out, eager to take another close look at Lin Jinshu's exquisite face.
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