Wicked-Absolutely Wicked!

[Wicked-absolutely wicked!]

[Those uncles were afraid the fire would spread too slowly, so they even carried over piles of dry branches themselves!]

[Whoa, someone even brought cooking oil!]

[Who's General Lei? He even went to shovel away the snow first?!]

[And someone was in charge of fanning the flames!]

The more Duke Wang heard, the faster his breathing grew. He swayed twice, barely managing to hold back his anger.

He silently made up his mind: once court was dismissed, he would make those little bastards pay!

Behind him, however, where he could not see, the atmosphere was exceedingly strange.

Some looked at the sky, others at the ground. Some simply turned slightly sideways and used their eyes to trace every wrinkle on a colleague's face, their affectionate gaze making the other man's scalp prickle.

The colleague: "???"

What was wrong with him??

After Jiang Yingcheng and 007 finished digging through the hilarity that had unfolded at the duke's residence the night before, her attention returned to the strange accessories several military officials were wearing.

[Say, did they loot everything they're wearing from that bad woman called Gu Yurou's room?]

[Wow! The general uncles are amazing! They did what Chengcheng wanted to do too!!]

That thought instantly lifted the men's spirits.

Were they finally getting to the important part?!

Tell us, tell us! Among these things we've thrown away all dignity to wear, is there actually that legendary, bizarre tiger tally?

At that moment, the voices of the courtiers discussing affairs of state with Emperor Mingze seemed to recede like the tide, leaving nothing in the world but the little princess's silvery voice.

Jiang Yingcheng's voice was full of puzzlement. [But looting is one thing. Why bring it into the palace? Are they afraid Grandpa Wang won't know they set the fire?]

At that, the men's teeth practically ached. They had assumed Duke Wang would not attend court today, which was why each had chosen the most conspicuous item to wear.

Who could have imagined that spirited old man would hurry to court the moment he got out of prison?

Jiang Yingcheng looked over them all, sucking in a breath in dismay. [Why did they steal these things?! Since they were already there, they should've stolen the tiger tally!]

[Oh, come on! Such a perfect opportunity! Wasted just like that!!]

[Didn't anyone think that huge white jade ball was strange?!]

A white jade ball??

There had indeed been a white jade ball in the bundle of clothes. It simply was not easy to wear, so they had worn other things today for the little princess to identify first.

Now that they knew it was what they had searched so painstakingly for... ahem...

Now that they knew it was the half of the tiger tally they had found by burning down Duke Wang's courtyard, they would never have to wear these humiliating things again!

At the very front of the ranks of courtiers, Duke Wang looked up at Emperor Mingze, unable to conceal the astonishment in his eyes.

That girl really was the daughter of an enemy general?

And she had half a tiger tally with her??

He still found it hard to believe, but Emperor Mingze noticed his gaze and immediately turned toward him, giving him a languid smile tinged with satisfaction.

The smile was barely perceptible, yet it successfully blasted him into a dizzy stupor.

Heavens help him! He had only just gotten out of prison-was he going straight back in for harboring the daughter of an enemy general?!

Jiang Yingcheng was not taken to Wuyang Hall to listen in that day.

As soon as court was dismissed, Eunuch Changshun took her by the hand and headed toward the school.

Along the way, several military officers were itching to approach and stroke Jiang Yingcheng's soft hair as though in passing. But a powerful roar from Duke Wang made them all shudder, and they swiftly fled.

"You little bastards, stop right there!!" Duke Wang bellowed furiously the moment he left the vicinity of Chongyun Hall.

The benefits of Duke Wang's years of regular exercise were on full display. He was scarcely slower than those young, strong military officers, and even managed to reach out and give Jiang Yingcheng's head a couple of careless pats as he passed.

Then he stuffed a handful of sweets into her hand.

Before Jiang Yingcheng could finish saying, "Thank you, Grandpa Wang," he vanished from their sight like a gust of wind.

Jiang Yingcheng was left blinking in bewilderment.

She tilted her little face up toward Uncle Changshun, who knew everything as far as she was concerned. "What's wrong with Grandpa Wang and the uncles?"

007 had only just told her that Grandpa Wang should not yet know the military uncles had burned down his courtyard.

Eunuch Changshun gave Jiang Yingcheng a kindly look and smoothed the hair Duke Wang had mussed. "Duke Wang spent quite a while in prison. It's understandable that he'd want to find someone to stretch his limbs with now that he's out."

Jiang Yingcheng nodded, only half understanding.

Then she began being difficult. "Chengcheng's hungry!"

She had worked out her scheme perfectly. [I have to eat before I can go study at school!]

Eunuch Changshun: "..."

When he had arrived at Starfrost Hall earlier that day, intending to collect the little princess and leave, a palace maid had plainly told him Her Little Highness was eating and asked him to wait a little longer.

At last, he too experienced the helpless feeling of not knowing whether to laugh or cry that Consort Wan suffered when the little princess made a fuss.

But Emperor Mingze had ordered him to get the little princess to school on time, so he could only be cold and heartless now. "Consort Wan said you already ate this morning."

And she had deliberately dawdled over it for ages.

Jiang Yingcheng looked up in shock, her face full of hurt, as though she could not believe that Uncle Changshun, who had always doted on her, would refuse her request too.

Eunuch Changshun hardened his heart and simply kept leading Jiang Yingcheng forward.

A little later, Jiang Yingcheng's aggrieved voice rang out. "Chengcheng's sleepy!"

Eunuch Changshun kept his eyes straight ahead. "Once you're in the sedan chair, you can take a little nap."

Outside this courtyard, a covered sedan chair would carry Her Little Highness to school. There was still some distance to go, enough for a child her age to get some rest.

With yet another scheme failing, Jiang Yingcheng pouted and lowered her head to think up a new one.

[System Bro, System Bro, do you think saying I miss Father would work?]

007's voice was even more heartless than Eunuch Changshun's. [Your father's still holding court. How would going to see him be any different from going to school?]

Jiang Yingcheng thought that made sense, but still refused to give up. [What about a stomachache?]

[What if I'm terminally ill??]

007: *[...]*

Eunuch Changshun: "..."

Afraid she might really start throwing a tantrum, Eunuch Changshun racked his brains and, before the little one could speak again, came up with the sole advantage of going to school. "The Seventh Prince and your newly chosen study companion are both waiting for you at school."

Jiang Yingcheng lowered her head, her little face scrunched up as she considered it for a while. At last, she made the difficult choice between her long-term plan to stay alive and her short-term plan to slack off.

Even so, she did not forget to seize the chance to make a demand. "Then-then Chengcheng wants to bring lots and lots of little treats!"

With treats, she could quickly make friends with the other children by sharing them!

Jiang Yingcheng thought happily.

Eunuch Changshun glanced down at the little one's rosy face and finally smiled in relief. "They've already been prepared for Your Highness."

Jiang Yingcheng was fairly easy to coax, and they did not lose too much time along the way. When the group reached the school, they arrived just in time for the morning lesson.

Eunuch Changshun helped Jiang Yingcheng out of the sedan chair and took her hand again. They had only just reached the door when several childish voices could be heard arguing inside.