Chapter 1173: The Tsundere Little Princess

"That’s true!"

"We can’t keep spoiling her all the time!"

Xia Ruqing nodded firmly.

At this moment, Zhao Junyao suddenly remembered something and glared at Li Shengan.

"Idiot! Why aren’t you quickly finding someone to follow the Princess?!"

Li Shengan hurriedly stepped forward to respond.

"Yes, Your Majesty! I will go right away!"

Then he swiftly left.

Xia Ruqing: "..."

Speaking of which, is this really a way to vent on someone?

...

After shooing away the servants.

Zhao Junyao took a couple sips of tea, finally calming his mood.

He pulled Xia Ruqing alongside and said with a smile.

"Qingqing... it’ll be better once Yue Er grows up and understands things!"

Xia Ruqing raised her eyebrows, calm as water.

"Of course I know!"

"Aside from being a bit stubborn, Yue Er is usually very sensible!"

When it’s cold, she asks someone to give Da Bai and Xiao Bai’s family a warm new nest.

When it’s hot, she has a two-layer kennel built for Yellow Bean to cool off.

Whenever I’m feeling under the weather, the little girl panics more than anyone else.

"She’s like a ball of fire!"

"Most of the time, she brings warmth, but occasionally she doesn’t measure well and hurts others!"

Zhao Junyao smiled broadly.

"I didn’t know Yue Er could be so considerate!"

From what he saw, his daughter only knew how to act coquettishly, was spoiled, hot-tempered, and difficult to deal with.

"Who would’ve thought..."

"There’s a lot you never expected!" Xia Ruqing smiled, pursing her lips.

"Alright!"

"She’ll calm down after a while; you don’t need to worry about it!"

"I’ll talk to her later!"

Zhao Junyao hurriedly stopped her.

"No need!"

"I think she’s great the way she is, she has personality!"

"Why burden her with all those rules and restrictions?!"

"Other than not being able to let her have her way with the horse-riding?"

"What else can’t go her way?"

"She’s the Legitimate Princess, what can’t go smoothly for her?"

Xia Ruqing: "..."

Look at him defending her so much, as if it wasn’t him being contradicted by his daughter just now, tsk tsk!

This is what spoiling a daughter indulgently means?!

The two chatted for a while and shifted the topic.

Zhao Junyao finally remembered the purpose of his visit today, he smiled and said,

"Qingqing, prepare well, in ten days we’re setting off for Jiangnan!"

Xia Ruqing was very surprised.

"Ten days?"

"To Jiangnan?"

"Isn’t that too rushed?!"

She had already forgotten when was the last time she went to Jiangnan?

Maybe because she had been anticipating it for too long.

As it approached, she couldn’t quite believe it.

Just like waiting a long, long time for someone, replaying his image in the mind over and over.

But when he really stands before you, you’re surprised you don’t recognize him.

Probably... that kind of feeling.

"What do you think? Isn’t it a nice surprise?"

Zhao Junyao put on a ’praise-me’ expression again.

Xia Ruqing was speechless.

But after recovering, the smile finally spread across her face.

"It truly is..."

"This year there’s finally no issues; I can finally leave the palace!"

So many times before when I said I’d go out, it was delayed for various reasons.

This year, finally... it can be realized.

"Right! What about the children?"

"Henger and Yeye are grown. They’ll have plenty of opportunities to travel north and south later!"

"But what about Yue Er?"

Zhao Junyao, though a bit reluctant, still firmly said,

"We won’t take any of them!"

"I promised you, only you!"

"Huh?"

Xia Ruqing was happy and sweet but also a little worried.

"Can Yue Er manage on her own in the palace?"

Zhao Junyao steeled his heart.

"Why wouldn’t she manage?"

"They’re important, but the one to accompany me through life is you!"

"She’s almost five. She’s only ever bullied others, not been bullied!"

"So don’t worry!"

Xia Ruqing twitched the corner of her mouth.

"But..."

"No buts, I’ve arranged everything!"

"Qingqing, get ready, we’ll set off soon!"

Xia Ruqing: "..."

It’s great, but what if I’m still worried?

If Yue Er finds out she’s not going, she might be hurt.

Besides, Yue Er has never been away from me since birth.

What if she can’t get used to it?!

Xia Ruqing felt deeply concerned.

She barely ate lunch.

Couldn’t sleep during the nap, distracted all afternoon.

Contemplating how to tell Yue Er about the trip.

...

During dinner time.

The Emperor and Empress were about to have dinner when Yue Er ran in from outside.

The little girl was still lively and adorable, jumping around.

As if the morning’s incident was completely forgotten by her.

"Father, Mother, were you looking for me?" Her voice was excited, bright.

Xia Ruqing looked at her daughter’s blinking big eyes, feeling a pang in her heart.

Quickly, with chopsticks, she nudged Zhao Junyao’s arm.

Meaning: You say it, I don’t know how to start.

The two going off to explore, leaving their daughter behind!

No matter how you think, it seems ’too heartless’ as parents!

Zhao Junyao coughed lightly twice, indeed all serious.

"Your mother and I will be going away for a while!"

"You’ll... stay at home!"

Yue Er seemed puzzled, stretched her chubby little hand, took a red shrimp, chewing as she asked.

"Where are you going?"

Her attitude was calm, unruffled, beyond what the two expected.

Zhao Junyao continued with a mix of truth and falsehood.

"To Jiangnan, summer there sees heavy floods, your mother and I are going for disaster relief!"

Yue Er seemed to ponder, finished the shrimp, took another, calmly said.

"Then go ahead!"

Xia Ruqing: "..."

Zhao Junyao: "..."

Surprise! Shock! Astonishment!

It’s settled just like that? No crying? No tantrums? No wanting to tag along?

Xia Ruqing wasn’t giving up.

"Yue Er! Mother... will be away from you for a long time, aren’t you scared?"

Yue Er calmly.

"What’s there to be scared of, Mother isn’t here, but the Sisters are, and Xiao Luzi, Xiao Huzi, Xiao Yezi, Da Bai, Xiao Bai, Snow Ball, and also brother and sister, they’re all here..."

"Then... you won’t have any good food to eat!"

Yue Er puzzled, surprised.

"What do you mean, Mother, are you taking the kitchen maid with you?"

Xia Ruqing was instantly between laughter and tears, after all that fuss, the kitchen maid mattered more...

"Ahem ahem!"

Zhao Junyao coughed lightly twice again.

"Alright, since it’s settled, you better not back out, okay?"

Yue Er resolutely shook her head.

"Rest assured, Father, I will definitely not back out!"

Zhao Junyao saw his daughter’s determination, also curious.

"Don’t you want to come along at all?"

He had prepared mentally.

If his daughter threw a tantrum and nothing worked, he’d take her.

After all, a family of three going out exploring isn’t bad, kids along saves boredom.

But...

Yue Er answered nonchalantly.

"I don’t want to go!"

"Why?!"

Zhao Junyao felt a slight pain in his chest, are the two of them really that unappealing?

His daughter didn’t miss them at all, feeling lost...

This moment, Princess Yue Er haughtily declared.

"Father!"

"If I want to go, I’ll go on my own!"