"Is it really like this?"
Ye Ziāan nodded, "I donāt plan to get involved in this matter, so Iām staying indoors these days, neither attending court nor going out. You all shouldnāt go out either, and whoever comes to visit, donāt entertain them."
"Alright, Iāll tell Mother later. She mentioned wanting to wander around the Capital City."
"Tell her to wait a few days before going out."
"Mother, Father, Daddy, hug me!" Yueyue came over, pulling along her maid, and upon seeing Ye Ziāan, she rushed over, clinging to Ziāanās leg without letting go.
"What would Yueyue like for breakfast?" Ye Ziāan picked up the little girl.
"Dad, I want to go out for breakfast," Yueyue said, hugging his neck tightly, "I want to eat crab roe buns outside."
"Crab roe buns?" Ye Ziāan replied, "Alright, let Dad change clothes, then Iāll take you out. Howās that?"
"Great, I knew Dad is the best." Yueyue muttered again, "Dad, weāre not taking Brother."
"Okay, we wonāt take Brother." Turning to Yang Chuxia, he said, "Dear, Iām taking Yueyue out for breakfast. You all eat yourselves."
Ye Ziāan carried Yueyue and walked ahead, leaving the four of them to exchange glances.
"Werenāt we supposed to stay indoors?" Yangyang asked.
"Isnāt he afraid of running into those ministers?" Lele touched his head, feeling puzzled.
Qingqing snorted, "Sure enough, I must have been adopted."
Yang Chuxia: ...Can she say sheās jealous of her daughter?
Regarding the matter of establishing the Crown Prince, Ye Ziāan guessed correctly. After court, quite a few people brought gifts to visit Prince Anās Mansion.
Moreover, these people are quite informed, knowing that people from Ye Ziāanās hometown had arrived, each using it as an excuse to visit Yang Dachuan.
Fortunately, the gatekeepers were instructed early on to refuse them all, even those from the palace were not seen.
As for Ye Ziāan and his daughter, they returned from the main street through the back door.
Yang Chuxia shared with him about the visitors that had come earlier and asked, "Not seeing someone from the Empress might not be good?"
"Seeing them would be worse," Ye Ziāan said, "As long as we continue to stand by the Emperorās side, thatās whatās important. Itās not just the Eldest Imperial Prince; if you meet the Empress, do you also have to meet the consorts who send people over?"
"These people, too, canāt decide who becomes the Crown Prince. Why come to our house asking, itās really troubling."
"Donāt worry, itāll be better in a few days."
~~~
Inside the palace, the Empress was anxious in her chambers, even making the Eldest Imperial Prince tense.
Finally, the people who went outside the palace returned.
"How was it? Did Marquis Changning accept it? And what did he say..."
Her hurried questioning abruptly stopped when she saw the box in the young eunuchās hand.
"He didnāt take the gift?" The Empressās voice sounded a bit sharp.
"Your Highness, this servant is guilty, failing the task, please punish me!" The young eunuch was somewhat frightened but also aggrieved. He couldnāt help but resent Marquis Changning for being so condescending; just a Lord Marquis, yet even the Empressās favor was dismissed.
The Empressās expression turned sour upon hearing this but she asked, "What did he say then?"
The young eunuch bowed his head, feeling troubled, "Replying to Your Highness, this servant, this servant did not see Marquis Changning. Your Highness, this Marquis Changning is really ungrateful. I went with your instructions to deliver something to him, yet he kept his doors closed, completely disregarding Your Highness."
The Eldest Imperial Prince by the side frowned deeply, the servantās words were too inciting.