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Qin Canglan was not a man who liked to beat around the bush.
This was probably a common trait among military men, they were too straightforward to even bother with schemes or mind games.
Except when fighting wars.
He sat down in the main seat, his piercing gaze landing coldly on Qin Che’s face.
“Don’t call me father. I already know everything.”
BOOM—
In Qin Che’s mind, it was like a deafening thunderclap.
------
After the rain, the sky cleared, and the capital was bathed in golden morning sunlight.
A luxurious carriage slowly entered the palace grounds and stopped in front of the Taihe Gate.
When the guards recognized the distinguished man step down from the carriage, they hurried forward and saluted, “Your Highness!”
Xiao Zhonghua raised his hand slightly in acknowledgment, and the guards were flattered.
The princes were of noble status and would usually ignore people like them, only the Third Prince was so approachable.
Xiao Zhonghua smiled and asked, “I suppose I’m the earliest to pay my respects to Imperial Father and Mother Empress?”
The guard quickly replied, “The Empress has been unwell lately. The First and Second Princes have also entered the palace.”
Inside Qixiang Palace, Consort Xian had just finished washing up and was sitting at the dressing table, selecting a pair of earrings, then she heard a palace maid come in to report that the third prince had come.
Consort Xian’s eyes lit up. She quickly picked up a pair of jade earrings and put them on, then went to the warm pavilion to meet her son, whom she hadn’t seen in months.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Consort Xian nearly choked up. Sitting on the imperial concubine’s couch, she held her son’s face in both hands and said with deep concern, “You’ve grown thinner…… Was the journey very hard?”
Xiao Zhonghua gave a faint smile. “It wasn’t hard. I made you worry, Mother Consort.”
“Have you already gone to pay your respects to the Empress?” Consort Xian asked.
“I have.”
Although Xiao Zhonghua was her biological son, the Empress was the principal consort, so etiquette dictated that he had to go and pay his respects to the Empress first.
That was proper etiquette.
“Has my Third Brother returned?”
A sweet and delicate voice rang out as Princess Hui’an, lightly tugging at her flowing wide-sleeved dress, walked briskly into the warm pavilion.
“Third Brother! It’s really you!”
With a big smile, she ran over and wedged herself right in the middle between Consort Xian and Xiao Zhonghua.
She had been raised like a precious gem, dotingly spoiled by the Emperor, by Consort Xian, and naturally by her older brother Xiao Zhonghua as well.
Consort Xian hadn’t even gotten enough time to dote on her son when her daughter squeezed her aside.
But what could she say?
She had spoiled this willful daughter herself.
“Hehe, Mother Consort.” Princess Hui’an still remembered to greet her mother sweetly.
Consort Xian rolled her eyes at her daughter. “You’re already a grown woman, can’t you behave more like a proper princess?”
Princess Hui’an clung to Xiao Zhonghua’s arm and coquettishly said, “No matter how grown up I am, I will always be your daughter, and Third Brother’s little sister. Right, Third Brother?”
Xiao Zhonghua smiled indulgently, “Why are you up so early today? Did you come especially to see me?”
“Well……” Princess Hui’an’s gaze darted away.
Consort Xian chuckled, “I think you were hoping to sneak out of the palace to find Wei Ting again, weren’t you?”
Princess Hui’an huffed stubbornly, “Who said that? I really came to see Third Brother!”
Consort Xian continued teasing her, “But your older brother never said he was coming to the palace today.”
Princess Hui’an thought about how to reply, using all her wit, “We… We’re siblings! As we’re connected at heart, I just knew it!”
Xiao Zhonghua let out a low chuckle.
Princess Hui’an then said, “Third Brother, you were away for so long this time, did Father give you some super important secret mission? You don’t have to tell me, I can guess anyway!”
Xiao Zhonghua asked with amusement, “Oh? What did you guess this time?”
Princess Hui’an said sweetly, “I don’t care, Imperial Father definitely values you the most! When you become Crown Prince, I’ll be the Grand Princess!”