After my father was sent to marry into the princess's household, I became the darling of the en

On the day she entered the palace, Shen Jingque was dragged out of bed by Lü'e just after Chenshi (7-9 AM).

She stayed up until midnight the night before to prepare the gift for Xiao Jingshu, and even brushed her teeth with her eyes closed.

After finally getting dressed, she walked out in a daze, not forgetting to call out to Lü'e.

"Sister Lü'e, please help me carry that little box with the koi fish carved on it, so it doesn't get bumped or knocked over."

That's the life-saving weapon she specially prepared for Xiao Jingshu—

【Flower Branch Trembling Powder】and 【A Thousand Miles of Drowning Powder】

It is sealed in a layer of wax to form a ball, which can be crushed with a single blow, and its effects are immediate.

In terms of efficacy, it will neither harm her life nor cause her trouble, but it can also instantly render a person unable to attack or move.

It is very suitable for use in the palace.

When I stepped out of the courtyard gate, it was still barely dawn.

She had thought that it would just be her and Xiao Mingyue entering the palace today, but when she looked up, she saw a figure standing next to the carriage, as slender as a bamboo.

Her father, Shen Yan, dressed in a moon-white scholar's robe with a jade belt around his waist, was helping Xiao Mingyue adjust the decorative ribbons on her clothes.

Shen Jingque's drowsy mind snapped awake, and she ran to Xiao Mingyue's side, tugging at her clothes.

"Mother, is Father going too?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Mingyue turned her head to look at her, a smile playing on her lips.

"Go to Cining Palace to pay your respects to the Empress Dowager."

Shen Jingque's expression immediately crumpled.

Recalling the rumors I had heard before, the image of the Empress Dowager's calculating face came to mind.

Looking at her own delicate, innocent father, she couldn't help but worry.

"Father!" She gripped his clothes with both hands, looked up and instructed, "Answer whatever the Empress Dowager asks you, and don't say a word more than necessary. If she makes sarcastic remarks, just pretend you don't understand."

Shen Yan was both amused and exasperated by his daughter's alarmed expression, so he bent down and ruffled her hair.

"Daddy isn't three years old, don't worry."

"I can't rest easy!" Shen Jingque gripped his sleeve tightly, her tone serious. "And also, don't accept any food from anyone, don't..."

He received a light flick on the forehead.

Xiao Mingyue withdrew her hand, looking down at the housekeeper with a smile on her face.

"He worries about things more than I do. With me around, who would dare to lay a finger on him?"

Shen Jingque rubbed her forehead and muttered, "I was just worried about my dad..."

Xiao Mingyue reached out and smoothed out Shen Yan's wrinkled sleeve in an intimate and natural manner. She said to Shen Jingque, "Don't worry. I brought your father to the palace this time not to be humiliated, but to handle a serious matter that I've been planning for a long time."

Shen Jingque's curiosity was piqued: "What serious matter?"

I'll tell you when I get back.

Xiao Mingyue didn't explain further. She helped Shen Yan into the carriage, then turned back and gestured with her chin towards Shen Jingque, "Get in the carriage."

Shen Jingque climbed up with a belly full of suspicion, feeling that the two of them were up to something behind her back.

But she knew she wouldn't get any answers by asking now, so she pouted, turned around, and jumped into the small carriage behind her.

The carriage stopped in front of the palace gate.

After Xiao Mingyue got out of the car, she first instructed Qingyuan to take Shen Yan to the side hall next to the entrance of Yanhe Hall to rest and have tea.

Shen Yan took two steps, then looked back at Shen Jingque, hesitating to speak.

However, Shen Jingque automatically interpreted this gesture as nervousness, so she waved at him and called out with a smile, "Daddy, don't be afraid!"

Then, seeing that Shen Yan's entire ear was tinged with a light pink, he quickened his pace and turned around the corner.

Oh, her frail and helpless father.

Xiao Mingyue couldn't help but smile and reached out to pull her wrist.

"Let's go to Fengyi Palace."

The main hall of Fengyi Palace was filled with the faint fragrance of agarwood, the light was bright, and the curtains were half-rolled up.

Empress Wang sat regally in the main seat, adorned only with two red gold hairpins, her face dignified and gentle.

Shen Jingque performed the grand salute with impeccable manners, her posture and movements as standard as a textbook example.

This is something she practiced intensively at the last minute yesterday.

She was afraid of leaving a bad impression on the Empress, who would then forbid her from playing with Xiao Jingshu in the future.

The Empress's gaze lingered on her for a while, then she nodded slightly and extended her hand.

"Princess Shaoning, come forward and let me take a look at you."

Shen Jingque obediently stepped forward two steps, placed her hand in the Empress's palm, and smiled sweetly.

"Your Majesty, Princess Huiyun stayed at my residence for one night last time. I missed her dearly, so I mustered up the courage to come to the palace with my mother today to bother you."

The Empress patted her hand, her smile deepening, and turned to Xiao Mingyue, saying, "Look at this girl, how well she speaks."

She changed the subject and sighed, "If Shu'er had half of her obedience and composure, I would feel more at ease."

Shen Jingque immediately launched into a shower of compliments, her words as sweet as honey.

"Your Highness, please don't say that. Her Highness is intelligent and quick-witted, and she learns everything very fast! Last time we rode horses at Pear Blossom Slope, she seemed to have been born to ride horses as soon as she got on. She is more than ten times better than me."

She became more and more enthusiastic as she spoke, gesturing her signature hand gesture: "This humble woman dares to say that if Her Highness the Princess had a renowned teacher to guide her, she would surely become the most valiant and spirited princess of the Great Yong Dynasty!"

The Empress was both surprised and amused by her praise, and tapped her forehead with her handkerchief.

"You're even better at bragging than she is."

As soon as he finished speaking, footsteps sounded outside the hall, and a pink whirlwind swept in through the doorway.

"Shen Jingque!"

As soon as Shen Jingque turned around, Xiao Jingshu crashed straight into her arms, wrapped her arms around her neck, and hung up on her, her feet off the ground.

Shen Jingque staggered a couple of steps, only managing to avoid being knocked over by grabbing the edge of the table.

"Are you a human or a cannonball?!"

Xiao Jingshu clung to her, burying her face in her shoulder, her voice filled with excitement.

"Were you just praising me?! I heard you outside! Do you think I'm the best person in the world?!"

Shen Jingque was being strangled and couldn't breathe, so she desperately tried to pry her arms off.

"I think you're the heaviest person in the world. Get down, or my neck will break."

As the Empress watched the two little girls playing together, her usually solemn eyes filled with a tender light.

She looked at Xiao Mingyue, her tone filled with emotion.

"The children raised by Her Highness the Eldest Princess are indeed different from others. Shu'er has never liked anyone else so much."

Xiao Mingyue nodded slightly, a smile on her lips, and cupped her hands in a gesture of respect.

"If Your Majesty doesn't find it troublesome, please allow the sisters to visit each other more often in the future."

The Empress nodded and turned to instruct Cui, the nanny beside her, to prepare refreshments and tea.

Xiao Mingyue suddenly spoke up: "I'll trouble Your Majesty to look after this child. I need to take the Prince Consort to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager. We'll come to pick her up shortly."

The Empress frowned very slightly.

The last time the eldest princess brought her husband into the palace was on the day of their wedding.

The two sides have been locked in a stalemate for a long time.

Now, Xiao Mingyue has once again generously brought him into the palace.

A faint smile appeared on the Empress's lips.

This eldest sister is probably about to make another move.

She looked up and met Xiao Mingyue's gaze. A hint of understanding flashed in her gentle eyes, but the smile on her lips remained unchanged.

"I feel at ease knowing that Shuer has someone by her side who speaks the truth."

Xiao Mingyue and the Empress exchanged a knowing glance, then Xiao Mingyue stood up and said to Shen Jingque, "I'm going to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager. You stay in Fengyi Palace and don't wander around."

Shen Jingque poked her head out from Xiao Jingshu's octopus-like embrace and nodded to Xiao Mingyue.

"I know, Mother, I won't go anywhere."