Did the Seventh Prince attend court today?

Prince Duan helped Princess Duan leave Fengyi Palace in a sorry state.

"Yay!" Youlu excitedly high-fived Emperor Wulong, raising his chin and saying, "He was all high and mighty as soon as he came in. I thought he was something special, but he's nothing special."

"Who can compare to you, insulting me too? You've hurt the enemy a thousand, but also harmed your own allies eight hundred." Emperor Wulong glared.

"How can this be called scolding?" Youlu disagreed. "I was urging Father to improve. Admitting one's mistakes is not shameful; to err is human, to forgive divine. We must face the past to create a better future!"

"I can't argue with you." Emperor Wulong snorted through his nose, his eyes showing no resentment, but he still couldn't bring himself to say "I was wrong," and just hung his head in silence.

He's been stubborn for a long time, and besides, he's the ruler of a country; it's normal that he can't bring himself to admit it right now.

Both the deer and the empress knew his temperament well. They exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly.

"Are you thirsty? Have some tea to soothe your throat." The Empress smiled and handed over a cup of tea, changing the subject.

"It's still my mother who cares about me the most." Youlu took the tea without ceremony and gulped down more than half of it.

After talking so much, his mouth was indeed dry.

"I definitely prefer taking action to verbal battles. It's more straightforward and direct. Verbal battles require not only talking but also thinking, which is too tiring," he muttered to himself.

The Empress pulled him to sit beside her, smiling as she pinched his soft, tender cheek, and said, "After your eldest brother returned, he told me a lot about what he saw and heard on the road, as well as what happened to you in Xiangyang. Why don't you tell your mother about it?"

"It seems like I haven't done anything besides eating, sleeping, and playing." Youlu scratched his head.

The Empress scolded him, "Still being modest? I heard you can handle a spear?"

"He can," Cang Shuyue said first, her voice filled with pride. "He can learn my sister's marksmanship after watching her only once."

You Lu raised a hand in a gesture of restraint, "Keep it down, keep it down!"

The Empress was overjoyed. "With such talent, would you be willing to learn martial arts from me?"

"Huh?" Youlu frowned, looking troubled, and said pitifully, "But I'm afraid of bitterness..."

"You! You!" The Empress was both amused and exasperated.

After chatting for a while, it was soon lunchtime.

The Empress invited the two men to dine, but just as the dishes were served, someone came to report that the Empress Dowager invited the Emperor to Shou Kang Palace for a talk.

Since they're calling at this hour, going there means they'll definitely have to stay for a meal. A hint of helplessness flashed across Emperor Wulong's face as he stood up and said, "You all eat, I'll go over there."

The Queen nodded.

A deer waved its paw, "Father, take care."

After Emperor Wulong left, Youlu asked curiously, "Father didn't seem to want to go. Is it because he doesn't get along with the Empress Dowager?"

"Yes and no." The Empress sighed softly. "The Empress Dowager is very strict with His Majesty, but dotes on Prince Duan. The two are not close."

It's clear that Princess Duan dared to criticize her father; she has powerful backers.

In his opinion, his father was not tyrannical enough, otherwise he wouldn't have allowed some people to be so arrogant and domineering.

The Prince Duan and his wife had just suffered a loss at Fengyi Palace, and then the Empress Dowager summoned the Emperor away. It seems that the Empress Dowager wanted to vent her anger on behalf of the couple.

The Empress Dowager is showing some favoritism.

Cang Shuyue pushed the peeled shrimp over, "Eat your food properly, think about it after you finish eating."

"I don't want so much." Youlu came to her senses, scooped half of the full plate of shrimp into his bowl, and secretly gave him the braised mutton that she had taken a bite of and thought didn't taste good.

Cang Shuyue acted as if he hadn't noticed anything, eating his food without changing his expression.

Empress: "..."

Why do I feel full after only a few bites?

Inside the Shou Kang Palace, Emperor Wulong and the Empress Dowager sat facing each other. Apart from the occasional soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks on the table, there was no other sound.

After the meal, the cups, plates, and bowls were cleared away. The Empress Dowager washed her hands and rinsed her mouth, sipping her tea slowly, and said, "I thought you would bring that child with you."

"The child is noisy, and I was worried that he would disturb the Empress Dowager's peace, so I didn't bring him along." Emperor Wulong's face remained expressionless.

"There's no need for such excuses. Now that you've entered the palace, you should behave properly. It's wrong to talk back to your elders." The Empress Dowager said sternly.

She never smiled after Emperor Wulong entered Kangshou Palace.

Seeing that Emperor Wulong remained silent, she continued, "After all, he didn't grow up in the palace, so his temperament and upbringing are not as good as the other princes. Fortunately, Yunshu is the same age as him and is well-behaved and sensible, so let him learn manners from Yunshu."

"No need, I think Xiao Qi is fine as he is now." Wu Long refused outright, his attitude firm.

"You defied me for his sake?" The Empress Dowager's eyes widened slightly.

Emperor Wulong smiled and said, "Speaking of rules, Mother Empress should teach Princess Duan more about manners. I have tolerated her repeatedly out of respect for you, but there are limits."

After saying that, he took his leave.

The Empress Dowager was stunned for a long time, then muttered to herself, "I fought for the throne for you, and I already owe your brother a great deal. This is just making up for it a little. What's wrong with that?"

No one answered her.