Chapter 180: All Are Great Rewards
In a short while, Mr. Li came forward, holding a small, dark red box.
"Have her take this pill. I guarantee she will recover." The Beili Emperor took the box and handed it to Ye Qianning.
Ye Qianning was so excited she threw her arms around the Beili Emperor’s neck. "Thank you, Your Majesty! You, Fourth Granny, and Daddy are the very, very best people in Pangtuan’s heart."
It was the first time the Beili Emperor had ever been hugged by a child like this. ’The very, very best people?’
A soft spot stirred in his heart, and his gaze softened considerably as he looked at the little girl.
’If only his own princess could be this adorable.’
"Alright, alright." This time, the Beili Emperor’s large hand naturally stroked the little girl’s head.
A child’s hair was so soft, and it made one feel how fragile they were.
Ye Qianning let go of him.
"From now on, don’t be so reckless," the Beili Emperor advised.
"Then what do I do if people bully me?"
"If they bully you, come and tell me. I will back you up and see that justice is done."
"The Emperor is the most powerful person in the country. Does that mean I can hit anyone who bullies me, except for the Emperor?"
"You’re still little. You can’t just go around hitting people." The Beili Emperor felt this child needed to learn some etiquette.
"The Capital City is full of nobles, and some of them are really unreasonable. If I don’t hit them, I’ll just get bullied again," Ye Qianning said with a pout.
"You can’t hit them, but you can come and tell me. I’ll hit them for you."
"But... Your Majesty lives in such a magnificent place. I can’t get in," Ye Qianning said.
Hearing this, the Beili Emperor chuckled and ordered Mr. Li, "Go and fetch my personal palace token."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Mr. Li had already been shocked many times tonight. The life-extending pill was stunning enough, but he never expected the Emperor would be willing to part with his own personal palace token.
"What’s a personal palace token?" Ye Qianning asked, confused.
"It’s a token for my exclusive use. From now on, if you want to enter the palace, you can come in anytime with this token. No one will dare to stop you." As the Beili Emperor spoke, Mr. Li had already returned with the token. The Emperor held it out to her.
Just as Ye Qianning reached out to take it, a voice stopped her.
"Your Majesty, this is too valuable! My young daughter is unworthy of it." Xiang Minghou was stunned. He feared that no one in the entire Imperial Palace possessed such a token, aside from the Emperor himself.
’If this were given to Pangtuan, it would surely cause trouble if word reached the inner court and the ministers.’
Ye Qianning pulled her hand back.
"I say she is worthy, so she is worthy. Here, my little dumpling, take it." The Beili Emperor thrust the token at her.
Ye Qianning secretly glanced at her dad.
"What are you looking at him for? You must take what I give you. In my presence, what your father says doesn’t count." The Beili Emperor’s voice grew heavier.
Afraid the Emperor would turn into a devil if provoked, Ye Qianning wisely decided to quit while she was ahead. She took the palace token and put it away, flashing a smile. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Only then did the Beili Emperor break into a smile.
Just then, a rooster’s crow came from outside the palace, and everyone realized it was still the middle of the night.
"What time is it?" the Beili Emperor asked.
"Just after three in the morning."
"It’s gotten so late. Minister Xiang, the morning court session will be starting soon. You can rest for a bit in a side hall. I have matters to discuss with you and the other ministers during the session."
"Yes, Your Majesty. But my daughter..."
"Have Mr. Li escort her out of the palace," the Beili Emperor said.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Mr. Li stepped forward and was about to reach out and carry her, but then he remembered this was no ordinary child. He couldn’t lift her. Making a fool of himself in front of the Emperor would be a grave offense.
"Miss Xiang, this servant will escort you out of the palace." He extended his hand.
"Your Majesty, Pangtuan is leaving now. Pangtuan will come back to the palace to see you another day." Ye Qianning hopped off the Emperor and didn’t take Mr. Li’s hand.
"Good. I will be here in the palace, waiting for you." The Beili Emperor beamed.
"Dad, I’m going home first. You have to eat well and don’t overwork yourself. If you get sick from exhaustion, Pangtuan’s heart will ache." Ye Qianning went over to Xiang Minghou and fussed over him.
"Go on, Dad knows. I’ll head back as soon as the court session is over." Xiang Minghou was reluctant to see her go.
Ye Qianning continued her sweet farewells, making Xiang Minghou want to take the day off and go home right then.
The Beili Emperor put a hand to his forehead. ’This father-daughter pair is really acting like I’m not even here.’
Mr. Li led Ye Qianning out of the Imperial Study, and Xiang Minghou eagerly ran to the doorway.
"That’s enough. It’s not as if I’m imprisoning you here. You’ll see her after the morning session. Must you be like this?" The Beili Emperor was speechless.
Xiang Minghou took a few more glances before returning to his seat. "Once I’m on the battlefield, my return is uncertain. I worry that girl will be bullied."
"Minister Xiang, you can rest assured. With my protection, who would dare to court death?" The Beili Emperor had already forgotten that just a moment ago, he himself had wanted to get rid of her.
"I thank Your Majesty." Xiang Minghou kowtowed.
"Get up. Don’t think I don’t know what you were planning just now," the Beili Emperor snorted.
Xiang Minghou looked slightly embarrassed.
"You grew up right under my nose. I know your temperament crystal clear. You wouldn’t dare kill me, but you’re certainly capable of taking me hostage."
"Your Majesty, I only have this one daughter. She’s the only one I’ll ever have in this life. I absolutely cannot let anything happen to her. Your Majesty, please forgive me." Xiang Minghou kowtowed again.
"I know. If I had such an adorable daughter, I would be the same. Rest assured, I will definitely keep her safe and sound." The Beili Emperor wasn’t lying.
He had grown extremely fond of that girl. She was fearless and dared to say anything, a trait no one else in all of Beili possessed.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will devote my life to serving you."
"Alright, the sky is about to brighten. You may withdraw. I need to rest for a bit as well." The Beili Emperor yawned.
Xiang Minghou stood up. "Your servant takes his leave."
The Beili Emperor gave a lazy wave of his hand.
The moment Xiang Minghou withdrew, another Hidden Guard suddenly appeared.
"What exactly was the situation at the Prime Minister’s estate today?" the Beili Emperor asked, his voice heavy with sleep.
The Hidden Guard reported what had happened at the Prime Minister’s estate, describing Ye Qianning’s words and her expression at the time without the slightest error.
The Beili Emperor had seen the little girl’s ruthless side, so he didn’t find the report overly suspicious or strange.
However, her statement that family was her bottom line gave him a strange feeling.
To be able to say such a thing meant the child was pure-hearted and filial.
’But it’s not good for a child to be so bloodthirsty. She’ll need more discipline in the future.’
Ye Qianning followed Mr. Li out of the Imperial Study and, not far away, saw Sang Zhi hiding in the shadows.
Sang Zhi was still in shock. His Imperial Father had not only let such a huge incident slide, but had even given her a gold token and a life-extending pill.
"See? I wasn’t lying, was I?" Ye Qianning dangled the gold token, swinging it back and forth.
Sang Zhi’s lips were a tight line. After a long moment, he asked, "How did you do it?"
Ye Qianning beckoned to him.
Sang Zhi bent down slightly.
Ye Qianning leaned close to his ear and whispered for a long time.
The more Sang Zhi listened, the more astonished he became.
"You need to learn from this. If you haven’t done anything wrong, don’t admit to being wrong. Don’t admit it even if you get beaten," Ye Qianning said.
Hearing this, Sang Zhi nodded emphatically.
Seeing his solemn expression, Ye Qianning felt a little worried. "If no one is around, you can back down. After all, a wise man knows when to bend and when to stand tall. But when there are people watching, you have to fight for it. Act as pitiful as you possibly can."
She was afraid the little traditionalist was too stubborn. If he tried to be tough when no one was around, he’d probably die a quick death.