The princess regretted it.

Changsun Hongze thought to himself: The third brother is not as indifferent and pretentious as he appears to be! He does have the scheming and cunningness of an emperor. However, he does not have the heart of an emperor, the tolerance for others, and no compassion or responsibility for the people. Or it can be said that he only has his own interests and ambitions in his heart. He does not really care about the suffering of the people and the future of the country. His so-called pretentiousness is nothing more than a disguise, a means to achieve his own goals. Such a person, even if he ascends the throne, may not necessarily become a good emperor. He may use any means to consolidate his power, even at the expense of the interests of the people.

Now that he was willing to give him a chance to participate in government, he was actually hoping he would change. After all, he only had these two sons. After hearing Jin'an's words, he couldn't help but have some thoughts. He was only middle-aged. If he could have more sons, wouldn't he have more options? The most important thing was that if Jin'an figured it out, he wouldn't have to be bound by the promise he made back then.

However, he still had to confirm whether Jin'an was truly free of any resentment, so he raised his hand and patted the hand that was pulling his sleeve. He looked at Jin'an and said slowly, "Jin'an has grown up, and father is very pleased. However, this matter cannot be rushed. Although what happened back then is in the past, are you really no longer bothered by it?"

Jin An looked at Changsun Hongze with a determined gaze and said seriously, "Father, I have truly let it go. I also want to think more about the country and the welfare of the people."

Chang Sun Hongze's eyes moved across her serious face, and then he nodded slightly, "Father will consider this matter carefully."

Jin An's mind shifted, and he immediately said, "Father, how about I go to my grandfather someday and ask him to propose next year's selection in the court?"

"This? There's no need to be so anxious." Changsun Hongze looked at Jin'an helplessly and said with a smile.

"It's not long until February next year, and the Ministry of Rites still has a lot of arrangements to make, which also takes time." Jin An said seriously.

"Jin'an, the northern border has not been pacified yet, and father doesn't want to mention this matter for the time being. Take it slow!" Changsun Hongze frowned slightly and spoke in a calm and firm tone.

Jin An knew it would be impossible to convince everyone right away, so she didn't get discouraged. She nodded obediently, "Father is right, but Father, in addition to the imperial concubine, there are many other ready-made ladies in the harem. Father, you can learn more about them."

Zhangsun Hongze coughed lightly, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. He reached out and touched Jin'an's forehead, saying lovingly, "Stop messing around. The Jingshifang will take care of this matter. You're a girl, so don't talk nonsense."

Jin An stuck out her tongue and said, "I understand, Father." She knew better than to say too much about these things, or it might backfire. As for whether her father would go to Concubine Chun, she couldn't guarantee it, but if Concubine Chun wasn't lying, then given her father's temperament, it was only a matter of time.

Then, she changed the subject and said to Changsun Hongze with a smile on her face: "Father, I came here today for another matter. I want to ask you for something."

"Oh? Is that your real purpose? Tell me, what do you want?" Changsun Hongze, seeing her particularly charming smile, knew she must be after something good from him again. So, he asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Your son wants the Jade Face Cream."

"Jade Face Cream? But where are you injured?" Changsun Hongze asked nervously.

"No, I am not injured. I was thinking about the time when I met Minister Lin outside the imperial study. He told me that Miss Lin's injury was almost healed. However, I remember that her injury was still very serious at that time, and she must still have some scars on her body. I feel that it is really distressing for such a gentle woman like Miss Lin to be distressed because of those scars. So I thought of asking my father for the Jade Face Cream to give to Miss Lin, so that she can recover as soon as possible." Jin An explained quickly.

"Furthermore, I've heard that Minister Lin is diligent and conscientious in his duties, especially regarding the northern border grain issue. I've heard that he's put a lot of thought into it. He's so dedicated to the country, and I think we should also show more care for his family. This will not only allow Minister Lin to feel the emperor's favor, but also inspire more officials to serve the country."

Zhang Sun Hongze listened to Jin An's serious words and felt deeply touched: his and Zi Tong's daughter had really grown up. He nodded approvingly and said with a smile, "Okay, I'll ask Fuquan to get it and bring it to you later."

"Yes! Thank you, Father." Jin An smiled brightly. Having achieved her goal, she didn't stay in the imperial study for long and quickly took her leave. On the way back, Madam Zhao and Han Shuang could clearly sense that Jin An's mood had lightened considerably.

Han Shuang looked at the Cuju in her hand that Princess Jin'an had thrown to her after she left the imperial kitchen. She asked tentatively, "Princess, do you want to play Cuju? How about I play with you?"

Jin An turned his head to look at her and smiled, "Okay! Let's go back and call Ziyun and Hongyu, and we'll play together."

"Yes!" Han Shuang grinned. It's no wonder that Han Shuang's temperament was very different when she smiled than when she didn't. When she wasn't smiling, her face was stern and her eyes were sharp, giving people an unapproachable feeling. But when she smiled, she was like the warm spring sun, much softer, and her eyes had a little more spirit.

"Hanshuang, smile more in the future. You look very beautiful when you smile." Jin An looked at Hanshuang's smile, reached out and pinched her face, and said softly with a smile.

Han Shuang blushed at the princess's reckless behavior, but she couldn't avoid it, so she could only glare at her. Jin An couldn't help but laugh. Her smile was like a flower blooming in spring, brilliant and bright. Han Shuang looked at the princess's smile and thought to herself, "The princess is truly beautiful!" No wonder the master took so much trouble.

Jin An didn't withdraw his hand immediately. Instead, he stretched out his other hand and rubbed Han Shuang's face with both hands before quickly withdrawing his hand. He blinked and said, "Okay! I won't tease you anymore. Let's go back. I feel a little hungry and want to eat the delicious food made by Qingli."

After saying that, she turned and walked away. Han Shuang had not expected the princess to be so naughty. She looked at Zhao Ma, who smiled knowingly at her and said, "Go back!"

Han Shuang had no choice but to follow Zhao Ma to catch up with the princess and return to Feiyu Palace together.

Jin'an's bringing a Cuju to the Emperor sparked speculation among Concubine Zhang and her daughter, but they racked their brains and could not fathom Jin'an's true intentions. After much deliberation, they concluded that Jin'an was seeking favor, hoping the Emperor would play Cuju with her. Concubine Zhang retorted indignantly, "She truly has no idea how high the heavens are. Your Majesty doesn't have time for such frivolous activities."

Princess Jiaoyu rolled her eyes, straightened her back, and said, "Mother is absolutely right. In fact, if she keeps bothering father like this, I think it would be a good thing."