The princess regretted it.

The atmosphere in the Imperial Study was no longer the oppressive, tense atmosphere of the previous Imperial Palace visit, but rather a warm and gentle one. Changsun Hongze, clad in a bright yellow dragon robe, sat at the table, gracefully sipping the lotus seed and lily soup Jin'an had brought him. Across from him sat Jin'an, dressed in a pale blue palace gown, its hem flowing like a cloud. Her chin resting on her hands, her eyes bright as stars, she watched with admiration as her father sipped the soup she had brought him, a beaming smile on her face. She deeply savored this tender moment, shared only by her and her father. It was as if time had stood still, and everything around her had become beautiful and tranquil.

Threads of golden sunlight filtered through, adding a touch of warmth to the room. The air was filled with the faint scent of ink and the delicate fragrance of lotus seed and lily soup.

After finishing his bowl of soup, Changsun Hongze gently placed it on the table, took the silk handkerchief Fuquan handed him, and delicately wiped the corners of his mouth. He looked up and saw his daughter's innocent smile, a slightly naive and adorable look, and his heart instantly melted. He smiled slightly and commented, "This soup is really good!"

Jin An immediately replied with a smile, her voice as clear and sweet as a silver bell: "As long as your Majesty likes it! It's autumn now, and the air is dry, and your Majesty is busy with state affairs day and night. Your daughter can't help much, so I can only make some soup for your Majesty."

After hearing this, Changsun Hongze felt particularly relieved. He looked at Jin'an, his eyes filled with satisfaction. At this moment, the occasional bird song came from outside the window, as if playing music to this warm father-daughter time. He reached out and gently touched Jin'an's nose, saying softly, "My son is thoughtful. With your filial piety, father will not feel any hardship."

Jin An wrinkled her nose in agreement, then smiled broadly. That smile was as bright as a flower blooming in spring, as if it could dispel all the gloom. She leaned forward slightly, her hands unconsciously clasped together, and took the opportunity to say to her eldest grandson Hongze, "Father, I would like to leave the palace and go to my grandparents' home tomorrow. Is that okay?"

Upon hearing this, Changsun Hongze was slightly stunned, and it took him a while to come back to his senses. His eyes were full of heartache, but there was also a hint of relief in his heart. He gently put down the silk handkerchief in his hand, sat up slightly, and asked cautiously with a hint of doubt: "Why did you suddenly want to go to my grandparents' house?"

As soon as this question came out, the smile on Jin An's face gradually disappeared, her eyes drooped, and a faint sadness surged in her heart. She lowered her head slightly, gently twisting the corners of her clothes with her fingers, and whispered: "Father, I haven't seen my grandparents for a long time. I know that they didn't come to see me all these years because they were afraid that I would be sad. But every time I heard my second brother and others talk about how happy and interesting it was to go to their grandparents' house, I was very envious. I always think back to the good times I had at my grandparents' house." Her thoughts once again recalled the past, her eyes showed longing, and she raised her head slightly to look at her eldest grandson Hongze.

Upon hearing these words, Changsun Hongze couldn't help but feel sad. For so many years, he had tried his best to meet his daughter's requests and favored her, which was because he loved the child. Thinking back to the death of the eldest prince and the queen, he was not only sad, but the child must have been even more sad. The old father-in-law's family was also hit hard. Over the years, they had deliberately kept their distance for each other, and he had seen it all. Now that his daughter had grown up and become sensible, she must have figured out many things. If she wants to go, let her go! The dead are gone!

Changsun Hongze sighed softly and looked at Jin'an tenderly, his heart filled with love. He stretched out his hand slightly, as if to stroke Jin'an's head, but paused mid-air and said, "Okay, go ahead if you want. Be careful and bring more guards."

Upon hearing this, Jin An's heart was filled with joy, and her face was filled with excitement. She quickly stood up, took a step forward, bowed slightly, and nodded in response, "Thank you, father. I will be careful."

Zhangsun Hongze looked at her lovingly and said with a smile, "Alright, go back and get ready. It's almost Mid-Autumn Festival, and soon, my father will ask Fuquan to send you the thousand-year-old ginseng in the warehouse. Bring it to your grandmother tomorrow."

Jin An quickly bowed again, smiled and nodded, saying, "Thank you, Father! I will take my leave first."

With that, he walked away with light steps. Changsun Hongze watched Jin'an leave intently, as if seeing another person through her. He couldn't help but sigh, "She really looks more and more like her mother!" Then, he turned his head to look at the painting of a child flying a kite on the left wall and murmured, "Zitong, Hongxian, have you seen it? Jin'an has grown up." After that, he fell into a long silence, but his usually sharp eyes seemed to have a faint glint.

Seeing this, Fuquan simply stood aside with his head bowed, not stepping forward to interrupt. Instead, he acted as if he was used to it. He knew the situation was much better now, and that His Majesty didn't need any comfort; he would calm down on his own after a while.

The two people in the imperial study were quietly guarding their own little world, with only a faint lingering fragrance of lotus seeds in the air.

At this time, the Prime Minister's Mansion was bustling with activity! After Ziyun delivered the visiting card and left, the inner courtyard was bustling with activity.