The Cold King Demands Love and Pleasure

How could the emperor, a man of such wisdom, believe it so easily? Although Min Youan's explanation was proper and without any flaws, it was not entirely credible.

He suppressed the probing glint in his eyes and instead smiled as he came outside to keep Min Yanyue company as she played. "Yue'er, your royal grandfather will take you to play in the Imperial Garden."

"Really?" Min Yanyue looked at the emperor with her big, bright eyes, revealing boundless anticipation!

Consort Jing looked at the child, and why did that innocent expression seem so strangely familiar?

She lowered her eyes in thought, and was suddenly startled, but in an instant she looked at the emperor and Min Yanyue with a gentle expression, as if her surprise was just someone else's illusion.

The emperor bent down, looking at Min Yanyue with a loving expression, and took his small hand. "A king's word is law. Let's go!"

As soon as the emperor turned around, Consort Jing immediately stopped smiling, grabbed Min You'an, and asked with a mixture of suspicion and fear, "This child, could it be...?"

"Mother!" Min Youan shouted, shaking his head at her to signal her not to say it.

Consort Jing was distracted and pretended to be nonchalant as she straightened her clothes. Although her son did not say it explicitly, his reaction confirmed her suspicions.

She gripped his arm tightly, her nails digging into his flesh, and gritted her teeth as she said, "Your mother can only tell you one thing: take care of yourself!"

Min Youan comforted her, "Mother, there's no need to worry. I know what I'm doing!"

"Very good!" Although Consort Jing still maintained a gentle and refined demeanor, the sharpness in her eyes was terrifying.

Presumably, Min Yoo-an's coldness and sharpness were not merely inherited from the emperor.

After leaving court, Xia Xiuyong returned to the general's mansion with a troubled mind. Thinking of the child who had suddenly appeared, he couldn't put his mind at ease. After some hesitation, he rode his horse to the Prince An's mansion.

When the housekeeper came to report, Xia Tongsheng was still sleeping in. When she heard Yingling say that the master had arrived, she immediately got up and urged Yingling, "Hurry up and help me comb my hair!"

So, Xia Tongsheng got dressed, and Yingling followed behind her to help her comb her hair!

"Ouch! It hurts so much! Little girl, pull gently!" Xia Tongsheng held her head with one hand and reached into her sleeve with the other.

"It's Miss, you're messing around!" Yingling didn't forget her work, her fingers flying quickly, and soon a beautiful tassel hair bun was done. At the same time, Xia Tongsheng also finished dressing.

The two of them ran one after the other to the main hall to greet Xia Xiuyong.

When the old man saw Xia Tongsheng rushing towards him, he called out, "Girl!"

Xia Tongsheng turned her head and saw her father, but she was moving too fast and lost control, crashing into a supporting pillar in the hall, making her wince in pain.

However, this very thing aroused Xia Xiuyong's dissatisfaction. "You child, you're already married, why are you still so impulsive? Are you hurt?"

Although it was a reprimand, the tone was still full of worry.

Xia Tongsheng rubbed her nose. "Dad, I'm fine. Why are you here?"

"You still have the nerve to ask me why I'm here? Tell me, what's the deal with that child? How could anyone say that child was born to you and the prince many years ago!"

"Father, let's not even talk about how long I've lived in Yunmeng Mountain and never even seen the Prince. Your daughter is only 17 years old this year, and that child is 7. Does that mean your daughter is pregnant at 9 years old?!"

At the age of 9, Xia Tongsheng didn't know if she had fully developed or if she was capable of getting pregnant and giving birth.

Xia Xiuyong felt his intelligence was being questioned. He puffed out his beard and glared at Xia Tongsheng. "Of course I know that child isn't your daughter's. I'm asking you, how did such a rumor come about, and what's the story with that child?"

"How should I know? The child was already there when I married into the family!"

"Hmph! I didn't expect that after all my careful selection, I still couldn't find you a good marriage. I think only Jiu Yang is a good one, at least I know his background!"

Xia Tongsheng immediately reminded him, "Father, what are you saying!"

Xia Xiuyong immediately realized what was happening and said somewhat awkwardly, "Where's the child? Bring him here so I can see him!"

“Yue’er went to the palace with the prince and isn’t in the manor!” Xia Tongsheng glanced at her father’s expression and said softly.

"Looks like I've made a wasted trip today!" Xia Xiuyong said regretfully.

"Dad, what do you mean by 'came for nothing'? Your daughter is so well-behaved and adorable, she doesn't even deserve your visit!"

He pointed at Xia Tongsheng, "Look at yourself, are you even remotely cute or well-behaved? You're more like arrogant and domineering!"

Xia Tongsheng protested, "Dad, I'm your own daughter, you can't belittle me like that!"

"Alright, alright, since I didn't see the child, I'll be going now. You need to be more careful and have a child soon. A woman can only gain a foothold in her husband's family if she has a child!"

Xia Tongsheng was a little embarrassed, not expecting that she would need her father to remind her of matters concerning the inner quarters. "Father!"

"Oh, my daughter's shy! That's quite a sight!" he said, laughing wildly.

Xia Tongsheng began to doubt once again whether she was his biological daughter. What kind of father would betray his own daughter like this?

"My dear daughter!" Xia Xiuyong patted Xia Tongsheng on the shoulder. "Daddy's going home!"

"Have a meal before you leave, Dad, it's rare for you to come all this way!"

"I won't eat it. I'm afraid I'll feel obligated to eat someone else's food!" Xia Xiuyong said meaningfully, referring to what Min You'an had mentioned to him during his last visit home.

"Dad, this is your daughter's food, how can it be considered someone else's!"

Xia Xiuyong reminded her, "Don't forget, you're now a member of the royal family!"

"Hmph, being a member of the royal family is so tough!" They're always facing the danger of losing their lives! Of course, she didn't say the second half of that sentence out loud.

"What life isn't tough?"

Xia Tongsheng knew that her father was thinking of her mother, which was why he said such sentimental words.

“Dad!” She patted his back to comfort him.

"Alright, Dad's leaving!"

Xia Tongsheng, accompanied by Yingling, saw Xia Xiuyong off. Xia Tongsheng stood outside the door, watching the sound of his father's horse hooves gradually fade into the distance, feeling somewhat lonely.

"Yingling, in this world, besides my father and you, there is no one else who truly cares for me!"

"Miss......"

Inside the Kunning Palace, a woman dressed in a very luxurious manner, wearing a dark red coat and a white jade hairpin inlaid with gold on her head, was most eye-catching with the phoenix crown on her head.

She angrily threw the cup in her hand to the ground, and with a loud crack, the cup shattered, the shards scattering like pearls throughout the room.

"What's wrong with that child?" Her anger caused the phoenix crown on her head to sway.

"Mother, please calm down!" Min Zhifu knelt on the ground, somewhat frightened, his face slightly pale.

Empress Li Yishu sneered and retorted, "Calm down? How can you expect me to calm down?"

Min Zhifu didn't dare to speak, he just knelt on the ground, looking rather humble!

This kind of interaction between mother and son is somewhat strange...