His innermost thoughts were revealed, and he ventured into a fictional dynasty with the system.

He looked down at the two people below, his heart unmoved.

Human love and hate entanglements have their own destiny and cause-and-effect relationships, sooner or later.

In the course of time, they will eventually find a perfect solution for the mortal world—whether it is to stay together or to let go, it is their own way of returning home.

He was merely an observer looking down upon the world, never the ruler. Now that the dust has settled, He should disappear from the world.

No longer interfering too much, quietly withdrawing from the scene, leaving human affairs to humankind.

A gentle breeze blew through the layers of clouds, carrying the fresh scent of sprouting plants and trees on the earth below, mixed with the faint fragrance of wildflowers.

It gently brushed against the ends of Qin Qianluo and Xin Ziming's hair, bringing a refreshing coolness.

Qin Qianluo tilted her head slightly, her gaze falling on the fluffy and soft furry tail behind Xin Ziming beside her—the tail was snow-white, just like the purest snow in winter.

The tip of its tail, however, had a very faint silver-blue hue, which shimmered with a subtle luster in the sunlight.

It swayed gently with Xin Ziming's light footsteps, occasionally sweeping across the ground unconsciously.

Perhaps it was the slight inflection in her voice that caused her tail to twitch, revealing a hint of undisguised naivety and liveliness.

As she watched, Qin Qianluo's lips suddenly curled up slightly, a smile slowly spreading from her eyes down her cheeks.

That smile was clean and bright, just like how they looked many years ago when they first met in the misty, ethereal realm of the gods.

At that time, one of them was not yet entangled in worldly affairs, and the other had not experienced too much of the world. Their eyes were filled with pure light, without a trace of impurity.

Now, after a thousand years of worldly changes and witnessing countless joys and sorrows, their eyes have gained a touch of maturity.

Yet the clarity and warmth in that smile remain unchanged, just as bright as when we first met, enough to dispel all the heaviness and weariness of the past.

Spring comes and autumn goes, cold comes and heat goes, and time leaves deep and shallow marks on the palace walls of Zhaoning Kingdom.

The glazed tiles have been glazed several times, the vermilion palace pillars have developed a thick patina, and the monarchs on the dragon throne have changed several times.

Only the sandalwood incense in the Imperial Study still lingers in the morning and evening, exuding an ancient majesty.

The atmosphere in the imperial study that day was different from usual. The young emperor sat upright behind his dragon desk, his knuckles unconsciously tapping the memorials on it, his brows furrowed deeply.

His gaze fell heavily on the small figure standing as punishment below, his tone filled with barely suppressed anger.

"Today, the Grand Tutor is giving a lecture on the way to govern the country. He specifically mentioned the ancient saying, 'Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it,' and repeatedly emphasized the importance of the people's support."

What nonsense did you spout in the hall? It enraged the Grand Tutor so much that he threw down his ruler and even his lecture notes on the ground.

Upon returning home, he summoned the imperial physician, who said that he was feeling unwell and asked for leave, even declining the lecture on the classics the next day!

Do you know that the Grand Tutor is a veteran of three reigns, someone even I treat with respect? How dare you be so unruly and provoke his anger?

The princess being disciplined was only seven or eight years old, with two round buns in her hair, tied with a bright yellow brocade ribbon befitting her status.

Two small pearls were also attached to the brocade ribbon, swaying gently with her subtle movements, making her small face look like a delicate porcelain doll.

Although she was following the rules, standing upright with her hands behind her back, her lips were unconsciously pouting.

Like someone with a half-eaten candy in their mouth, her cheeks puffed out slightly, and her eyes were brimming with grievance that was about to overflow—even though she was telling the truth.

Water has many uses, but the Grand Tutor is too rigid and can't stand being teased!

Seeing that the emperor's face grew increasingly grim, the memorials on the dragon desk seemed to be deformed by the oppressive atmosphere around him, and even the sandalwood incense in the air seemed to have taken on a cold tinge.

The little girl timidly raised her eyelids, her voice soft and sweet, carrying a hint of aggrieved explanation and a touch of resentment.

"Your Majesty, I truly did not speak recklessly about other matters, nor did I intentionally provoke the Grand Tutor."

Just now, the Grand Tutor said, "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it." He said that the people are the water and the ruler is the boat. Your subject listened carefully.

I just felt that water had more uses than these, so I continued the conversation.

'Water can be used to cook porridge, brew tea, and water flowers. In winter, melted snow can be used to fertilize the plum trees in the Imperial Garden.'

To everyone's surprise, the Grand Tutor immediately blushed and pointed at his son, saying, "You are unruly and disrespectful to the sacred words; you are like rotten wood that cannot be carved."

Then he slammed his fist on the table in anger, and stormed off without even finishing the lesson.

"Every word I said is true, without the slightest exaggeration. It seems the Grand Tutor is taking it too seriously and making a mountain out of a molehill."

"Insolence!" The emperor slammed the vermilion brush into the brush washer, splashing water that wet his bright yellow sleeves.

"That's the great principle of the ancient sages on the relationship between rulers, ministers, and the people. Why are you dragging it into the mundane details of daily life? What kind of behavior is that?"

After listening, she tilted her head up, her eyes showing a serious expression, as if she were repeating the lessons her father had taught her the day before, speaking each word with exceptional clarity.

"The day before yesterday, when Father Emperor was teaching me to read 'The Imperial Model' in the Imperial Garden, he also instructed me that 'those with narrow minds cannot shoulder the responsibilities of a monarch.'"

It cannot tolerate any dissenting opinions, cannot listen to different voices, and cannot accept talents from all over the world.

If you can't even tolerate a casual remark from someone else, how can you understand the hardships of ordinary people and gain their trust?

Your son merely mentioned the common uses of water without refuting the Grand Tutor's reasoning, yet the Grand Tutor has become so angry.

Doesn't this just prove what Father Emperor meant by 'narrow-mindedness'?

Your Majesty, I believe that if the Grand Tutor were like Your Majesty, willing to listen to different opinions, he wouldn't have been so angry with me today.

She tilted her small face up, with tears still clinging to her eyelashes, but her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.

"The other day, Father Emperor taught me to read the 'Essential Techniques for the Common People,' saying that 'water is the source of all things,' nourishing both the monarch and the people."

The Grand Tutor only allows water to have the function of "carrying a boat and capsizing it", but does not allow it to have the function of cooking porridge and irrigating fields. Isn't this just killing the water?

How was it wrong for me to say, "It can also be used to make porridge"?

The emperor was taken aback by her words, looking at his daughter's stubborn "I'm right" expression.

I suddenly remembered that when I was twelve years old, I was also punished by the Grand Tutor to copy the Analects a hundred times because I questioned the annotations.

Back then, didn't he also stubbornly insist on his own way, thinking that the old man's reasoning was too rigid?

Looking down at the small figure below, clearly only six years old, with two round buns in her hair, the bright yellow ribbon tied in her hair swaying gently with her breath.

The two pearls adorning it trembled slightly, resembling the downy hairs on the tips of a small animal's ears.

But her little face was tense and serious, her big, black grape-like eyes wide open, and her chin tilted back.

Every word and sentence exudes the self-righteousness of "I'm not wrong, it's the Grand Tutor who's too stingy."

The Emperor was amused by her clever and witty way of "being able to make even the most twisted logic sound plausible." He stepped down the stairs, raised his hand, and tapped her forehead with his fingertip.

He applied the pressure as lightly as if afraid of shattering a porcelain doll: "You little brat, you come up with one twisted argument after another. You've actually put the 'arguing with reason' I taught you into practice here!"

He gazed at the lively yet mischievous glint in his eldest daughter's eyes, and for a fleeting moment, he saw a glimpse of that person—

The regent back then was just like that; seemingly charming, but actually very perceptive, able to refute his ministers with just a few words.

He still vividly remembers the extraordinary scene on the day his eldest daughter was born: the sky above the palace, which was originally gloomy and about to rain, was suddenly swept up by a sky full of golden and red clouds, and the glow was like a waterfall.

The entire imperial palace in the capital was dyed a glassy color, and even more strangely, a clear phoenix cry came from the depths of the clouds, lasting for three quarters of an hour.

The entire court was so shocked that all the officials knelt outside the palace gates, shouting, "Auspicious omens have descended from heaven!"

At that moment, he held the warm jade pendant with phoenix patterns that had been passed down from his ancestors. The pendant was burning hot in his palm, and he was almost certain that the regent who was always accompanied by phoenixes had returned.

It was precisely because of this extraordinary birth phenomenon, coupled with the exceptional talent that the eldest daughter displayed after starting her education—knowing a thousand characters at the age of three and being able to recite the Analects of Confucius at the age of five.

She even had some insight into policies for governing the country, which is why he strongly advocated making her the Crown Princess, hoping that she could inherit the throne and continue the glory of Zhaoning Kingdom.

But who would have thought that this child's intelligence would be used in the "right place"?

They can recite the Four Books and Five Classics fluently, but they always find loopholes in these "unorthodox" methods.

The Grand Tutor said, "The people are the foundation of the state," but she insisted on asking, "If the people are picky about food, won't the state go hungry?"

Today, she talked about "water can carry a boat," and then added "water can also be used to cook porridge," which made the veteran of three dynasties throw down his ruler on the spot.

However, every time she defended herself, she was always logical and clear, and she could always bring up the principles he had taught her in the past as a "shield," leaving him speechless for a moment.

At only six years old, he's already so sharp-tongued and full of mischievous ideas. What will he be like when he grows up?

The emperor shook his head helplessly, but he wasn't really angry at all. He just thought that the girl should be taught to control her temper.

Stop being so "lawless"—he also wanted her to be like an ordinary child, chasing butterflies in the Imperial Garden and playing marbles under the long corridor.

Instead of being bound by her identity as "Crown Princess" all day long, frowning at a table full of memorials.

He was about to speak up and give her a good "lecture" to make her understand what it means to "respect teachers and value morality".

A gentle yet authoritative voice suddenly came from outside the hall, with a clear hint of amusement in its tone.

Like a spring breeze, it melted away the seriousness in the imperial study: "Oh my, whose little rascal is this, so quick-witted that he has left our emperor speechless."

Look closely at that bun hairstyle, isn't that my little one?

Upon hearing that familiar voice, the little girl, who had just been bowing her head slightly and unconsciously twisting the hem of her bright yellow brocade dress while being reprimanded by the emperor, instantly brightened up.

Like a small lantern lit in the dark night, or like stars after the rain has cleared.

Even the grievance of being punished to stand had mostly dissipated, and her little body unconsciously leaned towards the direction of the palace entrance.

The Emperor twitched his lips helplessly, thinking to himself: Well, with the Empress Dowager as his "big backer," this little brat will be fearless again.

His admonition as the emperor will likely fall on deaf ears once again.