The three-year-old host decides to raise an emperor father for himself.

Xuanyuan Jing was not the type to open up to others, and when faced with a child looking at him with a blank expression, he couldn't bring himself to say what was on his mind.

In the end, Xuanyuan Jing only said, "In short, no matter what you do, Xingxing, I, as your father, will worry. Just think of me as a first-time father, so I'm always concerned."

As he spoke, Xuan Yuanjing tugged at the corners of his lips, revealing a genuine smile.

He patted the little girl's head: "I worry a lot, but you can do whatever you like without worrying about me, okay?"

The little girl was no ordinary girl, and Xuan Yuanjing knew this very well.

Xiao Lanxing: "Daddy, I'm not happy."

Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Jing shook his head: "No, as long as you are happy and don't hurt yourself, I won't be unhappy."

Xuanyuan Jing: "The stars will protect themselves, right?"

Xiao Lanxing looked at him intently, as if trying to confirm whether Xuan Yuanjing was telling the truth.

Xuanyuan Jing also looked back seriously.

After a moment, the little girl nodded: "Okay then."

She nodded very seriously and said in her childish voice, "I will definitely protect myself."

As she spoke, she suddenly remembered something and raised her little fist: "If anyone bullies me, I'll fight back! I can take on ten of them by myself!"

Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Jing chuckled, "Alright, alright, if anyone bullies you, fight back and then come find your father, okay?"

No matter how capable the little girl is, she's still just a baby. To really fight back, it takes an adult like him.

Afterwards, Xuanyuan Jing praised the little girl for making the lantern stand, which finally calmed her down. The father and daughter then started thinking together about what to draw on the lantern paper.

The bodyguard who overheard the whole thing: ...

Guard: "I understand, young master will be my little ancestor from now on!"

Xuanyuan Jing smiled but remained silent.

——————————————————————————————

On the third day of the tenth month, almost a month had passed since Xuanyuan Jing woke up, and a lot of news about the Jingwang Mansion had been circulating, albeit in a veiled manner.

Some people are still observing, some are feeling uneasy, and some are already having other plans.

"Your Highness." Upon receiving the news, Chen Li immediately disregarded everything else and rushed to the study, presenting the letter with both hands: "This is a message that just came from the palace. Please take a look."

The official news about Xuanyuan Jing is still that he is resting in bed.

After initially accepting visits from some people, the Prince's Mansion closed its doors to visitors after Xuanyuan's last visit.

However, he himself didn't know whether to say that Chen Li and Doctor Fang had maintained his physical functions well over the past two years, or that Xuan Yuanjing had a good constitution, or perhaps for some other mysterious reason, but he had actually recovered almost completely.

This "almost" means that he is now able to walk, sit, and lie down as freely as a normal person, and has also begun to pick up his spear again.

As for whether his martial arts skills could be restored to their peak, Doctor Fang could not give an accurate judgment. He only said that with Xuan Yuanjing's martial arts talent, even if he wasted two years, he would be better than most people if he picked it up again.

These messages were naturally kept secret from the outside world, and even within the Prince's residence, very few people knew about them.

"What's the matter? You seem to be in a hurry." Xuan Yuanjing said, putting down the spear in his hand, taking the letter Chen Li handed him, reading it quickly, and asking casually.

However, after reading the contents of the letter, Xuan Yuanjing's previously calm expression instantly darkened.

He seemed to read it several times before folding it up and placing it aside. "Who sent the message?"

Chen Li fell silent for a long while before saying, "It's... news that came from that empress's palace."

Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Jing remained silent for a long time.

Chen Li hesitated for a while before saying, "That person must have heard someone mention Miss's matter."

As to whether it was out of curiosity or to test something, Chen Li, as a subordinate, couldn't say anything.

To be honest, Chen Li had very mixed feelings about that empress.

This is normal. Many people know that she and Xuanyuan Jing were childhood sweethearts, inseparable since they were little. Xuanyuan Jing's mother even saved that mother twice, and once it was a life-saving favor.

In earlier years, although no one said it openly, everyone privately believed that she was the one and only Princess Jing.

However, in the end, she entered the palace for the imperial concubine selection while Xuan Yuanjing was away on a military campaign. She entered Xuan Yuanlin's harem and became a high-ranking concubine from the moment she entered the palace, enjoying great favor.

Since then, outsiders have stopped talking about the friendship between him and Xuanyuan Jing in their youth. Those who later became officials in the capital had no way of knowing about these old stories, and others seemed to have forgotten them as well.

But Chen Li will not forget.

He found it difficult to develop any goodwill towards this lady, but during the two years that Xuanyuan Jing was in a coma, she did indeed send him quite a few nice things in private.

And then there's the maternal family behind that person; they didn't make any public moves, but they did offer some help behind the scenes.

That's why Chen Li had mixed feelings.

Perhaps, even though they couldn't be husband and wife, the lady still regarded her prince as an elder brother in her heart.

Xuanyuan Jing, lacking the ability to read minds, had no idea what his chief steward was thinking. He simply stared silently into the void.

He recalled what happened two years ago.

Two years ago, he had just returned to Beijing and had already planned to retire and keep a low profile after the war was over.

The unexpected incident occurred when he received a secret letter from Su Mingxuan saying that the emperor was in trouble. This made Xuanyuan Jing, who originally intended to distance himself from Su Mingxuan, a palace concubine, hesitate and secretly go to the hot spring palace where Xuanyuan Lin was at the time.

Then, he was ambushed on the road, which led to a two-year coma.

If there had been even the slightest mistake at the time, or if the rescue had arrived even a moment later, Xuanyuan Jing would probably not exist today.

Not to mention waking him up after he had been in a coma for two years.

Looking back on what happened back then, Xuan Yuanjing's memory is somewhat hazy. The situation was urgent, and many details are blurred in his memory, but...

He didn't want to doubt her; the bond of youth always seemed especially precious.

But Xuanyuan Jing knew very well that he had always suspected her.

However, for various reasons, he has not yet verified this.

Now, news has come from Su Mingxuan's side that she seems to intend to summon his daughter, Lanxing, to the palace...

After a long silence, Xuan Yuanjing slowly exhaled: "If anyone from the palace comes, just say that Lanxing is too young, I am unable to walk properly, and there is no mistress in the mansion, and refuse them."

Chen Li slowly lowered his head and softly replied, "Yes."

Chen Li thought he probably understood the prince's current attitude towards that person.