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

"He refused?" After hearing the head palace maid's report, Su Mingxuan's originally calm expression changed slightly. She slowly sat up from the chaise lounge, letting the thin blanket covering her slip off, and stared at the man without blinking: "Are you sure this is Prince Jing's intention?"

The palace maid knelt before her. Although the hall was heated by an underfloor heating system, her knees still felt icy cold as she knelt on the floor, yet she dared not move.

"Your Majesty, after I explained that this was Your Majesty's decision, Steward Chen refused, saying that it was inconvenient since there was no mistress in the Prince's residence. Only after I asked Steward Chen if he could make the decision on his own did he send someone to inquire with Prince Jing."

"This servant was stopped by Chief Steward Chen at the main gate of Prince Jing's residence and was not allowed to enter. I have never seen Prince Jing in person. The messenger said that Chief Steward Chen's intention was Prince Jing's intention. This servant had no choice but to return to the palace."

Upon hearing this, Su Mingxuan narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly, raised her hand to place the back of the palace maid's hand, and slowly rose up, every move exuding charm.

She asked slowly, "You mean that Prince Jing did not show up, and this might be because Chen Li made the decision on his own?"

The palace maid lowered her head, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead. Her voice trembled slightly, and after her eyes darted around quickly, she mustered her courage and said, "Your Highness, it's not impossible. Prince Jing has been in a coma for several years. If he were an ordinary person, he might already be buried in peace by now."

"Under the Empress's care, Prince Jing has finally woken up, but his health is probably not very good, and he is likely unable to interfere in the affairs of the Prince's Palace."

"Chen Li has controlled the Prince's mansion for many years; perhaps he's a 'servant who has overstepped his bounds,' which is why..."

Su Mingxuan had already walked up to her and chuckled softly upon hearing this.

She was born beautiful and had been carefully maintained for many years. The beauty that money had bought seemed particularly captivating. With a gentle smile, she was charming, graceful, and stunningly beautiful.

But in the next instant, that dazzling smile vanished completely. Su Mingxuan's expression turned cold, and she kicked the palace maid hard, her eyes turning icy: "How dare you say such a thing? Get out!"

His mood swings are incredibly rapid, shifting from joy to anger in an instant.

"Ah!" After being kicked and rolled by Su Mingxuan, the palace maid immediately adjusted her posture and knelt down again. Upon hearing this, she began to kowtow to Su Mingxuan with a thud: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this servant knows her mistake. This servant, this servant did not perform her duties well. Please punish me, Your Majesty."

If she were to be kicked out like that, she wouldn't be able to survive in the palace anymore!

Others might not know, but as someone who had followed Su Mingxuan for many years and witnessed almost how Su Mingxuan entered the palace and how she gained a foothold in this cannibalistic harem, how could she not know what kind of person Su Mingxuan was?

As for the third- and second-class palace maids, they were fine, since they didn't know many secrets anyway. Even if they were kicked out, Su Mingxuan wouldn't do anything to them for the sake of her reputation.

But if a high-ranking palace maid like her really angered Su Mingxuan and was kicked out, she might not even live to see the next day.

Despite her arrogance outside, she is the head maid of Su Mingxuan, and everyone inside and outside the palace has to give her some face.

In reality, as soon as she returned to Su Mingxuan's side, she had to be extremely cautious, afraid of doing or saying the wrong thing. Her life was not as easy as it seemed to others.

Su Mingxuan, however, remained unmoved as she watched Su Mingxuan's disheveled attempt to pledge loyalty.

She helped the palace maid to a seat on another chair. After watching her stomp her carpet until it bled, she slowly said, "Alright, I just asked you to go out and calm down. I didn't kick you out. Why are you so nervous?"

The palace maid stopped what she was doing.

Su Mingxuan raised her hand, playing with her carefully maintained slender white fingers, and said lightly, "Let it go for today. Tomorrow, you can send some more things over for me, and also pick out some things that the young lady might need and like, and send them to Prince Jing's residence together."

"By the way, you need to apologize to Chen Li tomorrow. You know what to say, right?"

The palace maid quickly replied, "This servant understands, this servant understands."

Seeing this, Su Mingxuan finally smiled with satisfaction, then stood up and gently helped her up from the ground. "Don't mind how stern I was just now. You are my confidante. When you go out, you represent me. If you make a mistake, it will drag down the entire Yishu Palace."

"Putting aside the sibling relationship between me and Prince Jing, just considering how much His Majesty values ​​Prince Jing now, you shouldn't have said those things just now."

"It's fine as long as these words don't get out of Yishu Palace, but if others find out, I might not be able to save you. Do you understand?"

——————————————————————————————

That evening, Chen Li delivered another letter to Xuan Yuanjing: "This is what happened after that palace maid returned to the palace. The news spread very quickly this time."

Xuanyuan Jing took it, quickly glanced at it, and paused when he saw the words "the servant is bullying his master".

He seemed to chuckle softly, earning a puzzled look from Chen Li.

Xuanyuan Jing: "It seems your reputation isn't very good these days."

Chen Li: "...Why did Your Highness suddenly say that?"

After receiving the letter, he delivered it directly to Xuan Yuanjing without even having time to read what was written in it.

Xuanyuan Jing handed over the letter, indicating that Chen Li should read it himself.

Chen Li: ?

With a sense of doubt in his heart, Chen Li took the letter with both hands, quickly scanned it, and then said with a wry smile, "This... I haven't heard anyone mention it before, but if those people had such a suspicion, they probably wouldn't have said it to me."

As for other news... well, the brothers who gathered the information probably didn't think his reputation was a big deal, so they didn't tell him.

Xuanyuan Jing: "It must have been difficult for you."

Chen Li: "I have nothing to make difficult for you, but... it might damage Your Highness's reputation."

Xuanyuan Jing: "It's alright, this is exactly the result I want now."

Showing weakness is also a tactic.

In particular, given the current situation, his "weakness" will not arouse much suspicion.

Chen Li: "Yes, then should I make a name for myself outside?"

Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Jing turned his head and glanced at him: "You handle it as you see fit. I am not responsible for your reputation."

It means, if you want to play, then play; you'll have to bear the consequences yourself.

Chen Li: "...Alright, I understand."

Just then, a familiar little voice came from the doorway: "Daddy, Daddy."

Xuanyuan Jing raised his hand to signal Chen Li to shut up, then turned and walked towards the door. "Hmm, I'm here. Why is Xingxing here at this hour? Were you having a nightmare?"

At this time, the little girl would usually be in bed resting.

Chen Li followed Xuan Yuanjing's footsteps, and the two went around the screen. They saw a little girl dragging a pillow, rubbing her eyes as she walked towards Xuan Yuanjing's legs: "Daddy, it hurts, ouch."

The little girl's forehead was red for some reason, and it looked a bit... alarming.