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

Xiao Lanxing may miss her father, but she is essentially an independent and self-reliant child.

So, although she couldn't return to Xuan Yuanjing's side that night, the little girl stayed well at the Prince Jing's residence under Chen Li's care.

The next morning, she didn't rush to find anyone. Instead, under Chen Li's arrangement, she obediently ate her meal, watched Chen Li practice a set of boxing moves, and then, as arranged by him, boarded a carriage and left the city.

On the contrary, Xuan Yuanjing, having already learned everything he needed to know not long after the palace banquet ended last night, was filled with mixed emotions all night. He missed his daughter terribly and tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He forced himself to lie in bed all night and got up before dawn to ask, "What time is it? Has she gotten up yet?"

The man who played chess with him yesterday has been arranged to rest in the guest courtyard, and now Xuanyuan Jing is accompanied by another of his trusted confidants.

"Your Highness, at this hour, Miss usually takes another quarter of an hour to wake up."

Xuan Yuanjing's expression was unreadable. He nodded upon hearing this and lay back down.

After a while, he asked again, "Is there any news from the Prince's residence?"

"Your Highness, it's not time yet."

After a while, Xuanyuan Jing asked, "What time is it?"

Confidant: “…”

The confidant remained silent for a moment before tentatively asking, "If Your Highness is truly worried, why don't I go to the city gate and wait there? I'll send you any news as soon as possible."

We also picked them up as soon as possible.

Xuanyuan Jing pondered, "Good idea."

Then Xuanyuan Jing tidied himself up, got up, and went out.

When Pei Qingzhu got up as usual, she was told that Xuan Yuanjing had left early in the morning and had instructed him to keep an eye on the villa so that the news of Prince Jing's departure would not be known.

Pei Qingzhu then asked, "Did Your Highness say what you were going to do?"

The man chuckled awkwardly, "Well, this servant is just guessing... she probably went to pick up the young lady."

Pei Qingzhu: "..."

Pei Qingzhu is a father who loves his daughter and is not the kind of father who favors sons over daughters. Compared to other fathers around him, he feels that he is not doing a bad job.

But... he's never been this clingy to his daughter, has he?

Pei Qingzhu touched her nose, wanting to say something, but swallowed the words back.

Well, what could he say? He could only help Xuanyuan Jing cover up his whereabouts.

Xuanyuan Jingtian left the villa before dawn. When he arrived at the city gate, it was still early. Since he couldn't be too conspicuous and appeared directly in front of people, he waited with a few people in a pavilion near the city gate.

This pavilion is often used for seeing people off, and sometimes pedestrians come here to take shelter from the rain, so it is kept very clean.

Xuanyuan Jing stared at the city gate, wondering what Xiao Lanxing might be doing at this hour, and waited until dawn.

"Daddy!"

Xiao Lanxing was sitting in the carriage, but before even leaving the city gate, he already knew that Xuan Yuanjing was waiting for him outside the city.

Therefore, when the carriage approached, she didn't even ask any questions, and immediately threw herself at the people in the pavilion after lifting the curtain!

Xuanyuan Jing stood up as soon as he saw the carriage approaching. Perhaps he originally wanted to maintain his composure in front of his subordinates, but... who cares.

He disguised himself when he went out, wearing a hat that covered half of his face. Fortunately, it's not unusual to be bundled up tightly in winter to keep warm.

He caught the little cutie who rushed towards him steadily. Half of Xuan Yuanjing's face was covered, but the smile in his eyes was obvious to everyone. "How did Xingxing know I was here?"

As he spoke, Xuanyuan Jing looked around to make sure there were no outsiders nearby.

Even though Xiao Lanxing's actions might have exposed his whereabouts, Xuan Yuanjing didn't blame her. He reached out and touched the little girl's hand to make sure she wasn't cold, then hugged her in his arms.

Xiao Lanxing: "My father and I are on the same wavelength!"

"That's a good use of the idiom." Xuan Yuanjing smiled, and after getting back into the carriage with the child, he pulled off the cloth covering his face, revealing his handsome face: "Did he tell you?"

Xiao Lanxing nodded obediently.

Indeed, he told her everything.

Xuanyuan Jing's smile remained unchanged as he gently stroked the little girl's cheek. He had kept his hands warm with a hand warmer so as not to let the little girl get cold.

"Did you sleep well last night?"

Xiao Lanxing: "It's alright, but I still miss Daddy."

She still thinks about it, but it won't disturb her sleep.

Xuanyuan Jing: "Did anyone bully you at yesterday's palace banquet? Did anyone wrong you?"

Xiao Lanxing thought for a moment, then honestly shook her head: "No."

"It was really fun. There were so many people, and I even met a girl who said she was my cousin."

Xuanyuan Jing already knew about Xuanyuan Lanjia's matter, and nodded upon hearing this: "Princess Jiaxuan is indeed your cousin. If you like her, your father will take you to their house to play when there is a chance in the future."

Xiao Lanxing added, "I also have a little nephew. He said he would tell me the story of Huo Qubing next time we meet."

Xuanyuan Jing's eyebrows twitched.

Xuan Yuanjing had vaguely heard about Huo Wubing's situation, but he had hardly spent any time in the capital in recent years. He fell into a coma not long after returning to the capital, so his social life was understandably poor.

If it weren't for Xiao Lanxing, Xuanyuan Jing might not even know the name of his great-nephew.

Xuan Yuanjing thought of Xuan Yuanlanjia, and then of Xuan Yuanlin, and smiled: "If you want to know the story of the Marquis of Champion, your father can tell you."

Xiao Lanxing's eyes sparkled, but she quickly thought of something and tugged at Xuan Yuanjing's sleeve: "Daddy, let's not talk about the story of the Champion Marquis for now. Daddy, could you help me find some pigs?"

Xuan Yuanjing was taken aback for a moment, but didn't ask Xiao Lanxing why the topic suddenly jumped so quickly. "Why do you suddenly want to find a pig?"

Xiao Lanxing twitched her nose. "Yesterday's palace banquet was fun, but apart from the soup and pastries, the other dishes were pretty ordinary."

"I tried a bite last night and I really want to eat Dongpo pork."

Xuan Yuanjing's eyebrows twitched, puzzled: "Dongpo pork?"

What kind of meat is Dongpo pork?

Xiao Lanxing nodded: "Yes, Dongpo pork is delicious!" As she spoke, she touched her chin, as if worried that her mouth would water.

Xuanyuan Jing: "...I'll send someone to find a few pigs."

Xiao Lanxing nodded vigorously: "Okay."

"Once I've made it, I can invite my sister to try it."

She saw it all yesterday; most of the dishes served were meat, so Xiao Lanxing barely touched them and ate all the pastries instead.

She had initially suspected that someone in the palace might be bullying her cousin, which was why the dishes didn't look appetizing at all. However, the girl wasn't really that naive; she blurted out everything she was thinking.

She didn't say.

But later, she walked around the main hall and saw that some people's dishes were already cold, with milky white grease floating on the surface, which looked disgusting, but those people still had to pretend to be enjoying the delicious food.

Xiao Lanxing recalled that after she came to live with her father, she always ate a bland diet.

She realized.

The food here isn't very good!