Chapter 114: Compensation

Chapter 114 Compensation

"Your Highness, pinch me!"

The Crown Princess pushed the Crown Prince in a daze. Baffled, the Crown Prince humored her and pinched her arm.

The pain jolted her back to her senses. Only then did she believe what she was seeing was real.

Chen'er was eating!

The heavens have answered! It must be that her wishes for this year had come true!

"A Man, are you alright?"

A Yuan clutched her daughter, hands shaking. A Man, her lips greasy, nuzzled her mother's cheek with her forehead.

Her voice was sweet and reassuring, "Mama, A Man is fine. The nice big brother saved me."

"Thank you, Young Prince!"

A Yuan expressed her gratitude. Without Zhou Chen, A Man might have already been disfigured.

She also wanted to thank Zhou Chen for sending someone to notify her. Otherwise, in such a vast palace, they wouldn’t have known how long it would take to find her.

"Don't mention it."

Though Zhou Chen appeared aloof, it was simply because he was accustomed to solitude. Interacting with others made him uneasy.

He stood rigidly aside, face stern. The Crown Princess walked over and mussed her son’s hair, smiling. "Lady Xie, there’s no need to thank him. I should be the one thanking A Man for getting Chen'er to eat so much."

She admitted to herself she’d neglected Chen'er, but the Crown Prince also required her attention. She could only instruct the palace servants to care for him meticulously.

Yet, her son was stubborn, and his refusal to eat was evident. The servants wanted to help but didn’t know how. She’d fretted endlessly, each attempt to coax him to eat only pushing him further away.

Now, because of A Man, Zhou Chen was eating again. The Crown Princess was overjoyed, and her address for A Man shifted from "Lady Xie" to her given name.

"It was the brother who had food prepared for A Man. Your Highness doesn’t need to thank me."

The little girl peeked out from her mother’s arms, speaking earnestly.

The Crown Princess was smitten. "No need for 'Your Highness'—just call me Auntie! From now on, A Man should keep the brother company during meals, alright?"

If she weren’t afraid Lady Xie might object, she would have snatched A Man up as her own daughter.

The Crown Princess grinned, already plotting.

If not a daughter, then a daughter-in-law would do just fine. She truly adored this little girl.

But she kept these thoughts to herself. A Yuan, shaken from the ordeal, managed a weak smile.

"A Man’s too unruly to keep up with the Young Prince."

After what happened today, A Yuan regretted bringing her into the palace. With Noble Consort Su and her daughter here, how could she have ever let A Man enter?

The Crown Princess knew how a mother felt. No mother could brush this off so easily.

But now that her son was eating, the Crown Princess wasn’t ready to give up.

She turned to the Crown Prince. "Why not General Xie?"

The Crown Prince had a rough idea what she was planning and nodded.

"General Xie is an exceptional martial artist and a master strategist. He'd be perfect to teach Chen'er."

"My thoughts exactly. How about we send Chen'er to General Xie's place for instruction?"

A-Man wasn't allowed in the palace, but Chen'er could leave.

After today, the palace would be in chaos for some time. After what the little princess pulled during the banquet, even if the Emperor doted on her, he'd have to answer to the General's residence and the Marquis of Anning's household.

The Crown Princess wasn’t about to let her son get mixed up in this mess, so sending him out of the palace was a smart move.

With royalty making the request, Xie Zheng naturally couldn’t refuse. Moreover, since the Young Prince had saved A-Man, he took him on as a student.

"It is my honor to instruct the Young Prince."

"General Xie, you're too kind. Chen'er, why don’t you greet your master?"

The Crown Prince smirked, his expression gentle.

He knew his wife intended to arrange the apprenticeship so Chen'er could properly be around the young lady of the Xie family. Little did she know this inadvertently pulled Xie Zheng to their side.

The Crown Prince lowered his gaze. He'd gotten much stronger over the past two years—it was high time everyone remembered who the rightful heir was.

They didn't have to wait long before the Emperor summoned them.

In the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Noble Consort Su and her daughter knelt in the chamber. The Emperor sat on the couch, resting his chin on his hand, as if in thought.

But whether he was truly resting or deliberately ignoring Noble Consort Su was clear to all.

The little princess’s actions today… had crossed the line!

"Your Majesty, General Xie and the others have arrived."

The eunuch announced quietly to Emperor Chengyuan, who then opened his eyes.

"Let them in."

"Father!"

The little princess had been kneeling for half an hour, her knees aching.

She had never known hardship—Emperor Chengyuan had always treated her like his most prized treasure. Yet today, just for frightening some nobody, her father made her kneel. Pouting, she was fuming.

"Hmm?"

Emperor Chengyuan lifted his eyelids slightly. As the sovereign, his mere displeasure was intimidating, and now that he was truly angered, no one could look him in the eye.

But the little princess, spoiled beyond measure, pushed herself up from the floor with her hands. "Father, Sheng’er’s legs hurt."

In the past, such words would have made her father comfort her, but this time, Emperor Chengyuan’s expression darkened.

"Return to your knees. You may rise only when you’ve realized your mistake."

"Father…"

The little princess looked devastated—her father was truly punishing her.

"Jinsheng, kneel down at once!"

Noble Consort Su swiftly grabbed her daughter's arm. She hadn't stopped her earlier plea, hoping to test the Emperor's stance.

Jin Sheng never actually scratched her face—did she really deserve punishment?

But seeing the Emperor’s expression, Noble Consort Su knew he was truly furious this time.

The mother-daughter pair remained kneeling as A Yuan entered with A Man, Wei Xun, and Xie Zheng.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

The four knelt, and Emperor Chengyuan waved his hand. "Rise."

A Man pressed against her mother's side, protected by both her uncle and father in front of her, so the little princess's glare didn't faze her.

"So this is young Lady Xie. You had quite a scare today."

Emperor Chengyuan looked down at A Man. "Ask for anything as compensation, and It's yours."

A Man knew he was the Emperor, the most powerful man under heaven, and it was because of him that the little princess dared to bully her so brazenly.

Fidgeting with her hands, she shook her head. "A Man doesn't need anything."

She had everything—her father and uncle had already given her so much.

"Oh?"

Emperor Chengyuan raised a brow. Just a naive child, unaware of what she was passing up.

Noble Consort Su, secretly sneered—stupid girl.

But before their amusement could settle, A Man spoke again.

"Could I ask for one thing?"

The little girl looked up, her face completely serious. Emperor Chengyuan’s face softened. "Speak."

"Make her climb the artificial mountain."

"What did you say?"

Noble Consort Su's face went rigid, her gaze at A Man filled with disbelief.

Did this brat not understand she was challenging a princess? Even if the Emperor meant to appease her family, he wouldn’t punish his own daughter.

Yet once again, she was mistaken. Emperor Chengyuan furrowed his brow briefly and nodded. "Granted."

"Father!" The princess went white. The artificial mountain was so steep—how could she climb it? And as a royal princess, it was beneath her dignity to do so.

"Take her away."

Emperor Chengyuan ignored her pleas. His favor was conditional upon her obedience. A princess may be pampered, but must never lack sense.