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Although these days she saw His Majesty rarely, often he would return only after she had fallen asleep, the presence of his note made it feel as though His Majesty was right by her side, which gave her peace of mind.

Though unaccustomed, her feelings were more of sympathy for His Majesty; the weight of the empire rested on his shoulders, and the burden was indeed too heavy, very exhausting.

Tomorrow would be Mid-Autumn Festival. She hoped all would be well, that His Majesty wouldn’t have to work so hard, and could enjoy a relaxed holiday.

Perhaps when she woke up, she would find out that His Majesty had used his noon meal and responded to the note.

Lian Hua drifted into a dreamland, her brow slightly furrowed, feeling somewhat uneasy.

And so, Lian Hua ended up waiting until the evening meal.

The food box had not returned, the note had not come back, and there was no word either.

Xiao Linzi said that when he went there, His Majesty was receiving ministers, and he didn’t manage to see His Majesty; Steward Zhang then told him to go back.

Lian Hua felt listless, without any energy all afternoon, not even wanting to write, just sitting idly, propping up her chin.

When she dined with Nanny Qi, her appetite was poor, and she talked much less than usual.

Nanny consoled her, saying that when state affairs piled up, there was no end in sight, and she told her not to overthink it.

Lian Hua muttered that she knew, but she was worried that His Majesty wasn’t taking good care of himself. She only ate a bowl of rice then couldn’t continue any longer.

Seeing she was not cheerful, after finishing the meal, the nanny took her for a walk and shared stories from His Majesty’s childhood during the stroll:

"His Majesty started his schooling a bit later than the other princes, initially uncomfortable and unable to understand, without anyone to teach him specifically. So His Majesty would get up half an hour earlier than others every day, regardless of harsh cold or scorching heat, arriving early at the Southern Study Room, embracing books to recite, and even sleeping with them at night. Soon he caught up with the others, mastering ’Three Character Classic,’ ’Hundred Family Surnames,’ ’Thousand Character Classic,’ ’Analects’ smoothly. "

"Wow, His Majesty was so incredible! I couldn’t do it when I was little~" Lian Hua was amazed.

Where was she back then? Playing in the mud, right? Oh no, she hadn’t been born then, so she couldn’t compare with His Majesty.

Nanny Qi affectionately tapped her head, seeing that she was afraid of studying and nostalgically said, "Back then, His Majesty, only six or seven years old, acted like a little adult, knowledgeable, polite, and intelligent, which made people feel sorry for him."

Back then, there was no one in charge of the emperor; he wanted to study but couldn’t.

If it weren’t for a task commissioned by the Former Empress Dowager, encountering the emperor hiding behind the Southern Study Room in the deep winter eavesdropping, looking pitiful yet eager to learn, and mentioning it to the Former Empress Dowager, she probably wouldn’t have known there was such a prince.

The emperor’s journey from a frail prince to a powerful Son of Heaven, a sovereign revered by thousands, was truly no small feat.

The perilous path he followed was not one just anyone could tread; it was riddled with endless schemes and conspiracies, with malicious people rising and falling, creating storms of bloodshed and hidden dangers.

The hardships within this path could not be understood by others; from childhood, he faced crises, and had she not intervened by chance, this child might not have existed any longer in this world. If there had been any mishap along the way afterward, he wouldn’t have escaped a fatal fate.

Listening made Lian Hua feel sentimental. She tugged on Nanny Qi’s sleeve, "Nanny, His Majesty didn’t have a good childhood, did he? Let’s take more care and show more sympathy for His Majesty from now on, shall we?"

Nanny Qi patted her head, "Of course, let’s show more sympathy."

The Emperor now lacked nothing but someone who truly cared for him, and the young girl had not won her place in his heart by luck, but by her genuine sincerity—he had not misjudged her.

In the past few days, she had seen everything the young girl had done; she was someone who knew how to feel for others, and no one could have done it better than the young girl.

After a walk with Nanny Qi, Lian Hua felt much better, and her heart settled down. His Majesty had important matters to attend to; she must behave herself.

A wave of people came and went from the Star Palace. The Emperor had summoned several groups of ministers to discuss matters such as the Autumn Exam and the Longevity Festival.

Finally, after dismissing everyone, the hall became empty, and so did the Emperor’s heart. He couldn’t help but think of Lian Hua again.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, his head aching from the thoughts, and picked up the petitions to start reviewing.

Zhang Qing came in to refill the Emperor’s tea and, unable to watch any longer, knelt down and advised, "It is late, please, Your Majesty, take good care of the dragon body and have some food."

His Majesty had been busy the entire day without a moment’s rest, tormenting himself, handling every big and small issue personally—having skipped not only lunch but also dinner.

Indeed, recent days had been busy, but not to the extent of the life-consuming rush seen now; without a moment’s rest, summoning wave after wave of people, his face colder than ever, making the visiting ministers too afraid to even breathe heavily, let alone speak any superfluous words.

The Emperor let him kneel, his expression unchanged, as if he hadn’t heard, his writing brush never stopping.

Seeing that His Majesty did not react, Zhang Qing’s heart overflowed with tears.

Covering his distress, he played a risky move and said, "My lord, in the afternoon, Master Lian sent Xiao Linzi over to ask if Your Majesty had dined.

Seeing that Your Majesty was busy, I did not report this.

Master Lian is very worried about Your Majesty, and now she is pregnant.

The Imperial Physician has said that those who are pregnant must not overburden their thoughts. .."

Xiao Linzi had come over in the afternoon, but at that time, His Majesty was discussing state matters with the ministers, and after the previous occurrence, he had not reported it.

At those words, the Emperor finally stopped writing. There was a slight change in his expression; his hand holding the writing brush paused, a drop of crimson ink gathered at the tip then dripped onto the desk.

After being lost in thought for a while, his gaze refocused, and he looked down coldly and indifferently, "Issue a decree, tonight I will not go to Canglan Court."

Zhang Qing looked up alarmed; was this really serious?

The Emperor masked the thoughts in his eyes, put down the writing brush, and massaged the bridge of his nose, tired yet with a trace of warmth in his tone, "Just say that I am occupied with governmental affairs and it will be very late. Tell her not to worry, not to think too much..."

His gaze fell on Little Snowman; he reached out, picked it up, and finally breathed out in a slow whisper, "Wait for me..."

Wait until he had figured things out.

Even now, his heart was filled with wavering uncertainty, and he was tormented with what ifs, yet he still couldn’t bear to hurt her, to make her upset.

He knew he had cornered himself into a dead end. The calm and rational action would be to have someone investigate her thoroughly, to clarify her purpose for entering the palace, rather than musing and troubling himself over it.

But he was afraid—afraid that the inquiry might reveal some cruel truth that would shatter his illusions and plunge him into the Abyss.

In his life, he had never met someone who felt so important, someone whom he held in the softest part of his heart, filled his heart completely, and made him smile naturally upon seeing her.

He needed to calm down, to think things through properly. If he went back now, he feared he might do something irrational. He would let himself cool down first, then go back to see her.