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It’s all talk and no action, typical of that Dog Emperor.

The Empress knew getting angry was useless. The Dog Emperor didn’t care about her; getting angry would only harm her own health. She had come to terms with this long ago.

Upon reflection, she realized she had come to Hehuan Hall to see Susu and Taotao, but with the Dog Emperor taking the two little ones away, what was there for her to see?

The rage that had begun to subside flared up once more.

Just the other day, the Dog Emperor claimed to be so busy he was beside himself, and now here he is, out of the palace, a liar through and through.

Fuming, the Empress returned to Fengyi Palace.

At this moment, the Emperor stood atop the City Building with Taotao and Susu in his arms, his eyes gazing out toward the Official Road beyond the city.

"Babies, look, that there is the Official Road. Your Father King and Mother Concubine will pass through here when they return," he said.

Taotao, with eyes so much like Xiao Jinyan’s, stared unwaveringly at the long Official Road. Not seeing any familiar figures, he asked perplexed, "But Grandpa Emperor, I don’t see Father King and Mother Concubine."

In a milky voice, Susu inquired, "Grandpa, I don’t see them either, did you?"

The Emperor laughed, "Grandpa didn’t see them either, because your Father King and Mother Concubine haven’t returned yet."

Taotao asked, "Is it because Father King got lost? Doesn’t he know this is the way back?"

Still smiling, the Emperor explained, "Your Father King is so smart, how could he get lost?"

After thinking for a moment with her head tilted, Susu asked, "Could it be that Mommy is the one who got lost?"

Hearing this, the Emperor stared at Susu for a good while before he couldn’t hold back his laughter any longer, "Are you implying that your Mother Concubine isn’t smart?"

Remembering she had just seen Mommy and not Father King, Susu added, "Did Mommy have a quarrel with Father King?"

The Emperor, puzzled, asked, "Why would you think that?"

Susu seriously replied, "When Grandma and Grandpa have a quarrel, Grandma won’t talk to Grandpa and doesn’t open the door."

The Emperor: "..."

Sometimes, the Empress would keep Taotao and Susu at Fengyi Palace for a few days. One day, unexpectedly, she locked the Emperor out.

No matter how much he knocked, the Empress simply wouldn’t open the door.

As Susu was sleeping beside the Empress and he was wondering what was happening, he overheard Susu asking the Empress, "Why won’t Grandma open the door?"

The Empress replied, "Your Grandpa made me angry."

...When did he make the Empress angry?

Not wanting to dwell on the topic, the Emperor quickly diverted his grandchildren’s attention, "Alright, we’ve been out for a while; it’s time to go back for dinner. Otherwise, if we return late, there’ll be no food left to eat."

Susu’s attention was caught by the last part; there wouldn’t be dinner if they returned late, and Chun Xi said there would be Four Happiness meatballs.

She loved Four Happiness meatballs.

Susu wrapped her arms around the Emperor’s neck and urged, "Grandpa, let’s go back."

"Alrighty," the Emperor cheerfully led the two little ones down from the City Building.

Taotao glanced back one more time at the Official Road below the City Building, still not seeing the figures of Father King and Mother Concubine.

They arrived back in the palace just in time for dinner, where Susu saw the Four Happiness meatballs on the table and happily ate two.

After returning to the palace, the Emperor headed towards Fengyi Palace to have dinner with the Empress.

But by the time he got there, the Empress had already finished eating.

"Had Your Majesty informed me earlier that you would be joining for dinner? I was hungry today, so I ate early," the Empress said indifferently.

The Emperor didn’t think much of it, "It was my negligence for being busy. Next time, I will certainly inform you in advance."

It wasn’t until the Emperor had returned to Yangxin Hall hungry for dinner that he realized something was off with the Empress’ tone. Could she be angry again?

He instructed, "Li Quan, tell the Empress that I will be visiting Fengyi Palace tonight."

The eunuch Li Quan nodded and replied, "This servant will inform Her Majesty right away," and then excused himself.

When the Empress heard the eunuch’s message, she simply nodded indifferently, "This palace is aware."

Li Quan returned to the Imperial Study Room to attend, and the Emperor asked, "Did the Empress say anything else?"

Li Quan replied, "Her Majesty did not say anything else."

It was then that the Emperor quietly breathed a sigh of relief. After all, he hadn’t done anything today to make the Empress angry, and she wouldn’t be angry without a reason. He was overthinking it.

Once the Emperor finished his work and hurried to Fengyi Palace, he discovered the door locked from the inside upon trying to enter.

He knocked on the door, "Empress, open the door."

Through the door, the Empress’ faint voice came, "Your Concubine has already gone to bed."

"..." Not giving up, the Emperor persisted, "Empress, didn’t I have Li Quan tell you earlier that I would be coming tonight?"

The Empress replied distantly, "But your Concubine went to bed early. The Emperor is late."