{Oh, this life is truly more bitter than goldenseal. This tyrant must be blind, not even able to recognize his own flesh and blood.}
The Emperor, listening to her inner voice, felt a headache from sheer frustration. He hadn't even said a word yet; why was this little girl so prone to wild imagination?
Seeing Su Mianmian’s face, the last shred of doubt in the Emperor’s heart vanished. The girl looked so much like him, especially those peach-blossom eyes—the signature mark of the imperial family. It would be impossible to argue that she wasn't his.
Consort Chun looked at the Emperor, feeling nervous and terrified that he might kill her daughter. After all, the Emperor’s temper could hardly be called gentle.
{Come on then, just kill me. Five years from now, you’ll be chopped into pieces by the male lead anyway, and none of the family will meet a good end.}
Thinking of the fate of the tyrant’s other children, Su Mianmian felt a sense of resignation. Either way, their lives were doomed. Death today or death tomorrow, it was all the same.
{As father and daughter, we only have this life; there is no next one. I’ll be waiting for you on the road to the underworld.}
Su Mianmian closed her eyes and stretched out her neck, looking like a hero about to face execution. It was just a pity her neck was too short, and no matter how much she stretched, it didn't amount to much.
What!
The Emperor was shocked. In five years, their entire family would be killed? Who on earth could have done it? He didn’t want to believe this little brat, but the ability to hear inner thoughts was strange enough that the child had no reason to lie in her own mind. Perhaps it was true.
He was filled with anxiety, but Su Mianmian was already too lazy to think, blowing bubbles in boredom.
{Come on, do it. A freshly baked baby, one squeeze and snap.}
The Emperor was furious at the sight, but he couldn't very well pick a fight with a newborn infant. He cast a glare at Consort Shu, who was kneeling on the floor, and his rage grew.
"Get out! Do you expect me to invite you?"
Consort Shu shook her head frantically, scrambled to her feet, and bolted, moving so fast she was almost a blur.
The Emperor turned back, looking put out. Seeing Consort Chun standing there so gently, he suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. He had indeed suspected Consort Chun of adultery because rumors had circulated long ago that she had been very close to one of his ministers before entering the palace. If not for the evidence Consort Chun had found and the little brat’s inner thoughts, he might truly have punished her.
Thinking of this, the Emperor’s tone softened. "My dear, you’ve been frightened. I must attend to state affairs, but I shall come to see you later."
Consort Chun’s expression remained unchanged as she bowed. "As you command, Your Majesty."
{Not killing me now?} Su Mianmian opened her eyes and pouted. {What a big tyrant, his temper is as fickle as the weather.}
*Big tyrant: ???!*
The Emperor, having just stepped out, stumbled at these words. So it was wrong to kill her, and wrong not to kill her? Why did he feel so aggrieved?
Once the Emperor was far away, Consort Chun picked up her daughter and said softly, "My darling, you must be hungry. Let Mother feed you, alright?"
Su Mianmian drank her milk, her little face flushed. Once full and satisfied, her peach-blossom eyes grew even brighter.
{Mother, don't you worry. Once my magic power is restored, I’ll take you out of this palace. I’ll let that big tyrant step aside. You are so beautiful, you don’t need to hang yourself on one tree. There are millions of handsome men in this world; what’s a big tyrant anyway?}
The big tyrant had so many concubines in his harem that even he himself doubted his own prowess. Su Mianmian wasn't about to let her beautiful mother live the life of a widow.
Consort Chun tapped her little nose, smiling radiantly. It seemed she had given birth to a little fairy. No wonder she knew so many things. Thinking of the fate of this dynasty, she felt a trace of worry. She was merely a woman deep in the palace; she couldn't change the Emperor’s actions, nor the entire imperial court. If this dynasty were truly to fall, all she could do was take her loved ones and leave, protecting them well.
{But everything here—food, housing, travel—costs money. It seems I’ll have to find a way to earn a living so I can support Mother.} Su Mianmian frowned, seriously pondering the path to wealth.
Consort Chun couldn't help but laugh through her tears. The child was so small, yet she was already worrying about so much. *Don't you worry, my darling. How could Mother bear to let you worry about money?*
As mother and daughter were cuddling, Xiyou pushed the door open, looking somewhat gloomy. "Your Majesty, the midwife is dead."
"What?" Consort Chun was startled. She looked up, her brows furrowed. "They moved quickly."
Su Mianmian heard this and really wanted to nod in agreement. {Of course they were quick. That Consort Shu has people in the Shenxing Division; she just used some tricks to kill her. Even Dongyou was bribed by her, just to frame Mother.}
Consort Shu!
A glimmer of anger appeared on Consort Chun’s face. So it was all her doing. She had no grievances with her, so why commit such a vicious act, not even sparing a newborn baby?
{Consort Shu is pure evil. She can’t stand to see others succeed. Mother entered the palace with her but was more favored, so this wretch became insanely jealous and wanted Mother’s life.}
Su Mianmian wrinkled her little face in anger. Her mother was a rare, clean soul in the harem, never provoking or offending others, and never harboring ill intent. Yet, such a person had ended up in that tragic state. How could one not be furious?
Seeing her daughter standing up for her, Consort Chun felt her heart gradually calm down. Consort Shu—she would remember this. She didn't like to involve herself in the filth of the harem, but that didn't mean she was afraid. This time, she would not let it slide.
Xiyou’s face was also dark with indignation. Consort Shu was simply going too far. Xiyou looked at the Little Princess, her heart softening. Such a precious, snow-white child had almost died at the hands of that poisonous woman—how could she not be angry?
Su Mianmian saw Xiyou looking at her with red-rimmed eyes and knew what she was thinking. {Sister Xiyou, you are a good person. Don’t worry, when I run away, I’ll definitely take you with me.}
Unfortunately, Xiyou couldn't hear her, but Consort Chun heard her words and felt very happy. Her darling was truly kind.
After the Emperor finished processing the memorials, he hurried to Yongshou Palace. He didn't really want to face Consort Chun’s "heart," but thinking of the little girl’s words, he felt uneasy. Just as he entered, he saw the mother and daughter in a close embrace. The little girl let out a giggling laugh, and the scene was very warm.
{Beautiful Mother is so good, I love you to death, *mwah*!}
*She has such a sweet mouth, so why does she curse me so harshly when she sees me?* The Emperor was fuming.
Wang Defa, beside him, was about to clear his throat to announce him, but was cut off by a glare from the Emperor. He almost choked, his face instantly flushing red. *What is wrong with His Majesty now? Is he going through menopause? A man's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea; an emperor's heart is deeper than the ocean.*
Fortunately, Consort Chun noticed them and hurriedly rose to pay her respects, but the Emperor stepped forward and took her hand. "My dear, you’ve just given birth, no need for formalities."
Consort Chun was polite on the surface. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
{Big tyrant, why are you here again?} Su Mianmian felt annoyed the moment she saw him and wished she could act like an alpaca and spit in his face.
The Emperor was stifled with anger but couldn't say anything to her. He could only bottle up his frustration. Consort Chun figured he couldn't hear her daughter’s inner voice, so she stopped worrying about the child’s insolent words.
Attendants brought a wooden chair for the Emperor, and he sat down casually. He had come to listen to the little girl’s thoughts, but Su Mianmian was busy praising her beautiful mother and ignored him entirely. He heard nothing but her constant compliments for Consort Chun and her disdain for him.
The Emperor: "..."
Consort Chun covered her lips and chuckled. It was fortunate that the Emperor couldn't hear her daughter’s inner voice; otherwise, he might have been angered to death. As a palace consort, if the Emperor didn't speak, she couldn't simply ignore him, or she might be charged with disrespect.
She had to carefully venture, "Would Your Majesty like to hold the Little Princess?"
{He won't hold me. In this dynasty, they hold grandsons but not their own children. It would be a miracle if he held me.} {Besides, who wants to be held by a stinky man? I want my fragrant Mother to hold me.}
In the next second, she felt herself lifted into the air. Su Mianmian stared with round eyes, shocked as she looked at the big tyrant. *What kind of mood swing is this now?*
{Oh my god! Ah! I don't want the big tyrant!}
The Emperor saw her shocked little expression, and his accumulated dissatisfaction instantly vanished. He had finally won a round. He had intended to refuse, but hearing the little brat’s confident assertion, he had changed his mind.
Only when he held her in his arms did the Emperor truly realize how soft an infant was. Originally, he had only done it to spite the girl, but now he had actually found a bit of joy in it. Although the girl said infuriating things, she was quite comfortable to hold.
{Big tyrant, do you even know how to hold a baby? My head is going to fall off!}
Su Mianmian wanted to struggle, but fearing this guy might drop her, she could only glare at him with a look of grievance. Hearing this, the Emperor was at a loss—how *was* one supposed to hold her? He hurriedly looked to Consort Chun.
Consort Chun immediately stepped forward to help him adjust his posture. "Your Majesty, let the child’s head rest in the crook of your arm, then gently support her little feet."
The Emperor followed her instructions and adjusted his posture. Sure enough, he heard no more complaints from his daughter. His eyes brightened—so there was a technique to holding a baby.
The little babe was full of the scent of milk, lying obediently in his arms. At that moment, the Emperor’s heart softened.
{My Mother is still the best. The big tyrant doesn't know how to do anything; he’s so stupid!}
*Big tyrant: 6.*