Chapter 27: Whatever You Want, I Will Give You

When Seeing Jun Jun Zijin and Quan Quan Aoyu left the Prime Minister's residence one after the other, the city was already under curfew, but who would dare block the Crown Prince's carriage? The way was clear and unobstructed all the way to the Jun residence.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin sat opposite Quan Quan Aoyu; facing this face that looked so much like wood, she still could not be immune. Quan Quan Aoyu could feel that she seemed to be seeing another person through him. Was it the person she had softly called "Lei" that day? He made no sound, letting her look. She stared at him blankly for a long while before coming to her senses:

"Your Highness, I have a lead on the stainless steel formula."

"Is what you say true?" Quan Quan Aoyu asked, surprised and delighted.

"I have already recorded the steel-smelting formula and the steel-smelting method in detail at the residence. It is late today; Your Highness may come another day to retrieve it."

Quan Quan Aoyu was overjoyed. After thinking for a moment, he asked:

"Whatever you want, I can give it to you."

"I am short of silver," Seeing Jun Jun Zijin said, her eyes gleaming with greed.

Quan Quan Aoyu chuckled lightly: "That is easy to arrange. Ask for something else as well."

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin thought for a moment and smiled:

"Your Highness, just owe it for now." She had not yet thought of what she wanted most, but she could not let this opportunity slip away.

As they spoke, Quan Quan Aoyu and Seeing Jun Jun Zijin had arrived before the Jun residence. At this moment, the Jun residence was brightly lit, and Xiang Xiang Junzheng was already waiting there with a huge, dark crowd.

The crowd did not see Quan Quan Aoyu step down from the carriage; they only saw Seeing Jun Jun Zijin alight alone from the Crown Prince's carriage, returning to the residence with Zhou Nainai and Xiao He.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin entered the residence gate. Xiang Xiang Junzheng immediately stepped forward and asked in a low voice: "Did the Crown Prince not come in with you?" Seeing Jun Jun Zijin shook her head. Xiang Xiang Junzheng quietly breathed a sigh of relief, yet seemed somewhat disappointed.

As Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's group passed by the First Lady, Xiao He let out a "pfft" of laughter:

"First Lady, what happened to your mouth?"

The First Lady's upper lip was badly bruised and swollen high. It turned out that when Wang Nainai saw her faint, she had volunteered to pinch the Renzhong acupoint. Wang Nainai had said they could not neglect the Crown Prince, so the First Lady had to endure the pain.

Deep hatred flashed in the First Lady's eyes. She felt somewhat embarrassed; her originally dignified face instantly became distorted. She lowered her head slightly and quickly covered her mouth to hide the injury.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin paid no attention and walked straight to the Old Lady. The Old Lady stretched out both hands to hold Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's hand, her face full of worry, and asked urgently:

"Did the Prime Minister's residence cause you any trouble?"

"Grandmother, rest assured; no one caused me trouble." Seeing Jun Jun Zijin felt warmth in her heart; only Grandmother worried about her safety.

The Old Lady inspected Seeing Jun Jun Zijin from head to toe with concern before smiling and nodding:

"Good, good; relieved, relieved."

"Grandmother, the night is cold and the dew is heavy. Let your granddaughter take you back to the Quiet Bamboo Courtyard to rest." Seeing Jun Jun Zijin took the wheelchair from Wang Nainai's hands and said with aching concern.

The Old Lady patted Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's hand and said kindly: "My second daughter is truly filial."

The grandmother and granddaughter left the whole crowd standing there.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin pushed the Old Lady forward slowly, quietly telling her amusing stories about what had happened at the Prime Minister's residence along the way.

They talked and laughed until they reached the Old Lady's sleeping quarters. Seeing Jun Jun Zijin helped the Old Lady into the room. After settling the Old Lady, she was just about to leave when the Old Lady grabbed her hand and asked:

"Grandmother saw you returning to the residence in the Crown Prince's carriage. The Crown Prince treated you..."

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin chuckled lightly: "What are you thinking, Grandmother? When your granddaughter left the Prime Minister's residence, Jingcheng was already under curfew. The Crown Prince only escorted your granddaughter part of the way."

"Second daughter, this residence seems peaceful on the surface, but in reality, undercurrents are surging. If the Crown Prince protects you..."

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's heart tightened. She nodded solemnly and said:

"Grandmother, rest assured; your granddaughter will be careful."

The grandmother and granddaughter chatted for a few more moments before Seeing Jun Jun Zijin returned to Luoshan Courtyard. After a simple wash, she rested. In her past life, she had no habit of staying up late; she almost went to sleep with her daughter at the appointed time. Having stayed up half the night today, she was truly exhausted.

Quan Quan Aoyu watched her step through the Jun residence gate before turning back to the palace with relief.

In the Imperial Palace, the Emperor stared blankly at the portrait of Empress Wang again. He murmured: "Susu, where are you? Our son has grown up. He has searched for you for five years, and I have searched for you for five years... Rest assured, I will surely take good care of Yu'er and wait for your return."

Quan Quan Aoyu stood silently outside the hall, watching the Emperor's figure, which appeared infinitely desolate. The back that was once straight now seemed slightly bent.

A pang of sorrow struck Quan Quan Aoyu's heart; he had never seen the Emperor look so desolate. The man who was once so high above, controlling the fate of all under heaven, was now merely a husband missing his wife. This man seemed as lonely and helpless as if abandoned by the whole world. As the Emperor's most beloved son, because this man had abandoned his mother five years ago, Quan Quan Aoyu had held a grudge against his father all these years. That was indeed a bit cruel... Quan Quan Aoyu immediately felt self-reproach in his heart.

Quan Quan Aoyu quietly left the Emperor's sleeping palace. Once outside, he looked up at the night sky. The stars twinkled but could not illuminate his state of mind at that moment. He knew well his father's longing for his mother, and how could he not feel the same? Yet five years had passed, and his mother seemed to have vanished from the world.

Five years ago, the Emperor and Empress were spending the summer at Huaqing Mountain. Suddenly one day, a guard rushed to report that Noble Consort Shu, who was heavily pregnant, was suffering from difficult labor and requested the Emperor return to the palace.

Noble Consort Shu's premature labor was unexpected by the Emperor and Empress. The Emperor left a team of guards to protect the Empress and rushed back to the palace with his own guards. However, the Empress left behind was attacked. The Crown Prince went to rescue her but was ambushed and pursued. The Empress disappeared, and the Crown Prince escaped with injuries. Seeing Jun Jun Zijin saved his life; if not for that girl stopping the bleeding and treating his wounds, he would have bled to death before the guards could find him.

How could a girl who, while in her own dire straits, reached out to help a stranger possibly be the vicious person others described as beating her stepmother and harming her legitimate elder sister? Quan Quan Aoyu's thoughts drifted far away.

The night passed without further word.