Chapter 255: Strolling All Over Jingdu?

And on the other side, the Imperial Palace!

"So late, not sleeping properly, strolling all over Jingdu?" Ning Emperor rubbed his forehead; he was waiting for news from Xiao Xi Zi's side, and the gatekeeper sent over the palace entry slip.

In this Imperial Palace, only three people have slips allowing them to enter at any time.

One is the Imperial Consort; although the Imperial Consort has only the Imperial Younger Brother as a child, his birth mother died early, and he grew up under the Imperial Consort's care. Without the Imperial Consort's protection, it's uncertain whether he could have survived to adulthood.

So he and the Imperial Younger Brother have been close since childhood. When the Imperial Younger Brother was very young, he would beam and say to himself, "Elder brother, when I grow up, I want to guard the borders and protect Da Ning."

"Elder brother, I care neither for the realm nor for beauties; I only wish for Da Ning to be peaceful and prosperous."

That little child, from a young age, aspired to guard a swath of realm, seeing himself solely as a protector.

Just turned eighteen, when a great army invaded, he stepped forward directly, saying, "The imperial son can go to battle!"

He had just turned eighteen! Still a child, frail and sickly from youth, his body so weak, yet his shoulders truly bore the weight of one region's peace.

Even if the throne wobbled, he never doubted Ning Chengyan, never.

So, the second slip allowing entry at any time belongs to Ning Chengyan!

And Jiang Yunchu is the third slip allowing entry at any time, able to come and go freely, the palace gates cannot stop her.

"Asleep?" Jiang Yunchu shook her head.

Then she took the bundle from her bosom, placed it before His Majesty, and said, "These are the earliest versions of the letters from the Wang Fu estate; my Prince should have shown them to you; you can examine the handwriting."

"These letters, I found them in the Secret Room of the Fame Ranking Academy."

"These account books, you should also take a look; you'll have a rough idea in your mind."

After handing over the items, she sat down on the other side, picked up her tea, and took a light sip. Not to mention, His Majesty, my uncle, really knows how to enjoy himself; as soon as she entered the room, she smelled the tea fragrance—indeed, it's fine tea!

"Like it, I'll wrap some more for you later—don't act like you've never seen the world!" Ning Emperor looked at her appearance, just like a mouse seeing oil, a look of utter greed; cute is cute, but it's a bit heartbreaking.

"If Ying Ying were still here, Yun chu would surely have grown up surrounded by thousands of endearments; how could she have become like this?"

Jiang Yunchu glanced at him sideways, "Don't worry about whether I lose face; when I was out and about, everyone only thought I was the Princess Consort, unaware that I have an uncle who is the Emperor—I won't lose you!"

"But..."

"Take a look at those things, see if you can rest easy!"

Ning Emperor choked a bit, but that was all; as for being angry, that didn't exist, and even his heart felt a bit pleased, showing that Yun chu is close to his imperial uncle.

Only with family can one speak so freely; his imperial son and princesses, when they see him, are either like mice seeing a cat, or they go all out to flatter him, making one feel vexed.

"Xiao Xizi has been sent out; your coming to my place must not be leaked; today there's no one to attend to you, so you'll have to fend for yourself." Ning Emperor instructed.

Afterwards, he pulled those letters over and then opened one.

He had seen these letters before.

The Imperial Younger Brother had handed them to him, but the handwriting was the Imperial Younger Brother's own; he had also told him they were excerpts. He hadn't expected the original version to be in Yun chu's hands—had those two met?

That brat didn't kick up a fuss about breaking off the engagement or divorcing, which is really strange.

"Just..."

When Ning Emperor began to look at the Secret Room letters, his face started to turn pale; inside were the grain channels, grain transport routes, and some whose estates...

Just seeing each estate's name made Ning Emperor feel his head swell; has his vast Jingdu already become riddled with a thousand holes to this extent?

"Still able to sleep?" Jiang Yunchu swallowed the pastry in her hand, then poured a cup of tea for Your Majesty.

"Since I can't sleep anyway, just have a sip of tea to refresh yourself."

Her expression—'I'm well-meaning, I show no trace of vengefulness'—left Ning Emperor utterly speechless.

"In other words, you don't have to be like this; is your vengefulness really that strong?"

"He just complained a bit, and these are like thunderbolts!"

"No need!" he said stubbornly.

Jiang Yunchu raised her eyebrows, "Speaking truly, uncle, you might really need it."

Just a few letters, and you're already fuming like a pufferfish; if you looked at the account books, people would rage and faint, then think I'm an assassin, and before you even wake, I might have died heroically.

"Who am I supposed to reason with?"

"Need?" Ning Emperor didn't argue, looking at Jiang Yunchu's worried expression; he thought, "Still, the young lady is nice—just look at Yun chu, everyone knows she cares for her uncle."

The two of them, just like that, remained a beautiful misunderstanding, getting along...

"Since Yun chu said you need it, uncle, drink." Ning Emperor drank a cup of tea, though the tea had been left a while and was slightly cool.

"Don't drink it; if you like tea, I'll have Xiao Xizi bring you some tomorrow—cold tea harms the spleen and stomach." After Ning Emperor finished drinking, he slowly said.

At this time, having drunk tea, it's truly out of the question to sleep.

"Okay, I'll listen to uncle."

"Heaven is great, earth is great, the Emperor is greatest!"

Jiang Yunchu's face was blooming with smiles, her inner abacus clicking away.