Mo Lingwei pushed her favorite court pastries in front of her.

Shen Ningning immediately hugged the plate, stuffing her cheeks like a happy little hamster.

Seeing her happy expression, Mo Lingwei couldn’t help but chuckle as he reached out to wipe the thin sheen of sweat from her forehead.

"What was so important that you had to whisper it in that Jiang fellow’s ear?" he asked.

Shen Ningning blinked her big eyes.

’That Jiang fellow?’

She mumbled, "Big Brother, are you talking about Big Brother Jiang? Mmm, Grandma hasn’t been feeling well lately, so I asked him to go back and check on her for me."

Mo Lingwei crossed his arms and feigned a cold snort. "And I couldn’t have helped you?"

The little girl tilted her head, her expression pure and innocent. "But aren’t you accompanying me to the Imperial Palace?"

With that, the slight displeasure in Mo Lingwei’s heart was soothed away. His sharp brows relaxed, and his smile became gentle.

"Fine. Whatever makes you happy."

After he spoke, he thought back to how Shen Ningning had methodically arranged for the refugees.

"I see you’re quite resourceful. How about I pick out two palace maids from the court for you to order around?"

Wu Fang, who was driving the carriage outside, heard this and sighed to himself in amazement.

’The Crown Prince’s favoritism knows no bounds!’

A Village Chief isn’t the same as a County Lord or Commandery Princess. According to protocol, the court isn’t required to provide them with palace maids or official attire.

But for Shen Ningning, Mo Lingwei was setting precedents time and time again.

Such an honor would make any other family shout with joy that smoke was rising from their ancestral graves.

But when Shen Ningning heard this, she shook her little head faster than a pellet drum.

"No, absolutely not! There’s no room for so many people at my house!"

Just finding a place for over a dozen people at a single tea shed was already a worry for Shen Ningning.

Besides, she was used to living deep in the mountains with her grandma, and with Langlang and the wolves for company, she certainly didn’t need anyone to wait on her.

Seeing she didn’t like the idea, Mo Lingwei didn’t insist.

He just added, "If you change your mind later, just tell me."

Shen Ningning nodded, then began telling him amusing stories from her private academy.

Mo Lingwei suddenly thought of something. "The Mid-Autumn Festival is almost here. Your private academy classes should be ending soon, right?"

The little girl blinked her big eyes, looking lost. "Time passed so quickly? It’s already the Mid-Autumn Festival?"

But she lifted the curtain and looked out at the brilliant, scorching sun. The earth was baking, sending up rolling waves of heat.

Due to the lack of rain, it still felt like summer, but before she knew it, autumn was arriving.

Inside Mo Lingwei’s carriage, small cages of gilded purple iron holding blocks of ice were placed in all four corners, so the heat was unnoticeable.

Shen Ningning lowered the curtain and said, "They are ending soon. Grandpa Fu said before that the academy classes would end at the end of the ninth month."

Mo Lingwei looked at her. "The National Academy will be recruiting students from the public at the end of the year. There are only three spots this time. Should I claim one for you?"

The number of students recruited each year was inside information.

But for Mo Lingwei, finding out such things wasn’t difficult. He had even made a special effort to learn more for Shen Ningning’s sake.

He had already planned out which teachers at the National Academy would be suitable for her and which classmates to introduce her to.

But Shen Ningning once again shook her head decisively and refused.

"No thank you, Big Brother. I want to get in on my own merit!" This was also the promise she had made to the mad scholar.

A dark glint appeared in Mo Lingwei’s deep, black eyes. "You’ve rejected me twice today, you little heartless thing."

Shen Ningning gave a shy smile, her eyes glistening and dark like the finest gemstones.

She looked at Mo Lingwei, her face so soft and pink, her expression so innocent, that it was impossible to be angry with her.

Mo Lingwei’s last remark had just been a joke; he wasn’t really trying to settle a score with her.

But Shen Ningning was afraid she had hurt his feelings, so she took the initiative to pick up a pastry and lean her small body toward him.

"Big Brother, you eat! Don’t be angry."

The pastry was brought to his thin lips—and it was a sweet, the kind Mo Lingwei disliked the most.

He raised a long eyebrow, opening his mouth to refuse, but then he saw the look of eager anticipation on Shen Ningning’s little face.

The words of refusal never came out. Instead, he obediently took a bite.

These were her favorite kind of pastries, so she was like a proud little hamster sharing its food with a good friend.

Her voice was soft and sweet as she asked, "Is it good?"

Mo Lingwei slowly savored the taste before finally nodding. "It’s acceptable."

"Then is Big Brother still angry?" Her long, lush eyelashes, like two tiny fans, fluttered obediently twice.

Mo Lingwei let out a soft laugh. "Not anymore."

Shen Ningning’s milky-white little face instantly relaxed with relief.

She held the plate and went back to happily gobbling up the pastries beside him.

Mo Lingwei propped up his head at his leisure, watching her with a thoughtful expression.

The carriage entered the Imperial Palace and headed straight for Taiji Hall.

Mo Lingwei had already instructed an embroideress to be waiting there to take Shen Ningning’s measurements.

He had chosen that location because the surroundings of Taiji Hall were beautiful. Not only was it encircled by green bamboo, but the waters of the court’s Taoyi Pond also flowed past, surrounding the hall on three sides.

It was a beautiful sight that couldn’t be seen from the outside.

However, just as they reached the foot of the White Jade Steps of Taiji Hall, Mo Lingwei looked up and saw a figure in bright yellow standing there, beaming.

His handsome brows knitted together in an instant, and a cold gleam surfaced in his dark eyes.

Shen Ningning saw him too and said curiously, "Big Brother, is that big uncle wearing a Dragon Robe?"

She had never seen one, only heard the mad scholar describe it.

She’d heard that every Dragon Robe the Emperor wore required the combined efforts of over a dozen embroideresses to create.

They had to ensure the dragon on it looked majestic and striking from every angle.

Shen Ningning recognized that the dragon on his robes looked almost the same as the one on the robe Mo Lingwei had worn before.

"Mhm," Mo Lingwei said, looking down at her. "That’s my annoying imperial father. If he asks you any questions you’re uncomfortable answering later, feel free to just ignore him."

Shen Ningning was surprised. "But he’s the Emperor! What if the Emperor gets upset because I ignore him?"

"With me here, he won’t get a chance to be upset. I’ll just drive him away. Don’t be afraid." As he spoke, Mo Lingwei tightened his grip on Shen Ningning’s small hand.

The Emperor had been waiting here since early in the morning.

Before, his son had hidden Shen Ningning away like a precious treasure, not even giving him a chance to get a glimpse of her.

Now, he could finally see her in person!

"Ah, so this must be Ningning, right?" The Emperor came down from the steps with an amiable smile, completely without any airs.

He walked over to Shen Ningning, crouched down, and pulled a piece of milk candy made with white sugar from his sleeve, offering it to her.

The little girl’s skin was delicate and fair, her cheeks rosy and cute. Seeing him, her expression turned a little timid.

She didn’t take the milk candy. Instead, she called out obediently, "Hello, Uncle Emperor."

The little girl didn’t understand etiquette, so naturally, she didn’t know how one was supposed to greet the Emperor in the palace.

So after speaking, she looked up at Mo Lingwei.

Her shimmering dark eyes seemed to be asking him, ’Did I do that right?’

Mo Lingwei nodded slightly. "Take what he’s giving you. If you don’t like it, just throw it away."

After he spoke, the Emperor shot him a look. "Ningning hasn’t even said she doesn’t like it!"

Shen Ningning took the initiative to accept it and took a bite.

A milky, fragrant flavor burst in her mouth, and it was so delicious her eyes lit up.

"It’s delicious! Thank you, Uncle Emperor!"

The Emperor was overjoyed, laughing heartily. "It’s hot out here. There are plenty more inside that Uncle prepared for you. Come, let’s go into the hall."

He reached out and took Shen Ningning’s left hand, while Mo Lingwei held her right.

Before the eyes of the Imperial Guard and the eunuchs, the little girl was led into Taiji Hall, hand in hand with the two most noble men in Cangyun Country.

Several of the court’s famous embroideresses and two experienced nannies were already waiting.

Upon seeing Shen Ningning, they curtsied in greeting. "Greetings, Funing Village Chief."

Afterward, Mo Lingwei let go of her hand. "Go on."

The embroideresses smiled and led Shen Ningning behind a screen. "This servant will take the Village Chief’s measurements. If the Village Chief would please step this way."

Shen Ningning followed them behind the screen in a daze.

All that could be heard from inside was the RUSTLE of clothes being taken off.

Mo Lingwei had nothing to say to the Emperor, his expression somewhat indifferent.

The Emperor looked at his son’s expression and didn’t plan to speak either, waiting to use Shen Ningning as a breakthrough to close the distance with Mo Lingwei in a little while.

The father and son had just sat down in their chairs, facing each other,

when Shen Ningning’s anxious, childish cry came from behind the screen: "No!"