Chapter Nine: Scaring Oneself

Deduct away, for all I care. Deduct until you reach negative infinity.

This is truly like a turtle trying to attend school—it simply cannot stay in its shell. It’s ruining her mood!

Father Jiang and Jiang Yunhui kept their heads bowed, not daring to draw a full breath. They were trembling with fear, beads of sweat forming on their temples. Though only a short while had passed, it felt as long as half a century to them.

"Since that is the case, I grant it."

Feng Yu’s words were like an antidote; they felt as though they could finally breathe again.

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."

No sooner had Father Jiang and Jiang Yunhui stepped out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation than the Emperor followed them. Feng Yu snorted coldly; he was determined to see what kind of earth-shattering conspiracy this father and daughter were planning!

**

"Your Majesty, the General and the Young General are here!"

When Father Jiang and Jiang Yunhui arrived, Jiang Daiyin was busy eating hotpot with the Tenth Prince, Feng Wuchen. The savory aroma was enough to make anyone’s heart itch.

"Invite them in quickly."

Jiang Daiyin composed herself, sitting up with much better posture. Feng Wuchen silently bit into a piece of tofu. He wondered if every child was so docile when facing their parents.

"Greetings, Empress."

Father Jiang and Jiang Yunhui exchanged a silent look. Weren't they told that the Empress had been reprimanded by the Emperor and stripped of her authority over the six palaces? Why was she not angry, but instead leisurely eating hotpot?

"Father, Brother, please, no need for formalities. Xia Mo, bring two more sets of chopsticks."

Jiang Daiyin signaled for them to stand, observing them as she did so. The group sat at the table, where Jiang Daiyin had ordered a yin-yang hotpot specifically for the occasion. Through the swirling steam of the pot, Father Jiang watched his daughter devouring her meal and felt quite puzzled. This was nothing like what he had imagined.

He decided to test the waters. "Yin'er, tell your father the truth: what exactly are your intentions?"

It seemed they were to be frank with each other. Jiang Daiyin set down her chopsticks and wiped the corners of her mouth.

Feng Yu, who had been eavesdropping outside the door the entire time, perked up. He stared at the people inside with grim, narrowed eyes. Fu Linhai rubbed his stomach and swallowed hard. Eavesdropping was not an easy job; it required immense stamina.

"Ever since I recovered from my illness, I have finally come to understand. The Emperor is a wise monarch whose heart is entirely with his people. As Empress, I must fulfill my duties as the Mother of the Nation. I will raise the Tenth Prince well and ensure I do not bring shame upon the Emperor!"

"As for anything else, I shall no longer harbor such delusions."

Father Jiang was struck dumb. Was this truly the same daughter who would flip the table at the slightest disagreement? She had actually become... so considerate and sensible!

"Did you take the wrong medicine?" Jiang Yunhui forgot to eat the radish in his hand, staring in shock at his volatile sister. He looked around. "There’s no one else here, is there? I thought the Emperor was standing right next to us."

Feng Yu’s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that he had been spotted, and Jiang Daiyin was only putting on an act?

"Brother!" Jiang Daiyin’s exclamation of exasperation was deafening.

"It seems Yin'er has truly grown," Father Jiang nodded, satisfied and deeply relieved. He had come today intending to disown her if she remained stubborn, all to preserve the Jiang family name. He hadn't expected such high levels of awareness from her; it seemed that illness had been a blessing in disguise!

"Father..." Jiang Daiyin gave him an eerie look, a tone that made the hair on one's neck stand up.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Your father is a man of faint heart; I can't handle such scares." Father Jiang clutched his chest, his eyes flickering with panic.

Fu Linhai almost laughed out loud. A man who had killed countless enemies on the battlefield calling himself faint-hearted! This father and daughter were truly something else.

"Tell the truth: now that the Emperor has stripped you of your military power, do you have any other thoughts?" Jiang Daiyin dropped the bombshell.

Jiang Yunhui was so startled that the chicken leg in his hand fell to the floor.

"What kind of treacherous nonsense is that!" Father Jiang slammed the table.

Feng Yu pricked up his ears, ready to hear what kind of treasonous plot they were about to hatch. He heard Jiang Yunhui explain, "Little Sister, you have no idea how good Father’s life is now. He naps during court, tends to his vegetable garden afterwards, and fishes when he has nothing else to do. Seeing the people living in peace and prosperity, Father couldn't be happier."

He didn't know what his sister was thinking, daring to ask such a question. If the Emperor heard that, he would wipe out their entire family in a heartbeat.

Feng Yu’s knuckles turned white.

"Humph, no one is born to be a general. If it weren't for the sake of protecting the country, who would want to risk their lives on the battlefield?" Father Jiang snorted, expressing the bitterness of his career.

"Phew, that’s good then!" Jiang Daiyin breathed a sigh of relief. "I was worried that if you two had thoughts of rebellion, I would have to pretend I never had a father or a brother. I am finally at ease today."

???

The Jiang father and son exchanged looks, seeing the shock in each other's eyes. It was truly a case of "like father, like daughter"—they had both been thinking exactly the same thing.

Jiang Yunhui chuckled, "Father felt the same way. If you caused any trouble, he was going to disown you to avoid being implicated."

Father Jiang reached out to cover his son's mouth, but it was too late.

"What?" Jiang Daiyin’s eyes widened.

"Ahem, well, at least we were all just scaring ourselves..." Father Jiang patted his chest awkwardly.

Good, good, good. A whole family of eight hundred schemes. Confirmed by the look in their eyes: they were definitely a biological family.

Fu Linhai’s face turned the color of liver, but fortunately, after a long silence, Feng Yu left the Fengyi Palace. Otherwise, Fu Linhai might have suffered internal injuries from holding his breath. It was almost certain now: if the Jiang family weren't loyal subjects, there would be no loyal subjects left in the entire court. Whoever said the Jiang family had treasonous intentions? They were far too loyal!

Feng Yu, however, did not fully cast aside his suspicions. Seeing is not always believing, and hearing is not always the truth. He had always been a man of rigorous caution.

The awkward hotpot banquet at the Fengyi Palace finally ended when Father Jiang and Jiang Yunhui departed. As they left, Father Jiang offered some earnest advice to Jiang Daiyin. But the moment they locked eyes, an inexplicable awkwardness made them both feel uneasy. Jiang Daiyin understood this distance; it was the lack of connection during her upbringing that made their interactions feel so unnatural. They were like the most familiar of strangers.

"Alright, take care of yourself in the palace," Father Jiang finally urged.

It was like searching for sweetness in the shattered glass of a tragic novel—getting pricked while insisting it was sweet.

"I will," Jiang Daiyin nodded.

"Little Sister, I forgot to tell you: Su Chen has joined the palace as an Imperial Guard because of you," Jiang Yunhui whispered in her ear.

"Congratulate him on successfully securing a government position for me," Jiang Daiyin blurted out reflexively.

"What is 'securing a government position'?" Jiang Yunhui blinked, confused.

"Nothing. It’s getting late, you should go back! Mother will be worried if you’re late," Jiang Daiyin urged.

After searching through the original owner's memories, she realized that Su Chen was her former lover. They were childhood sweethearts, and just as they were old enough to be together, she had been appointed Empress.