her up. Now even the Emperor... shouldn't we just wait a while longer"“We can’t wait any longer. The business at Jiulian Zhai has already dropped by half. If we keep letting things go on like this, I...Just at this time, General Yi cautiously entered to report, "Your Majesty, Qu Fuzhang, the deputy commander guarding the palace gate, has brought several soldiers who offended the princess and county lord here to plead guilty."

The Emperor was just worried about not finding anyone, so he immediately slammed the table and shouted, “Blind fools! You even dare to bully the princess, you're trying to rebel!”

"Fifty boards for one person, then throw them to the Department of Punishment, and ask them properly who instructed them!"

Yi Zongtang hurriedly responded, just about to leave when the Emperor ordered again, "Beat them right here at this door! Beat them hard!"

Outside, the vice-leader and several soldiers heard clearly, all turning pale.

A few soldiers relented, after all, they had truly offended the princess. But the commander was truly wronged, what time did he have diarrhea, how could it happen to coincide with the princess's carriage returning

What a bolt from the blue!

He couldn't help but get up and kick several soldiers hard.

The soldiers were already badly beaten by the water spirit, and now they screamed in agony.

But that's not all!

Soon, a dozen burly guards appeared, each carrying a stool and a gleaming wide plank of wood.

The vice-commander and the soldiers were pushed onto benches. Before they could catch their breath, the planks came crashing down.

There are many ways to say that the board hitting was done. If the guards were willing to let water in, looking at the blood and flesh, it wouldn't really hurt the core, and it would be very easy.

But this time, no one gave them money beforehand "to grease their palms," and Master Yi was watching them the whole time.

This old eunuch had a smiling face, but his mouth kept reminding.

“Heavy blows! To dare bully the princess, you simply don't want to live!”

Actually, while he said those words to protect the princess, his heart ached more for the county mistress.

Although he was a eunuch, a flawed man, in order to climb to the position of chief steward, his hands were not clean of blood.

But his heart was flesh, not stone.

Over the years, whether he went to Suijin Beach or Earl's Mansion, the Li family always treated him with warmth and thoughtfulness.

He was not despised because he was a eunuch, nor did he flatter or fawn upon him just because he served the emperor.

Instead, some treated him as a long-serving house servant of an old friend, without being neglectful and providing appropriate care.

This made him feel very at ease, with a sense of stability and groundedness that came with being ordinary.

Especially Princess Kang Le, she treated him with a touch more warmth, almost like how one would treat old veterans in a village. It was both intimate and respectful.

Needless to say, whenever Li Jia sent snacks and fruits, or any novel delicacies, to the emperor, he never missed out on a share.

In his position, he had seen plenty of gold and silver, so they held no allure for him. It was these heartwarming little snacks that truly brought him joy.

Gradually, he also treated the children of the Li family and Princess Kangle as his own, caring for them deeply.

These watchdogs, instigated by someone, are so audacious!

If it weren't for his status, he would have wanted to take the board himself and hit it hard!

The guards dared not slack off, raising their boards and bringing them down with force.

Several soldiers were already injured, but after thirty lashes they fainted.

"It was the Vice Commander who stubbornly endured until he reached fifty, finally shouting, “Your Majesty, I am innocent!”

Then, he followed in the footsteps of several soldiers and fainted.

The emperor didn't care whether they were innocent or not. He waved his hand and ordered the guards to drag them away.

The third princess and Jia Yin stood at the door, looking from head to toe, barely feeling relieved.

The Third Princess snorted and cursed, "Serves them right for bullying me!"

Jia Yin clutched the lunch box, unwilling to let go, and said with grievance, “It's a pity that Second Brother made this dish specially!”

The Emperor, hearing this, quickly said, “Don’t worry, don’t worry. Have dinner here with me tonight. It just so happens that I haven’t seen you all in a long time, let’s have a chat.”

After saying that, he called for Yi the Steward.

Master Yi swiftly led Princess Three and Jia Yin to the back hall. A young eunuch had already rushed to Zhi Lan Palace to fetch clean garments.

Princess Three and Jia Yin changed into their new dresses and freshened up again. When they returned to the front, dinner had also been served.

Needless to say, most of them are her favorite dishes.

The third princess was immediately delighted and buzzed around the Emperor, chattering incessantly.

Jia Yin also laughed as she followed along with the clapping, and in a short while, she had coaxed the Emperor into a good mood.

The Emperor drove away the young eunuchs, leaving only Yi the chief steward to attend him.

Three generations of a family gathered around the table, chatting and laughing as they enjoyed their meal. It was a rare moment of carefree bliss.

After dinner, the Third Princess didn't want to leave. After all, she hadn't seen her father in a long time.

Jia Yin suggested playing cards, and the Third Princess immediately agreed.

So, the two little girls began to teach the Emperor and Manager Yi these two newcomers, and then they teamed up to paste the Emperor and Manager Yi into paper figures.

In the study, laughter echoed everywhere, a welcome change from the usual quiet. It was so lively that even the little eunuchs outside couldn't help but peek in.

At first, the emperor was indeed having a great time playing. But whether it was because he had lost too much or because the room was getting hot, he gradually became agitated.

So, he drank cup after cup of tea, but still didn't feel comfortable. He finally got up.

The third princess didn't notice, but Jia Yin had a guess in her heart. She took the initiative to say, “Uncle Emperor, you’ve been busy all day, so rest early. My sister and I are going back to Zhi Lan Palace!”

The Emperor subconsciously let out a sigh of relief and smiled, "Good then, you all should get some rest. If anything troubles you, just have someone come find me, I'll stand up for you!"

"Thank you, Uncle Huang!" Jiayin laughed in response and said goodbye to the third princess.

The Third Princess was still reluctant to leave, clamoring that she would come back in a few days to play cards with her father.

The Emperor naturally agreed.

Only then did the Third Princess return to Zhi Lan Palace with Jia Yin. Yi, the steward, sent them down the steps and turned back to see the Emperor pacing restlessly in the room.

He hurriedly asked, “Your Majesty, are you feeling hot This old servant will have two more ice basins brought in.”

The Emperor waved his hand impatiently, saying, “No need, it’s still cooler in the 貴妃's palace. Let’s go!”

Yi Zong immediately obeyed and quickly called the eunuchs to prepare, serving the Emperor to Rong Hua Palace.

The Noble Consort seemed to be waiting for the Emperor's arrival as well. She hadn't changed out of her splendid court dress, and under the moonlight, she appeared even more beautiful and graceful.

"Your Majesty, I heard there was commotion at the palace gate Princess Three and County Lady Kangle were frightened. Have you comforted them"

The Noble Consort spoke as she helped the Emperor take off his outer robes, her face etched with worry and concern.

The emperor sat on the soft couch, took a deep breath, and finally felt much cooler. The anxiety in his heart also quickly dissipated.

He pulled the Noble Consort down and smiled, “Rest assured, it's already taken care of. Have you eaten”

"No, Your Majesty hasn't come over. This concubine eats by herself and it's not as sweet at all." The Noble Consort smiled shyly and pleaded, "Your Majesty, please accompany this concubine and eat some more"

"Indeed, the study is too hot. I haven't eaten much either." The Emperor replied, and quickly a palace maid brought up the dishes.

General Yi was helping to set the table, chuckling along, "Your Majesty, while this room doesn't have as many ice basins as the Imperial Study, Your Majesty insists that it's cooler and more comfortable here."

"In my humble opinion, Your Majesty finds the Imperial Study stuffy not because of the heat, but because Her Grace, the Empress, is absent."

The emperor subconsciously glanced at the ice basin in the corner of the room, his chopsticks paused mid-air.ut, is the hard-earned money of the villagers and laborers. 。Of course, the food also had to be distributed to the villagers and hired workers. 。On average, a jade gourd fetched six to seven taels of...