As soon as he had finished speaking, he saw the little Emperor also stand up.
"I also heard the voice of my beloved daughter!" he declared.
"You heard it too?"
Ji Youzhi looked at the little Emperor.
The little Emperor had already left the Imperial Study, and he hurriedly followed.
Just as the two men stepped out of the room, their surroundings suddenly darkened, then their vision blurred for a moment. The little Emperor and Ji Youzhi could not help but widen their eyes and looked up sharply at the sky.
Instantly, the corners of their mouths twitched involuntarily.
"Father Emperor, Uncle Ji!"
In the sky, the Divine Bird Phoenix was soaring high with its wings spread wide, and on its back stood two figures, one large and one small.
The taller one was a girl about twelve or thirteen years old; that was Xie Pan’Er.
The smaller one, of course, was their beloved Xiaosuisui!
"Suisui! You..."
"Shh! Don’t call her, be careful not to distract her and cause her to fall!"
The little Emperor hurriedly stopped Ji Youzhi.
Ji Youzhi touched his forehead helplessly. "When did she enter the Palace? And how did she end up on the back of the Phoenix?"
The little Emperor turned to look at Eunuch Ling, who stood by, trying his best to minimize his presence.
Eunuch Ling stepped forward and reported, "This morning, the Celestial Phenomenon was abnormal, and the Phoenix became very restless. Nanny Xiao suggested sending someone out of the Palace to invite the National Master to investigate the reason for the Phoenix’s restlessness. Consequently, the Empress Dowager had Nanny Xiao personally go out of the Palace and, while she was at it, bring Princess Chang into the Palace for a short stay!"
Eunuch Ling’s report was very detailed. It was not hard to see that he had his eyes and ears all over the Palace.
After listening, the little Emperor did not reprimand him.
"Go and inform my mother that I will go and have dinner with her tonight!" said the Emperor.
Ji Youzhi became flustered. "Your Majesty! I have been away from home on a case recently and haven’t had the chance to go home to see Suisui..."
The little Emperor seemed to anticipate what he was going to say and quickly interjected, "You may join me at Cining Palace for dinner tonight, and you are free to return home afterward!"
The corner of Ji Youzhi’s mouth twitched involuntarily, and he hastily expressed his gratitude. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!"
"You can go to Cining Palace, but you have to promise me: never encourage my beloved daughter to go home! Otherwise, I’ll make you live in the Palace with me forever!"
Live in the Palace forever? Wouldn’t that make him a second Eunuch Ling?
Ji Youzhi involuntarily clenched his legs and dared not speak a word.
Xiaosuisui and Xie Pan’Er flew several circles standing on the back of the Phoenix.
Finally, after much persuasion from Xie Pan’Er, Xiaosuisui reluctantly had the Phoenix land in the courtyard of the Main Hall of Cining Palace.
"Grandma! Suisui is here!" she called out.
As soon as the Phoenix landed, the Empress Dowager walked towards them.
Xiaosuisui slid down from the Phoenix’s back, opened her arms wide, and asked the Empress Dowager for a hug!
The Empress Dowager joyfully embraced her, repeatedly cooing, "My little darling, you’ve finally come to the Palace," and so on.
Xiaosuisui giggled sweetly and began telling the Empress Dowager about all the things that had happened outside the Palace recently.
For a while, Cining Palace was filled with laughter and joy.
Nanny Xiao reported, "Your Highness, Eunuch Ling has come to convey His Majesty’s message. His Majesty will come to Cining Palace to have dinner with you this evening!"
The Empress Dowager was overjoyed upon hearing this. "Good, good, good! Quickly tell the kitchen to prepare the dishes that the Emperor loves to eat."
After saying this, the smile on the Empress Dowager’s face suddenly vanished. She quickly called out to Nanny Xiao, who was turning to leave.
"Nanny Xiao, wait a moment."
Nanny Xiao stopped and waited for further instructions.
The Empress Dowager, however, reached out and gently pinched Xiaosuisui’s little cheek, then chuckled.
"Your adopted father really can’t hide his intentions. He wants to come to Grandma’s place to snatch my precious little treasure. Just you wait, see how Grandma deals with him!"