Ever since the imperial mausoleum of the former dynasty was struck by lightning and turned into scorched earth.
The voices proclaiming the former dynasty as legitimate also suddenly vanished from the streets.
No one dared to mention it again.
Moreover, Bai Xilie not only ordered the countless burial objects to be collected, but also thoroughly investigated the smallpox incident, providing the people with an explanation.
It turned out to be an epidemic triggered by the consort of Prince Wei from the former dynasty, in collusion with the remnants of the former dynasty!
They had planned to spread smallpox and then use Bai Xilie’s usurpation as a pretext to incite rumors of divine wrath.
Alas, not only was the smallpox resolved now, but even the ancestral graves were split open by the heavens.
The people were filled with deep hatred for the former dynasty!
Because the emperor of the former dynasty was muddle-headed, imposed harsh taxes, and exploited the people’s resources.
If lightning hadn’t struck down, revealing those warehouse after warehouse, towering burial objects as high as a dozen small hills.
The people wouldn’t have known that the imperial family of the former dynasty had become so greedy!
Little Zhi’er waved her small hand, having her father collect the former dynasty’s burial objects and directly replenish the national treasury!
Beyond that, under the little one’s arrangement, Bai Xilie specifically allocated some silver taels to relieve the suffering of the poor.
The so-called national treasury crisis was directly alleviated.
With matters settled, Bai Xilie, his two major worries resolved, was naturally overjoyed.
For two or three consecutive days, he focused on spending time with his daughter.
When palace attendants passed by the palace road, they would see the usually stern and unsmiling Emperor Bai Xilie accompanying the little princess Bai Zhi’er, squatting by the wall, waiting for the wild cats to come eat the minced meat.
The cats in the palace, all fed by Bai Zhi’er, had grown considerably fatter.
Especially Dahua, with its fluffy head having grown rounder. If not for its two ears, from behind, it might look like a ball of fluff!
When the cats lowered their guard, Bai Zhi’er expertly pulled her father closer cautiously.
The father-daughter duo, one big and one small, squatted nearby, watching the cats feast heartily.
Bai Zhi’er’s tender, pink little face was filled with joy.
"Zhi’er, in eight days, Father will hold a plum banquet for you, inviting your uncles and the ministers of the court along with their wives."
"Your eldest uncle, Prince Rui, has long wanted to meet you. Previously, with the rampant smallpox, it was inconvenient for him to enter the palace. When the plum banquet is held, Father will properly introduce you to them."
Bai Zhi’er obediently nodded her little head upon hearing this.
"Father, I have a question."
Dahua finished eating and turned to rub against Bai Zhi’er’s little white boots.
The little one gently rubbed its fur with her soft hands.
Softly asking, "Eldest uncle’s second name character is ’East’, Father’s is ’West’, Third Uncle is ’South’, Little Uncle must be ’North’, right?"
Bai Xilie nodded with a smile: "That’s right."
With this, the water-like eyes of Bai Zhi’er became even more puzzled.
"But why isn’t it East, South, West, and North? According to Father’s second line, it should be ’South’!"
Bai Xilie hadn’t anticipated that his daughter’s thoughts would be so meticulous.
He chuckled lightly and replied, "When your grandparents had me, they felt that ’South’ sounded too much like ’difficulty’, which was undesirable, so they skipped that character and chose ’West’."
Bai Zhi’er blinked her long lashes, "Then why wasn’t the ’South’ skipped for Third Uncle when he was born?"
Bai Xilie pursed his lips, speaking seriously, "That’s because... when your Third Uncle was born, a fortune teller said that his life would be too smooth, with almost no hardships."
"But the elders thought that a life without difficulties would lack growth experiences, and they feared your Third Uncle might become too complacent, so they gave him ’South’."