After the milk ball arrived, the father who had no heirs had a string of good luck.

Consort Gao frowned and looked at the Emperor: "Your Majesty, this... is indeed a bit excessive. What can a five-year-old child understand? Qiangjie is only eight years old, how can her mind be so... different from ordinary people? The Crown Prince can't even manage his own children, what will become of him in the future..."

At this point, she seemed to realize that she had said the wrong thing, and quickly knelt down: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I shouldn't have spoken ill of the Crown Prince. Thinking about it carefully, Qiangjie is, after all, a concubine's daughter. The Crown Prince is very busy and can't keep an eye on his children all the time. It's not the Crown Prince's fault."

"Get up!" The emperor said, his face dark, as he helped her to her feet. "You're right. If the crown prince can't even manage his own children, how can he govern the empire?"

"Your Majesty, please don't be angry. In my opinion, it would be better to suspend Qiangjie's classes and find a senior and well-mannered nanny to teach her manners properly, so as not to make a fool of herself and bring shame to the royal family."

Consort Gao smiled gently, stood up, and then said, "But this Crown Princess is something else. Qiang'er calls her Mother Consort, yet she doesn't care about her child at all. I bet the Empress didn't expect the Crown Princess to be so clueless. If she had known, she wouldn't have chosen Qin Zhirou as the Crown Princess in the first place."

The more she spoke, the angrier and more disappointed the emperor became.

The emperor considered himself a wise ruler and made countless decisions, both big and small, throughout his life.

The only thing he regretted was probably making his second son the crown prince!

Can…

For her sake, and for Lao Qi's sake, he had no choice but to do it.

Only her child can be the crown prince!

If it weren't for Lao Qi's leg...

"I have other matters to attend to, so I won't dine with you tonight. You should get some rest." The emperor rose and left, and no one knew what he was thinking.

After he left, Situ An, still somewhat bewildered, asked Consort Gao, "Mother, is Father angry?"

Consort Gao gave a bitter smile: "In the end, he's not angry with us. Your father's heart has long been filled with one person. Otherwise, wouldn't your third and fifth brothers be qualified to be the crown prince? How could it be the mediocre crown prince?"

Situ An was even more confused: "Is this the Empress Dowager?"

Consort Gao nodded, then shook her head, her eyes blank, as if responding to him, or perhaps to herself: "I used to think so, but it seems not..."

Situ An scratched his head, even more confused: "But everyone in the Great Xia Dynasty knows that Father Emperor only loves Mother Empress. Who else could it be besides Mother Empress?"

What he didn't say was that whether it was his own mother or the concubines in the various palaces, they could all see the shadow of the Empress in them to some extent.

It could be the eyes, the mouth, the nose, the face, a gesture, or even the tone of voice…

His mother, Consort Gao, was called a Consort because she looked very much like the Empress when she was young.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have had the chance to become a Noble Consort.

Everyone knows that the Emperor adores the Empress Dowager.

Consort Gao snapped out of her daze and glared at her son: "So, in your eyes, your father doesn't love me anymore?"

"Of course not, Father Emperor loves you!" Yeah, right!

To pick a word Tang Rui mentioned, "surroundings"!

His mother was one of the empress's consorts.

...

After returning home, the emperor did not summon the crown prince. Instead, he had an imperial edict drafted and sent to the Eastern Palace, along with a senior old nanny from the palace.

Situ Qiang has been suspended from classes and cannot attend the Imperial Academy for the time being. During this period, she will be allowed to learn etiquette from her nanny.

Crown Prince: "..."

"Impossible! I haven't done anything wrong. Why did the Emperor suspend my classes? It must be you, you eunuch, who forged the imperial decree." Situ Qiang felt like the sky had fallen. She cried out indignantly and even began to slander Chen Defu, who was supposed to deliver the decree.

"Situ Qiang!" The Crown Prince's expression changed drastically, and he looked at her as if he wanted to devour her.

Situ Qiang then realized she had said the wrong thing, biting her lip as she stood to the side, her face full of resentment!

Chen Defu raised a delicate finger, a forced smile on his face: "My lady, you yourself said that I am just a eunuch, how could I have such audacity?"

The Crown Prince quickly said, "Eunuch Chen, my daughter spoke without thinking and offended you. I hope you won't take it to heart."

Although Chen Defu was just a eunuch, he was the chief eunuch, someone who had been by the emperor's side since childhood.

Even he, the crown prince, dared not speak ill of this person.

Situ Qiang!

How dare you?

Was she afraid that she was too secure in her position as crown prince?

"Your Highness, you are too kind. What Lady Qiang said is true; this servant is indeed a eunuch. It is getting late, and this servant must return to report, so I will not disturb you any longer." Chen Defu said and left, but as soon as he turned around, his face darkened.

What the heck?

Besides being able to be reincarnated, what else can it do?

How dare someone like that dream of becoming a princess?

That's absolutely hilarious!

Without comparison, there is no harm done; Princess Zhaohua is so much cuter in comparison!

No matter where he went to deliver the imperial edict, people would always give him money.

Only Princess Zhaohua would give him real silver notes and sweetly tell him he had worked hard, inviting him to have tea.

In contrast, Situ Qiang…

snort!

Something that can't be presented in public!

"Father..." Situ Qiang looked aggrieved, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at the Crown Prince: "I've been very well-behaved lately, I haven't done anything wrong, and I don't know what Grandfather..."

Snapped!

Before he could finish speaking, the Crown Prince delivered a powerful slap.

Situ Qiang turned her head away, covering her face, completely stunned by the blow.

She looked at the Crown Prince in disbelief: "Father, you...you hit your daughter?"

Although the Crown Prince has a bad temper, he is not bad either, and he would never lay a hand on the children.

But what's the situation now?

Why did you hit her?

"You're more trouble than you're worth! Situ Qiang, I'm warning you, if there's a next time, get out of the Eastern Palace. I, Situ Xiao, don't have a daughter as stupid as you!" The Crown Prince said, then left with a dark face.

Situ Qiang panicked and tried to chase after her, but the old nanny blocked her way.

Situ Qiang glared fiercely at the old woman: "You dare block my way? Get out of my way!"

The old nanny's wrinkled face remained expressionless: "This old servant is ordered by the Emperor to teach Princess Qiang etiquette. If Princess Qiang does not cooperate, then this old servant can only ask the Emperor for instructions."

Situ Qiang choked for a moment, then burst into tears.

She felt so wronged and innocent; she felt like the whole world had abandoned her.

Unbeknownst to her, the Crown Prince had not gone far when Situ Wei blocked his path.

Perhaps because of Situ Qiang, the Crown Prince is now very dissatisfied with daughters, and even his tone towards Situ Wei has become unfriendly: "What do you want?"

Situ Wei curtsied respectfully, displaying impeccable manners: "Father, tonight is the Lantern Festival. I heard you are going to Zhencui Pavilion to auction off elixirs for Grandfather. I am not talented, but I would like to do my part."

The crown prince narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing his daughter: "How did you know my whereabouts?"

"This..." Situ Wei choked.

He's still young and not thorough enough in his work.