Reincarnated as the daughter of my mortal enemy, all I want is to ascend the throne.

Liu Yao dusted off the books, tidied them up, and placed them on the table. Without any ceremony, she straightened her clothes and sat down opposite Li Qingyan.

Upon seeing her, Li Qingyan frowned slightly, knowing that having a male outsider here was not a good thing for Liu Yao.

"Don't worry, little princess. I have several maids with me, and His Majesty's men are also outside."

This was to tell Li Qingyan that she meant no harm, and to reassure Li Qingyan that her visit today would not cause any trouble for anyone.

Such a perceptive woman, Li Qingyan found it hard to connect her with the somewhat dull-witted man from the Liu family.

"Your Majesty may have forgotten, but we have met before." Li Qingyan poured her a cup of tea. "I went with Eunuch Laifu to deliver the white jade ruyi."

Liu Yao immediately understood what she meant. The woman in the mansion was completely different from the one now. Liu Yao gave a bitter smile, "I've made the little princess laugh at me. That was just a means of self-preservation."

"I've come to see the little princess today because of your illness; someone deliberately poisoned you."

Upon hearing her words, Li Qingyan paused, realizing that she was trying to curry favor with him.

He only mentioned that one palace maid was caught and another died. He investigated one matter and then wanted to exchange it for her favor.

Do you really think of her as a three-year-old?

"Your Majesty, please do me a favor and investigate this matter for me, okay?"

Li Qingyan tilted her head, her big, round eyes like black grapes. She looked cute, but it gave Liu Yao the creeps.

Liu Yao put herself on the fire to roast, and could only nod hesitantly, "Okay."

Now I have no choice but to investigate; I finally let out a heavy sigh.

"A child raised by His Majesty's side is truly different."

Soon, only Li Qingyan remained in the room. She yawned. She felt that Liu Yao was still not shrewd enough; she had some cleverness, but not much. Who knew when she would be devoured alive by those in the harem?

The weather has been quite nice these past few days.

Li Qingyan swayed on the wooden horse under the shade of a tree, while Yan Xu sat on the chair next to him with a gentle expression.

"This little rocking horse is quite fun."

Li Qingyan was quite satisfied and carved a little rabbit on it. Only after she finished did her lips twitch, and she wanted to slap herself. She had actually been influenced by Li Yan; she had to add a rabbit to everything.

[Host... your soul has already traversed several worlds, and you're probably several hundred years old...]

[A bit...childish]

"Oh? Childish? What do you know? This isn't childish, it's relaxing. It's a pity you don't have a physical body, so you can't play."

【…】

Then, Li Qingyan heard the sound of someone angrily cracking sunflower seeds in her mind.

Seeing Li Qingyan's expression change several times, Yan Xu found it amusing. He broke off a piece of pastry and put it in his mouth before handing it to Li Qingyan, saying, "Your Highness, have some."

Looking at the broken corner of the banquet table, Li Qingyan knew that he had overheard what the Empress had said that day.

This is to prevent someone from poisoning the plants again.

Li Qingyan took it and put it in her mouth. Holding the rocking horse's neck, she looked up at Yan Xu and said, "You're sick, you don't need to take care of me."

Yan Xu picked up a handkerchief from the side to wipe her mouth, then fed her a few sips of tea before sitting back down.

"Your Highness, please don't always speak in such a mature tone. Children shouldn't overthink things. There are many things that His Majesty and your ministers can handle."

Li Qingyan sometimes thought Yan Xu was a bit foolish. Li Yan made him pledge allegiance to a child, and he actually risked his life for that child. Why would a great general do such a thing...?

Her eyes caught sight of the pattern on the handkerchief Yan Xu was holding: two rabbits, one black and one white.

She felt the rabbit looked familiar the last time she saw it, and this time... she looked at the rabbit embroidered on her body again. Wasn't this the one Li Yan drew?

Before she could even be shocked, she was suddenly lifted into the air and pulled back into Yan Xu's arms.

Yan Xu, with a cold face, threw the cup at the tree.

A figure landed on the ground with a thud.

"General, please don't make a move, it's me... An Yi."

An Yi stood up, clutching his waist. He had been suddenly recalled to protect his young master.

Yan Xu finally relaxed and almost drew the soft sword from his waist.

Upon hearing the name An Yi, Li Qingyan narrowed her eyes. 'That bastard who almost made me miscarry? Well, he still dares to show his face.'

Yan Xu felt the little rabbit kicking in his arms and quickly put her down. The rabbit was cute, but its fighting power was astonishing.

"Dark One?"

Li Qingyan squinted at him.

An Yi swallowed hard. How... how did he offend the young master?

"Yes, young master, this subordinate is An Yi."

Li Qingyan moved over, waved at him, and subconsciously bent down. The next second, "slap!" a small paw print appeared on her face.

"There are mosquitoes."

Li Qingyan wore a very deliberate smile, which left everyone bewildered.

"Ouch! Your Highness has a strong grip, but it's healed now."

When Grandpa Laifu came in, he saw this scene. He took a special look at the big handprint on An Yi's face and his expression was extremely happy.

"Grandpa Laifu!" Li Qingyan hadn't seen him for many days, so she quickly walked up to him. "Is there something you need?"

Laifu bowed and nodded, "His Majesty wants me to take you there."

But there weren't many people in the courtyard to begin with, so if she left, Yan Xu would be left alone here.

She glanced at Yan Xu, "Yan Xu, carry me."

Yan Xu's eyes, which had been somewhat dim, immediately nodded upon hearing this, "Okay."

He casually picked up Li Qingyan and carried her outside.

Laifu looked at his empty hands with a regretful expression. He hadn't been able to hold the little prince again.

An Yi rubbed his face. "Lai Fu, the young master hasn't seen me many times, why does he seem to dislike me?"

Moreover, the few times I saw him were when he was still an infant, and he shouldn't remember anything from that time.

Lai Fu rolled his eyes at him. They were all old friends who had followed Li Yan for a long time and knew each other very well. "Who got the medicine back then?"

After saying that, he waved the whisk in his hand and left, letting out a cold snort as he went.

An Yi covered his face, his eyes wide, "This..."

How could he be blamed? An Yi shuddered. People say that children have memories from the womb, and he actually believed it. He should try to avoid appearing in front of the young master in the future.

He rubbed his face; that hand was really strong.

Inside the Empress's palace.

Li Yan sat in the main seat, with the Empress on the other side, and the other concubines sitting in their respective positions according to their rank.

Today, all those with official positions in the palace are here, numbering more than twenty.

The atmosphere inside the hall was extremely oppressive. Li Yan had a gloomy face, and no one dared to speak.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress."

Yan Xu carried Li Qingyan in and walked in. When Li Yan saw him, his eyes shifted to Li Qingyan in his arms.

One look at that self-righteous little eye and you could tell that Yan Xu was someone she insisted on bringing along.

Li Yan didn't pursue the matter. He patted the seat next to him, inviting Li Qingyan to sit down, and then offered a seat to Yan Xu.

Wherever the emperor sits, just like on the dragon throne, he cannot sit with anyone else.

But Li Qingyan stepped on Li Yan's boots and grabbed the dragon robe to climb up, a scene that startled and made the concubines more wary.

"Your illness was caused by someone."

Li Yan spoke these words calmly, but Li Qingyan sensed a murderous intent in them.

"Um."

Li Qingyan's air of nonchalance made Yan Xu, who was sitting to the side, frown.

"Let's review it."

Li Qingyan yawned.

"Alright."

Li Yan wanted to execute the other party as a warning to others. Since Li Qingyan wanted to ask, then let's ask.

A moment later, a woman who seemed to be acting crazy was brought up.