These days, the friendship that Shen Jiao gained from listening to the gossip was not in vain.
After learning from the palace maid that the emperor was very angry today and that even the concubine who went to deliver soup was scolded, she deliberately chose another route.
After arriving at the Spring and Autumn Garden, seeing that the person she wanted to catch hadn't arrived yet, she sat on the stone bench, took out a chess piece and dropped it.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the swaying hem of his clothes, and Shen Jiao let out a sigh.
The sound was obviously heard by Emperor Qingyuan outside the door. He paused and frowned.
Unexpectedly, someone is here?
Could it be that some concubine tricked her into getting in front of him?
Emperor Qingyuan walked into the Spring and Autumn Garden with a dark look on his face, only to see a few red plum blossoms falling on the stone table, and a little girl about six or seven years old sitting on a stone bench with her back to him.
Emperor Qingyuan felt relieved inexplicably.
"who are you?"
A timid voice suddenly sounded.
Emperor Qingyuan lowered his eyes.
The little girl's beautiful face seemed to have been blown white by the cold wind, her eyebrows and expressions were somewhat similar to his, and her smart eyes were looking at him timidly.
Looking at the chess piece in Shen Jiao's hand, Emperor Qingyuan raised his eyebrows for a moment, "Can you play chess?"
"I can."
While Shen Jiao was speaking, another child fell down.
Emperor Qingyuan came closer and took a look, hey~ this little girl really knows how to play. If he remembered correctly, this should be a chess game in the Can Qi book, and now the little girl has almost broken it.
"Then you are really smart."
Emperor Qingyuan, who had just been irritated by his courtiers, suddenly became amiable and asked, "Would you like to play another game with me?"
Naturally, Shen Jiao would not refuse.
Didn't she come here just to catch the big fish, Emperor Qingyuan?
So Shen Jiao picked up the chess pieces and started a new game with Emperor Qingyuan. She seemed to be focused on the game, and she did not ask about Emperor Qingyuan's identity again.
According to world plot records, Emperor Qingyuan loved chess, and whenever he was in a good mood, he would bring Zhao Xingde, the chief eunuch, here to play two games.
Zhao Xingde, who was following Emperor Qingyuan, saw a smile on Emperor Qingyuan's face, and his eyes became obviously warmer when he looked at Shen Jiao.
No matter who she is, it's good to make the emperor happy!
After burning the incense, Shen Jiao fell down. Her expression was obviously a little annoyed, and she puffed her lips and muttered, "No, no, let's have another dish!"
Emperor Qingyuan laughed loudly, and after agreeing to her, he put away the chess pieces and asked softly, "Which palace are you from?"
Look at the little girl's plain and simple dress, and the material of her clothes is very ordinary. She must be a palace official who has just entered from some palace, right?
Shen Jiao blinked slightly, "I am the ninth princess of Xiuhe Palace. My name is Shen Jiao. My mother said that I am her only baby. Who are you?"
Nine what?
Ninth princess!
Emperor Qingyuan's face immediately darkened, and Zhao Xingde also looked horrified. How could it be the Ninth Princess?
"Why did the Ninth Princess appear here? Where is the person serving you?" Emperor Qingyuan asked again suppressing his anger.
Why doesn't his daughter have anyone around her to serve her?
Why is his daughter dressed in such rags, without even a luxurious hairpin?
The more he thought about it, the more unhappy Emperor Qingyuan felt. He concluded that it was the people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs who bullied the weak and feared the strong, and worshiped the superior and suppressed the inferior, which was why his daughter suffered these grievances!
"I was sick a few days ago. My mother asked me to recuperate in the palace, but my mother's health is not very good. I am always alone, no one plays with me, so I come over to play chess and serve my people... Xiu Sister Qin should pay her respects to your mother and concubine at Min'an Palace, right?"
Shen Jiao held the chess piece and shook her head, "I don't know why Sister Xiuqin always likes to pay her respects to the noble mother and concubine."
Why?
I don't just want to be favored by the imperial concubine, but I want to attach myself to the imperial concubine and serve someone else, so that I can have a good future.
Emperor Qingyuan and Zhao Xingde were very clear about these matters.
But when this matter fell on his own daughter, Emperor Qingyuan couldn't help but feel angry.
Emperor Qingyuan reached out and touched Shen Jiao's head.
"Then who are you? Why have I never seen you before?" Shen Jiao asked, tilting her head and looking a little cute.
"you guess."
Shen Jiao's eyes flickered twice, looking at Emperor Qingyuan, then at Zhao Xingde, then she raised her head slightly and said with some certainty, "You are my father, right?"
Emperor Qingyuan was really surprised now, "How do you know?"
He is wearing regular clothes now, and he will not only come to the Spring and Autumn Garden, but also some courtiers or princes from the royal family.
How could Shen Jiao be so sure that it was him?
Shen Jiao pointed at Zhao Xingde, "Because this father-in-law, um, should be the Eunuch Zhao that mother mentioned, right? There are not many people in the palace who can follow my father-in-law, and mother often said that my father and I look very similar, and …”
Emperor Qingyuan didn't feel it at first, but after hearing what Shen Jiao said, he still felt that the father and daughter looked very similar, and he fell in love with Shen Jiao even more.
"what else?"
"Also, as soon as I saw my father, I felt very cordial and liked him very much."
Emperor Qingyuan was really happy now, "My Xiaojiu is so smart."
Shen Jiao then walked up to Emperor Qingyuan, tilted her head slightly and looked at him. Slowly, slowly, her eyes started to turn red, and her voice started to sound like crying.
"Father, okay, can you give me a hug?"
"What's going on here?"
Emperor Qingyuan quickly put away his chess and hugged Shen Jiao on his lap in a panic, "Is Xiaojiu being bullied? Tell your father, can you help Xiaojiu get revenge?"
His Xiao Jiu is very smart and a good chess player. He fell in love with him as soon as he met him. It makes him feel a little sad to decide whether to cry or not.
Shen Jiao grabbed Emperor Qingyuan's clothes and put on a strong look trying not to shed tears, which made her even more lovable.
"No, that is, I have never met my father. I miss him so much~"
Shen Jiao leaned against Emperor Qingyuan, "Mom said that Father is very busy and I can't disturb Father. I have to be obedient and Father will come to see me. I am very obedient, Father~"
The admiration and dependence in his expression and voice made Emperor Qingyuan feel extremely guilty and guilty.
How could he forget such a good daughter?
"It's my father's fault. Jiaojiao has always been obedient. My father should have visited you earlier."
Emperor Qingyuan patted Shen Jiao on the back and comforted her softly.
Zhao Xingde looked at the kindness in Emperor Qingyuan's eyes, and the way he looked at Shen Jiao changed again and again, thinking that the ninth princess was probably remembered by the emperor, and would definitely be favored in the future.
He should be respectful!
Shen Jiao wiped the corners of her eyes, and rubbed her hands in Emperor Qingyuan's arms very affectionately, "Father is right, mother said that father is too busy. Father wants to govern the world and make the people live a good life. We can't Delaying my father."
Emperor Qingyuan's heart, which had just been hurt by his courtiers, was immediately warmed back by Shen Jiao, "Your mother taught you well."
"My mother is the best mother in the world, and my father is also the best father in the world."
"Even if my father doesn't see you for so long?"
"Um!"
Shen Jiao nodded, and then looked at Emperor Qingyuan carefully, "But I still miss my father very much. When my father is free, can I think about Xiao Jiu?"