Chapter 5

“The congratulatory gift you gave I today, I am very pleased with.”

Father had just knelt to the ground when he heard the emperor say this.

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your favor. That luminous pearl was specially shipped from the South Sea; its quality is one in ten thousand.” Father kowtowed in reply.

“I am not talking about that luminous pearl.” The emperor turned his head to glance at me, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. “I am talking about your precious daughter.”

At these words, Father trembled, raised his head, and glanced at me as well.

But after just one look, he hurriedly kowtowed again and said anxiously, “My daughter is unlike others, her mind is like a child’s, her actions reckless. If she offends Your Majesty, I beg you to punish me instead.”

The emperor still wore a slight smile and raised his hand to rest it on my head.

I heard him say, “You are too modest. In I’s eyes, your daughter is exceptionally clever.”

He was the first person to praise me for being smart.

He must be a good person.

Once I dispel the bitterness from him, I will surely be able to smell the fragrance on him.

Thinking this, I looked at him and smiled.

He lowered his head to look at me too, gently rubbing my head with his hand, his voice soft and low: “Lan even said she wanted her father to be I’s father as well.”

I smiled and nodded.

But when I turned to look at Father, I saw his face had gone deathly pale, and he suddenly kowtowed hard to the ground.

“I deserve a thousand deaths. It is my failure in teaching my daughter that led her to speak such nonsense before Your Majesty. Please punish me!”

“Father.” I hurried over, my eyes reddening as I saw his forehead bruised from kowtowing. “Father, did Lan do something wrong again?”

As I spoke, I quickly blew on the corner of his forehead.

Father pulled me to kneel with him, continuing to plead to the emperor: “My daughter’s mind is not yet mature, her words are out of place. It is all my fault. Please do not blame my daughter.”

The emperor paced over to us and reached out to help me up.

“You exaggerate.” The emperor smiled beautifully, his eyes still very dark. “I think Lan is pure and adorable. Her words truly delight I. Not only will I not punish her, I should reward her instead.”

But Father looked as if he had heard a death sentence, collapsing to the ground.