[Ding, Duoti's loyalty to Concubine Liu increased by 14%]
......
[Ding, Duoti's loyalty to Concubine Liu reached 27%]
After the rooster crowed, Xiao Chuchu noticed a significant increase in the task progress.
"Fifth Prince, you've arrived?" The guard's greeting came from outside the imperial study.
Xiao Chuchu was startled, looking towards her brother from Wei Zhenghuai's arms.
Wei Zheng immediately made a hushing gesture to Cheng Qian, who was about to step over the threshold, and glanced at Xiao Yunzhou sleeping soundly on the long couch by the window.
Cheng Qian nodded at once and didn't enter the imperial study, waiting outside instead.
"Fifth Prince, His Majesty is exhausted from the journey to and from West Mountain. Last night he was busy with state affairs and could only lie down on the couch. Who knows how long he'll need to rest," Wei Zheng said reluctantly as he carried the little princess out, lowering his voice. "Why don't you come back later? When His Majesty wakes up, I'll tell him you were here."
[Oh, Father Emperor said earlier he wanted to go to the Capital Camp to see Duoti, but he fell asleep before even leaving...]
Xiao Chuchu sighed inwardly, reaching out to her brother for a hug.
[I want to go back to Mother's side. It's so boring here with Father Emperor. Duoti's task has nothing to do with him now.]
Cheng Qian was taken aback.
Then, he heard Xiao Chuchu's inner thoughts as she watched Duoti's "livestream."
[Hehe, Duoti is so hot in his down jacket, he finally stood up to get some water.]
[But the bright red thermos in the tent poured out such hot water that it almost scalded his hand!]
[Hahaha, Duoti was stunned. The soldier who led the way earlier told them that the water was boiled before he left to find them.]
[It's the dead of winter, at least an hour or two has passed, and the water is still scalding hot. Duoti was so shocked he couldn't say a word.]
[Wow, Duoti's loyalty to my mother has surpassed 30%!]
Cheng Qian listened with twitching lips, wondering why his sister's story sounded somewhat familiar.
Xiao Chuchu also seemed to recall the incident with Jiuxiao.
[Father Emperor doesn't have much of a connection with Duoti.]
[But it's normal. Everything Duoti encounters in the military camp is either from my mother or my mother's brother~]
[If it were me, I'd be increasing my favor towards the Liu family too.]
[Hey, but my mother and uncle's inventions are just these few things for now. I hope Duoti's task progress won't get stuck after this?]
Cheng Qian's expression changed, and he cleared his throat lightly towards Wei Zheng, "Wei Zheng, let Father Emperor rest. I'll take my sister back to Mother's place first."
It was already bright outside when Cheng Qian carried his sister back to Donghua Palace.
Concubine Liu and Consort Min were already up, having just finished listening to the palace affairs report from a group of elderly female servants.
They were quite busy now, managing the affairs of the inner palace.
After the servants withdrew, they finally had time to chat.
"The Imperial Astronomical Bureau has determined that the little princess's birth chart is most suitable for Changchun Palace in the southeast," Consort Min said, flipping through the red-sealed letter from the Bureau.
"We can move in three days. Liu Chaniang, why don't you and the little princess move on the auspicious day, and I'll move in the day after? That way, I won't interfere with your move."
Consort Min didn't want to live alone.
"You'll stay in the main hall of Changchun Palace, and I'll stay in the side hall. It's settled then," Liu Chaniang replied.
[Aww, we're finally moving! Hehe, Duoti is having breakfast in the military camp too.]
[Wow, the camp kitchen has actually replicated the seasoning packets from instant noodles, making frozen lamb soup seasoning blocks.]
[The soldiers who go out for morning drills can now have hot soup right in the field.]
Xiao Chuchu was brought back by Cheng Qian, her inner thoughts still broadcasting.
[Duoti personally added water to the concentrated lamb soup block in the bamboo tube, watching intently as the block dissolved into fragrant instant lamb soup~ Wow, his loyalty to my mother increased by another 3%.]
[Duoti took a sip, oh his eyes lit up, and then his loyalty to my mother increased by another 2%!]
Liu Chaniang was about to speak to Consort Min but completely forgot what she was going to say.
[Aww, Duoti looked at his grassland subordinates slurping hot soup beside him, and his loyalty to my mother just keeps going up!]
Liu Chaniang: "!"
She looked at her son Cheng Qian, who was holding her daughter, with shock and confusion.
What happened?
Who is Duoti?
Recently, she had been busy taking over the palace affairs from the Empress, getting little rest day and night. Every time she finished her work, she was exhausted.
At this moment, Liu Chaniang tried hard to recall, and finally remembered that she might have heard her daughter's inner thoughts mention Duoti once or twice before, but she had been too tired to think about it carefully. Now she was even more bewildered, blinking in confusion.
How did she gain this person's loyalty?
......
Meanwhile, in the imperial study, Xiao Yunzhou, who had been woken up by Wei Zheng, felt sore all over as he stretched. He still felt tired to his bones.
"The little princess was taken back by Cheng Qian?" Xiao Yunzhou asked after hearing Wei Zheng's report, feeling embarrassed.
He had originally planned to go check on Duoti last night, to see Duoti's shocked expression at the treatment from his country's soldiers.
However, the previous trip to the West Mountain military camp had worn out even the Emperor's body.
Xiao Yunzhou didn't even realize how he had fallen asleep last night.
Sigh.
He felt incompetent, making the little princess wait in the imperial study all night.
"You fool, next time when I fall asleep, wake me up. How could you let the little princess wait beside me?" Xiao Yunzhou scolded Wei Zheng.
Wei Zheng: "? Ah?"
"Ahem, what I mean is, if I, an adult, was tired, wouldn't the little princess need rest even more? Couldn't you be a bit more quick-witted and wake me up to send the little princess back to Concubine Liu's place for a good sleep?" Xiao Yunzhou felt that his precious fairy daughter must have suffered last night.
"Alright, it's useless talking to you," Xiao Yunzhou waved his hand, feeling that Wei Zheng wasn't improving. "Let's go to Concubine Liu's place. Set up my breakfast there, choose light flavors, don't make the little princess, who hasn't grown all her teeth yet, crave it."
"...Ah, yes."
Wei Zheng was sweating.
He had thought he had figured out the Emperor's preferences, but now it seemed he had been too presumptuous.
The Emperor really changed from day to day!
Since returning from West Mountain, the Emperor had gone from loving the little princess like a treasure to being completely enslaved by her!
If the little princess couldn't eat something, the Emperor wouldn't eat it either!
Wei Zheng once again realized the little princess's status in the Emperor's heart.
It seemed that in the future, Concubine Liu's position would only continue to rise.
"Lower your voice, announce my arrival when we're outside the room."
"Don't speak too loudly and startle the little princess, but don't suddenly make a sound and scare her either," Xiao Yunzhou instructed as they arrived at Donghua Palace.
Wei Zheng: "..." For goodness sake, how was he supposed to announce their arrival? He didn't know what to do anymore.
Should he speak loudly or softly?
Xiao Yunzhou stopped five steps away from the room, signaling to Wei Zheng with his eyes.
Wei Zheng quickly spoke, neither too loud nor too soft, "His Majesty the Emperor has arrived—"
But as soon as the last syllable fell, Xiao Yunzhou's expression changed.
Xiao Yunzhou heard the little princess's somewhat troubled thoughts from inside the room.
[Oh no, Duoti's loyalty level is stuck at 41%.]
[We've already used all the new tricks that mother and uncle came up with, yet we're still so far from completing the task. What should we do?]
Xiao Yunzhou immediately frowned.
But then he felt a surge of joy—overnight, the task progress had already reached forty percent.
The remaining large portion wasn't a problem; his little princess needn't worry. He, as her imperial father, would find a way to consult with the Duke of Dinguo.
It was time for him, the emperor father, to put in some effort!
But in just a moment, Xiao Yunzhou's confidence vanished into thin air.
[Well, even though my mother can leave the palace, she can't enter the military camp.]
[It's going to be really difficult for Duoti's loyalty to my mother to increase any further.]
"???"
Huh?
Xiao Yunzhou was dumbfounded.
Wait a minute.
How did Duoti's loyalty suddenly become about Concubine Liu?
In a flash of insight, Xiao Yunzhou slapped his thigh as he remembered the two envoys from Wu Yun Country and their adoration, worship, and envy of "having a formidable wife" when buying horses!
Heavens above.
Xiao Yunzhou's mouth twitched. It seemed these grassland people respected women more than men?
With this thought, Xiao Yunzhou felt that everything fell into place and made sense!
[Oh, I wonder if Duoti's loyalty would increase upon meeting my mother?]
[I remember there used to be examples of female leaders visiting wounded soldiers.]
[But our current Emperor father probably hasn't thought of this approach.]
How could he not think of it?
"Ahem." Xiao Yunzhou's gaze shifted. He immediately took advantage of the daylight to strut into the inner chamber, looking towards Liu Chaniang, who never let go of her down jacket.
"Well then, Concubine Liu, get yourself ready."
"You'll accompany me to visit the Capital Camp."
Wei Zheng: "!"