Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

  Hearing Qiao Jinniang’s sound, the Empress Dowager turned her eyes to her, and immediately she thought that it was no wonder that Prince Mediocre chose her over Qiao Ruofeng and Qiao Ruoshui. She was quite pretty.

  The Empress Dowager said, “Who are you? How dare you tell me what to do?”


  Qiao Jinniang knelt down and didn’t dare to look up at the Empress Dowager.

  After all, even Lu Chen warned her to respect the Empress Dowager. She was the biological mother of the Emperor and the most honorable woman in the world.

  Even the Queen and the Crown Prince could only bear with her. But Jinning thought that if she didn’t come out today to defend Tuan’er’s servants and let the Empress Dowager punish them…


  Would there still be anyone loyal to Tuan’er?

  Human hearts were all flesh, and although servants could be punished, they were still human.

  Besides, if she let the Empress Dowager convict Tuan’er, there might be imperial censors impeaching Lu Chen for not educating Tuan’er well.

  Therefore, Qiao Jinniang could only bite the bullet and say,

  “Your Grace, I’m Duke Anyuan’s daughter, Qiao Jinning and the biological mother of Tuan’er. I don’t think it’s wrong for Tuan’er to bite Junior Duke Bao.

  “After all, Junior Duke Bao snatched Tuan’er’s doll first. If Tuan’er just let him do that, then it would be his fault.”


  The Empress Dowager snapped, “What are you talking about?! They’re both children. It’s normal for children to fight and quarrel. “But Tuan’er shouldn’t bite his brother. If he wants his doll back, he should have turned to adults for help. We will certainly help him.

  “But he said nothing and just bit his brother? Isn’t this ridiculous?” Qiao Jinniang lowered her head and said, “Yes, that’s right, but as a boy and His Majesty’s grandson, Tuan’er was born with the responsibility of defending his family and his country. How can he just cowardly turn to adults for help after someone snatched his doll? When Tuan’er grows up and fights on the battlefield to defend our country, if the barbarians seize our country’s territory, should he just swallow it and turn to others for help?”


  Consort Qi cut in. “How can these be compared? My son is not a barbarian!”


  Qiao Jinniang clenched her hands and said, “Barbarians are called barbarians because they are poor and lack resources, so they covet the fertile land and materials of our country and continuously wage wars to seize our land and resources.

  “Junior Duke Bao wanted Tuan’er’s doll and directly pushed Tuan’er to the ground to snatch his doll. What was the difference between his behavior and the barbarians?

  Consort Qi said angrily, “County Mistress Jialan, are you serious?! My poor Bao’er is still so young. He liked the doll, so he grabbed it. He means no harm. Why are you smearing him like that?”


  The Empress Dowager was also furious. “Bao’er is a Junior Duke. You have no right to judge him!”


  Qiao Jinniang kowtowed to the Empress Dowager and said, “Your Grace, I just want to explain why I don’t think Tuan’er did anything wrong. I don’t mean that Junior Duke Bao is a barbarian.”


  Fulu walked up to the Empress Dowager and said, “Grandmother, I think what Jinniang said is right. Tuan’er is His Majesty’s grandson. If he can’t even guard his doll, he is useless!” Imperial Concubine Wan sneered. “He hasn’t gone to the battlefield to kill enemies yet but his mother has already called my Bao’er a barbarian!”


  As soon as she said so, the Emperor came in with the Queen and Lu Chen.

  Seeing Qiao Jinniang kneeling on the ground, Lu Chen hurried over. “Grandmother, Jinniang is from the grassroots and doesn’t know the court etiquettes. If she offended you, I’m willing to be punished in her place.”


  Glancing at Baofer, who was crying bitterly, and then looking at Tuan’er, who was holding the doll rabbit and looked unconvinced, Emperor Huilin asked, “What happened?”


  Fulu said, “Junior Duke Bao pushed Tuan’er and snatched his rabbit doll, and Tuan’er bit him and took the rabbit doll back. Grandmother thought that Tuan’er shouldn’t bite his brother and wanted to punish his servants.

  “But I think what Jinniang said makes sense. If Tuan’er can’t even guard his doll, how can he defend the country when he grows up? So Tuan’er should not be punished.”


  Consort Qi cried aggrievedly. “But his mother shouldn’t call Bac’er a barbarian. Bao’er is His Majesty’s grandson too. Father, please uphold justice for Bao’er!”


  Imperial Concubine Wan also cried. “County Mistress Jia’an kept talking about going to the battlefield and defending the country, but they are still kids…


  “Bao’er is wrong in this matter, but Tuan’er shouldn’t bite him! It’s wrong to bite!”


  Imperial Concubine Xian also said, “Look how pitiful and aggrieve Bao’er is while Tuan’er is showing no hints of regrets. Your Majesty, please be fair…”


  Tuan’er raised his little face and ran to the Emperor.

  “Grandpa, I didn’t do anything wrong. It was you who taught me to pay back in kind.

  “Bao’er pushed me, and he even snatched the doll my mother made for me… Why is it my fault that I fought back?”


  Tuan’er sounded very aggrieved.

  Emperor Huilin saw Tuan’er pull up his sleeves, showing bruises on his arms.

  When Qiao Jinniang saw the bruises, she almost wanted to kill.

  When they were in Lin’an, Tuan’er had never been treated like this, but when he was in the imperial palace, he had to suffer such humiliation?

  Emperor Huilin glared at Bao’er who was still crying and said, “I have already granted Lu Xito be the Crown Prince’s heir. Bao’er is just a Junior Duke. How dare he push the future emperor?

  “If his family doesn’t know how to educate him, I will let Bao’er go to the fief in advance.”


  Everyone in the hall was shocked.

  The Empress Dowager clenched her hands. “Your Majesty, you’re still very healthy. Isn’t it too early to decide the Crown Prince’s heir?

  Emperor Huilin replied. “But sooner or later, it has to be decided. It will save trouble to decide it earlier.”


  The Queen glanced at Imperial Concubine Wan and said, “Imperial Concubine Wan, do you have anything to say?

  “Junior Duke Bao is just a junior duke after all. If he dares to snatch the doll of the Crown Prince’s heir in front of his elders today, wouldn’t he dare to snatch Tuan’er throne in the future?

  Imperial Concubine Wan hurriedly knelt down and said, “Your Majesty, we dare not have such thoughts.”


  Prince Qi and Consort Qi also quickly pulled Bao’er to kneel.

  But Bao’er cried harder. “Rabbit, doll, Bao’er wants it.”


  Seeing this, the Emperor became even more annoyed. “Bao’er is half a year older than Tuan’er. I remember neither of them could speak fluently in the last spring hunt.

  “But now Tuan’er can speak fluently. Why is Bao’er still having trouble speaking?” Prince Qi hurriedly said, “This must be because the imperial grandson is very talented, and Bao Ge’er can’t match him.”


  After the Emperor and the Queen were seated, Qiao Jinniang also returned to her seat and asked Tuan’er worriedly, “You are injured. Why didn’t you tell Mommy?”


  “Tuan’er is a man, so I won’t cry!”


  Qiao Jinniang touched Tuan’er’s head. “Good boy.”


  Imperial Concubine Wan, Prince Qi and his wife were still kneeling on the ground, and when they heard what Tuan’er said, they didn’t dare to vent their anger even if they were angry. Imperial Concubine Wan made the fuss just now because she wanted to convict Tuan’er and punish his servants while the Emperor and the Queen were absent.

  Now that the Emperor and the Queen had come, they didn’t even dare to show a look of resentment.

  Bao’er was still crying and asking for the rabbit doll. He was so spoiled that he even began to roll on the floor when he couldn’t get the rabbit doll

  Seeing this, Emperor Huilin felt even more that he had made the right choice.

  Not only did Tuan’er look like the Queen, but he was also very smart……

  Li Lingling suppressed her jealousy and said to Qiao Jinniang with a fake gentle smile. “Bao’er is a child after all. Since he is crying so hard, County Mistress of Jialan, why don’t you make him a rabbit doll?”