USWHC -Chapter 447 How Could You Forget Me? (Part 7)

“Princess Lanqin has arrived!” A sharp, high-pitched voice sang out, drawing the note out.

The palace doors swung wide, and with the flickering red candles, the hall was brightly lit. Princess Lanqin walked in gracefully, sinking into a deep kneel, and said respectfully, “I pay my respects to Father, wishing you longevity and prosperity!”

“Come, Jinghan, sit beside your father!” The person on the upper seat lightly waved a hand.

Princess Lanqin obediently kept her head lowered, moving like a gentle willow in the wind, and knelt at the footstool beside him.

“You may step down now,” the emperor said in a soft murmur. The palace maid who had been attending carefully at the footstool immediately rose.

Just as she was about to leave the hall, she couldn’t help but glance back at the unusually obedient Princess Lanqin.

Princess Lanqin, as before, gently pounded the old emperor’s legs with her fists. The maid sighed softly before finally retreating.

After a while, the emperor spoke in a low, thoughtful voice: “I heard you were greatly startled today?”

Princess Lanqin paused slightly, then smiled and replied lightly, “Not really startled. After all, I’ve seen such things before.”

“And what was the name of that man?” the emperor asked softly.

Princess Lanqin tilted her head, deep in thought. “Was it Chicken or Duck?”

“Oh, right, Ji Yi!” the old emperor chuckled. “You! Always causing trouble. Don’t tell me you didn’t remember his name!”

Princess Lanqin pursed her lips and shook her head lightly. “I didn’t remember. There are always a few crazy people like that every year. If I remembered them all, my head would be full of nothing but names!” She playfully stuck out her tongue and giggled.

“You little rascal!” the emperor said indulgently, pinching her small nose, then smiled, “Do you know this person?”

“No!” Princess Lanqin said without hesitation.

The old emperor let out a long sigh. “Really? I thought he was some young man you’d met outside!”

“Father!” Princess Lanqin called in a coquettish voice. “What young man could I know! You know how unlucky I am!”

“Unlucky because you snuck out!” the emperor said indulgently, smiling. “And still refused to come back!”

“I didn’t! I always wanted to come back, okay? It’s you who wouldn’t come find me!” Princess Lanqin retorted, pressing herself against the old emperor’s legs, half of her body leaning onto him.

The old emperor’s face lit up with joy at her warm gesture. His eyes curved into a smile, and he gently patted her shoulder. “Who said I didn’t look for you? Do you want me to announce to the world that my little treasure is lost?”

Princess Lanqin let out a sharp cry, “Ouch! That hurts! Father, you don’t know how much I missed you!”

She even extended her hands, coquettishly saying, “Father, hug me!”

“Like a child… when will you ever grow up?” The emperor actually extended his arms and lifted his eldest daughter.

Princess Lanqin rested partly on his shoulder. But if you looked closely, her bottom didn’t touch the dragon throne at all; she hovered in the air, which must have been uncomfortable, yet her face still radiated sweetness.

“Really, you didn’t meet any good young men outside?” the emperor asked softly, his gaze sharp, not missing a single fleeting expression on her face.

Princess Lanqin let out a soft sigh. “Where would there be any good young men? I’ve figured it out. Most people outside are greedy and selfish. Otherwise, how would all my money have been taken, and how would I have ended up wandering the streets? I was almost sold!”

“You truly stayed only in Suhang all this time?” the emperor continued.

Suhang? That’s somewhere in the south, isn’t it? Xiangshui Village is at the far north… that’s miles apart! Princess Lanqin, however, nodded firmly. “Yes! But there were even more bad people there!” She couldn’t help but pout again.