Ye Jingyu smirked.
She figured only she could say such a thing, and no one would believe it.
Inside the room.
Ye Yao Di was feeding Liu Lan Xue medicine.
Liu Lan Xue leaned against the bedpost, her hands tucked under the covers, her face contorted in a grimace. "Mmm~ I don't want to drink it anymore~"
It tasted awful.
Ye Yao Di sighed inwardly as he looked at the remaining half bowl of medicine, scooping a spoonful and holding it to her lips. "Be good, just one more sip."
Ever since she entered the palace, she had hated taking medicine. For many years, she had only grudgingly taken her prenatal medicine for over eight months when she was carrying Yu'er.
Now, she remembered nothing, yet this habit remained unchanged.
Eunuch Chang entered from outside. "Your Majesty, the General's mansion's youngest daughter has woken up and is outside the door. She says she wishes to see the Empress before leaving the palace."
Liu Lan Xue's eyes lit up. "Mo Mo!"
Ye Yao Di frowned, a hint of displeasure in his eyes. "Didn't I tell her to leave the palace immediately after she woke up? Is she taking my words lightly?"
"This..." Eunuch Chang looked troubled. "But the young lady said she only wishes to see the Empress, to confirm the Empress is safe before leaving immediately. This old servant also..."
Ye Yao Di's expression turned stern. "Chang Hui, your service is getting better and better these days!"
Seeing his anger, Eunuch Chang immediately knelt to apologize.
Ye Yao Di offered the spoon to Liu Lan Xue's lips again. "Tell her the Empress is well, and have her leave the palace."
Although he felt the child wasn't entirely to blame for what happened this time, it was after all because she had taken Xue'er out of the sleeping quarters that the mishap occurred.
Fortunately, Xue'er was unharmed this time. If anything had happened, according to palace rules, the child would have been sentenced to death.
Considering she had indeed acted bravely to save someone, letting her leave the palace was already a light punishment. She shouldn't have had any further demands.
"Yes, this servant will immediately have the General's mansion's youngest daughter leave." Eunuch Chang rose and went out to deliver the message.
Panic flared in Liu Lan Xue's eyes. "Don't drive Mo Mo away~ Mo Mo! Mo Mo!"
The medicine bowl in Ye Yao Di's hand almost tipped over, but he steadied it and quickly put it down.
Liu Lan Xue struggled to get out of bed.
Ye Yao Di extended his arm and held her on the bed. "Xue'er, don't fuss. Let's take the medicine first, alright?"
"I don't want to take medicine, I want to see Mo Mo!" Liu Lan Xue kicked at Ye Yao Di.
But Ye Yao Di was stronger, and she was still recovering from her illness, her hands lacking strength, making it impossible for her to break free.
Liu Lan Xue grew anxious, pointing at Ye Yao Di and shouting, "Bad person! A Yao is a bad person, a bad person!"
Ye Yao Di hadn't recovered from her calling him 'A Yao' when he was further struck by the word 'bad person.'
"How can I be a bad person? Su Yun Mo caused you to fall into the ice hole. Don't you dislike her?" Ye Yao Di asked helplessly.
"It wasn't Mo Mo who made me fall," Liu Lan Xue puffed out her cheeks.
She wanted to explain something, but nothing came out when the words reached her lips. She just kept pointing at Ye Yao Di and repeating two words: Bad person!
This time, Ye Yao Di truly had a headache. He called out to Chang Hui. "Fine, go and summon that child in."
Eunuch Chang said "Yes" and left.
Ye Yao Di turned to Liu Lan Xue. "Alright, I've asked someone to call her in, but you have to promise me you'll take your medicine obediently."
He knew her relationship with Su Yun Mo was good, but he hadn't expected it to be this good.
Liu Lan Xue's face immediately lit up. "Okay~"
Su Yun Mo soon entered from outside, with Ye Jing Yu following behind her.
Liu Lan Xue's gaze had been fixed on the door. Seeing the little dumpling enter, she happily extended her hands towards her. "Mo Mo, Mo Mo, come here~"
It was good that Mo Mo hadn't fallen into the water.
Su Yun Mo entered the room but didn't approach the bed. Instead, she glanced at Ye Yao Di and slowly knelt, her voice childish and very polite. "Greetings to the Empress and Your Majesty."
Ye Jing Yu instinctively glanced at her but said nothing.
Ye Yao Di also frowned.
Was this girl always this well-behaved?
Liu Lan Xue looked confused and stretched her arm forward. "Mo Mo, come here?"
The little dumpling shook her head and cast a wronged glance at Ye Yao Di.
"Mo Mo only came to see the Empress's condition with her own eyes. Now that Mo Mo sees the Empress is in good health, Mo Mo must leave now."
Liu Lan Xue's expression turned sad. "Leaving so soon? Can't you stay a little longer?"
The little dumpling clutched the hem of her clothes with both hands, and her eyes suddenly welled up with tears. "It's not that Mo Mo doesn't want to stay and accompany the Empress, it's that Imperial Uncle won't let Mo Mo accompany you."
She pointed her little finger at Ye Yao Di. "Imperial Uncle said Mo Mo caused the Empress to fall into the water and wants to drive Mo Mo away."
The expressions of the two people on the bed changed.
Only Ye Jing Yu kept his gaze fixed, his nose observing his nose, and his nose observing his heart.
Liu Lan Xue anxiously waved her fists and hit Ye Yao Di. "Bad person, bad person A Yao! You go out, I don't want to see you, bad person, bad person, bullying Mo Mo, bad person!"
Ye Yao Di's forehead was about to explode. He grabbed her fists with both hands. "Xue'er, don't get so agitated. The imperial physician said you must rest well after waking up and must not get emotional."
Su Yun Mo's gaze shifted between the two people on the bed, privately thinking the commotion wasn't big enough yet.
She then lay down on the ground, her little face pale, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Empress, Mo Mo is leaving now. Mo Mo will never see the Empress again."
Liu Lan Xue was like facing a formidable enemy, desperately trying to lunge off the bed. "Mo Mo, don't go, Mo Mo! Don't go, don't go!"
Her voice grew hoarse from shouting.
The room was undoubtedly lively.
Ye Yao Di's face was so dark it looked like it could drip water. "Little girl, you committed a grave mistake. The fact that I haven't punished you is already because of Xue'er's sake. Don't push your luck."
This sentence was like igniting gunpowder.
The two of them made even more noise than before, like a pot had exploded.
Ye Yao Di took a deep breath and turned to look at Ye Jing Yu, his angry expression tinged with a plea for help.
Ye Jing Yu silently turned his head away.
Whoever caused the trouble should resolve it.
Ye Yao Di had a headache but was truly helpless.
He looked at the little dumpling's small face, flushed red from crying, and then at Liu Lan Xue's face, red from anger. He finally conceded.
"Alright, alright, I take back my previous words. From now on, you can still enter the palace freely as before, but you cannot take people out of the palace without authorization anymore."
The sadness and crying on Su Yun Mo's face abruptly disappeared.
She immediately straightened her kneeling posture and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."
Her demeanor was very proper and formal.
Ye Yao Di couldn't help but feel amused despite his anger.
Liu Lan Xue became much happier, clapping her hands excitedly and opening her arms. "Mo Mo, come quickly!"
The little dumpling then laboriously climbed up from the ground and, with her short legs, ran to the bedside and threw herself into Liu Lan Xue's embrace.
Liu Lan Xue hugged her, placing her hand on her head and stroking it.
Ye Yao Di watched them cling to each other and suddenly recalled a scene from when Ye Jing Yu was just born.
Back then, Xue'er had the same expression when she held Yu'er.
But in the blink of an eye, ten years had passed.