Father and Daughter

"Why are you so unwilling to let me see her? I genuinely like her, too."

"If you suddenly discovered you had two fathers, how would you feel?" Ouyang Qingcheng asked pointedly, casting Cheng a condescending look as he sat leisurely on the couch, clearly not planning to leave anytime soon. He frowned.

"There's a spare room next door," Ouyang Qingcheng suggested curtly.

"Let's just chat—there's no need for us to see her together."

"So, you're planning to impersonate me to meet her." Ouyang Qingcheng's voice grew colder.

"She might not realize I'm not you," Cheng argued, still trying to negotiate for a chance to meet Yuanjiu.

"Impossible!" Ouyang Qingcheng declared with absolute confidence in Yuanjiu.

Cheng's eyes lit up mischievously. "How about we make a bet—"

"Not happening!" Before Cheng could finish, Ouyang Qingcheng unexpectedly conjured a golden energy orb and encased Cheng in it, suspending him midair. "You'd better behave. I will never allow you two to meet. Go to the room next door." His voice was slow and deliberate as he flung Cheng out of the room.

"Petty," Cheng muttered under his breath as the golden orb dragged him away.

Ouyang Qingcheng waved his hand, and the door closed automatically behind him.

He sat cross-legged on the bed and tried once again to harmonize the powers within him. Finding no abnormalities, he finally relaxed. Though he desired greater strength, he wouldn't risk himself recklessly. Today's session had been a test. Now he was confident—this power did not conflict with him at all; instead, it greatly benefited him. For the first time, he could fully trust Cheng.

Finally, a rest day arrived. Before dawn, Yuanjiu climbed out of bed. Xiaoci and Xiaoyi couldn't help but laugh at her eagerness. As soon as they exited the academy gates, they saw Cailun waiting by a carriage.

Hurrying back to the Heavenly Dragon Palace, Yuanjiu found Ouyang Qingcheng already awake, smiling as he sat at the royal dining table waiting for her.

"Father, I'm back!"

"Welcome back, my treasure!" Ouyang Qingcheng pulled her into a tight embrace, taking a deep breath. The faint, milky scent on his daughter always left him enchanted. They held each other for a long moment before Ouyang Qingcheng spoke.

"My treasure, have breakfast first. If you're not too tired, how about joining me for court today?" Ouyang Qingcheng, having missed her over the past few days, didn't want to waste a moment with her.

"Okay, Father. Let's eat."

Yuanjiu glanced curiously at him, sensing a subtle change in his demeanor. She also thought her father looked slightly younger.

"Father, it feels like your aura has changed," she observed.

Ouyang Qingcheng smiled warmly. "You're very perceptive, my treasure. That's right—I recently gained a new power. Once I've mastered it, I'll tell you all about it."

"Alright!" Yuanjiu replied with a sweet smile, nodding eagerly.

Ouyang Qingcheng kissed Yuanjiu on the forehead and picked up his chopsticks to serve her food. Yuanjiu also grabbed her small spoon, scooping rice and occasionally placing bits of dishes into Ouyang Qingcheng's bowl or directly feeding him.

The two of them quietly enjoyed the warmth of the moment. Xiaoqiu and Xiaodong shifted the dishes on the table with soft clinking sounds, while father and daughter exchanged a few words now and then.

"My treasure, how is your cultivation going lately?" Ouyang Qingcheng asked.

Yuanjiu kept her head down, eating. "It's going well." She didn't mention the strange energy that had appeared in her body. After sensing it last time, it had inexplicably disappeared again. Since it didn't seem harmful, she decided not to tell Ouyang Qingcheng to avoid worrying him.

"My treasure, you shouldn't be picky with your food," Ouyang Qingcheng gently reminded her.

"But Father didn't eat the bamboo shoots either," Yuanjiu retorted.

"Oh? My treasure has learned to talk back to me at the academy," he teased.

"Fine, I'll eat them," she replied, pouting.

Perhaps because they hadn't seen each other in several days, Yuanjiu was noticeably more talkative and even a little more clingy. Ouyang Qingcheng smiled indulgently, clearly enjoying her playful antics.

After breakfast, Ouyang Qingcheng indeed brought Yuanjiu to court. Aside from her hundred-day banquet, the ministers had never seen her before. But seeing how doting Ouyang Qingcheng was, they quickly deduced her identity. The atmosphere became tense as various ministers speculated whether Yuanjiu was being considered as the heir to the throne. Only the Left State Councillor Pei Kelian and Right State Councillor Han Shangjing exchanged a meaningful glance as they studied Yuanjiu. Pei Kelian even went so far as to secretly wink at her.

It was Yuanjiu's first time in the council chamber. Her curious, bright eyes roamed everywhere until they accidentally met Pei Kelian's gaze. She noticed the man in the green robe making such an audacious gesture in the solemn hall and silently guessed he was either highly influential or on very good terms with Ouyang Qingcheng.

She wasn't interested in finding out which was true. Feeling thirsty, she casually picked up Ouyang Qingcheng's teacup and took a sip. The hall erupted in hushed murmurs. Ouyang Qingcheng, unfazed, picked up the teapot and refilled her cup. The ministers whispered among themselves, marveling at how much doting care the seventh princess, raised directly by the emperor, clearly received.

Ouyang Qingcheng growing impatient with the murmurs, waved a hand at Cailun, who stepped forward and announced, "If you have matters to report, speak. If not, court is dismissed."

One minister stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "Your Majesty, Princess Yuanjiu is still young. According to court regulations, she should not be present in the council chamber."

Ouyang Qingcheng let out a cold snort. "Rules are made by people, are they not? If necessary, I wouldn't hesitate to change them with a single stroke of my pen."

When Ouyang Qingcheng was with Yuanjiu, he was always gentle. But sitting on the throne now, his imperial authority radiated powerfully, making it impossible for anyone to meet his gaze directly.