"Anyway, your harem is empty. Since she was willing to raise the child for five years just because of a one-night stand with you, with such virtue, you might as well make her the queen right away." There was just a vacancy for the queen. If she didn't find one for Si Junlin, she would feel quite guilty.
"What are you talking nonsense about? Su Wan'er, I'm warning you. Her background is unknown, and that child is not as simple as you think." Daring to follow them out to fight in the war and showing no sign of fear in front of everyone, this child was obviously not an ordinary one. He had been deceived by Long Xiaojiu, and should he still not learn his lesson?
"Got it. You royal people always look down on others' humble origins." Su Wan'er was extremely disdainful. "Well then, instead of making her the queen, making her a noble consort should be okay. And that girl can be directly made a senior princess. This way, the Empress Dowager won't keep nagging every day that you have no children."
"Su Wan'er! Stop being so reckless. Do you think you can bring just anyone into the palace? Don't you forget that Long Xiaojiu also pretended to be a child last time." Si Junlin was quite helpless about her inexplicable sympathy for children. She was clearly a person who often killed enemies on the battlefield with so much enemy blood on her hands. How could she be so... so kind?
"What's wrong with Xiaojiu? Xiaojiu treats me very well now. Please don't put the label of a heartless man on yourself. I'm doing this for your own good and for the Empress Dowager. Anyway, I'm the emperor now, and I make the decisions."
Su Wan'er turned her horse around and rode in front of the woman and the child. She said to all the soldiers and the mother - daughter pair, "In the final analysis, it was my fault back then. I let them, the mother and daughter, down." Si Junlin couldn't stop her even if he wanted to.
"Your Majesty, the great battle is imminent. It's important to set out on the expedition. Please think twice, Your Majesty."
Seeing that Si Junlin was really unwilling, Su Wan'er had no choice but to put aside the matter of making the woman a noble consort for the time being. "Now I will take the mother and daughter into the palace. After I return from the expedition, I will confer their titles."
"You..." Si Junlin almost scolded her.
"Titles? Hehe, I'm a dying person. How could I still care about this? Moreover, I don't intend to enter the palace. Your Majesty doesn't need to show pity on me." The woman seemed not to care at all. "There's no affection between us after all these years. But Yue'er is still young. I don't intend for her to be a princess either. As long as Your Majesty can take care of her and let her grow up safely, I have no other requests." The woman stated her only request. Su Wan'er was even more touched. Oh my god, this was not a bandit at all, but a virtuous and kind wife and mother. How could Si Junlin have the nerve to let her down?
Hearing what the woman said, Si Junlin had nothing to say. However, he still suspected that this was a conspiracy. Although the woman didn't ask to enter the palace herself, her actions were just like a performance. Only Su Wan'er would believe her.
"Are you really not willing to return to the palace with me?" Su Wan'er asked her in the tone of an emperor. Look, no woman wanted to enter the palace. What was the use of all the glory, wealth, fine clothes, and delicious food if they were compared with the freedom outside? They were really not very attractive.
"Yes. Your Majesty just needs to take Yue'er away. I can still hold on for a year or two. I also need to dismiss all the people in the escort agency one by one."
"The imperial doctors in the palace are all very skilled. How about having them treat you?" Although those old men were always trembling and could only kneel and say they were powerless, they were still better than the doctors outside. Su Wan'er's compassion was fully displayed. There seemed to be a glint in the woman's eyes.
But from beginning to end, the child didn't say a single word.
Su Wan'er dismounted her horse, took off her imperial robe, and handed it to the people behind so that she could appear in front of the child in a less imposing manner. This little girl, who was not even five years old, was not at all shy in front of everyone. It seemed that the environment of the escort agency had influenced her.
Su Wan'er walked closer, took her hand, and asked, "Your name is Yue'er, right?" Si Junlin subconsciously wanted to stop her from behind. How could she approach just anyone? Really... Hadn't Long Xiaojiu already caused her enough trouble?
Su Wan'er originally wanted to ask what the child's surname was, but then she thought that the child must have taken her mother's surname. If the woman heard that she didn't even remember her surname, she would surely be sad. Moreover, this child would probably take Si Junlin's surname in the future.
Su Wan'er vaguely remembered that the next - generation princes of Si Junlin's generation had the character "Xuan" in their names, and the princesses should have the character "Shu". "Then you need to add one more character to your name. Your name will be Shu Yue from now on."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for bestowing the name. Yue'er, quickly kneel down and call the emperor 'father'." The woman hurriedly pulled the child to kneel down. Su Wan'er was already used to people kneeling to her these days. She watched them perform a hasty salute and then helped them up.
The child's mouth moved but she didn't call out in the end. Su Wan'er understood very well, and she didn't deserve this call from the child.
"Don't worry. Since your people are all from a proper escort agency, there's no need to fight this battle. You can take them back. As for your daughter, I promise today to grant her the honor of a princess for life."
"Someone, send a team of soldiers to take Princess Shu Yue back to the palace."
Su Wan'er thought her arrangement was foolproof and Si Junlin couldn't stop her anymore. It was just a child, and she was his flesh and blood. Naturally, she should be sent into the palace. This way, it wouldn't delay the expedition. But unexpectedly, the child grabbed her hand.
"I don't want to go. I don't want to go to the palace. I don't want to go anywhere." The child's soft little hand grabbed Su Wan'er's sleeve, and her soft voice went straight to Su Wan'er's heart.
Su Wan'er subconsciously bent down to talk to her. "Are you reluctant to part with your mother? Well then, how about this? You go back with your mother first. When your father comes back, I'll take you both into the palace."
"Yes. You'd better go back with your mother first. Let's talk about it after the expedition." Si Junlin spoke from behind. The expedition was imminent, and there was no time to investigate them. This could be considered a temporary measure. After he came back, he would investigate the mother and daughter thoroughly.
But the child didn't say that she was reluctant to part with her mother. She just kept looking at her mother. The woman winked at the child, and then the child began to plead with Su Wan'er, saying that she must go with her.
Su Wan'er suddenly smiled. It seemed that she was born to attract children. This child had only met her once, but she already wanted to go with her.
"Be obedient. Go with your mother first. We're going to fight a war. It's very dangerous."
"No. I just want to go with you. I'm not afraid." Unexpectedly, the child seemed to be determined. No matter how they tried to persuade her, she just wanted to go with Su Wan'er. Su Wan'er was now wearing a bright - yellow imperial uniform and also had a soft armor on because she was going on an expedition.
She simply couldn't resist a child's coquetry.