"Your Highness, your clothes are so beautiful, did His Majesty give them to you?"
"Huh? Your Highness, how did you become so good-looking?"
Xiao Hong, a palace maid waiting at the door, was immediately attracted by the beautiful, ethereal, and flowing attire when Princess Xinyue came out.
Upon closer inspection, she even noticed that her princess had become even more beautiful, her skin more radiant.
"Really? Are they that beautiful?"
Princess Xinyue happily spun around.
"Truly, more real than real gold!"
Xiao Hong nodded vigorously in response.
"That's good then."
Princess Xinyue nodded, a joyful smile in her heart. "Since you're so good with your words, this princess will reward you. Go to the accounting office later and collect one tael of silver."
"Thank you for the reward, Your Highness Princess!"
Xiao Hong was overjoyed and quickly bowed in thanks.
After she got up, she realized that Princess Xinyue had already walked a considerable distance in that short time.
"Your Highness, where are you going?"
"To see Mother. You don't need to follow."
In the imperial study, the Empress looked at Princess Xinyue with surprise, examining her from left to right as if seeing her for the first time.
"Xinyue, my girl, why such a big change today? You seem to have become even more beautiful? Your skin looks better too?"
"What's going on?"
The Empress was filled with envy. She was the Empress of the Yun Yue Kingdom, but she was also a woman.
Every woman loves beauty and wishes to be more attractive, with softer, smoother skin.
"Hehe, these are new clothes I bought. What do you think? Aren't they very beautiful? They completely highlight this princess's beauty?"
Princess Xinyue smiled and spun around.
"You little thing, I don't believe a single piece of clothing can bring about such a significant change."
The Empress said with disbelief.
"It really is like this. If Mother doesn't believe me, why not ask the textile workshop to specially make one for you in the same style? You'll know once you wear it."
Princess Xinyue said with a cunning smile.
"Hmph!"
The Empress, having failed to pry the truth out, felt a little unwilling but also thought with some joy.
Xinyue, this girl, her personality has changed quite a bit recently. She's even a bit cunning now, able to keep secrets and not speak the truth.
It seems she has truly grown up! And she's like this even with me, which truly makes my heart ache a little.
"Speak, what are you here to see me for? I don't believe you came just to show off new clothes."
The Empress sat back in her seat and asked indifferently.
"Hehe, Mother, you see, you sent Chu Chen away. My soldiers and troops, won't you help me look after them?"
Princess Xinyue walked to the Empress's side shyly, hugging her arm and employing her usual tactic of acting cute.
"Don't even think about it. I told you when I gave you the authority and the troops."
The Empress turned her face away, not wanting to see her act cute, fearing she might soften and indulge Xinyue again.
"Tsk, Mother is so stingy. You have so much money, and it was all earned by Chu Chen."
Princess Xinyue appeared somewhat angry, shaking off the Empress's arm.
"What's wrong with it being earned by Chu Chen? He's your eunuch, but he's still my subject. Shouldn't he be working for me and offering strategies?"
The Empress said expressionlessly, shamelessly reprimanding her.
"If you don't give it, you don't give it."
Princess Xinyue pouted unhappily, her eyes darted, and then she smiled again, saying, "Then Mother, since I made contributions in battle, shouldn't you reward me according to the rules?"
"Contributions in battle? I think you were just on a suburban tour. Can that be considered a contribution?"
The Empress chuckled and said, "I know everything. The war in the Eastern Territory was all thanks to Chu Chen. You went up to the city wall once and almost fainted from the smell of blood. How can you have the nerve to claim contributions in battle?"
"Why can't I? Princess Xinyue retorted indignantly, "According to Chu Chen, this is called effective leadership. Without my approval and support, which of the generals in the Eastern Territory would listen to a fake eunuch like him?"
"Rescuing you, Mother, was also done with the Eastern Territory's new recruits I brought along under my name. The responsibility for unauthorized troop deployment was also borne by me for Chu Chen."
"..."
The Empress was stunned. Thinking about it, it did seem to be the case, yet something felt slightly off.
"Mother, you have nothing to say now, right?" Princess Xinyue said triumphantly.
"Hmph, you're quite sharp-tongued."
The Empress asked irritably, "Then what reward do you want? You are a princess, so titles and ranks are useless to you. I can reward you with some wealth."
Princess Xinyue was displeased, "With such merit, how can it be just some wealth? That won't do."
The Empress asked in confusion, "Then what do you want? What else could you want as a reward?"
"According to regulations, once I am enfeoffed, I would be a Prince, and upon reaching adulthood, I could establish my own mansion."
Princess Xinyue recalled the contents of the books she had read a few days ago, as well as Chu Chen's words.
She said, "Now that I have established my own mansion, I am entitled to the treatment of a fiefdom. For this reward, I want three thousand households of fiefdom!"
"No, three thousand households of fiefdom is enough to earn a marquis title, and it requires a world-changing contribution to the court."
"Your involvement was sufficient, but it wasn't entirely your skillful command, only effective leadership. Your merit is not enough."
The Empress refused without hesitation.
Princess Xinyue, despite being refused, was not angry. Instead, she spoke logically, "For the war in the Eastern Territory, according to regulations, a Count would be unavoidable. For raising troops to assist the king, even without a battle, a Baron would be unavoidable."
"I'll exchange these two noble titles for fiefdoms, fifteen hundred households each, how about it, Mother!"
"I already said, Chu Chen contributed to this. It's not entirely..."
The Empress was quite annoyed, feeling like she was facing a calculating minister.
But before she could finish speaking, Princess Xinyue interrupted her.
She said with a smile, "You didn't reward Chu Chen and then stripped him of his official hat, so all the merit naturally belongs to me. Even if you wanted to posthumously award him, it wouldn't work, as the Golden Medal of Exemption from Death has offset past deeds."
The Empress was rendered speechless.
It seemed she really hadn't rewarded Chu Chen before the incident of the fake eunuch occurred.
Xinyue, this girl, how has her mind improved so much recently?
The Empress recalled Xinyue's innocent appearance in the past and felt even more depressed comparing it to her current self.
Xinyue, this girl, is no longer cute now that she's grown up!
"That's still not acceptable. At most, one thousand households."
The Empress compromised helplessly.
"Deal!"
Princess Xinyue said quickly, afraid the Empress would go back on her word.
The Empress was stunned, feeling like she had been tricked.
"Hehe, then it's settled. Mother, for my fiefdom, I want the rural areas around Shuangyue City, not within the city itself. Remember to pick a good place for me."
"I won't disturb you any further, Mother. I'll be going back now."
Princess Xinyue waved her hand with a satisfied expression, turned, and slipped away.
Watching Princess Xinyue's retreating back, the Empress felt both exasperated and amused.