"Look, you two are so nervous. Ah, Grandmother Empress won't be so difficult."
The Empress Dowager laughed heartily, seeing how tense Leng Ruo Li and Jun Mo Han looked.
The Leng King and his consort, realizing the Empress Dowager was intentionally teasing them, both breathed a sigh of relief.
The Emperor, standing nearby, looked at them and asked with concern, "Li'er, Han'er mentioned in his letter that you've found your birth mother, Xia Wan'er. Did your mother return to the capital with you?"
"Yes, Father Emperor. My mother also returned to the capital with us."
"That's wonderful! You've all gone through so many hardships. Now, you're finally reunited. Ah..."
The Emperor couldn't help but sigh. He also envied Leng Jin Yu. Although his past experiences were terrible, he had at least found his beloved wife and son, and he had a clever and capable daughter. This was truly a perfect winner in life!
As for himself? Despite being the ruler of a nation, he still faced the separation from his wife and son. He not only lost the woman he loved but was almost murdered by his own son.
Ah, he didn't even want to recall the messy affairs that had happened to him.
Leng Ruo Li smiled slightly upon hearing the Emperor's words.
Just then, the Empress Dowager also said, "Li'er, it's been many years since I last saw your mother. Why didn't you bring her into the palace so I could catch up with her?"
"Oh, Grandmother Empress, my father will bring her into the palace later. She is currently busy with Li'er's maternal grandparents... I hope you can understand them." Leng Ruo Li quickly explained.
"Hehe, it's alright! Grandmother Empress can guess their situation. They must have embraced each other and wept tears of joy after not seeing each other for so many years."
The Empress Dowager expressed her understanding of the situation, and at the same time, she felt a little envious of Grand Tutor Xia and his wife. They were in their twilight years and could still be reunited with their daughter whom they had lost for many years.
Unlike her Princess Lang Ruo, who was drowned in a pond by those vile women in the palace when she was only twelve. Her daughter, Princess Lang Ruo, was the same age as Xia Wan'er, but her daughter didn't have the same good fortune as Xia Wan'er, to still be alive.
Upon hearing this, Leng Ruo Li nodded.
"Yes, Grandmother Empress. My maternal grandfather and grandmother cried profusely when they saw my mother alive and returned."
Afterwards, the Empress Dowager changed the subject.
"Ah, Li'er, you've come straight to the palace to see us as soon as you returned. You must be exhausted. Come, come, sit with Grandmother Empress."
"Hehe, Grandmother Empress, Li'er traveled back by carriage, so I'm not very tired. However, we brought some gifts for you and Father Emperor."
As Leng Ruo Li spoke, she took out conches, amber, pearls, coral stones... and various strange and exotic sea ornaments from her sleeve pockets.
The Emperor and Empress Dowager were as delighted as children upon seeing the treasures Leng Ruo Li presented them. Especially the two conch ornaments, each as large as a fist. The Emperor and Empress Dowager truly loved them.
Even Prince Xian, who had been unusually quiet standing by the side, felt jealous.
"Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law, you brought gifts for Father Emperor and Grandmother Empress, but what about mine? I want gifts too."
"You? Forget it!"
Jun Mo Han couldn't be bothered with his mischievous younger brother and refused him without a second thought.
Upon hearing Jun Mo Han's words, Prince Xian immediately abandoned his composure and threw a tantrum at Leng Ruo Li.
"Wuwu..."
"Second Sister-in-law, they say the elder brother is like a father. Look at my Second Brother, he just likes to bully me. You must help me discipline him! Preferably make him go back and... and kneel on that thing you mentioned last time, that thing called a washboard."
As soon as these words were spoken, Jun Mo Han was almost "struck dead" by Prince Xian. His imperial brother really enjoyed making things difficult for him.
As for kneeling on a washboard, his Father Emperor and Grandmother Empress might not understand the meaning of this, but Jun Mo Han and Leng Ruo Li understood it perfectly.
Jun Mo Han's face immediately darkened to the point where ink could drip from it upon hearing Prince Xian's words. Leng Ruo Li almost burst out laughing. This Prince Xian truly dared to say anything. To make Jun Mo Han kneel on a washboard, did he not want to live?
However, Leng Ruo Li quickly tugged at Jun Mo Han's sleeve, stopping his impulse to beat up Prince Xian. She said with a beaming smile, "Prince Xian, if you want gifts, I have plenty more here."
As Leng Ruo Li spoke, she took out another pile of shell ornaments from her sleeve pockets and placed them on the table in the grand hall. The colorful and glittering sea ornaments made Prince Xian drool with envy.
"Wow, wow, these sea ornaments are too beautiful! Second Sister-in-law, give all these things to me. Haha..."
At this moment, Jun Mo Han frowned and glanced at Prince Xian, revealing a look of disdain.
Jun Mo Han said unhappily, "Take these things and get lost!"
Prince Xian did not get angry upon hearing this. Instead, he smiled and said, "Hahaha, Second Brother, don't worry, I'll take these things and leave immediately. I won't get in your way."
After speaking, he hastily stuffed all the sea ornaments on the table into his two large sleeve pockets, leaving not a single one behind.
The Emperor and Empress Dowager, sitting on the side, shook their heads.
Ah, this Prince Xian, they didn't know what to say about him.
However, after thinking about it, they felt that living like Prince Xian wasn't bad. He was free and unrestrained, doing as he pleased. Living happily was the best.
After Prince Xian left, Leng Ruo Li took out some medical instruments and examined the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. She found that both their bodies had fully recovered, which was something to be happy about.
Subsequently, Leng Ruo Li prescribed some vitamins to enhance immunity and calcium supplements to prevent osteoporosis for the Emperor and Empress Dowager.
The Emperor and Empress Dowager happily accepted them.
Later, Leng Ruo Li and Jun Mo Han recounted many interesting stories that happened when they went to the East Sea to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. However, the couple selectively shared them, as they chose to report good news and not bad.
Thus, the four of them, grandparents and grandchildren, chatted in the Longevity Palace for an entire afternoon. As dusk approached, Leng Ruo Li and Jun Mo Han planned to leave the palace. However, to the surprise of the Leng King and his consort, the Emperor and Empress Dowager also wanted to leave the palace with them.
"Li'er, Han'er, I am very bored staying in the palace all day. Why don't I accompany you two out of the palace for a stroll?" the Empress Dowager said kindly to them.
Leng Ruo Li and Jun Mo Han were speechless.
However, what surprised the Leng King and his consort the most was that the Emperor did not stop the Empress Dowager and even said that he also wanted to accompany them out of the palace with the Empress Dowager.