Chapter 187: Civil and Military Officials Feast on Big Gossip

The little girl got up from the ground, smiled brightly, and extended her small hand toward the Grand Tutor, ‘Seeds…’

The Grand Tutor’s face tightened. ‘Little Princess, you want sunflower seeds?’

The Grand Tutor was still in a daze, trying to figure out where the voice in his head had come from.

While thinking, he reached into his pocket and, sure enough, pulled out a few seeds and handed them to Ah Bao.

Ah Bao was overjoyed.

[Don’t be fooled by the Grand Tutor’s age—he has great teeth. Even in his old age, he loves cracking sunflower seeds. He keeps a whole bed of sunflower seeds under his bed. The best part is, the Grand Tutor is so busy with official duties that he can’t crack them all himself, so he has his personal maid, Xiao Rourou, help him.]

The Grand Tutor couldn’t help but cough violently, almost choking.

Ah Bao glanced at him briefly, but her thoughts continued. [Xiao Rourou doesn’t just help the Grand Tutor crack sunflower seeds—she also warms his bed…]

The Grand Tutor stopped coughing, his heart trembling. He realized that the voice he heard was indeed the little princess’s thoughts.

He was so frightened that he could barely stand. How did the little princess know these things?

The Grand Tutor couldn’t figure it out, but there was an even bigger problem troubling him. As clever as he was, he couldn’t understand how he was able to hear the little princess’s thoughts. This…?

The Grand Tutor discreetly looked around. All the civil and military officials had their heads bowed. It seemed like only he could hear?

The Grand Tutor breathed a slight sigh of relief. Thank goodness no one else knew about this.

The Grand Tutor wanted to keep listening closely, but Ah Bao had moved on from those thoughts.

The Grand Tutor let out a sigh of relief. At his age, he’d nearly been scared into his grave.

The others stood motionless.

Were they afraid to move? No, they were stunned!

The little princess’s thoughts had somehow reached their minds!

This was simply unbelievable.

No one had expected that not only would they see the temple light up today, but they would also get such juicy gossip about the Grand Tutor.

But how did the little princess know so much gossip?

‘Ah Bao, come here, let Daddy hold you.’ The Tyrant picked up Ah Bao, who smiled happily with eyes like crescent moons.

‘Ah Bao, Daddy is asking you, how did you make the temple light up?’

Everyone stretched their necks to listen carefully, burning with curiosity. The Emperor’s question hit the nail on the head for all of them.

Ah Bao cracked another sunflower seed, ‘Shout.’

The Tyrant raised an eyebrow, ‘Huh?’

[I just shouted in my heart, ‘Light up!’ and it lit up.]

The Tyrant: !!!

Civil and Military Officials: ????

[Daddy doesn’t seem to believe it. Ahem, since I can’t explain it well, I’ll just show him.]

Without raising her eyes, Ah Bao said one word, ‘Out!’

‘Click,’ the temple lights went out.

The Tyrant’s forehead broke out in a cold sweat, frightened.

[Why isn’t Daddy saying anything? Why are the other officials silent too? Do they think I didn’t explain clearly enough?]

[I’ll have to demonstrate it a few more times. I can’t explain it with words, so I’ll have to show them through actions.]

Ah Bao cracked another sunflower seed and shouted, ‘On!’

The temple lit up.

She cracked another one and shouted again, ‘Out!’

The temple went dark with a loud crack.

Inside the temple—

“On! Off! On! Off…” Ah Bao found it increasingly entertaining. She chattered away while munching on sunflower seeds.

The once solemn and majestic temple now flickered on and off with Ah Bao’s commands, as if someone had installed strobe lights inside.

This scene was clearly visible to the citizens of the capital.

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival, nearly everyone was watching the temple.

The citizens were witnessing an unprecedented phenomenon.

The towering and magnificent temple, which once seemed to touch the clouds, was now blinking on and off in an instant.

“Is our national deity coming down?”

“I heard that the temple lights up when the national deity is present. Since it’s flickering, do you think the deity is coming down or not?”

“Could it be that the deity is still up in the sky hesitating? It’s flickering up and down—quick, let’s worship! Maybe our deity is young and playful.”

“Our Tiansheng Dynasty has a national deity now, and it seems like a mischievous one! Let’s worship the deity!”

The citizens gathered in groups, all gazing at the temple and worshipping from all directions!

“Your Majesty, perhaps the little princess is the lucky one chosen by the deity. She can actually control the temple.” The Grand Tutor snapped out of his daze and spoke quickly.

Today, he was truly amazed.

Who would have thought the temple could be used this way?

The little princess is incredible!

“Ah Bao, I understand now. I know how you lit up the temple.” Actually, the Tyrant King still didn’t understand.

After all, how could the temple obey Ah Bao?

This question puzzled the Tyrant King, and it puzzled the civil and military officials as well.

But did they dare ask Ah Bao?

No, they didn’t dare. They feared that if they asked, Ah Bao might reveal more secrets.

Of course, where there are timid ones, there are also bold ones. General Wu, the ever-victorious warrior, stepped forward and bowed to the little princess, “Your servant pays respects to the little princess.”

Ah Bao blinked, thinking this general was quite handsome!

Just a bit old.

[It’s General Wu! I know, I know.]

Everyone pricked up their ears. More gossip was coming!

The Tyrant King also kept silent, eager to hear more.

[General Wu is over thirty-five and still single. In the Tiansheng Dynasty, he’s definitely a golden bachelor, a diamond among men. Why hasn’t General Wu married yet? Is it because he doesn’t want to? Of course not! It’s because the person he loves has married someone else.]

General Wu’s lover… married someone else?

Isn’t this the classic unrequited love?

This… General Wu is so brave in battle. If he remains single, it’s truly pitiful.

No wonder many noble families have tried to matchmake with General Wu over the years, but he has turned them all down.

Turns out he has always held onto his first love.

Everyone began to speculate who General Wu’s lover was.

Ah Bao sighed inwardly.

[General Wu’s lover is his own sister-in-law.]

Boom!

The civil and military officials’ minds exploded!

And so did General Wu’s.

No one could stay calm.

What?

General Wu actually loves his own sister-in-law!

This, this, this!!!

[General Wu’s older brother passed away a few years ago, and his sister-in-law has been widowed for many years. General Wu has been protecting her all these years. They are truly in love, but neither dares to cross the final line, only able to maintain a secret relationship.]

A secret relationship…

The civil and military officials pondered for a while. The term meant they were having a clandestine romance, right?

General Wu’s face turned from pale to colorful, and he couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

Oh my!

This secret was only known to him. How did the little princess know?

This is the end.