CHAPTER 79: CHAPTER 79: AWAKENED BY HUNGER

"Bao’er, what else do you want? Just tell the Emperor directly, stop crying, alright?" The worry in Emperor Yongning’s eyes was unmistakable.

Jun Ning seized this opportunity to achieve her goal of bringing her mother out of the Cold Palace. By rights, she had no reason to cry anymore, and she herself didn’t want to continue crying.

But why was she still crying?

Because she had been crying for so long and so intensely that now her actions were completely beyond her control, and she couldn’t stop even if she wanted to.

Only when she was exhausted from crying, utterly weary, and sleepiness overcame her did she close her eyes and fall asleep, ceasing to cry.

The tension in Emperor Yongning finally relieved a little, as he took a deep breath and freed one arm that was holding Jun Ning, using it to wipe away the tear stains at the corners of her eyes, and then gently patted her back to coax her further into sleep.

Listening to her sleeping, yet occasionally letting out a sob, brought a wave of distress to his heart once again.

His precious Bao’er had suffered this time.

He silently vowed that he would never let Bao’er suffer this pain again in the future.

As a bystander, Liu Pin could see Emperor Yongning’s indulgence, concern, and affection for Jun Ning most clearly. Perhaps it was love by association; she didn’t dislike Jun Ning in the first place, and now she found herself growing more fond of her.

Furthermore, since she had never raised a child, she was filled with anticipation toward children.

She extended her hands and eagerly said, "Your Majesty, you should rest for a while. Let me hold the little princess to sleep?"

"No!" Emperor Yongning refused: "Bao’er has just fallen asleep, if we change who’s holding her, I’m afraid she will awaken. Let’s just let her sleep well for now. You should also head back, Liu Pin!"

"Oh..." Liu Pin nodded somewhat disappointedly, and after taking one more reluctant glance at the little princess in Emperor Yongning’s arms, she said, "Then I shall take my leave, Your Majesty."

Jun Ning slept straight until midnight.

Earlier at the Empress’s place, she had not dined because she was busy with important matters. And after returning to the Imperial Study Room with Emperor Yongning, she was so exhausted from crying that she fell asleep immediately, still without having dinner.

At this point, she was woken up by hunger, her stomach playing a lonely tune.

She climbed out of bed, looked around, hoping to find someone to help her with some food, but saw only Emperor Yongning by her side. At that moment, he was sitting at the desk, going through the memorials handed in by the ministers, his brows continuously furrowed.

But he wasn’t just focused on the memorials, ignoring Jun Ning.

He kept in mind that Jun Ning hadn’t had dinner, so he was reviewing the memorials while waiting for Jun Ning to wake up, constantly attentive to any movement from her.

He had already instructed the Imperial Kitchen as well, making sure that Bao’er’s meals were always ready, so she could have hot food as soon as she awoke.

Upon hearing Jun Ning’s stomach growl, Emperor Yongning, thinking she might be awake, rubbed his brow and glanced in her direction.

Seeing that Jun Ning was indeed awake, he set the memorial aside and instructed the night watchman outside, "Quickly bring up the meal prepared for the princess."

"Bao’er, hungry?" Emperor Yongning sat down next to Jun Ning, touching her stomach. "It won’t be more than a quarter of an hour, the food will be right up."

From before she fell asleep until now, Jun Ning had been preoccupied with another matter in her heart. And for some reason, she now felt restless and especially wanted to visit the Cold Palace.