Leaving the main hall, Ning Chen went to the Ninth Princess's room.

Zisu and Yudie were there too.

The three women got along very well now!

The Ninth Princess was of noble birth, but she had lived her whole life deep in the palace, and relations among the princes and princesses were never warm, so she'd had no friends.

At Ning Chen's home, there weren't nearly as many rules as in the palace.

And Yudie and Zisu were both very sensible, so the three of them got along better and better.

Yudie was observant. She noticed Ning Chen didn't look right, poured him a cup of hot tea, and asked softly, "Ning, dear, is something troubling you?"

Ning Chen sighed. "We have to go to Xuanwu City!"

Then Ning Chen told them what had happened at court that day!

The Ninth Princess jumped straight up in anger. "Brother Emperor has gone too far. Isn't this killing the donkey once the milling's done? I'm going to see him. What right does he have to bully you?"

The corner of Ning Chen's mouth twitched, and he said, lost for words, "Actually, tearing down the bridge once you're across sounds nicer than killing the donkey once the milling's done!"

"Don't they mean the same thing?" The Ninth Princess was furious. "I'm going into the palace right now to have it out with Brother Emperor!"

Ning Chen caught her slender wrist and smiled. "Don't go! The Great Xuan is stable and at peace now, with no wars to fight... It's only natural for the emperor to take back the command!"

The Ninth Princess argued back, "We're all one family. Does it matter whose hands the command is in? The plain truth is, Brother Emperor doesn't think of you as one of us... No, I'm going to see him. What right does he have to bully people like this?"

Ning Chen smiled and shook his head. "He isn't the Brother you used to know. He's the emperor now."

The Ninth Princess was very angry and waved her fists. "So what if he's emperor? Father Emperor…