Having discussed Ling Yunshen's marriage, Ling Hua made preparations for the carriage and entered the palace.
Xiao Ze was in the Emperor's Imperial Study playing chess with him. On hearing of her arrival, the Emperor uttered a word of summon, "Let her in."
Xiao Ze humphed internally and said to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, Ling Hua's visits to the palace to see you have been rather frequent lately, don't you think?"
The Emperor placed a piece without lifting his head and said, "It hasn't been that frequent. In fact, since the night Xiao Zhen returned to the Capital City, it's been eight or nine days since I last saw her."
Xiao Ze pondered his next move and added, "In previous years when she was in the Capital City, she didn't come to the palace so often, not even once a month."
