# Chapter 118: Side Story 4
"It's getting colder by the day. If you're not going out to see the Imperial Consort, stay indoors. If you need to summon anyone, receive them in the side hall—no need to worry about the officials gossiping." Qi Xiao adjusted his dragon robe and spoke softly to Bai Ren, who was still dressed in his underclothes and sitting on the bed. "The astronomers say it will snow within the next day or two. If you want to play in the snow, do it inside the palace, don't go out."
It was still dark outside, and Bai Ren was terribly sleepy. He yawned and murmured, "I promised to take Yu'er to see the Imperial Consort today... Probably won't snow yet, will it?"
Qi Yu—the orphaned great-grandson of the old Prince Chun, now brought into the palace.
"Can't say for sure... Let Jiang Deqing accompany you back. Give orders to bring a few iron chains along—when the snow starts, remember to bind them around the carriage wheels." Qi Xiao reached up and ruffled Bai Ren's hair. "You just went back the day before yesterday, so there's no need to stay long. Be back by lunch, understood?"
Bai Ren smiled lightly. "Going back and not even allowed a meal, and now I have to come back for lunch... What good thing has His Majesty prepared for me?"
"Roasted deer sinew." Qi Xiao curved his lips into a smile. "If you dare not come back for lunch, dinner will be chaff for you..."
The palace servants were already催促ing outside. Qi Xiao leaned down, pressed a kiss to Bai Ren's lips, then turned and left.
"Ah... It's only been a month, and this child has grown so much." The carriage jostled along the road. Qi Yu had fallen asleep, his little cheeks flushed pink—absolutely adorable. The Lingnan Imperial Consort took the child from the wet nurse's arms, kissed him, and exclaimed happily, "The imperial capital's water really nurtures people well. Just look at this delicate little face..."
The Lingnan Imperial Consort turned to look at Bai Ren, frowning slightly. "But you... I was just about to say it—why do you look thinner?"
Bai Ren offered a reassuring smile. "There's been a lot to handle at year-end. Fortunately, it's all finished now. I'll eat well and rest properly during the New Year, and it'll all come back."
"Please don't worry, Your Highness." Jiang Deqing smiled as he tried to ease her concerns. "His Highness has been a bit thinner lately, and His Majesty is the first to worry. He had several senior imperial physicians examine王爷's pulse in succession. Knowing there was nothing wrong, he then specifically instructed the Imperial Kitchen to prepare meals for王爷in various creative ways. These past two days王爷has been much better in spirit. I believe it won't be long before he's back to his old self."
Upon hearing this, the old consu's heart sank a little, but she did her best to reassure herself. At least that one truly cared for her son... The consort smiled. "With His Majesty looking after him, I'm certainly at ease. When we returned from Lingnan back then, he was so thin—yet we managed to nurse him back to health. This is nothing in comparison..."
Although Bai Ren and the Lingnan Imperial Consort had reached an understanding, every time Qi Xiao was mentioned between them, there was still a certain awkwardness. The consort steered the conversation elsewhere. "That sister-in-law of Yu'er's—has she stopped causing trouble? Hasn't given you any grief?"
When Qi Xiao had ordered the child to be brought into the palace, the second young mistress of the third branch of the Chun Prince's mansion had actually been pleased for a time, thinking she had finally shaken off this burden and could claim the eldest branch's entire estate. When the palace people came to take the child, she had put on a show of crying in front of the old Chun Princess Dowager, saying how she had raised the boy for several months now and couldn't bear to part with him. The old Princess Dowager had calmly asked, "If you're so reluctant, you could exchange Tiiao for Yu'er."
Tiiao was the second young mistress's legitimate son, of course she wasn't willing. She quickly changed her tune. "This servant was confused. The child going to the palace is his great fortune—even if this servant is reluctant, she must send him off. Tiiao... doesn't have Yu'er's great blessings."
The old Princess Dowager raised her eyelids and glanced at her, then said nothing more. But not long after the child was sent to the palace, news spread that Qi Xiao intended to adopt Qi Yu as his own. Qi Yu's aunt懊悔不已and rushed to the old Princess Dowager, weeping and begging. She said that in the half month since the child was sent away, she had missed him terribly and couldn't bear it any longer. She begged the Princess Dowager to go to the palace and bring the child back.
The old Princess Dowager sat in silence, simply gazing at her steadily. This made the aunt's heart grow cold and clammy. She sniffled and said in a small voice, "Didn't Your Highness say before that Tiiao could be exchanged for Yu'er? Since the child was only just sent in and hasn't been there long, perhaps... we could just bring him back? After all, the two children are only months apart—wouldn't they be the same?"
The old Princess Dowager let out a cold laugh. She neither agreed nor refused, but instead leisurely began recounting the past. "Three years ago, your mother-in-law in the third branch took a liking to you, saying you were clever and capable, that you would be able to carry on the household one day. I was unwilling at the time, but since there was a generation between us, I thought it should be decided by the child's own father and mother. That's why I didn't say much. Did we really bring you into the family? Clever and capable you certainly are—but carry on the household? Hmph..."
The old Princess Dowager rose with the help of her attendant, her voice flat. "The Emperor said nothing. You merely heard some rumors and flew into such a panic. Among all the principal and collateral branches of the imperial clan throughout the capital, I doubt you could find another so shortsighted and impulsive."
Qi Yu's aunt's face flushed crimson with shame; she wished she could disappear into a crack in the floor. The old Princess Dowager was usually the most kind and gentle of people, but today she was determined to put this aunt in her place. She continued with sharp sarcasm, "What's the rush? Should it turn out not to be a good place after all, you could always swap back when he returns?"
The aunt wept without stopping, falling to her knees. "This servant only couldn't bear to..."
"Pack away this act of yours!" The Princess Dowager was utterly exasperated and snapped harshly. "Do you think the Emperor has no choice but to take Yu'er? There are plenty of children in the imperial clan! But why did he pick Yu'er specifically? Use your brain for once! You opened your mouth and demanded a trade—what makes your child superior to others?! Don't make people die of shame!"
The old Princess Dowager knew her own health would not hold out for much longer. To prevent future trouble, she索性spelled it out plainly. "I might as well tell you today—I spoke with the Prince of Lingnan before, and I sent this child to the palace, not for His Highness's health, but because I saw how truly pitiful this child was, and that's why I entrusted him to the Prince! In the future, His Highness will tell Yu'er the same thing himself. If you behave properly, His Highness will leave you alone out of respect for your relation to Qi Yu. But if you still want to make trouble... Ha ha. When Yu'er grows up, His Highness can tell him how you ignored him when he was a child, how you almost cost him his life. Let's see how Yu'er would treat you then!"
Qi Yu's aunt's legs went weak with fear. If the rumors were true, then Qi Yu would one day become... The aunt was terrified out of her wits. She stammered, "This servant... was only joking just now. Certainly... certainly would never bring this up again..."
The old Princess Dowager laughed coldly twice. "That's the best outcome. And one more thing! Everyone knows the Emperor's temperament. From now on, except for me, no one else in this mansion needs to see Yu'er. After all, none of you ever cared about the child before—no need for all of you to suddenly discover you love him now, wanting excuses to go see him. You won't get any benefits anyway, so why risk provoking the Emperor's displeasure and bring disaster upon the whole family?"
The aunt's face alternated between purple and red. She had no choice but to nod...
"The old Princess Dowager gave that scolding, and the second young mistress of the Chun Prince's mansion has been much quieter ever since." Jiang Deqing imitated the old Princess Dowager's magnificent fury so perfectly that the Lingnan Imperial Consort couldn't stop laughing. "Your Highness can rest easy. The old Princess Dowager even summoned the third master of their mansion and strictly ordered him to keep a tight watch on his wife and not let her make trouble. If she so much as speaks one more word improperly, she can be divorced outright. The second young mistress hasn't dared breathe hard since hearing that."
The consort shook her head and laughed. "What goes around comes around... Well, I used to worry about this. Now that I see how things turned out, I can relax. The old Princess Dowager is a sensible person... By the way, is lunch prepared? Tell them to make more of what王爷likes to eat."
Bai Ren remembered Qi Xiao's instructions and quickly said, "No, there are still many documents from Lingnan piled up in the palace."
The consort frowned. "Can't you spare even the time for one meal?"
Bai Ren苦笑ed. He thought to himself: it's not that he can't spare the time, but if he doesn't return when that person said, he wouldn't really be forced to eat chaff for dinner, but what happened after dinner would be hard to say... Recently Bai Ren had lost a bit of weight. Qi Xiao hadn't said anything, but he was deeply troubled. He personally watched Bai Ren eat every single meal. Bai Ren understood Qi Xiao's concern for him and didn't want to worry him. As he was about to make another excuse, the attendant Madam Yan walked in from outside and smiled. "Your Highness may be reluctant to see the prince leave, but we must prioritize official duties. Besides... the princess and her husband return the day after tomorrow. Why not ask the prince to come back for dinner then?"
Madam Yan grinned teasingly. "If His Highness clears out our kitchen today, surely he won't be able to refuse coming back on that day."
Bai Ren seized the opportunity and smiled. "Alright, I'll definitely come the day after tomorrow."
The consort had no choice but to wave her hand dismissively. "Fine, I can't win an argument with you. Nurse, wrap the child up carefully... Be careful not to let the wind in..."
After seeing Bai Ren's party off, the consort turned to Madam Yan with a teasing smile. "You're always on his side. All I wanted was to keep the prince for one more meal—just to hold the baby a little longer. Your tongue is so sharp, and instead of helping me persuade him, you turn around and speak for him!"
Madam Yan苦笑ed. "Your Highness really wrongs this servant. Doesn't this servant want to see the little young master a bit longer? Only..."
Madam Yan lowered her voice. "The second married sister is here again!"
The consort was dumbfounded. "She... why is she here?"
Madam Yan's eyes flickered with disgust. "The second married sister knew His Highness was coming back today, so she specifically came to corner him! Just now this servant politely invited her to sit in the front hall, but she wouldn't hear of it—she insisted on rushing in! The princess ignores her, and every time she comes to this side, this servant has stopped her from seeing Your Highness. That's why she thought up this scheme, trying to get to Your Highness through the prince. Tsk! This servant was afraid that if we kept the prince any longer, she really would force her way in. So I simply persuaded Your Highness to let him go."
The consort苦笑ed. "She wouldn't come for no reason. What's she done now?"