Chapter 200: How Could Children Not Be Adorable?
Chapter 200: How Could Children Not Be Adorable?
Ren Cefi watched this scene, feeling amused and a bit touched.
She waved at Sui with a smile, "Come here, let Aunt bully... I mean, love you!"
Ren Cefi spoke too hastily, letting the truth slip out.
Hearing this, Sui shrank back into her mother's skirt, scared.
Auntie was acting strangely all of a sudden.
Scary!
Seeing Ren Cefi teasing the child, Qi Wangfei sighed helplessly, "Sui is still young and can't take too much teasing. Be careful, please."
Ren Cefi replied absentmindedly, "Yes, yes, yes. Don't worry, I won't bully the child. It just slipped out."
Ren Cefi had originally intended to ask about how Qi Wangfei's morning had been disturbed by Che Iniang.
But considering that the Queen was about to go to the palace, she decided to keep the Queen's mood pleasant and focused.
In the end, Ren Cefi refrained from bringing up the hurtful topic. Instead, she coaxed Sui, holding her in her arms and affectionately kissing her little cheek.
So soft! The texture was amazing!
As Ren Cefi savored the sensation, she laughed and commented, "Mmm, so tender when kissed. Makes me want to eat you up."
Sui hugged Ren Cefi's neck in fear and coquettishly said, "I don't taste good. Don't eat me, Aunt Ren."
Then, remembering the chicken soup that Che Iniang had sent earlier, Sui added, "And I took a bath last night with medicine in the water. It smelled so bad, even worse than the strange-tasting soup that the weird auntie sent today."
Ren Cefi didn't quite understand what Sui was trying to say.
Moreover, how could children not smell wonderful? The scent of medicine was also pleasant.
Ren Cefi found the smell delightful, and she liked it.
Although she didn't fully comprehend, Ren Cefi smiled and replied, "The chicken soup may not smell nice, but you, Sui, smell wonderful. The fragrance of medicine is also very pleasant. Don't believe me? Come, smell me. I also changed my perfume today."
Ren Cefi's monthly period was about to start.
Every time her period came, she experienced excruciating pain.
So, she had specifically sought out a physician to prescribe warming and nourishing medicine.
During the days leading up to her period, she would take this medicine to ease the pain.
Although it didn't alleviate the pain significantly, it at least made the experience less agonizing.
Hearing Ren Cefi's words, Sui obediently sniffed.
Hmm...
There seemed to be a faint fragrance of medicine.
Not entirely sure, Sui snuggled closer to Ren Cefi's neck, her little nose twitching.
With the two of them so close, Ren Cefi couldn't see Sui's expression.
However, feeling the little girl's fluffy little head against her neck, Ren Cefi couldn't help but indulge in the sensation, sucking on the little green stubble on the girl's head, "Oh, my soft and fragrant little girl, you smell so wonderful."
Watching Ren Cefi and Sui getting along so well, Qi Wangfei felt both relieved and heartbroken.
She still had to go to the palace, and she also kept in mind what Sui had said earlier about the unpleasant-tasting chicken soup. She had already instructed Haitang to deal with it.
Qi Wangfei intended to bring the chicken soup with her to the palace and ask the royal physicians to examine it.
Soon after, Qi Wangfei left the mansion to go to the palace, and not long after that, Qi Wang also departed.
Having failed to gain Qi Wang's favor for Che Lingzhi, Che Iniang felt displeased. On her way back, she couldn't help but grumble about it.
Che Lingzhi responded meekly, constantly tugging on Che Iniang's sleeve and whispering, "I'm sorry, Aunt. Please don't be angry. I'll definitely behave and try to stay here. Don't worry, I can do it!"
The young girl also yearned for the life in the mansion, so she was determined to work hard for it.
Thinking of this, Che Iniang felt a little better.
Upon returning, she drank the chicken soup and took some tonic before retiring to bed to catch up on her sleep.
She hadn't slept well the previous night, so she intended to make up for it during the day.
Before dozing off, she instructed Qiaozhi to keep a close eye on Che Lingzhi, reassuring herself that everything would be fine as she drifted into slumber.
Che Lingzhi felt extremely displeased, having been ignored by the prince and reprimanded by her aunt.
She thought to herself: "It's all because of that skinny, ugly child! If it weren't for that brat showing up at the mansion and stealing my place, the prince would surely have favored me by now!"
The more Che Lingzhi thought about it, the more agitated she became. Her eyes darted cunningly as she coaxed Qiaozhi into taking her out to play.
Che Lingzhi assured, "I'll be mindful and won't wander too far. I'll just play nearby."
Qiaozhi naturally trusted that Che Lingzhi wouldn't cause any trouble, so she happily accompanied the young girl.
Che Lingzhi initially intended only to admire the flowers and plants, but her restless nature soon led her to the fish pond.
She roamed around the eastern courtyard, mainly hoping to catch a glimpse of the two secondary consorts and charm them into giving her some treats.
These women came from respectable families and were known for their generosity. Che Lingzhi planned to flatter them with sweet words and, in return, receive some gifts.
Of course, there was also Guo Iniang, a lowly merchant's wife, who was easy to deceive due to her naivety and loose purse strings.
Che Lingzhi had encountered her on a previous visit and, after exchanging a few pleasantries, received numerous gifts.
While Che Lingzhi looked down on Guo Iniang's merchant background, she couldn't deny her fondness for the gifts she received.
She admired the jewelry and believed that by accepting them, she was rescuing these trinkets and providing them with a respectable origin story.
In her mind, Guo Iniang should be grateful for her generosity!
Che Lingzhi wandered around and around, but to her dismay, none of the ladies made an appearance.
It was as if they had conspired to remain indoors, not even peeking out for a moment.
This frustrated and annoyed Che Lingzhi, and she wished she could march over and knock on their doors, demanding that they show themselves!
However, she knew that such behavior would be highly frowned upon, and she couldn't bring herself to do it.
As she contemplated asking Qiaozhi to find a way to remind the ladies of their presence and prompt them to make an appearance, she spotted two young maids, crying and pushing each other, making their way towards Ren Cefi's quarters.
Che Lingzhi recognized them as servants of the esteemed Qi Manor. While her father had no concubines, he did have three mistresses, or 'tongfang.'
She had recently heard that a maid serving her mother had caught her father's eye due to her ample hips, which were believed to be auspicious for bearing sons. As a result, her father intended to promote this maid to the status of a tongfang.
Che Lingzhi, despite her young age, often overheard the adults' unguarded conversations, and she understood the dynamics of these relationships.
'Tongfang' referred to a woman who was elevated from the status of a mere maid to that of a concubine, albeit a low-ranking one.
Che Lingzhi looked down on these tongfang, considering them little more than glorified servants. In her eyes, they were still lowly slaves, and she certainly didn't hold them in high regard.
However, the two maids were heading towards Ren Cefi's quarters, and this sparked an idea in Che Lingzhi's mind.
Her eyes lit up as she thought: "Perhaps when these two start making a fuss, Ren Cefi will come out, and the other ladies will gather to witness the commotion. Then, I can make an appearance before them, charm them with my sweet words, and surely, I'll receive some treats."
With a newfound purpose, Che Lingzhi straightened her clothes and followed closely behind the two maids, making her way towards Ren Cefi's residence.
Second update at 7 PM
(End of Chapter)
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