Chapter 237: His Child, He'll Protect
Chapter 237: His Child, He'll Protect
The Qi King thought, it was impossible not to tremble.
As an ordinary man, how could he not be afraid of life and death?
It's just that, with a child in his arms and two little ones by his side, the Qi King could only feign composure so as not to frighten them.
Suishu may not have understood what her father and Ren Auntie were saying, but sensing her father's fear, she gently nuzzled her head against his cheek. Her voice was soft and soothing as she said, "Father, don't be scared. Suishu will give you a hug, and then you won't be scared anymore."
As his little daughter cuddled up to him, the Qi King felt his heart melt over and over again.
Boo hoo!
Having a daughter felt so wonderful!
The Qi King was so touched that tears almost fell from his eyes. He hugged Suishu even tighter and rubbed his face against hers affectionately. "Father's good girl, such a good girl!"
Watching from the side, Concubine Ren felt both touched and helpless. Seeing Suishu frown as the Qi King's beard pricked her skin, Concubine Ren reached out and pulled at the Qi King in concern. "Hey, be gentle! Your beard is poking her!"
The Qi King instinctively wanted to say, "Impossible, I just shaved today."
But as he lowered his head and saw Suishu's tiny knitted brows, he felt a surge of tenderness.
He let out a few yelps, then gently caressed Suishu's soft little face. "Father didn't mean to. Tonight when we get back, I'll make sure to shave again more carefully."
Seemed like just trimming his beard wasn't enough.
He would have to shave it properly.
The Qi King thought...
Or...
Should he just pluck them out by the root?
The commotion at the pastry shop quickly dissipated.
Whether the young master's fall had been an accident or part of some conspiracy was of no interest to the Qi King and his group.
Once the crowd dispersed and the discussions died down, everyone returned to their own affairs.
Soon after, Si returned with an update. "The physician said the young master's condition is not too serious. With some rest and care, he should be fine."
Although his head had been injured, it wasn't a fatal wound, and in most cases, he would recover.
The Qi King nodded. "Alright then, let's clean up and find another pastry shop to buy from."
The Qi King was still feeling a bit shaken.
He understood only too well what Concubine Ren had realized, and with the previous incidents in mind, he couldn't help but connect the dots.
Suishu...
Was a child blessed with good fortune!
The Qi King's heart was filled with both joy and worry.
He was afraid that someone might covet his precious daughter's good luck.
The Qi King thought that he wouldn't allow anyone to take advantage of his daughter's blessings, not even the Emperor, his brother. If anyone dared to harbor such intentions, he would make sure to bite their schemes off at the root!
However, today's events had been frightening, and on top of that, he had just promised Suishu that they would go sheep hunting.
So, after strolling for a while, they decided to leave the city.
Concubine Ren, still shaken from the scare, didn't feel like continuing their outing, so she bid the Qi King farewell and returned to the mansion.
Upon her return, she also brought news of the unexpected incident they had encountered on the street.
Hearing this, the Qi Queen's face turned pale with worry. She asked anxiously, "How's Suishu? Was she scared?"
Concubine Ren was not surprised that the Queen's first concern was for Suishu rather than the King.
She reassured the Queen by explaining the situation in detail.
Upon hearing this, the Qi Queen nodded gently and instructed Autumn and the court physician, Liu, to prepare a few servings of calming soup for the King and his group when they returned, to soothe their nerves.
She also asked that they inform Liu and Shen of the day's events on the street, as their children had been part of the outing. That way, if the children felt afraid or disturbed when they returned home, they would know how to comfort them.
And after such an incident, they really ought to inform the other party.
Princess Qi was busy soothing tensions at the prince's manor.
On the other side, Qi Wang had successfully arrived at the estate with Suishu.
At that moment, they were in the backyard selecting a sheep.
The estate's manager was happily leading the way, "I knew something good would happen today. Early this morning, our sheep gave birth to seven lambs, and they're all suckling now. They look strong and healthy, and our chickens also hatched a brood of chicks, all of them alive and vibrant. And..."
The manager was already delighted to see such good omens in the estate that morning.
Now, seeing the prince arrive, he was even more pleased to share the news.
If it had been before, Qi Wang might have exclaimed in surprise: "There's such wonderful news as well?"
But now...
Qi Wang couldn't help but develop superstitious thoughts.
Could it be that the sheep and chickens, knowing he was coming with adorable Suishu, had produced more to facilitate her future care? Such understanding creatures!
Qi Wang's heart was filled with gratitude as he thought.
Since they had decided to slaughter a sheep for lunch, Qi Wang was holding Suishu as they made their selection.
Qi Wang didn't neglect the other two children either, turning back from time to time to ensure they weren't left behind.
Suishu's feet barely touched the ground since they left home.
Qi Wang just couldn't bring himself to put her down.
While selecting the sheep, he held Suishu even tighter as they stood outside the enclosure.
Suishu thought any sheep they picked was fine.
Qi Wang instructed her from the side, "We need to pick a tender one because its meat will be tender. Older ones aren't as good; they're better for stewing, but that takes longer. We're having sauteed mutton for lunch, so tender meat is preferable."
"Look at that one over there; its fleece is also good. Once tanned, it'll make a nice wool pad for Suishu."
"The fleece of that one is also decent. After cleaning it, it'll make another good wool pad."
"That one with a bit of black mixed fleece is quite decorative, don't you think?"
...
Suishu's eyes were struggling to keep up with all the options.
Liu Hemeng was also happily clinging to the wooden fence, staring intently at the sheep.
Especially the newborn lambs, they looked so tender and delicious.
Compared to adults, Shen Huatong was relatively quiet, but being a child herself, her curiosity and interest in these creatures were undeniably higher.
Hence, her lively eyes couldn't help but wander, looking at one sheep after another, each one seeming like a good choice.
Shen Huatong even began to worry: With so many sheep, how long would it take to eat them all?
Eating too much mutton could be heating, and one couldn't eat it every day, could they?
Liu Hemeng, however, wasn't thinking about eating at all. After listening to Qi Wang's words, she thought...
Wow, that one would make such a thick wool pad!
That one's fleece is a bit sparse; it might be a bit thin as a pad.
That one's nice, but the decorative spots are quite nice.
Hey, that one over there is pretty good too!
...
It's a tough choice!
If the two older children found it challenging, how much more difficult would it be for Suishu?
Suishu followed her father's pointing finger, looking at one sheep after another, each one seeming like a good choice for a wool pad after tanning and cleaning.
Suishu was in a dilemma and started sucking her thumb.
How could Qi Wang bear to see his precious daughter in distress?
So, with a wave of his hand, Qi Wang declared, "We'll slaughter the ones we picked earlier! Slaughter them all!"
After making the decision, Qi Wang quickly added, remembering the incident at the Tang estate, "Didn't the young master of the Tang estate sprain his leg and is still recovering? Send two mutton legs over to him for nourishment."
(End of Chapter)
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