Chapter 331: Finger Bones
Chapter 331: Finger Bones
Sui Sui pointed in a certain direction, and Feng Xuanrui and Feng Xuanbin followed closely behind, charging forward without hesitation.
"Charge!"
"Haha, here we go on a grand adventure!"
...
The children were well-fed, well-rested, and bursting with energy.
As a result, their voices were loud and their movements agile.
The Emperor, anxious about their safety, had to rush to keep up!
Seeing him break into a sweat, the Empress gently advised, "Slow down, dear. They're being watched, nothing will happen."
Moreover, this was the imperial garden, and it was unlikely that anyone would dare cause trouble here. Compared to other places, it was relatively safe.
Despite this, the Emperor still couldn't shake his worry.
Panting for breath, he waved his hand, "I need to keep an eye on them. My heart keeps pounding."
Hearing this, the Empress rolled her eyes, "It's because you're running too fast."
The Emperor was left speechless but continued to press on.
The children were oblivious to the fact that their father, the Emperor, was trailing behind, his ailing body determined to keep up with their energetic pace.
The three children, accompanied by their servants, dashed towards the northwest corner.
The Emperor gazed into the distance, relieved to recognize the area, "Good, good. That used to be where the Empress tended her flowers. Later, the trees grew taller than the flowers, and she lost interest, leaving it untended. There are no walls or water, but it's safe."
The Empress glanced in that direction and then lowered her eyes, nodding in agreement, "That's good then."
At most, the grass would be a little taller, and there might be some insects.
In the past, that area had been the favorite spot of the previous Emperor's imperial concubine.
The imperial concubine had once been the most favored among the six palaces, and her temperament was far more indulgent than that of the current imperial concubine, He Guifei.
Within the imperial garden, there were designated areas for fish-rearing and flower-growing.
However, after the previous Emperor's passing and the fall of the imperial concubine's faction, these areas were redistributed among the other consorts by the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager had also attempted to plant flowers in that particular area but found that the trees thrived more than the flowers. She attributed this to the place being inauspicious and tainted by the previous imperial concubine's 'witchcraft'.
Thus, it was eventually left untended.
Being associated with the previous Emperor's imperial concubine was not considered a good thing these days.
As a result, that area had been left untouched for many years, and no one had suggested planting or cultivating anything there.
It was almost as if that piece of land had been deliberately forgotten.
The Empress knew that everyone was considering the Empress Dowager's feelings and that there was no need to upset her over a relatively small piece of land.
So, no one mentioned it, and that area remained untouched.
Sui Sui and her cousins were allowed to run freely, and seeing that the Emperor didn't stop them, the Empress didn't say more.
The Emperor wasn't as concerned about the past as his wife. Although that area had once been unpopular...
...years had passed since then, and the Empress Dowager probably barely remembered those details.
So, there was no need to worry unnecessarily; the children's happiness was the most important thing.
Sui Sui and her cousins had initially set out to look for mountain water buffalo.
Perhaps due to the clear weather over the last two days, the buffalo had scattered, and despite their thorough search through the grass, they only managed to find one.
One mountain water buffalo was not enough for the three children to play with, even if the brothers gave priority to their sister.
However, Sui Sui was not a selfish child.
She turned in circles in the grass, hoping to find more but eventually came up with another idea. "How about we dig for earthworms instead?"
Earthworms were a great idea!
They could also help loosen the soil in the Empress's flower garden.
Feng Xuanrui readily agreed: "That's a great idea! Let's dig here first, Qing Shan, go and get the tools."
Qing Shan and Feng Xuanbin's servant, Qing Shun, went to fetch the tools.
Sui Sui didn't need to send anyone specifically, as her brothers' servants would bring them back for her.
Qing Shan and the others returned shortly, and the three children, with their long robes hiked up, skirts tucked, and sleeves rolled, eagerly began their task.
From a distance, the Princess of Qi watched with a heart that wouldn't stop pounding.
However, thinking about how important it was for the children to have fun, she soon put her worries aside.
They could always wash off the dirt later.
The joy of childhood was something that couldn't be easily replaced or compensated for.
And even if one tried to make up for it, would it ever truly be the same as the original happiness?
So, as long as the children were happy, that was what mattered most, and with the adults keeping a close eye on them, nothing bad would happen.
Now that Feng Xuan Shang had finished his work with the medicinal fields, he decided to harvest the herbs the following morning, depending on the weather conditions.
With some free time on his hands, he, too, came over to watch the fun.
After all, he was still a teenager at heart, and despite his mature and calm demeanor, he yearned for play and joy.
Feng Xuan Shang observed from a distance, not wanting to intrude on their fun.
Noticing his nephew's interest, the Prince of Qi also walked closer to join him.
The two of them chatted from time to time as they watched the children.
At first, Sui Sui and her cousins were digging diligently, even kneeling down to search for earthworms.
Several servants knelt alongside them, helping in the search, but soon the three children became engrossed in their task, shoveling dirt frantically and tossing it to the side.
Seeing the three little workers toiling away with such enthusiasm and happiness, the Prince of Qi couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter. "My, oh my! You are all so capable!"
"Little Six is doing well too. Those arms have some strength! Come with me."
"Little Seven, on the other hand, isn't pulling his weight. All that meat on his bones is for naught. We'll have to make sure the tutor gives him a good workout later."
...
Feng Xuan Shang watched his younger siblings with a twinkle in his eye, feeling a bit envious and wishing he could join in.
However, as the eldest prince, he carried a certain burden, and even though there weren't many people around in the separate residence, he felt he had to maintain a certain decorum and could only admire their carefree play from a distance.
The three children were having the time of their lives digging.
But then, suddenly, Feng Xuanbin let out a piercing scream, startling the Prince of Qi, who was in the middle of a conversation with Feng Xuan Shang.
Upon hearing the commotion, the Princess of Qi, who had been sitting not too far away, sprang to her feet and rushed over.
Feng Xuan Shang was also startled and turned to see what had happened.
By the time the second scream rang out, the rest of their entourage had rushed over as well.
And then, everyone froze in disbelief.
Perhaps due to the recent heavy rains, or maybe because the children had gotten carried away in their enthusiasm, they had dug a little too deep.
In their fervor, they had unearthed a small segment of a finger bone.
It was just a single joint, a lone piece of stark white bone, which ordinarily wouldn't have been that noticeable if it had been lying in the grass or somewhere less conspicuous.
However, against the dark yellow soil, that fragment of bone stood out starkly.
Sui Sui hadn't actually seen it yet, as she was still happily digging away with Feng Xuanrui.
It was Feng Xuanbin who had struck it with his shovel, and the bone had even bounced off his shoe.
Feng Xuanbin was so frightened that his mind went blank, and he screamed involuntarily.
By the time the Prince of Qi and the others rushed over, Feng Xuanbin had fainted from shock.
Acting swiftly, the Prince of Qi grabbed Sui Sui and Feng Xuanrui, pulling them away and covering their eyes just in time before they could turn and see what had caused the commotion.
Second post of the day
(End of Chapter)
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