https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-335-It-Really-is-the-Imperial-Aunt/12607306/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-337-The-Crown-Prince-Will-Have-Many-Sons/12607309/
Chapter 336: Preparations to Return Home
Chapter 336: Preparations to Return Home
Kite-flying was something Qi Wang had prepared for, thinking they would be staying at Lanruo Temple for a few days, intending to enjoy this pastime with the children.
Now, with Qi Wang's mind elsewhere, the children at least had toys to keep them occupied.
SuSu was disappointed that her father couldn't join her, but she understood that he had important matters to attend to and that she was growing up and needed to be more considerate.
So, she couldn't be too clingy.
It was just...
She felt so out of sorts without her father by her side.
Thankfully, children's attention spans are short, and soon enough, as the kite soared into the sky, SuSu's thoughts turned to the excitement of the moment, and she ran after her cousin, Xiang.
SuSu was too young to handle the kite by herself.
Xiang, her older cousin, was flying it for her, and as the kite soared higher, SuSu's excitement grew. She couldn't help but exclaim with delight, "Cousin, you're amazing!"
"Cousin, it's so high! I want to go up to the sky too!"
......
The little girl chattered happily.
Cousin Xiang didn't mind the noise, finding the child adorable.
She had none of her own, and this left a void in her heart.
But now, seeing SuSu's sweet and well-behaved nature, she felt that void lessen.
Though SuSu wasn't her child, Xiang felt content.
Taking care of this adorable little girl brought her joy.
Upon seeing this, Feng Xuanrui didn't want to be outdone. He loosened the string of his kite, letting it soar even higher.
Feng Xuanbin also wanted to showcase his skills, but...
His kite string got tangled in a tree.
Feng Xuanbin stomped his feet in frustration. "No! Why is this happening? Hit it! Hit the tree!"
The little chubby boy jumped up and down, his feet stomping angrily on the ground, making the earth tremble.
Feng Xuanrui stood by, mercilessly mocking his brother.
Feng Xuanbin: ?
"I'm telling on you, Sixth Brother!" Feng Xuanbin angrily instructed Qing Shun and the others to retrieve the kite.
However, the kite was stuck too high up, and there was no safe way to climb and retrieve it, so despite their efforts, Qing Shun and the others couldn't get it down.
In the end, they could only express their regret that the kite was beyond repair.
Feng Xuanbin: ...
Though he was furious, he maintained a smile.
The three children played and chatted noisily for a while before returning for lunch, still deep in discussion about their morning's adventures.
Qi Wang's heart was heavy with grief, and the stress had taken a toll on his body. Earlier that morning, he had coughed up blood again, frightening the Qi Wangfei.
Thankfully, Doctor Liu was present, and the Crown Prince had sent for the royal physician, who carefully examined Qi Wang and assured them that aside from his grief, there were no other health concerns. Only then did Qi Wangfei breathe a sigh of relief.
The ring was no longer with Qi Wang. The Crown Prince had sent people to return it to the palace.
The Emperor was also awaiting news, and once it was confirmed, he would have to inform the Empress Dowager.
They were all close relatives of Princess Jiayang, and upon hearing this news...
They would surely be devastated.
Qi Wang's heart was heavy, and his body weak. SuSu came to visit him at noon, but he could barely muster the energy to stroke her little head before falling back asleep.
He had yet to recover from being drugged, and now this emotional blow had Qi Wangfei deeply worried about his health.
SuSu watched from the sidelines, feeling both sad and worried.
She gently touched her father's forehead, her voice soft as she said, "Mother, don't worry. Father will be fine."
After saying this, the little girl tilted her head and added, "This time, there wasn't a big snake biting Father!"
For some reason, after hearing SuSu's words, Qi Wangfei felt a sense of calm wash over her.
Perhaps it was because she believed in SuSu's good fortune, or maybe it was simply the comfort of having children around, which always brought solace.
So, her flustered heart finally settled.
Qi Wangfei raised her hand and gently pulled SuSu into her embrace, hugging her tightly before whispering, "Everything will be fine."
The excavation in the northwest corner had expanded considerably.
Not only had the Crown Prince sent people, but the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Punishment were also involved, yet despite their efforts, they hadn't uncovered anything useful.
The Court of Judicial Review had sent people to thoroughly investigate every servant in the side palace, from the highest to the lowest ranks.
Additionally, the Ministry of Household provided a list of servants who had worked in the side palace in previous years, along with their subsequent assignments or departures, all clearly marked.
Those who served in the palace or the side palace were undoubtedly from families whose nine relations had been thoroughly vetted.
Now, whether they had been reassigned to other duties or released from service upon reaching a certain age, their whereabouts could be easily traced.
It would take time to uncover the truth and unravel the secrets of what happened back then.
Over half a month passed during this investigation.
SuSu, who had initially found the side palace fascinating and enjoyable, gradually changed her tune.
"Eh?
This place is boring, I've seen it already."
"Oh?
That place is dull too, not interesting."
"Hey?
Why are they back here again?
Once they had explored every corner of the vast side palace, its initial appeal to the children faded.
However, SuSu thought that since her father was still unwell and couldn't travel by carriage, they should wait a little longer.
It wasn't until the end of May that Qi Wang's health improved, and they finally packed their belongings to return to the city.
Feng XuanShang had returned to the palace in mid-May.
His younger brother, the Ninth Prince, had a birthday at the end of the month, so he had to be there to celebrate with him.
The Crown Prince had been busy traveling back and forth between the side palace and the main palace for the past month, and the exertion had taken a toll on his appearance, making him look darker and thinner.
Aside from when he first arrived and SuSu paid her respects, she hadn't seen him much since.
In fact, when he came to see them off on their departure, SuSu barely recognized him.
Seeing SuSu's startled expression, her eyes wide like a startled tanuki, the Crown Prince couldn't help but smile at her cuteness.
He didn't take offense; after all, she was just a child. But he gently touched her small hat and said, "Mingxi needs to eat more and take good care of her hair. I see it's grown quite a bit; soon, you'll be able to tie it into a little bun."
As the weather grew hotter, constantly wearing a hat could cause a heat rash, and the Crown Prince didn't want such an adorable little head to be marred by unsightly bumps.
SuSu, unaware of his concern, bowed politely in thanks and then hid behind her brother, too shy to come out.
The Crown Prince had an intimidating aura...
SuSu was a little afraid of him.
The Crown Prince wasn't surprised that the child was intimidated by him.
If he didn't carry himself with a certain amount of authority, he wouldn't be able to keep his many younger siblings in line.
Seeing SuSu hiding behind her brother but still peeking at him with curious, adorable eyes, he smiled and said, "Mingxi is so adorable that it makes me want to adopt her as my own."
He added wistfully, "I only hope that my daughter will be as lovely as SuSu when she grows up."
Second watch at 7 pm.
(End of Chapter)
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