Chapter 295

Chapter 295

"Honored Mother Consort." As he spoke, the little milk dragon had already walked over and stood before Su Yi. Though he tried to restrain his emotions from showing too much, his eyes sparkled brightly, clearly betraying his desire to act spoiled.*

"You've grown taller." Su Yi gestured with her hand, her tone carrying a hint of nostalgia. At this age, children seem to shoot up in height almost overnight.

She had genuinely been on leave, while the little one had thrown himself into signing up for a summer training camp. The actual number of participants wasn’t large, but the competition was fierce.

The real oversight was skipping sunscreen altogether.

Now seeing himself as grown-up and aspiring to adulthood, he was naturally most concerned about his height. The baby fat on his face had faded somewhat, making his features appear even more refined. He flashed her a bright, beaming smile, brimming with the youthful energy of his age.

"Honored Mother Consort, are you feeling better? The sun is quite strong here—perhaps we should move to a shadier spot." Earlier, he hadn’t paid much attention to the sunlight, but now he quickly scanned for a less exposed area.

Though tanned into a golden bun, the little milk dragon was still, at heart, a sweet custard bun. Truly, he was a little sweetheart.

At first, he had indeed been startled by the rumors that Su Yi’s condition had suddenly taken a severe turn. Su Yi didn’t bother correcting others that her situation wasn’t that dire, but scaring a child was another matter. Even Su Yi, on her leisurely break, would feel a pang of guilt seeing how worried he was.

So, after dispelling the rumors for the little milk dragon, she entered a period of quiet recuperation and encouraged him to focus on his training instead of making unnecessary trips to see her—better to use that time to surpass the competition.

"No need. Since we have the chance today, and the sunlight is just right, it’s nice to stretch our legs a bit." Sitting still under the scorching sun would be truly stifling, yet everyone maintained faces as if basking in a cool breeze at the perfect temperature.

Su Yi spoke gently, the sunlight casting a soft glow around her. She had changed into riding attire—sunset orange and willow green—that complemented her complexion beautifully. Her hair was secured with just a few simple ornaments, giving her a radiant and lively look.

Hearing this, the little milk dragon had initially thought he would simply accompany the Honored Mother Consort, but reality quickly dashed that idea. The timing felt off, but he bit back the thought. No matter what, he couldn’t act on impulse. All he could do was urge her to take care.

Strangely enough, the roles seemed reversed here—it was the little milk dragon who ended up fretting over safety.

Su Yi blinked in surprise. *Wait, isn’t that my line?*

It felt as though she had suddenly become the child being fussed over.

Su Yi felt compelled to say something. "Your Imperial Father’s got it covered." To handle things.

"That’s good." The little milk dragon visibly relaxed.

After all, the Emperor was accompanied by numerous guards—nothing should go wrong.

Meanwhile, onlookers who’d noticed Su Yi’s change into riding attire couldn’t help but glance over, their faces flickering with unreadable expressions.

*So that’s how it is.* No wonder Rong Noble Consort had left around the same time earlier—she must have gone to prepare. The Emperor intended to take her for a ride around the hunting grounds.

Su Yi’s gaze shifted to the horse beside the little milk dragon. Its coat was glossy black, with only a white marking on its forehead—a "frost-brow." Its eyes were dark, lively, and spirited, radiating untamed pride. Clearly, this was a horse with a strong personality.

Though not yet fully grown, its stature was already nearing that of some adult horses.

Catching her gaze, the little milk dragon signaled for the horse to be led over. He gently stroked its mane to soothe it, ensuring it would remain calm and approachable when the Honored Mother Consort came near.

Normally, the horse would nuzzle its head against him affectionately at this point, but today it smoothly pivoted toward Su Yi instead—a perfect fake-out.

The fake-out worked perfectly. The little milk dragon didn’t even manage to grab its head—he missed—entirely!

Just as he grew concerned that the horse’s sudden movement might startle the Honored Mother Consort and moved to intervene, he saw her calmly raise a hand to stop the horse’s nuzzle as it pressed forward. Her voice was gentle yet firm, carrying a hint of fondness. "Easy now."

She declined the close contact but still gave it a light pat.

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*Footnote: "Little milk dragon" is a playful nickname rather than a literal creature, often used affectionately to describe a young person with a spirited or mischievous nature.*

The jet-black, liquid eyes exuded a quiet gentleness, and it didn’t shove its big head forward this time but lowered it slightly so Su Yi could reach it easily.

Her fingers tapped the horse’s forehead affectionately. "Do your best out there, okay?" she encouraged, her tone warm.

It didn’t matter whether the horse understood—she simply wanted to express her fondness, and the horse nuzzled her back, like it understood.

Little milk dragon, who had initially struggled to adapt—though he hadn’t been thrown off, he had been snorted at—watched the seamless harmony between the woman and the horse with a flicker of confusion.

Especially since Honored Mother Consort hadn’t spoken to him like that just now. His lips twitched as if he wanted to pout, but he suppressed the impulse.

Little milk dragon: *Honored Mother Consort, I’m right here beside you!*

"Of course, Baocheng too," Su Yi knew how to share the love and quickly shifted her focus from the horse back to little milk dragon.

"Honored Mother Consort, I will," little milk dragon replied firmly, his small face serious, before subtly gesturing for someone to lead the horse away again.

It was clear the proud black horse—this edgy stallion—was reluctant to leave, its hooves dragging reluctantly instead of their usual crisp steps.

Su Yi looked at his youthful, energetic face and stepped forward, resting her hands on his small, slender shoulders.

As she lowered her gaze to meet his, her eyes lingered for a heartbeat on his neck before softening as they settled on his beautiful eyes. Her voice was tender with concern,

"Aside from performing well, you must also be careful not to get hurt."

The kindness made his chest tighten, but his eyes pricked with tears.

Earlier, when he had watched Consort Hui and Consort Xian dotting on his big brother and little brother, he hadn’t felt anything. Now, however, it was as if something he’d been aching for had finally been granted.

He didn’t speak, afraid his voice might betray him, and instead nodded hard, eyes scrunching into happy slits.

Su Yi’s voice was neither too loud nor too soft, delivered naturally, as if it were just a casual ‘be safe’ before heading out.

Afterward, she was promptly escorted away by the palace maid waiting behind her, showing no intention of stopping to exchange pleasantries with Consort Hui and the others.

This scene only deepened the quiet bitterness among those who believed Rong Noble Consort had used her visit to the Crown Prince as an excuse to show off. If not for more pressing matters at hand—and the unwillingness to stir trouble at such a critical moment—they would never have let her leave so easily.

After Su Yi’s departure, Consort Ping, who had earlier excused herself to change due to a spilled teacup, still hadn’t returned. No one paid much attention to her prolonged absence—whether she reappeared or not hardly mattered now.

After all, she would either be seated in the tent or, if so inclined, riding a few laps nearby.

Even Consort Hui and Consort Xian, who had learned horsemanship before entering the palace, had long grown accustomed to a life of luxury within the inner court. With their minds preoccupied with their sons, they had little attention to spare for anything else.

As for the others, even if they wished to ride, they had no choice but to suppress the urge and stay in attendance.

With the Emperor absent, Consort Ping’s tardiness only fueled their impatience—unlike them, she had no obligation to linger.

Meanwhile, Consort Ping, now also dressed in riding attire, led a horse and showed up right on time just as Su Yi finished speaking to little milk dragon and left, arriving at Kangxi’s side where he waited.