Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The Crown Prince has always been dignified and composed. He’s always been polite when encountering the imperial concubines, but today, he practically fled in a hurry.

This made the concubines exchange puzzled looks, and they started whispering among themselves.

"Is that the Crown Prince?"

"It’s definitely him."

"What’s wrong with the Crown Prince? Why’d he run off like that?"

"Maybe he remembered something urgent."

"I think he turned and ran when he saw us."

"That can’t be. We’ve done nothing to upset him."

...

After murmuring among themselves for a while, they couldn’t come to a conclusion and continued walking forward.

The Crown Prince rushed back to the Eastern Palace and hurried inside. He walked to the table and grabbed a teacup to take a sip.

Seeing this, the Crown Princess quickly reached out to stop him: "That tea’s cold."

The Crown Prince grabbed his wife’s hand, raised the teacup, and drank it all in one gulp: "I want it cold."

Noticing sweat on the Crown Prince’s brow, the Crown Princess took out a handkerchief to wipe it and asked curiously, "Is it really so hot today?"

The Crown Prince put down the teacup, sat in the armchair, and said with lingering fear, "Don’t even ask. I originally wanted to visit Her Majesty the Empress, but on the way, I unexpectedly encountered a group of concubines. I was so startled I turned tail and ran all the way back."

The Crown Princess imagined the scene and couldn’t help but laugh: "Did you recognize any of them?"

The Crown Prince shook his head, took the folding fan from the Crown Princess’s hand, and quickly fanned himself: "I bolted as soon as I saw them. I didn’t even get a good look."

The Crown Princess nodded in agreement, "You did the right thing."

The Crown Prince fanned himself a few more times, "From now on, I’m steering clear of all the imperial concubines, regardless of their age. I won’t even look at them."

Then he added, "Of course, Her Majesty the Empress is not included."

Seeing her husband like a startled bird, the Crown Princess felt both heartache and amusement. She took back the folding fan and fanned him, "That might be a bit excessive. It’s fine to keep a distance from the younger concubines, but the Imperial Noble Consort and the two Noble Consorts are about the same age as Her Majesty. They are grandmothers now. Would Your Highness really avoid them like snakes and scorpions and stay far away?"

The Crown Prince stiffened, "Well, those few are exceptions."

The Crown Princess continued, "And there’s also the Virtuous Consort. She’s our aunt. We can’t slight her."

The Crown Prince readily agreed, "I understand. Where are the children?"

The Crown Princess sat down next to the Crown Prince, "Hui Er and Nuo Er are napping in the inner room. Wei Qing has gone back to his room to rest. What about Fourteenth Brother? Any plans?"

The Crown Prince: "Nothing’s set yet. He will write a letter to Eighth Brother first. I will also write a letter to Eleventh Brother later, telling him to be careful on his way back."

The Crown Princess: "That’s good to hear."

Then she expressed some concern, "Your Highness, our family, including my sister, Fourteenth Brother, and his wife, can all hear Nuo Er and A Tong speaking. So, I think His Majesty must also be able to hear them. In a few days, it will be Her Majesty’s birthday. At that time, Nuo Er won’t be able to hide anymore. What should we do?"

The Crown Prince was also troubled by this matter. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Why don’t we go see Her Majesty first and talk to her about it?"

The Crown Princess agreed, "No time to waste, let’s go."

The Crown Princess called for Coral, telling her to watch the girls, then left with the Crown Prince for Fengyi Palace.

With his wife beside him, the Crown Prince stayed calm when meeting palace ladies.

As the Crown Princess greeted the palace ladies, the Crown Prince stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the sky, clouds, and birds—anything but the ladies.

When the palace ladies greeted him, he just nodded, never looking at them.

After the ladies left, the Crown Princess tilted her head and teased the Crown Prince, "From now on, will you really not look at all?"

The Crown Prince flicked his sleeve, "I mean it."

The Crown Princess laughed, but a stern look from the Crown Prince made her stop. She took his hand, and they walked on.

When they arrived at Fengyi Palace and greeted the Empress, the Empress looked behind them and asked, "Where are Hui Er and Nuo Er?"

The Crown Princess replied, "They spent the day at Fourteenth Brother’s and are sleeping now."

The Empress smiled, took the Crown Princess’s hand, and sat her down beside her, "It’s been days since I’ve seen the children. What have they been doing?"

The Crown Prince and Princess exchanged a glance, and he cupped his hands, "Mother, I need to speak with you privately."

The Empress waved her hand, "Everyone, out."

When only they were left, the Crown Prince knelt before the Empress, "Mother, I fear we’re in grave danger."

The Crown Princess rose and knelt beside him.

Seeing them like this, the Empress frowned, "What’s happened? Get up and tell me."

They stood and told her about A Tong, including all the information A Tong had revealed, leaving nothing out.

The Empress was stunned and finally spoke, "If I didn’t know you better, I’d think you were making this up."

The Crown Prince said, "Mother, if you don’t trust me, do you trust Qing He? You’ve known her since she was a child. Has she ever lied to you?"

The Empress glanced at the Crown Princess and said to the Crown Prince, "I wonder which girl once said she missed me and begged to stay with us."

"And after she arrived, she spent all her time following her brother A Xu around, barely spending any time with me. And you call that not lying?"

Caught off guard by the revelation of her past, the Crown Princess couldn’t help but blush slightly, "Mother, that was all in my childhood. Why bring it up to tease your daughter-in-law?"

The Crown Prince’s eyes were filled with amusement, and he secretly squeezed his wife’s hand under his sleeve.

"Stop making eyes at each other in front of me, it’s annoying," the Empress chided them with a glance, then asked, "Can we be certain that everything A Tong said will come true?"

The Crown Prince replied solemnly, "At first, I also had doubts, but since it has already come true with Fourteenth Brother, I am convinced that what A Tong said is true."

The Empress asked again, "Can everyone in our royal family hear it?"

The Crown Prince nodded, "It seems so."

Seeing that the Empress, after her initial shock, showed no sign of anxiety, the Crown Princess couldn’t help but express her concern, "Mother, when His Majesty intended to have Nuo Er join him for a meal, we used her poor health as an excuse to keep her away. But hiding and avoiding like this isn’t a long-term solution. What should we do if His Majesty sends someone to fetch Nuo Er again?"

The Empress remained calm and composed, "Don’t panic. Before, we were caught off guard because we were outmatched. But now that we have the upper hand, I will ensure that none of you come to harm."

Hearing this, the Crown Princess felt reassured at once, her heart, which had been in turmoil for days, instantly calmed.

The Empress Dowager then turned to the Crown Prince and asked, "Crown Prince, what are your plans?"

The Crown Prince shook his head, his face filled with worry. "Mother, everything has happened so suddenly, your son hasn’t made any plans yet."

The Empress Dowager snorted coldly, dissatisfied. "It’s just the three of us here, and you’re still hiding things from your own mother."

The Crown Prince remained silent.

Some things he could only ponder in his heart, plan in secret, and never speak aloud, not even to his own mother.

The Empress Dowager scrutinized the Crown Prince for a moment, then stopped pressing. "Alright, you two go back for now, and later bring the children to have dinner with me."

They both assented, bowed, and took their leave, exiting Fengyi Palace and returning to the Eastern Palace.

Shen Weiyan had just come back from the training ground and was playing with his little sister. Seeing his parents return, he led his siblings in bowing to greet them.

The Crown Prince smiled and said, "You may all rise."

Shen Zhinuo stretched out her chubby little arms toward the Crown Princess, calling, "Mother."

The Crown Princess picked up Little Dumpling, held her close, nuzzled her little face, then instinctively felt the little girl’s back. Seeing she wasn’t sweaty, she carried her to the couch, sat down, and told the children, "Your grandmother misses you and wants us to have dinner at Fengyi Palace tonight."

Shen Zhinuo, who had been resting on the Crown Princess’s shoulder, lifted her little head and clapped her chubby hands in delight, saying, "Yay, yay!"

Finally, the dog can sweep someone else.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess exchanged glances, both understanding why the little girl was so excited.

The Crown Princess placed the little doll on the couch, gently patting her little bottom. "Nuo Er, play with your sister. Mother has things to take care of."

As the lady of the Eastern Palace, the Crown Princess had to manage all matters, big and small, and was often busy.

Shen Zhinuo nodded. "Mother is busy, so Nuo Er will be good."

The Crown Princess smiled and went to the parlor to meet with the stewards who had come to report their duties.

The Crown Prince, under the guise of testing his knowledge, took his eldest son Shen Weiyan to the study and told him what A Tong had said at the Wei residence.

Finally, he admonished, "A Yan, you’re clever and careful, and your father has always trusted you the most. But you’re still young and inexperienced. Remember this: if something feels wrong, find a way to step back immediately. Don’t get caught up in things just to save face."

Shen Weiyan bowed with cupped hands. "Your son will remember your teachings, Father."

After the father and son finished their talk, the Crown Princess had also wrapped up her tasks, and the family headed to Fengyi Palace.

Shen Zhinuo was carried by her eldest brother the whole way, but as soon as they entered Fengyi Palace, she wriggled free and ran on her short little legs to the Empress Dowager. Holding her little fists, she gave a proper bow and said in her sweet little voice, "Nuo Er pays respects to Grandmother."

Seeing the delicate little dumpling wobble as she bowed, the Empress Dowager’s heart melted. She picked the child up, pretending to scold, "You little ungrateful thing, have you forgotten your grandmother? Why haven’t you come to see her for days?"

Shen Zhinuo wrapped her little arms around the Empress Dowager’s neck, pouted, and planted several kisses on her face, her eyes curving into a smile as she said, "Nuo Er loves Grandmother the most."

Though she knew the little dumpling was trying to charm her, the Empress Dowager couldn’t stop laughing. She tapped her little nose and said, "You little rascal, just a few days ago your grandmother heard you tell your grandfather you loved him the most."

Shen Zhinuo used to like the Old Emperor a lot, but now she’d changed her mind. She shook her little head like a rattle drum and said earnestly, "Nuo Er loves Grandmother the most."

The Empress Dowager laughed happily. Earlier, the Crown Prince had said that if they wanted to hear the little girl and A Tong talk, they shouldn’t disturb her. So she pointed to several brocade boxes on the couch and said, "There are some hairpins for little girls. Hui Er and Nuo Er can go pick and play with them."

Princess Wen'an obediently expressed her thanks and called her sister over to open the brocade box.

Shen Zhinuo sat on the couch, fiddling with the box full of dazzling hairpins while thinking in her heart, "Doggy."

The little black dog jumped out, "Young Master, ATong is present."

Even though she already knew of ATong's existence, the Empress couldn't help but be amazed when she heard it with her own ears. She looked around the little girl, trying to spot something, but after a thorough look, she didn't see even a shadow.

Then she heard the little girl speak without opening her mouth, "Doggy, go and scan my grandmother's face."