Chapter 231

Xie Run: "It looks like the Prince's crime isn't that serious—His Majesty will just scold him a bit and let it go."

Xiaoshu and Dan Tao exchanged a glance. "Ma'am, is that really true?"

With all the gossip outside and His Majesty getting angry, how could this not be a big deal?

Xie Run smiled. "That's right."

Prince Jing messes up, and Prince An and his mother get punished... how interesting.

Xie Run didn't believe for a second that Prince An and his mother were punished because he couldn't find the real culprit behind the harm to Noble Consort Chen.

After all, if they weren't punished earlier or later, but exactly now, there's got to be a deeper meaning.

Xie Run shook her head and smiled.

They've all underestimated Prince Jing.

Everything that's happened during this time was probably all within his expectations.

Xie Run wondered—had Prince Jing also predicted Noble Consort Rou sending the palace maid?

Just as she was about to fall asleep, Taotao's cries came from the next room.

Xie Run pressed her hand to her forehead. "What's going on now?"

"The young master won't sleep, he insists on playing..."

Xie Run: "..."

This son of hers has way too much energy.

What one-year-old kid runs around demanding to go outside all day and refuses to sleep?!

Xie Run: "Can't you guys calm him down?"

Dan Tao said softly, "Should I go check?"

"Go ahead. If you really can't settle him down... I'll go."

Xie Run wasn't a doting mother—if pushed too far, she'd spank him.

Dan Tao had been gone for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, and Xie Run didn't hear any more crying, thinking Taotao had finally fallen asleep. She was about to lie down when a sharp wail rang out.

Xie Run: "..."

She threw off the covers, her head aching. "Not sleeping at this hour, so full of energy?"

Xiaoshu followed behind. "Ma'am, it's cold in the room—put on a coat before you go out!"

Xie Run walked to the adjoining room in her underclothes and saw her son grinning from ear to ear, not a trace of tears on his face.

Xiaoshu caught up and draped a coat over her, and only then did Xie Run feel the cold.

Dan Tao said helplessly, "I was doing fine when I was holding the young master, but the moment I put him in bed, he started crying..."

Xie Run snorted. "He's doing this on purpose!"

"This little rascal just wants someone to play with him. He knows you spoil him, and he even knows how to fake cry!"

Taotao rarely cried, but when he did, it was like the sky was falling.

Now he was wailing at the top of his lungs—pure, obvious fake crying!

Xie Run stepped forward. "Dan Tao, you and Xiaoshu step back—I'll take care of him!"

Both maids were way too indulgent with Taotao; if they saw Xie Run being stern, they'd definitely interfere.

Once they were dismissed, Xie Run smiled at Taotao. "I'll play with you for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, then straight to sleep!"

"If you don't sleep, I'll spank your butt!"

Taotao stared at Xie Run with big, black-grape-like eyes, grinning wide, a little toy swinging in his hand.

Half an hour later, mother and son were having a staring contest.

Xie Run's eyelids were getting heavy, while the little rascal kept laughing, full of energy.

Since coming to this ancient era, Xie Run had kept a healthy routine, rarely staying up late except for occasional late nights with Prince Jing.

This time, thanks to her precious son, she pulled an all-nighter.

It took until the second watch of the night to finally coax the little tyrant to sleep.

Xie Run collapsed into bed and fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, but she was woken up before she'd slept long.

She looked outside—it was barely dawn.

Dan Tao was rolling up the curtain nearby. "Ma'am, the Prince has returned."

Xie Run's mind was slow to catch up; she just mumbled in response, "Mm."

Dan Tao reminded her, "Ma'am, the Prince was kept in the palace for reflection last night by His Majesty. The household's ladies are all worried sick—now that they hear he's back, they've probably all headed to Qingsong Courtyard."

"You can't skip it."

Xie Run took half a second to process it—Dan Tao was reminding her to go see Prince Jing quickly and show her face.

And to show her worry for him.

Xie Run nodded, listless. "Help me get dressed."

After getting out of bed, she checked the next room—Taotao was sprawled out, sleeping soundly and peacefully.

Xie Run gritted her teeth. "You little brat!"

If he weren't her own flesh and blood, she'd definitely shake him awake and make him get up early too!

Who gave him permission to sleep so well?!

Xie Run, still half-asleep, got dressed and hurried to Qingsong Courtyard.

As Dan Tao had said, nearly all the household's ladies were already there, all asking about Prince Jing with worried faces.

Xie Run arrived late and got a cold remark from Shufei Hua: "Sister Xie slept well?"

Xie Run glanced at Shufei Hua. "Shufei Hua doesn't have any dark circles at all—looks like you slept quite well yourself?"

Huayu instantly lifted her head and instinctively explained, "I stayed up half the night worrying about the Prince—how could I have gotten any sleep?"

"I don't have dark circles under my eyes—it's just that my skin is so fair they don't show!"

She was afraid that if she didn't explain quickly enough, Prince Jing would misunderstand her.

But when she looked up and saw the dark circles under Xie Run's eyes, she immediately shut her mouth.

When Xie Run was getting ready this morning, Dan Tao and Xiaoshu had been clever about it—not only did they avoid covering up her eye circles with powder, but they had even made sure the dark circles were more prominent.

Because Xie Run's skin was porcelain-white, the faint dark circles showed through, making her under-eye bags visible.

She looked like she had been up all night.

In the back courtyard, Fang Yuaner and Shufei Jiang were both under house arrest, so only Shufei Hua, who had no sense of tact, dared to make a snide remark about Xie Run.

Everyone else sat still, not daring to say a word.

When Prince Jing suddenly saw Xie Run's tired, dark-circled eyes, he was taken aback, and his heart softened slightly.

He spoke up to comfort her: "I'm sorry I made you worry last night. You're usually so steady—it's rare to see you so flustered and uneasy..."

Looking at Xie Run's weary face, Prince Jing felt a rare wave of compassion.

Xie Run mustered a faint smile and explained in a low voice, "...It was Taotao acting up last night. I stayed up a bit to calm him down."

Prince Jing nodded with a knowing look. "In that case, you must have had a rough time."

Xie Run: ...

A rather lovely misunderstanding.

Shufei Hua watched Xie Run from the corner of her eye, sulking and twisting her handkerchief in frustration.

She had stayed up half the night, but it didn't show on her face—what was she supposed to do about that?!

Prince Jing gave each person a brief response, then sent them all off, fearing that too many people lingering in Qingsong Courtyard would disturb the Princess's peace.

Xie Run took the chance to check on the Princess and noticed her complexion was even worse than two days ago.

An ectopic pregnancy—the longer it goes on, the more dangerous it gets.

After offering a few words of advice, Xie Run returned to Chunshan Courtyard.

On the way, Chun Juan rushed over with news: "My lady, as soon as the Prince returned, he had the maid's body placed in a coffin and sent to Prince An's residence."

Xie Run was startled. "Sent to Prince An's residence?!"

Could the child in the maid's belly be Prince An's? And was it also Prince An who had her killed?!

If so, that would explain everything.

Prince An had slept with Guifei Rou's maid, and when she became pregnant, she was coincidentally bestowed upon Prince Jing.

Prince Jing naturally wouldn't accept such a cuckold's shame—if he investigated and traced it back to Prince An, it would be a ready-made leverage.

So Prince An struck first, killing the maid and spreading rumors to pin all the blame on Prince Jing!

For these three days, Prince Jing let the rumors swirl, only making his move yesterday to expose the truth.

Xie Run murmured softly, "No wonder the Prince knew what he was doing—he had her body preserved from the start, saving it for today."

The Emperor's sudden rebuke of Prince An and demotion of Guifei Jing must have been for this very reason.

The so-called failure to find the culprit behind the attempted murder of Guifei Chen had been nothing but an excuse all along.