Chapter 244

Chapter 244

"His Highness hasn't been visiting the rear courtyard since the end of last month. Even if he's currently exclusively favoring Cefei Sun, at least he still remembers to come see me and Taotao. Have you noticed if he's visited anyone else's courtyard?"

Of everyone, Shufei Hua had the most reason to feel wronged.

On the day Cefei Sun entered the household, she had served Prince Jing and earned herself a bad reputation.

But it was Prince Jing himself who had gone to Qiufeng Courtyard, and everyone assumed he would then favor Shufei Hua.

Yet since that day, Prince Jing had never brought up Shufei Hua again.

The household staff all went with the wind, and seeing that Huayu had no support from Prince Jing, they dared to openly gossip about her serving him during her mourning period.

Dan Tao, thus reminded, immediately thought of someone. "You mean, my lady, the most anxious one in the household right now should be Cefei Fang..."

Fang Yuaner had managed the funeral arrangements for Shiqie Lian.

The Princess Consort had pleaded on her behalf, getting her sentence reduced by a month, and she was still confined to her quarters.

During this period of confinement, Prince Jing had never once gone to see her.

In the past, the only one who could vie with Fang Yuaner for favor was Xie Run. Now a new Cefei had arrived in the household, greatly favored by Prince Jing, with both a good family background and capability—how could Fang Yuaner not panic?

With that comparison in mind, the maidservants quickly understood and stopped worrying.

Xiaoshu smiled. "Cefei Fang must be tossing and turning at night, terrified that once her confinement is over, His Highness will have forgotten all about her."

Xie Run didn't smile, and only said, "His Highness will likely continue favoring Cefei Sun for some time. All of you remember to remind the maidservants in our courtyard—no restless or frivolous behavior!"

Xiaoshu and Dan Tao both gave crisp replies of acknowledgment.

That evening, after finishing dinner, Xie Run took her son, who was bundled up like a snowball, for a walk.

Taotao was almost a year old and could already walk steadily on his own.

Recently, whenever Xie Run had free time, she loved teaching Taotao to walk, and she enjoyed a good laugh at it.

The moment she set the little one down, he started walking like a crab, swaying side to side, his little face utterly serious.

With every step, Xie Run suspected he would face-plant onto the ground.

The maidservants gathered around, ready to rush over the moment Taotao fell.

Xie Run laughed as she watched them. "Don't be so careful—children need to tumble and fall to grow up healthy."

"After a couple of falls, he'll naturally learn to walk steadily..."

Before she could finish, she saw Taotao's body tilt, and with a thud, he fell flat on his face onto the ground.

The maidservants had all been respectfully listening to Xie Run and hadn't been watching, so they failed to catch him in time.

To everyone's surprise, Taotao didn't cry.

He was like a turtle flipped on its back—belly flat on the ground, limbs flailing.

Xie Run stood up to check on him, only to meet Taotao's big, dark eyes, full of curiosity.

He waved his hands and feet, lying on the ground and spinning in circles.

Xie Run nearly doubled over with laughter. "I told you all not to dress him so warmly, but you were all afraid he'd catch cold, bundling him up like a turtle."

"Now he can't even walk steadily—one fall and he's on the ground, just like a turtle!"

The clothes were too thick, so Taotao didn't hurt when he fell and was thoroughly enjoying himself on the ground.

Dan Tao and the others quickly helped Taotao up, teasing, "My lady, you're still laughing! We've never seen a mother like you."

Xiaoshu also said with concern in her voice, "What kind of mother calls her own son a turtle? Then what would that make His Highness?"

Xie Run said helplessly, "He didn't even cry out in pain. If I'd rushed over and yanked him up, he'd definitely have started faking a cry at the top of his lungs."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Taotao, who had just been helped to his feet, repeated his earlier fall and flopped down again with a thud.

His limbs kicked about happily, his laughter never stopping.

Xie Run's face was full of exasperation.

This silly son!

Xiaoshu, Dan Tao, and the others stared, equally dumbfounded.

Just then, Prince Jing entered the courtyard with his entourage.

Seeing his son lying on the ground spinning around happily, he was silent for a long moment.

Chunjuan was the first to spot Prince Jing and quickly bowed. "Your servant greets His Highness!"

The other maidservants followed suit and bowed.

Xie Run was a beat slower to rise and bow, unable to suppress the smile on her face.

Prince Jing's originally gloomy mood lifted considerably upon seeing Xie Run's beaming smile.

He even reached out to steady her. "Is it that amusing?"

Then he glanced at Eunuch Shi'an. "Hurry up and help him up."

Eunuch Shi'an quickly motioned for a few young eunuchs to help Taotao up, but the moment he was lifted off the ground, he started to cry.

He just wanted to get back down on the ground.

Prince Jing's expression darkened. "What is he doing?!"

The others, seeing Prince Jing's somewhat stern expression, all became a bit nervous.

Xie Run, however, wasn't afraid at all, still smiling. "I'm teaching him to walk. He probably thinks falling down is fun and won't get up."

Seeing Prince Jing's confused look, Xie Run said softly, "Children have their own temperaments."

"His Highness knows how stubborn Taotao can be. If we pull him up now, he'll cry at the top of his lungs all night." Xie Run glanced at Prince Jing, with a radiant smile. "I wonder who he got that temperament from."

Eunuch Shi'an chimed in with a laugh, "The young master's temper is exactly the same as His Highness's when he was a child!"

"When Your Highness was three, you once visited the Academy of Learning one day. Finding it fun, you insisted on going every day. In wind and snow, while other princes wished nothing more than to stay cooped up in the palace, Your Highness went without fail, come rain or shine."

"Princes and study partners didn't enter the Academy until age five, but Your Highness, who could barely hold a brush steady, sat in the front row listening to lectures every day. Consort Guifei felt sorry for Your Highness, but Your Highness wouldn't have it..."

Hearing about his own past, Prince Jing couldn't help but laugh.

He stared at his son, who was lying on the ground with his eyes darting around, for a few moments.

Father and son locked eyes, and Taotao immediately lit up, "Father!"

He got those two words out pretty clearly.

Then, out of nowhere, he shouted, "Turtle!"

He was kicking and flailing his arms and legs as he yelled.

Xie Run: "..."

Dan Tao and the others were about to faint from fright.

Prince Jing chuckled and scooped him up with one arm, slinging him onto his shoulder, "Father will have them send you a big turtle tomorrow, so you don't have to play turtle on the floor anymore."

Taotao seemed to get it and exclaimed excitedly, "Big turtle!"

Prince Jing then said to Xie Run, clearly entertained, "In just a few days, his speech has gotten a lot clearer."

Xie Run replied, "You're telling me."

"I only taught him 'father' and 'mother,' and he yelled them all night. By morning, my head was just full of 'father' and 'mother.'"

Prince Jing laughed even harder at that.

"This kid's just like me!"

After playing with Taotao for a while, Xie Run had the servants take him to wash up and get ready for bed.

She then asked Prince Jing, "Is Your Highness staying at Spring Mountain Courtyard tonight?"

He waved her over. "If I don't stay here, I'll have to brave the cold wind in the middle of the night—should I go find another place to sleep?"

Xie Run said gently, "I worry about you, Your Highness. Knowing you'd have to face that cold wind, I'd rather you stay here in the courtyard."

Hearing this, Prince Jing was pleased as well.