Li Dequan hastily knelt down, “I didn’t mean thatā¦”
“I don’t want to hear what you meant.”Ā Ā Fang He interrupted him more gently.Ā Ā
“If you can’t do it, just go back to Qianqing Palace and hide like a turtle. Don’t meddle with Yanxi Palace affairs anymore. Babies don’t understand; a beating will fix it. It’s simple. Don’t overthink. If someone insists on making things difficult, I can handle it myself. When that time comes, I won’t care if the former dynasty falls into chaos.”Ā Ā
“I can bear any consequences, but when the Emperor returns and asks about this, whether you can bear responsibilityā¦ that’s for you to consider. I won’t put you in a difficult position.”
Li Dequan grew more and more terrified.
Last time when Mistress took matters into her own hands, the entire harem had to cover it up, leaving the Emperor helpless.
He was just a servant; how could he shoulder such responsibility?
He quickly pressed his head to the floor tiles.
“Your noble lady, the Imperial Guards will have no problems with security. As for othersā¦ I will talk to them!”
Fang He glanced at Gu Wenxing and snorted lightly, saying nothing further, then dismissed them.
Once outside the hall, Li Dequan’s legs went weak as he leaned against a red lacquered pillar, struggling to regain composure.
The Emperor left him behind in the palace supposedly to protect Noble Consort Zhaoyuanābut in truth, perhaps it was because the Noble Consort was so unruly.
If she caused too much trouble, he wouldn’t even be able to save his own life!
“His Majesty left the Imperial Guards and secret agents behind; this was not hidden from you. You hold the Dragon Pattern Jade Pendant and aren’t solely reliant on him,” Gu Wenxing suddenly said, startling Li Dequan.
Li Dequan clutched his pounding heart.
“Then why does the noble lady still ask me to do this?”
‘Could it be to find a scapegoat in advance?’ Li Dequan wanted to cry.Ā Ā
Gu Wenxing glanced at him dispassionately, thinking Liang Jiugong’s godson was simply too foolish to ask such an obvious question.
The Emperor even made a Green Plaque and painted with a washboardāthis was basically handing over power to Fang He and allowing her to use everything he had.
Otherwise, would Gu Wenxing serve a new master just like he did the Emperor?
By using what the Emperor gave her, Noble Consort showed her trust and commission from him.
Not using it would only make the Emperor suspicious.Ā Ā
After pondering, Gu Wenxing summarized it in terms Li Dequan could understand.
“If you step forward representing His Majesty, the noble lady won’t strike decisively. When the Emperor returns, you’re just following orders; there will be no punishment. If you don’t step forward, the noble lady will gamble everything, doing whatever it takes to protect the imperial heir. No matter the outcome, you will surely die.”Ā Ā
Li Dequan was shocked but suddenly realized the logic.
So that was why he almost sent himself to his death?
He slid weakly down the pillar and then, without hesitation, gritted his teeth and hurried off to carry out Noble Consort Zhaoyuan’s orders.
***
On the early morning of August 23, Yin Tang and Yin’e dashed out of the study and rushed into Yanxi Palace.
They arrived just after Fang He finished breakfast with Jiujiu.
The two silently motioned for the palace maids and eunuchs outside to keep quiet, then sneaked inside and peeked through the door.
They immediately saw Noble Consort Zhaoyuan holding Jiujiu, both doing prenatal education for the baby in her belly.
“Little rabbit runs and runs, quickly catching up to the little turtle, so proud she almost flies to the skyā¦”
“No!”
The chubby voice seriously interrupted, then lowered it.
“Little brother be good, no listen, no listen, bunny not fly, bunnyā¦ bounce high, oh~”
Fang He smiled watching Jiujiu gently pat her belly, spraying saliva as she earnestly taught her little brother.
She could only hold back her laughter and wear a face of self-reproach so as not to disturb Teacher Jiu.
Previously, Jiujiu was very sensitive when others called her “Mommy.”
After Fang He realized she had no spare clothes, she worried that Jiujiu might be upset.
It wasn’t that she favored boys over girls; in this world, if she wanted to protect Jiujiu and ensure a more stable life for her even after Fang He’s passing, her brother had to be born.
She thought of many reasonsālike having someone else to love Jiujiu, or that a little brother or sister would have a playmateābut none of these excuses were used.
Fang He brought Jiujiu back from Ruijing Pavilion to Zhaoyuan Hall and barely said her belly held a baby before Jiujiu excitedly jumped up.
“A little brother?” Jiujiu’s face was full of anticipation, her baby voice nearly bursting with joy.
Though Jiujiu spoke later than many children, her language acquisition was faster than many kids.
At just a year and a half old, she was almost catching up to the three-year-old Yin Xiang, though her enunciation was clearer.
Jiujiu gestured wildly to express herself clearly.
“Xi Sanguo, little penis, share sister, Jiujiu princess wants too! Brother share nest!”Ā Ā
Fang He was stunned.
This was a perspective she had never considered.Ā Ā
So Yin Xiang’sā¦ had already been half promised to his own sister, and now Jiujiu was eyeing her own brother’s?
Why had Yin Xiang mentioned this to Jiujiu?
Although she did not understand, she suddenly felt a phantom pain somewhere.
Fang He quickly sent someone to Ruijing Pavilion to tell the Empress Dowager, Noble Lady Xuan, and Zhangjia Guiren to be careful and prevent any tragic sibling incest.
Then, she spent a month barely convincing Jiujiu that even if it was her little brother, his little penis was not something she could share.
Only complete ones worked; incomplete ones meant no future children to play with.Ā Ā
Cui Wei and Chunlai almost spat bloodāwho talked to children about such inappropriate things?
Fang He was helpless.
“If you can make her understand the importance of this and stop thinking about it, then you can explain it. I promise to admit I’m wrong to her!”
Cui Wei, Chunlai, and Xinke kept silent.
But if the little mistress asked why she couldn’t take her brother’sā¦ how were they supposed to answer?
In the end, after confusion and disappointment, Princess Jiujiu quickly understood that the thirteenth prince was bragging, and since she didn’t even have one herself, she was still the most powerful princess.
Jiujiu had always been very patient since infancy and wasn’t upset, only drawing conclusions from her mother’s words that the baby in the belly was for her to play with.
“Brother, make babies to play; Mommy, make babies to play too~ Jiuguo, Xiguo, silly, Xierguo, San Guo, stupid, Jiujiu isā¦ little sir!”
Fang He thought about it and decided to let Jiujiu teach a qualified toyā¦ ah no, playmateāmuch more reliable than sharing such things.
She let Jiujiu be.
Moreover, it gave her more time to spend with Jiujiu so she wouldn’t feel the gap, and the two children could grow closerāa win-win situation.
So every day Fang He brought Jiujiu to do prenatal education with the baby, and it worked wonderfully.
Jiujiu spoke more fluently, and on days when morning sickness hit hardest, as soon as Fang He started reading, the baby calmed down.
Who knew if the baby was being lulled to sleep or listening with interest?
No matter if the baby was a genius or not, mother and daughter enjoyed the ritual, telling stories for half an hour during the worst times of morning sickness.
After Jiujiu finished teaching her unborn brother, just as Fang He was about to continue the story, out of the corner of her eye she spotted two old duck-tail heads.
Boys in the Qing Dynasty kept their hair till age ten; before that, only a tuft was left on the crown, commonly called “old duck tails.”
Yinzhen and Yin Xiang had never been to Yanxi Palace, and Yinsi was just beginning to grow his hair.Ā Ā
Now, only Yin Tang and Yin’e had this hairstyle in Yanxi Palace.
Fang He poked Jiujiu, “Jiujiu, look who’s here.”
Jiujiu immediately brightened and flipped over to tug Chunlai’s arm, signaling she wanted to get down from the soft couch.
“Guoguo, Huahua, yummy!”
“Mommy, Jiujiu, look at Huahua~”
Fang He hadn’t planned to bring Jiujiu to the Imperial Garden but intended to send her to Shoukang Palace instead.
Glancing at Yin Tang and Yin’e, a dark shadow flashed in her eyes.
She smiled calmly and stopped Jiujiu.
She asked Yin Tang, “Why are you skipping school again? Be careful Father hits you with the washboard when he returns.”
Yin Tang hurriedly explained, “Yesterday, Yin’e and I told the teacher and the Crown Prince we’d take half a day off today to pay respects.”
Fang He was puzzled, “Then why come look for Jiujiu?”
How could an eight-year-old and a two-year-old have much in common?
Yin’e grinned dumbly, “We heard Third Prince and Eighth Prince say Jiujiu cried the last time she went to the Imperial Garden, and Fifth Prince said Jiujiu likes flowers.”
“Yesterday, when we went to Shoukang Palace to pay respects, we mentioned going to the Imperial Garden. Jiujiu overheard and agreed we should take her to see flowers.”
Fang He smiled wryly.
Yesterday, Consort Hui, Consort Rong, and Consort Yi had dragged her into discussions about the Chongyang Festival palace banquet.
While Noble Consort was accompanying the Empress Dowager, the children secretly arranged thisāquite a coincidence.Ā Ā
She squatted before Jiujiu.
“Jiujiu, there will be bees in the Imperial Garden. Their stings hurt a lot. Are you sure you want to go?”
Jiujiu shrank her neck but stared unwaveringly at Yin Tang and Yin’e.
“Guoguo’s here! Jiujiu runs!”
Yin Tang and Yin’e:Ā Ā “……”
‘You really are our best little sister!’Ā Ā
Fang He stared steadily at Jiujiu, insisting, “What if even your brothers can’t protect you?”
Jiujiu pursed her little lips but refused to give up.
“I want to go! Jiujiu’s not afraid! Auntie blows!”
“Father dares, Jiujiu dares too!”
Though Kangxi had been gone for a long time, to prevent Jiujiu from forgetting she had a father, Fang He often told stories about General Ye’s battles, helping Jiujiu remember.
“Mistressā” Chunlai rarely interrupted, wanting to take the little mistress away and coax her to Shoukang Palace.
“Fine, but Jiujiu must promise me: no matter what danger comes, don’t be afraid.”
Fang He cut Chunlai off.
Jiujiu would eventually understand the world wasn’t always sunny.
She would never raise her child like a delicate flower in a greenhouse or hinder Jiujiu’s steps and make her timid.
Even if Jiujiu wanted to soar to the heavens, she would build a ladder for her.
She reached out her pinky.
“Pinky swear, if you pinky swear, Mommy can always stay by your side to protect you. Our Jiujiu is the bravest, right?”
Jiujiu grinned widely, her bright smile unshadowed by doubt, and decisively linked her finger and said, “Pinky swear, a hundred years, no changing!”Ā Ā
Fang He smiled as she watched the three siblings leave.
Only after their figures disappeared did her expression harden, and she glanced coldly at Li Dequan.
“Tell the secret agents: if anything happens to Jiujiu, everyone present at the scene today will be buried with her!”
Li Dequan’s breath hitched, inexplicably sensing a storm was coming from Fang He’s words.