Chapter 381

Hearing Noble Consort Qi say this, Shen Ninghua smiled slightly. “Your Grace, you are smart and sensible. I’m impressed.”

Noble Consort Qi turned to look at her, retaining the faint and simple smile. “I pale in comparison to your sensibility and intelligence. No one would take the risk to make me their ally if they were in your position, Princess.”

“Your Grace is very broad-minded, unlike others in the palace. You can read the ups and downs in the harem, so you naturally understand what to do.”

Noble Consort Qi smiled. “Your Highness, you’re too kind.” With that, the two of them came to Chunlan Palace. “Your Highness, I have already arranged for people to clean up the side hall. You can have a rest free from worry. But I’m afraid that you won’t be able to sleep in a strange place. It’s almost dawn, and Your Highness will be able to return to your home by dawn.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

Walking into the side hall, Shen Ninghua looked around. The surroundings were decorated in a simple and elegant manner. The incense had a touch of the light pear blossoms scent. It fitted Noble Consort Qi’s style. Qing Que helped Shen Ninghua sit down. “Miss, did you ask Noble Consort Qi for help?” Although she was far away just now, her hearing was outstanding, so she heard their conversation clearly.

Shen Ninghua nodded. “Noble Consort Qi and Noble Consort Li are evenly matched in the palace. In addition, her personality is indifferent and she is not competitive. She holds a special position in Father Emperor’s heart. One word from her is equivalent to ten sentences from others, so she is naturally the most suitable ally.”

“Yes, you’re right. Noble Consort Qi lives the most freely in the harem, but I heard that Noble Consort Qi has never been favored by His Majesty.”

“Favor?” Shen Ninghua smiled faintly. “At a glance, you can see that the concubines in the harem seem to be fighting for His Majesty’s favor, but if they really rely on His Majesty’s favor, which sways all the time, I’m afraid that more than half of the women in the harem will die. What they are fighting for is the power in their hands, and they rely on their own family and children. Do you think that Noble Consort Qi can still live safely until now if she only knows how to fight for His Majesty’s favor?”

Shen Ninghua couldn’t help but think of Zhao Huiying and Bu Yunqing. In the harem, only these two people truly loved the Emperor. Unfortunately, both of them had a miserable ending. Zhao Huiying was slightly better since she had enjoyed the honor of Empress for many years. Even if she died in the end, her son’s position as the Crown Prince was retained. As for her mother-in-law, Bu Yunqing, she betrayed her country and abandoned her identity as a princess because of love. In the end, she was disfigured, and her life was ruined. It was such a sad and miserable ending.

Shen Ninghua and Qing Que sat in the room and waited for dawn. In the main hall, Noble Consort Qi changed her clothes and asked someone to call Baili Jinchuan over.

Baili Jinchuan also changed his clothes, but his face was slightly pale. Noble Consort Qi glanced at him and sighed slightly, “You’re too weak. You need to continue to recuperate.” His face turned pale after being in the rain. Even if he could ascend to the throne, how long could he last with such a fragile body?

Baili Jinchuan was expressionless, but his tone was much gentler. “Mother, you don’t have to worry. I’ve been resting all this while, and I feel much better now.”

Seeing this, Noble Consort Qi did not say anything more. “Have you dealt with Chunhong?” Chunhong was her palace maid.

“Yes. She has been secretly sending news to Changqiu Palace. This time, she even sent me a fake message from you and led me to the palace. If I hadn’t sensed that something was wrong in time, I would have fallen into Noble Consort Li’s trap. So, I can’t keep her.”

Noble Consort Qi’s tone was indifferent. “Good. Noble Consort Li is suffered a great loss today, so she wouldn’t have spared her. It’s good that you’ve dealt with her. Anyway, I met Princess Zhaohua today and said a few words with her. ”

Baili Jinchuan looked up at Noble Consort Qi, and his pupils couldn’t help but tremble. “What do you want to say, Mother?”

“Gentleman falling for a fair lady is normal and natural, especially a beautiful and smart woman like Princess Zhaohua. I wouldn’t have minded you pursuing a beauty if she had been single, but now, she is someone’s wife and mother. I will not agree if you still have any improper thoughts.”

Baili Jinchuan’s heart trembled. “Mother, I have no improper thoughts about her.”

Noble Consort Qi sized him up, her clear eyes shining with the light of seeing through the world. “You are my son, how can I not understand you? I knew that once you made up your mind, no one could change it. I only have one request. Before you have the absolute power to kill anyone, you must suppress your thoughts in your heart and can’t reveal a single bit! Princess Zhaohua is your sister’s benefactor. In addition, she is brilliant and resourceful, and I know better to make her my friend than my enemy. But if she tries to destroy you, I’ll get rid of her even if I have to fight her to death!”。

Baili Jinchuan trembled and nodded respectfully. “Yes, I understand.”

Noble Consort Qi’s tone became much warmer. “Do you have any news about your sister Anning?”

“According to the letter that Anning sent last month, I sent people to look for her. Unfortunately, I did not find any traces of her and Qu Yi. However, no news is the best news. Mother, you can be at ease.”

Noble Consort Qi waved her hand indifferently. “You may leave.”

After Baili Jinchuan left, Noble Consort Qi looked at the candle on the table, and a trace of sadness quickly flashed through her eyes. “Anning, when you left, you did not come to my palace to bid farewell. I think you must hate me for not doing anything, but I have no choice because I’m in the harem. It’s worth it to exchange a child for freedom.”

The next day, just as Shen Ninghua returned to the mansion, two teary children hugged her before she could change her clothes. “Mother… Woo… Bad!”

Looking at the two children who were crying so much that their noses were red, Shen Ninghua hurriedly carried them to the bed. Then, she sat down and hugged them one by one. “Yes, I am bad. I have made you two worry.”

Baby Girl lay in Shen Ninghua’s arms with a wronged expression, crying and hiccupping. “Mother… Baby Girl can’t find you…”

“It won’t happen in the future. I’ll make sure you can see me every time you want in the future.”

Big Boy hurriedly stretched out his hand. “Big Boy also wants to see you.”

“Okay, I’ll make sure the two of you can see me whenever you want, okay?”

Only then did the two children stop crying. They leaned into Shen Ninghua’s arms and nodded with tears in their eyes. “Okay.”

The sight of the two of them tugged at Shen Ninghua’s heartstrings. She stroked their backs to smooth their breathing. After a while, the two children slept.

After settling down the two children, Shen Ninghua touched their little faces and looked at Hong Ling behind her. “They didn’t sleep well?”

“Miss, the two Little Masters have been very anxious since they couldn’t see you, and they were even more terrified when His Highness was also away for a while. It was only when His Highness came back that they felt better. However, the two Little Masters are particularly sensible, especially the little Bei Zi. Last night, he had been protecting little Prefectural Princess and he tried his best not to cry. I think he must be exhausted by now.”

Shen Ninghua couldn’t help but smile. She was happy and distressed at the same time. “Both of them are good children.” She had not slept much the night and was very sleepy at the moment. After telling Qing Que to go down and rest, she accompanied the two children to catch up on sleep.

When she woke up again, it was already afternoon. She got up and saw that the two children were still asleep. She reached out and touched their red cheeks.

Baili Junyi, who was reading a book at the side, heard some movement. He put down the book and walked over. “Ninghua, are you awake?”

Shen Ninghua slept very comfortably. After waking up, she felt a little hungry. “I’m so hungry…”

Baili Junyi smiled and pulled her up. “The two children woke up once. I carried them out and fed them. They fell asleep by your side again. You haven’t eaten anything at all.”

He asked Hong Ling to bring the food over. The table was full of Shen Ninghua’s favorite dishes. The tastes of the dishes were also very light and refreshing. Shen Ninghua washed her hands and was about to eat when she saw the two children on the bed wake up. They clenched their fists and rubbed their eyes. Their small noses twitched in the direction of the dining table. “Tasty!”

Baili Junyi went forward and picked up Baby Girl. He looked at his fat son in disgust. “Didn’t you eat some snacks just now? Why are you hungry now? Don’t you see how fat you are? Your mother can’t even carry you.”

Hearing this, Big Boy immediately glared at him, but he was still a little dazed from the sleep, so his watery eyes were not intimidating at all. “Bad! Big bad guy!”

Baili Junyi was hugging Baby Girl, and it was inconvenient for him to hit Big Boy in the butt, so he threatened, “I am your father. You eat my food and live in my house, yet you still dare to call me a big bad guy. Today, I will starve you and not give you anything to eat.”

This threat had no deterrence at all. Big Boy stood up from the bed and skipped with his hands on his chubby waist. “Mother is rich! She can feed me!”

“Your mother’s money is used to feed me and your sister, not you!”

Listening to the childish conversation between the father and son, Shen Ninghua was also in a good mood and had a good appetite. After an hour, she finished the meal happily. Big Boy and Baby Girl, who were eating until they were full, were brought down to play by the wet nurses. Shen Ninghua and Baili Junyi leaned against each other and talked.

“Today’s morning court is very lively. The Third Prince was grounded, and Noble Consort Li’s right to deal with the palace affairs is removed. Even Lin Feiran, who is waiting to marry and learn the rules, is kicked out of the palace. The Lin Family’s patriarch almost went crazy. When he apologized to Father Emperor, he was interrogated by Father Emperor again. Father Emperor almost scolded him for not teaching her granddaughter well.”

Shen Ninghua smiled rather faintly. “Even if Father Emperor was angry, he would not punish them. Speaking of which, the Great Yue Kingdom was really their lucky star. First, the Third Prince relied on Prince An’s support to stabilize his position. Then, the Lin Family also got a layer of protection because of the marriage to the Sixth Prince. Next, if Lin Feiran could become the official Princess of the Sixth Prince, Father Emperor would not punish them severely no matter what kind of mistakes the Lin Family and Noble Consort Li made.”

Baili Junyi nodded. “Regarding matters in the Imperial Court, a single move will affect the entire situation. Father Emperor will not disregard the overall situation for the sake of the present matter, unless…”

“Unless what?” Shen Ninghua raised her eyes.

A trace of coldness flashed through Baili Junyi’s eyes. “Unless they committed a mistake that violated Father Emperor’s personal interests, then Father Emperor will be ruthless.”