Chapter 906: Two Little Buns

Xia Ruqing was quite surprised at this.

"Demoted to Consort Ning Pin, and the Eldest Princess is handed over to Consort Hui to watch over?"

This punishment was indeed unexpected.

The Emperor truly is ruthless and doesn’t say much!

"Exactly!"

"Ever since the Empress left the palace, Consort Ning has been secretly targeting us!"

"Now, we can finally raise our heads with pride!"

Zi Yue sighed with relief as she spoke.

Beside her, Zi Su wore an indignant expression.

"Serves her right!"

"Saves us from having to do it ourselves!"

Zi Yue quickly frowned and tugged at her.

"Don’t speak carelessly!"

Zi Su hurriedly fell silent and lowered her head.

Xia Ruqing didn’t react much, and after a while, she seemed thoughtful and said.

"Do you think... this is too cruel?"

It might be because she’s become a mother.

She couldn’t bear even a bit of mother-child separation.

Just thinking about it made her heart ache.

So she had to ask.

Zi Yue and Zi Su, however, had no such concerns, and they both shook their heads directly.

"Not cruel!"

Zi Yue even added.

"Your Majesty, this might actually be a good thing for the Eldest Princess!"

The Eldest Princess is turning ten this year, and in a few more years, it’ll be time to discuss marriage.

Raised by Consort Ning with a slouched and timid demeanor, even with the title of Long Princess, marrying into a good family.

She’d still be looked down upon, right?

Xia Ruqing rubbed her face and took a deep breath.

"You’re right!"

"Let’s not think about it anymore!"

With that, she got up and left.

On her way out, she instructed.

"The spinach in the backyard looks nice, let’s cook some spinach porridge for lunch!"

"Remember to add some tofu and shrimp! Henger loves it!"

Zi Yue replied with a smile.

Xia Ruqing headed out, intending to check on the two children.

Knowing that the two little rascals couldn’t possibly stay quietly in the room.

She went straight to the back garden.

Late autumn, early winter.

Sunlight bathed the ground in a warm glow.

The ground was covered with a layer of deep brown leaves that seemed impossible to sweep away.

Stepping on them, they were soft and made a crunching sound.

Before turning the corner, she heard Sister Jiang’s voice.

"Little Prince, slow down!"

"Slow down, don’t run so fast or you’ll fall!"

Xia Ruqing felt a faint headache coming on.

She turned to Zi Su with a wry smile.

"I don’t know when these two will ever grow up!"

Zi Su reassured her.

"Your Majesty, the Little Prince is lively and adorable, that’s a good thing!"

Xia Ruqing couldn’t help but laugh.

"Adorable, you say, look at them, they’re almost ready to fly!"

Zi Su continued to reassure her.

"Your Majesty, don’t be biased. I remember when His Highness the Crown Prince was little, he was just like this!"

"Back then, he would always run around the backyard with Da Bai in his arms!"

"You never said anything!"

Xia Ruqing furrowed her brows, looking a bit suspicious.

"Really?"

"Of course!"

Zi Su nodded affirmatively and added.

"You shouldn’t worry, once they start schooling, both the Third Prince and Fourth Prince will have to study!"

"By then, you’ll want to play with them, but you won’t be able to!"

Xia Ruqing watched the two lively children hopping around, monkey-like.

Her mind was filled with a big question mark.

"Are they sure... they can be as steady as Chenchen one day?"

I’ve definitely aged, I used to run and jump with them.

Now it all seems chaotic; indeed, time is merciless!

"Of course! There’s no need to worry!" Zi Su laughed.

Xia Ruqing said no more.

She walked forward slowly, softly calling out.

"Henger! Yeye!"

The two sons didn’t hear her, but Yellow Bean wagged its tail and ran over first.

It circled around her feet excitedly, tugging at her clothes.

Xia Ruqing crouched down to hold the dog, soothing it until it calmed down.

Meanwhile, Henger and Yeye were being led over by Sister Jiang.

The two of them greeted with imitated propriety.

"Greetings to Mother Consort!"

Xia Ruqing couldn’t help but laugh at their dirty, rosy little faces.

She glanced around the vegetable garden.

Xia Ruqing asked with a hint of melancholy.

"Tell me, what have you been up to this time?"

"Ever since you two learned to walk, this garden has never had a peaceful day!"

They’re always running and jumping, causing a mess.

Henger turned his chubby little body around to look behind him, then put on an innocent face.

Cutely, he said.

"Mother Consort, we haven’t done anything!"

Yeye nodded his little head.

"Mother Consort, there’s nothing here but radishes and greens, so... we couldn’t do anything!"

Xia Ruqing poked their foreheads, feigning seriousness.

"What more do you want then?"

Henger tilted his little head, thinking.

"A fishpond, Henger likes to fish!"

Yeye eagerly objected.

"I don’t like fishing, there should be some targets set up for archery, I want to shoot arrows like big brother!"

Xia Ruqing burst into laughter.

"Yeye, do you know how old you are?"

Yeye looked puzzled and shook his head.

"I..."

He quickly turned to ask.

"Sister, how...how old am I?"

Sister Liang hesitated for a moment, then laughed.

"Young Master, you are...one year old this year!"

Yeye, hearing this, counted on his fingers and quickly shook his head.

"No, I am not a one-year-old child!"

"I..."

"I’m one and a half!" Yeye asserted firmly.

Xia Ruqing looked at her son, her heart melting.

How amusing.

Yes, that thought of wanting to toss them away a moment ago definitely wasn’t hers!

Henger was still pondering about fishing.

He was caught off guard when Sister Jiang picked him up.

Xia Ruqing walked alongside, laughing.

"Let’s go, time for lunch!"

"There’s your favorite spinach porridge!"

Henger grinned.

"Henger likes it!"

Xia Ruqing pinched his soft, white cheeks, feeling very happy and content.

On the other side.

Yeye, in Sister Liang’s arms, was displeased.

"Mother Consort, why isn’t there any meat!"

Xia Ruqing turned her head, laughing helplessly.

"There’s meat, there’s chicken, duck, fish that you like!"

Yeye then cheered up.

Xia Ruqing pinched his cheek too, chuckling.

"Tell me, how come a little kid whose teeth haven’t fully grown in yet likes eating meat so much!"

Yeye puffed out his cheeks, very righteously.

"Eating meat makes you grow tall and strong!"

Henger heard this and tilted his head with a mischievous smile.

"Eating meat, getting fat!"

Yeye immediately objected.

"Not getting fat, getting strong!"

Henger gave him a glance, muttering softly.

"Almost the same thing!"

Xia Ruqing listened to the two on either side, amused yet feeling a bit helpless.

"Two little rascals still wetting the bed, and they’re arguing!"

"No bed-wetting, Mother Consort I don’t wet the bed anymore!" Henger immediately corrected.

"Me neither!"

Yeye wasn’t quite as confident, feeling a bit guilty.

Xia Ruqing smirked knowingly but didn’t call it out.

"Alright, alright!!"

"Whoever finishes their meal today is a true gentleman..."

"Okay!"

"It’s a deal!"

Laughing and joking, they all entered the house.

...

Zi Yue was already busy arranging the meal.

There were meat and vegetables, fish and shrimp, fresh river catch, as well as a dish of stewed, tender chicken, and a bowl of fish porridge with the bones picked out.