Chapter 42

This year, Lingwu is four years old, the Crown Prince is seventeen, the Second Prince is fourteen, the Third Prince is thirteen, and the Fourth Prince and the Fifth Princess are both twelve years old.

The Empress, who was combing Ling Wu's hair, noticed that Sheng Yu had left before speaking softly to Ling Wu:

"Jiaojiao is still young and doesn't know that the young master of the General's Mansion, the youngest son of the Censor, and the second son of the Minister of Personnel are all not good people."

"Look at your father. He said he loved your mother back then, but in the end, didn't he marry so many women? In the future, Jiaojiao can have as many young masters as she wants, but she's too young now. She absolutely cannot let any other little brothers hold her hand!"

The Empress lectured her with a stern face, but she would never say that she was heartbroken that her beautiful little fairy had been taken advantage of by a bunch of pigs who were only average-looking.

Thinking of this, the Empress added, "Even little brothers are not allowed!"

Lingwu nodded obediently, "Jiaojiao knows, Jiaojiao will listen to whatever Mother says."

The four-year-old girl now looks more like a little fairy child under the seat of Guanyin. Her delicate and exquisite appearance is even more endearing than the most lovable porcelain doll.

Three years ago, Bai Mihan left Hanxi Courtyard and moved into the more remote Shuangyue Pavilion.

As a beauty, Bai Mihan naturally did not have a sedan chair to ride in, but she would still walk a long way every day to wait for Lingwu on the road from Fengyi Palace to Qianqing Palace.

All I wanted was to catch a glimpse of her.

Because Sheng Yu had reconciled with the Empress and because of Ling Wu, he no longer had the affection for Bai Mihan he had in his previous life, and he couldn't even remember her at all.

For some reason, Bai Mihan changed her usual plain white dress today, put on lipstick, and wore a long, flowing green dress.

Her originally aloof face now had a touch of glamour. She stood silently under the pear tree for a moment before awkwardly calling out, "Your Highness."

Lingwu tilted her head and looked her over. Bai Mihan's face was no different from her previous life, but the arrogance in her eyes had long since disappeared, and she had become much thinner from being worn down by the palace servants who were good at judging people by their appearance.

Mu Zhi remained calm. Over the past three years, the young prince had learned about everything that had happened back then. So even though Bai Mihan waited for him day and night without fail, the young prince still treated her as nothing.

Everyone else only knew that the young prince was intelligent and naive, but she also knew that the young prince had eyes that could see through people's hearts.

Whether it's a white lie or not, the young prince's heart is as clear as a mirror.

Later, when she thought about what happened when the little prince was one year old, including the incident involving Consort Ning and even Prince Ning, she found it all quite terrifying.

But whenever the little prince softly calls out "Grandma Zhizhi," she is filled with tenderness and affection.

He has become even more loyal to the young prince than he was when he was by the Empress Dowager's side.

Therefore, Mu Zhi felt no worry when she saw Ling Wu stop in her tracks.

"Hmm?" Ling Wu waited quietly.

Bai Mihan almost burst into tears at this sound. For three years, she had been hiding in every corner, listening to Ya Ya call the Empress "Mother".

She watched as the man she once loved most embraced her daughter with another woman, living happily together.

She was like a filthy bug breeding in the shadows, utterly unworthy to stand beside Ya Ya.

"N-nothing," Bai Mihan said, her voice choked with emotion.

She waits every day, standing here under the scorching sun and in the freezing winter, even when she is unwell, even if she may not see him for several days, but she remains unchanged.

And so, we rejoice over these few words of conversation.

Ling Wu glanced at her for a moment, then turned and left.

Bai Mihan's aura of death was very strong, and...

Jinghongbi told her that Sheng Lingwu's lifespan had increased.

Bai Mihan watched with a smile as Ling Wu's figure gradually receded into the distance until it disappeared. Only then did she come back to her senses and remember what she had overheard that day.

She couldn't help herself for a moment, and her body swayed, revealing a hint of fragility.

Yu Bai said that her daughter, Ya Ya, wouldn't live past five years old...

But it's okay, her little girl will see the beauty of this world.

The Imperial Study.

Sheng Yu sat at the head of the table, having already finished reviewing the memorials, but he did not go to accompany the Empress and Ling Wu early today.

Zhang Delu whispered in Sheng Yu's ear, "Your Majesty, the young prince has arrived."

Sheng Yu nodded, then stood up, his coldness vanishing as he laughed heartily. He bent down and scooped up Ling Wu, who had just stepped into the Imperial Study, asking, "How did Jiao Jiao know that Father was here? Did Zhang Delu secretly tell you?"

Zhang Delu silently rolled his eyes.

But Lingwu answered seriously, "Father is not with Mother, nor in his own palace, so he must be here."

"Hahahaha, it's Daddy's fault for being so clumsy. It seems I'll have to take care of Daddy from now on."

"Big brother said he would take care of you; second brother said he would be there for you even if you couldn't get out of bed, so you wouldn't need to be a baby; third brother said you're good at lying; fourth brother said you don't need to do anything, he'll do everything for you; sister said father is the third most powerful man in the world, so you don't need to be a baby..."

Sheng Yu was speechless. He could understand the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince, but what did the others mean?

"Your second brother said that Father won't be able to get out of bed anymore?"

Ling Wu looked bewildered. "Um, Second Brother also said that when Father gets old, he'll become ugly, his face will be full of wrinkles, his hair will be white, and even going to the toilet will be..."

"Pfft—cough cough cough!" Yu Bai, who was holding a teacup and drinking tea next to him, suddenly choked and coughed incessantly.

Sheng Yu gave him a deep look, while Yu Bai said with a serious expression, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. Although I did not mean it, I have still done a good job in saving Your Majesty!"

Sheng Yu coldly withdrew his gaze and explained gently to Ling Wu, "Your second brother is just asking for trouble. He doesn't study what he should be studying and talks nonsense everywhere. Even when your father gets old, that brat will never do what he said he would do!"

Ha, that brat's long-awaited autumn hunt is over. He can forget about going. He'll stay in the palace and not go anywhere else!

Ling Wu nodded innocently, but Sheng Yu thought of his third son, who had an even sullen face than him, and didn't want to ask.

He only lied to Sanzi once that Jiaojiao wasn't there, and then secretly followed Sanzi for a day while holding Jiaojiao. After Sanzi discovered him, Sanzi's cold face became even colder towards him from then on!

Sheng Yu calmed himself down and tapped Ling Wu's little nose. "Let Daddy guess who your Fifth Sister is referring to as first and second. If you guess right, Jiao Jiao will grant Daddy a favor, okay?"

Ling Wu nodded, "Okay!"

Sheng Yu pretended to be troubled, but seeing the little bundle of joy in his arms giggling, he finally spoke softly after a long while, "This first place..."

Lingwu, with her good temper, made an expectant gesture.

"The first place must belong to Jiaojiao."

"Daddy is so amazing!" The little dumpling clapped excitedly, which pleased Sheng Yu greatly.

"The second one... should be her mother, who is also your virtuous mother."

"Yes!" Ling Wu replied perfunctorily.

Sheng Yu, however, was thinking of ways to tease Ling Wu, which made Zhang Delu and the others itchy to play with the little dumpling as well.

Only when Lingwu felt sleepy did she turn her head and ask, "Father guessed right, so what does Father want?"

Sheng Yu removed the delicate jewelry from Ling Wu's hair, then stroked Ling Wu's long, black hair, smiling with a mixture of doting and tenderness, "Then Jiao Jiao can sleep here with Father for a while."

Ling Wu tilted her head, as if asking, "Is this all?"

Sheng Yu smiled gently, "Yes, but Father also made a wish to Heaven, praying that our darling will live a long and carefree life."

After falling asleep, Lingwu left Sheng Lingwu's body.