As Zisu watched Consort Jian leave, she sensed that the way Consort Jian looked at her mistress before she left was rather strange.

"Your Majesty, the way Consort Yan looked at you just now..."

Tang Shiya stopped Zisu from saying what she was about to say.

"It's alright, she's just a concubine, not even a high-ranking consort, she's not worth worrying about."

Zisu became anxious upon hearing Tang Shiya's words.

"But, Your Majesty, what happened when the Empress was poisoned..."

"Perilla!!"

Tang Shiya gave a low rebuke, and Zisu immediately knelt down.

"Zisu, regarding that matter back then, I only had suspicions, not evidence, especially since it involved the Empress and the little princess."

"You can't just make things up if there's evidence, let alone something like this with so much evidence."

"This servant is only worried about Your Highness, and will only speak of this to Your Highness."

Tang Shiya looked at the stone table outside the door, as if she had remembered something; her face was full of memories.

After a long while, looking at Zisu kneeling on the ground, she spoke again.

"Zisu, be careful, walls have ears. Even in my Purple Bamboo Pavilion, you should be aware of this."

"This servant understands."

Get up.

"Thank you, Your Majesty"

After learning that Consort Jian had left, Qin Jingyi went to the main hall.

"Why does Mother always have me hide after Consort Jian arrives?"

Instead of answering, Tang Shiya asked, "Ji'er, what do you think of this harem?"

Qin Jingyu lowered his head and pondered for a while.

"Your subject believes that without the freedom of the outside world, and..."

Seeing her son's intermittent speech, Tang Shiya asked in confusion, "And what's wrong?"

"Speak freely."

Upon hearing his mother's words, Qin Jingyi stopped being so awkward.

"Moreover, the methods of pickling tsampa in the imperial harem were too numerous."

"Even...even my mother did this for her son..."

"Your subject does not like it."

Tang Shiya was stunned for a long time after hearing her son's words.

"Mother? Mother?"

"What's wrong, Ji'er?"

"Your Majesty, I just called out to you, but you did not respond."

"Your Majesty, I did not believe that you were ruthless... Mother, please don't overthink it."

Tang Shiya smiled knowingly.

"What are you saying, Si'er? I am your mother. Don't you know me?"

Why did Mother ask me about this?

"What this harem has in abundance is affection."

"I lack no kind of emotion."

"Your mother just wants to tell you that there are basically no trustworthy people in the palace."

"My mother doesn't want me to become like her."

"Your subject understands."

Tang Shiya was relieved to hear that her son understood, and then let Qin Jingji leave.

When Qin Jingji reached the door, Tang Shiya called him back again.

"Qi'er"

Qin Jingji turned to his mother and asked, "Is there anything else, Mother?"

"If you happen to encounter the little princess in the palace, please remember to look after her."

"Mother, I understand."

"Mother, what happened back then is in the past. You should let it go too."

After Qin Jingyi finished speaking and saw that his mother did not reply, he left the palace.

Tang Shiya was stunned for a moment when she heard Qin Jingyao's words. Should she put it down?

But... I just can't let go, what should I do? If it weren't for...

————————

After the father and daughter in the Hall of Mental Cultivation finished picking up the potatoes and sweet potatoes on the ground...

Carry the bowl containing potatoes and sweet potatoes back into the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"I'm so tired."

Qin Jue was washing the dust off Xiao Xi'er's hands when he heard her sigh about how tired she was, so he poked her head.

"Why doesn't Father feel tired?"

"Father just asked Sanhezi and Chunhe and Xiaju to pick them up, but you didn't want to."

Xiao Xi'er took out her clean hand, noticing that it wasn't completely dry.

He wiped the water off his hands onto Qin Jue's clothes.

Hehehe

"Daddy's so stupid (Cen Ben)"

"Let others pick it up, I'm afraid they'll steal my food."

You're such a little glutton!

"Laughing"

Xiao Xi stuck out her tongue and gave Qin Jue a little nudge.

Qin Jue wiped Xiao Xi'er's other hand clean, then had Chunhe take the basin and towel away.

Little Xi'er, who had just washed her hands, wanted to grab the potatoes from the basket with her hands.

Qin Jue patted Xiao Xi'er's outstretched hand.

"You just washed it clean. Now you've gotten it dirty again."

Hehehe

"Okay, I'll listen to my dad."

Qin Jue lifted Xiao Xi'er onto his lap and sat her down, then noticed that his daughter was still staring intently at the things in the basket.

Why is Xiaoxi looking at potatoes and sweet potatoes all the time?

Xiao Xi'er raised her head, looked at Qin Jue with her big eyes, then thought for a moment and spoke.

"Daddy, how should we eat potatoes and sweet potatoes?"

"kindness……"

"There are many ways to eat it, which one would you like, Xiaoxi?"

"There are a lot."

"Yes"

Little Xi'er didn't know if what her father said was the same as what she said, so she used her short arms and little hands to draw a circle.

Later, they felt it wasn't enough, so they drew a bigger circle again.

She looked at her father, as if to say, "Is that all?"

Qin Jue understood what Xiao Xi'er was thinking when he saw her drawing circles.

Qin Jue grasped Xiao Xi'er's hands with both of his and drew a circle, saying, "Yes, probably even more than Xiao Xi'er said."

When Xiao Xi'er heard that there were even more than she had imagined, her eyes lit up immediately.

Smiling ingratiatingly

"Father, can I eat them all?"

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!