Chapter 31: Concubine Dun hits her head and dies
Ji Jinyou was frightened by the sudden cry of the Eighteenth Prince. The grapes in her hand fell to the ground and rolled away.
She spread out her two chubby hands, looking stunned and blank: "I didn't hit you either."
The older one was crying loudly, while the younger one was explaining himself calmly. The Seventh Princess was so amused that she chuckled and held the little kid in her arms, "It has nothing to do with our Little Nine."
"Crying again, crying again. Look at Xiaojiu." The Eighth Princess picked up the Eighteenth Prince with a look of disgust, patted his back not too gently, and walked away.
Ji Jinyou really didn't understand why the Eighteenth Prince suddenly cried for help. She sat in the Seventh Princess's arms, tilted her head and asked, "Seventh Sister, what happened to Brother Eighteen?"
Looking at the pair of innocent big eyes, the Seventh Princess found it more and more funny. She reached out and touched the little girl's head, saying perfunctorily, "It's okay. Eighteen is just too timid."
Well, Ji Jinyou turned around and glanced at the Eighth Princess who was walking away, still unable to understand: [Nothing, I just pulled his hand and he started crying, how timid of him!]
All of them analyzed: [Maybe you were a bit fierce when you beat the fifteenth prince before, so he is afraid of you.]
[That should be the case,] Ji Jinyou thought it made sense, and reflected deeply on himself: [Then from now on, I will not hit anyone casually.]
The Eighth Princess carried the Eighteenth Prince for a long distance before she coaxed him into silence. She patiently asked him for a long time before she finally understood that Eighteenth Prince had mistaken Tong Tong for a ghost.
She rolled her eyes and poked him on the forehead: "You idiot, I guess all my previous words were in vain, didn't I tell you that Tong Tong is not a ghost, just treat him as a god, there is nothing to be afraid of."
The eighteenth prince was trembling with fear, tears welling up in his eyes, sobbing, "But he, he said he would bite me, bite me to death."
Princess Eight: "That was just to scare you. Tongtong is a good god. You will know after you play with Xiaojiu more and listen to what he says more."
Thinking of the vicious tone of the bucket fairy when he said he would bite him to death, the eighteenth prince didn't quite believe it. He hugged the eighth princess' neck, pouted his lips and was about to cry again: "Eighth sister, I want my mother."
The Eighth Princess lost her patience and slapped him on the butt: "If you cry again, I will beat you."
The eighteenth prince didn't want to be beaten, so he had to hold it back in grievance.
The Eighth Princess coaxed him for a while, and when he stopped shivering, she carried the little boy back to the pavilion, put him on the ground, pushed him forward, and ordered, "Go, play with Xiaojiu for a while."
Ji Jinyou was afraid that he would cry again, so this time she just stood by the table and looked at him quietly, not daring to move.
The Eighteenth Prince waited for a long time. Seeing that the bucket fairy did not come to bite him, he mustered up the courage to walk in front of Xiao Jiu and took her hand: "Xiao Jiu."
Ji Jinyou smiled, tiptoed to take a piece of red bean cake from the table and handed it to the eighteenth prince: "Eat cake."
The eighteenth prince took it, took a small bite and chewed it slowly. After a piece of sweet and soft cake went down his throat, his weak heart was healed and he smiled: "Sweet."
Seeing that he was smiling innocently and was quite cute, Ji Jinyou raised her little hand and touched her head: "Be good."
A little kid has to coax a little kid. The seven or eight princesses were all amused. They all reached out and touched the little girl's head, imitating her tone and saying in a pinched voice, "Be good."
---
The fifteenth prince left the Yu Garden and walked back to Qiuhua Palace slowly, but when he reached the door he did not go in. He hesitated outside the door for a long time, then turned around and ran away.
He ran a long way in one breath before he slowed down. He walked around the palace with his head down, and when his legs were sore, he walked back.
On the way back, he deliberately found a deserted place, lay on the ground and rolled around quickly a few times, getting covered in dirt, and then returned to Qiuhua Palace.
As soon as I entered the courtyard, I saw Concubine Dun sitting in the corridor, staring in the direction of the courtyard gate in a daze.
He paused and stood far away, but after waiting for a long time, Concubine Dun did not call him, so he went forward to pay his respects.
Princess Dun looked at the boy in front of her with complicated eyes and did not respond for a long time.
The fifteenth prince kept his hands clasped and waited quietly, secretly hoping that Concubine Dun would find him dirty, drag him over, slap him twice, and scold him.
But for a long time, Concubine Dun didn't say anything. She just looked at him quietly, but her eyes were a little empty, as if she was not looking at him.
Seeing that something was wrong, Concubine Dun's personal nanny came over and whispered, "Your Highness, the little prince is back."
Princess Dun came back to her senses, forced a smile, and nodded: "You must be tired from playing, go back and rest, I'll have someone bring you some snacks and drinks."
"Yes, I'll take my leave." The fifteenth prince was disappointed. He bowed respectfully, turned around and left.
He took a few steps and then stopped, turned around, tugged at the hem of his clothes, and lied, "Mother, I accidentally fell from a tree and my clothes are dirty."
Concubine Dun gently fanned herself with the fan in her hand and looked into the distance: "It's just a piece of clothing. If it gets dirty, it's dirty. Take it off and let the palace maid wash it."
There was a flash of loneliness and sadness in the eyes of the fifteenth prince.
A long time ago, he also fell from a tree, and his clothes were not as dirty as they are now. However, his mother immediately took him into her arms, checked him from head to toe, and when she saw that he was fine, she slapped him hard and asked him why he was so naughty. Then she hugged him and cried, saying that she was scared to death.
But this time, he was covered in dirt, and his mother didn't even ask a question?
Does mother really not care about him and no longer love him?
The little boy was unwilling to give up and said, "Mother, I haven't studied hard recently."
Concubine Dun waved her fan gently, expressionless: "It's okay, go and have a rest."
"You won't punish your son?" The fifteenth prince's eyes turned dim.
The nanny beside Concubine Dun noticed this detail and subconsciously looked at Concubine Dun.
The Queen didn't seem to notice anything: "As long as you are happy, go down and have a rest."
Tears welled up in the eyes of the fifteenth prince. He lowered his head and said respectfully, "Yes."
Looking at the little boy running away quickly, the nanny took a step forward and wanted to chase him, but after looking at the indifferent Concubine Dun, she gave up in the end. She sighed and whispered: "Your Majesty, things have come to this point, why are you doing this?"
Your Majesty obtained the position of consort with the help of the Fifteenth Prince. His Majesty's high regard for Your Majesty also stems from the deep affection between Your Majesty and Concubine Shu, as well as his love for the Fifteenth Prince like his own mother.
Concubine Shu has been dead for many years. Your Majesty's actions now will not only be of no help, but will also push the Fifteenth Prince away. Your Majesty is foolish.
Hearing the nanny say this again, Concubine Dun's eyes darkened and her tone was filled with resentment: "Do you think I want this? When I think about the fact that I could have had a child of my own, I feel unwilling to accept it."
The nanny advised her privately countless times, but Concubine Dun was like a possessed woman, stuck in this matter and unable to get out of it. No matter how she advised, it was of no use.
It seems that the queen can only untie this knot in her heart by herself. The nanny sighed, lowered her head and stood still, saying no more.
The fifteenth prince ran back to the side hall where he lived, closed the door, took off his dirty coat and threw it on the ground, kicked off his shoes, threw himself on the bed, burrowed into the quilt, curled up into a ball, and sobbed.
---
In the Yu Garden, Princess Seventh and Eighth played with the two little ones for a while. When they saw that the sun was getting hotter, they got up with Little Nine and said they wanted to go back.
Ji Jinyou looked around and didn't see anyone looking for the Eighteenth Prince, so he asked him, "Eighteenth Brother, do you dare to go back alone?"
The eighteenth prince shook his head and answered honestly, "I dare not."
Thinking that he was so timid, Ji Jinyou looked at her two sisters and said, "Youyou wants to send Eighteenth Brother back."
The Seventh and Eighth Princesses thought it was on their way, so they nodded and agreed. Then the four of them, along with a few palace maids, left the Yu Garden and headed back, sending the Eighteenth Prince back first, and then returned to the Pearl Palace.
As soon as she sat down, Hong Yu, the head maid of the Hibiscus Palace, came over. After paying her respects, she smiled and said, "Seventh Princess, Eighth Princess, the Queen has made some clothes for the Ninth Princess. She asked me to take her there to try them on."
The Eighth Princess asked, "Mother only asked us to pick up Little Nine, but didn't she ask me and Seventh Sister to go as well?"
Hong Yu replied: "The Queen didn't give any special instructions."
The Seventh Princess and the Eighth Princess looked at each other. Thinking that they still had to go to the Queen to talk about Concubine Dun, they nodded and put the chubby girl in their arms on the ground: "Xiaojiu, go to your mother first, we will come to find you later."
"Okay." Ji Jinyou nodded obediently and followed Hong Yu out.
Seeing that the chubby little girl's legs were too short and fearing that she would be too tired from walking, Hong Yu wanted to hold her, but Ji Jinyou refused.
Jin Xing was waiting outside. When she saw the young master coming out, she came forward to hug him. However, Ji Jinyou still refused, "Youyou, go by yourself."
The little girl was very worried: [Everyone, why do you all like to hug me so much? If you keep hugging me like this, I will become fat as a ball. ]
System: [Our Youzi is cute even if he is as fat as a ball. 】
Ji Jinyou was already used to the system unconditionally thinking she was lovable, so she shook her head and stopped talking.
A group of people followed the little girl's footsteps, staggering and strolling to Furong Palace.
The Imperial Concubine was fiddling with her skirts on the couch. When she heard Hong Yu's report, she turned around and saw the short, plump little girl walking in from the door. She immediately smiled, "Xiao Jiu is here."
"Youyou pays respects to Her Majesty." Ji Jinyou bowed politely and paid respect.
"Good child, get up quickly." The imperial concubine looked at the crooked fat girl, and she was so fond of her that she stepped forward and picked her up, touching her little hands and her little face. She raised her voice again: "Does Xiaojiu miss you, mother?"
又香又漂亮的娘娘誰不想呢，季瑾悠伸手摟住皇貴妃脖子，和她貼了貼臉，“悠悠想娘娘。”
奶呼呼的小姑娘甜甜地說想她，皇貴妃心花怒放，笑得一臉慈愛：“好孩子，母妃給你做了幾條裙子，快來看看。”
皇貴妃抱着小姑娘到榻上，拿過一條新做的小裙子給她換上，大小肥瘦都剛剛好。
小姑娘家哪個不喜歡新衣服呢，季瑾悠穿着漂漂亮亮的小裙子轉着圈給皇貴妃看，笑得見牙不見眼：“悠悠好看。”
見小姑娘笑眯眯誇她自己好看，皇貴妃和屋內幾人都笑了，皇貴妃伸手捏捏小姑娘肥嘟嘟的小臉蛋：“好看，我們小九最好看。”
試完一件，皇貴妃又拿了另外幾件，一一給悠悠試過，最後讓她自己挑一件穿，季瑾悠就挑了件粉色繡了桃花的。
粉雕玉琢的小姑娘，穿一件粉裙子，整個人都粉嘟嘟的，皇貴妃忍不住抱着親了好幾口。
對皇貴妃這毫不掩飾的真心喜愛，季瑾悠覺得她要做個懂得禮尚往來的好孩子，湊上去回親了皇貴妃一口，親得皇貴妃開懷大笑。
皇貴妃将小姑娘放在地上，牽着她的小手往外走：“走，母妃帶你去看貓貓狗狗和鳥鳥兔兔。”
季瑾悠仰起小腦袋：“嗯？”
聽着那聲滿是疑惑的小奶音，皇貴妃笑着伸手揉了揉小姑娘的兩個小揪揪：“去看了就知道了。”
到了院中角落，就見那裏拿木板做栅欄，臨時圍起來一塊。
皇貴妃松開小九的手，輕輕往前推她：“去吧，自己去看。”
季瑾悠走近，探着小腦袋越過低矮的栅欄一看，又驚又喜，皇貴妃沒說錯，真的是貓貓狗狗和鳥鳥兔兔，除了籠子裏那只渾身綠色的鹦鹉，剩下的都是小崽崽。
沒想到皇貴妃準備了這些，小姑娘笑得眉眼彎彎，轉過身，小手指着栅欄裏，奶聲奶氣問：“娘娘，是給悠悠的嗎？”
皇貴妃笑着點頭：“給我們小九的，看看可喜歡。”
小太監把栅欄移開，季瑾悠迫不及待走進去，先抱起那只在吃青草的小兔崽。
小兔崽還在嚼着青草，三瓣嘴一動一動好有趣，季瑾悠摸了摸它，把它放回裝滿青草的筐裏，讓它接着吃。
随後抱起那只哼哼唧唧，在她腳邊拱來拱去的小黑狗，毛茸茸的小狗狗，她一抱起來就不叫了，老老實實趴在她臂彎裏。
季瑾悠抱着它晃了晃，又蹲下去把那只橘黃色的小奶崽抱了起來。
皇貴妃見小姑娘喜歡，笑着說：“小九喜歡的話，就都養着。”
季瑾悠點點頭，又搖搖頭，依依不舍地把小貓和小狗放下，又蹲在籠子前看了看那只鹦鹉。
看了一會兒，起身，走回皇貴妃身邊，仰着小腦袋，一本正經道謝：“悠悠喜歡，謝謝娘娘，可悠悠不要。”
小姑娘明明是喜歡的，為什麽又不要，皇貴妃不解，可見小姑娘小腦袋突然耷拉下去，像是心情不好的樣子，便也沒再多問，把她抱起來往回走：“不要就不要，改天母妃再讓人找別的來給我們小九。”
季瑾悠在心底嘆氣：【統統，我好喜歡的，可我只能活六十六天了，回頭我死了，它們該想我了，你說，要是我能一直活着，那該多好。】
小動物也是有感情的，短短幾十天活頭，又何必讓它們認了她做主人，回頭又被她抛下。
系統沒有胳膊，不然肯定要抱一抱小姑娘，【我可憐的悠崽兒。】
一聽小姑娘這話，皇貴妃心頭一酸，原來小九是因為這個原因才不養的，這孩子，怎麽這麽善良啊。
她把小姑娘緊緊摟進懷裏，找了個借口：“這些小東西瞧着怪有趣的，就先養在母妃這裏，你七姐姐和八姐姐也喜歡這些小玩意，回頭你們有空就過來陪它們玩。”
這樣行，季瑾悠點點小腦袋：“好。”
皇貴妃把小姑娘抱進門，進到寝殿，把她小鞋子一脫，放進那一張圍欄小木床裏，笑着說：“這小床，是你八姐姐小時候用過的，如今剛好給我們小九用，往後玩累了，就歇在這裏。”
小姑娘坐在鋪了粉色被褥，挂了粉色帷幔的小床內，心中暖暖的，抱着小拳頭朝皇貴妃作揖：“悠悠謝謝娘娘。”
皇貴妃坐在小床邊，看憨态可掬的小姑娘，笑得合不攏嘴：“我們小九瞧着可真像年畫上的娃娃。”
紅雨笑着附和道：“可不是嘛。”
皇貴妃又說：“小九，母妃還讓人給你做了個秋千架，過兩日就能裝好，到時候你就多來母妃這裏玩可好？”
季瑾悠當然願意在芙蓉宮多露臉，點點小腦袋：“好。”
---
七公主和八公主來到鳳儀宮，拉着皇後把敦妃和淑妃的過節講了。
皇後聽得頗為唏噓：“那回宮宴上，我瞧見敦妃對十五說話時，目光閃過冷意，我還當我看錯了，原來竟是真的。”
“當年淑妃和敦妃兩人形影不離，關系就像我和你們母妃，可謂是真心相待，沒想到，背後竟還有這樣的糾葛。”
想到那從來不哭的熊孩子坐地大哭的可憐樣，八公主追問：“母後，那十五以後怎麽辦，還讓他認敦妃做母妃嗎？”
皇後嘆了口氣：“這事比較麻煩，十五是淑妃臨終前親手托付給敦妃的，玉牒上也做了記錄。更何況，前些年，敦妃對十五那也是盡心盡力，一直拿他當親兒子來對待的，不好冒冒然就把二人分開，那樣對誰都不好。”
七公主有些着急：“母後，可是敦妃如今變了呀，她想害死十五。”
八公主：“是啊是啊。”
皇後：“你們先別着急，我量敦妃仍舊舍不得十五，不會，也不敢謀害皇子。”
七公主：“即便她不敢害十五性命，可要是一直這樣下，可能真的像桶桶說的那樣，十五就被她養廢了。”
皇後見兩個不省心的今日竟然懂事了，頗感欣慰：“好了，莫急，本宮知道了，容本宮想一想。”
七八公主點頭，靜靜坐在一旁候着。
皇後略微思慮一番，喊了丹桂進來，吩咐道：“丹桂，你去秋華宮把敦妃和十五皇子喊來。”丹桂應聲，出門去辦。
皇後又吩咐七八公主：“你們倆去芙蓉宮，把小九接來，等敦妃聽過桶桶說話，我再把這事攤開來講，看到時候她怎麽說。”
若是以前發現這種事，皇後許是會遮掩一番，盡力調和那母子二人的關系。
可如今不一樣了，既然十五皇子聽到了桶桶的話，保不齊哪天敦妃自己也能親耳聽到這些，那她就沒必要在這浪費心力去琢磨如何應對，還不如幹脆和敦妃挑明，之後看她怎麽說再定。
七八公主一聽，立馬應好，起身去了芙蓉宮。
---
芙蓉宮，皇貴妃将小九抱在懷裏，拿了各式各樣的玩具哄孩子玩。
季瑾悠為了哄皇貴妃開心，特別捧場，不管她拿出什麽玩具，她都拍着小巴掌說喜歡。
剛開始，皇貴妃見小姑娘歡欣雀躍的小模樣，以為她當真喜歡，可後來看出來了，這孩子是在這哄她呢。
她感嘆小團子小小年紀竟懂得人情世故，又贊嘆她如此聰慧，轉念想到小姑娘的處境，便了然。
有如嫔這個存在感極低的母妃，連帶着小九在陛下面前也不受寵，可不就得從小學着看人臉色嘛。
皇貴妃心疼小姑娘，在她小腦袋上親了親，讓人把堆了一榻的玩具收了，張羅着擺膳吃飯。
一頓飯下來，皇貴妃又是把小姑娘抱在懷裏，從頭喂到尾，季瑾悠連手都沒動一下，只管張嘴。
小姑娘吃飽之後，抱着圓滾滾的小肚子感嘆：【統統，我現在不光不用自己走，連飯都不用自己吃了，我覺得我現在就是個小豬。】
【小豬也可愛。】系統說道，随後還惟妙惟肖地學了兩聲豬叫。
季瑾悠被系統逗得突然笑出聲，笑完忙抿嘴看向皇貴妃。心道糟糕，她這麽抽冷子笑，皇貴妃會不會起疑。
皇貴妃假裝不知情，伸手摸摸小姑娘頭上的小揪揪，給她找了個臺階下：“我們小九這是吃開心了？”
季瑾悠松了一口氣，黑黝黝的眼睛彎了起來，小手拍了下小肚子：“悠悠吃開心了。”
話音剛落，七八公主就進了門，兩人給皇貴妃請安，季瑾悠則站起來給兩個姐姐請安。
“小九，吃飽飽沒呀？”七公主抱起小九，和她聊天，轉移她的注意力。
八公主抱住皇貴妃胳膊假裝撒嬌，湊到她耳邊把敦妃的事三言兩語簡單說了，末了說：“母後讓我們來接小九過去。”
皇貴妃一聽敦淑二妃還有那樣一段糾葛，頓時來了興趣，“我和你們同去。”
說罷，起身，“小九啊，母妃有點吃多了，咱們去母後宮裏走走可好？”
芙蓉宮的飯菜實在太可口，季瑾悠吃得也有點兒多，點點小腦袋，“悠悠也走走。”
Having said that, he slid down from the Seventh Princess' legs, put on his own little shoes, and walked out on his short legs.
"Slow down." The Royal Concubine hurried to chase after him.
The eighth princess, who was left behind, hugged the seventh princess' arm and said, "Seventh sister, why do I feel that mother doesn't love me anymore?"
The Seventh Princess glanced at her and said, "How grown up are you? And you're still competing for favors with Little Nine."
---
The four of them came to Fengyi Palace with a group of palace maids. Concubine Dun had arrived earlier with the fifteenth prince.
The Imperial Concubine pretended to be surprised and said, "Oh, Concubine Dun and Fifteen are here too."
The two of them stood up and paid their respects to the Imperial Concubine. Ji Jinyou followed her two sisters to pay their respects to Concubine Dun. Then several children greeted each other according to their age. After a round of formalities, everyone finally sat down.
The queen waved to Xiaojiu and smiled tenderly, "Xiaojiu, come here, mother."
Ji Jinyou walked over, and the queen held the chubby little girl in her lap, pinched her chubby little hand, and asked the same question as the imperial concubine: "Does Xiaojiu miss her mother?"
Ji Jinyou leaned her little head into the empress's arms and said in a sweet voice, "Youyou misses the empress."
The queen kissed her little face and said with a smile, "Good child, mother misses you too."
"Xiaojiu, can you eat now?"
“I’ve eaten.”
"What did you eat? Tell mother."
"Meat, vegetables..."
The two of them chatted in this meaningless manner, with the Imperial Concubine and seven or eight princesses sitting on chairs nearby, listening quietly and secretly observing Concubine Dun and the fifteenth prince who were sitting opposite them.
The little boy no longer had the aggressive look he used to have. With red eyes and slumped shoulders, he sat beside Concubine Dun in a daze, not saying a word.
The Fifteenth Prince was very nervous and at a loss. Thinking of what the Eighth Princess had said to him before, he roughly guessed why the Empress had called him and Concubine Dun to come.
He was afraid that the Empress would separate him from Concubine Dun, but he was also afraid that the Empress would let him stay with Concubine Dun. He couldn't bear to leave Concubine Dun as his mother, but he also didn't want to be killed by her.
Everyone had different thoughts in their minds. They all kept silent, waiting for Xiaojiu and Tongtong to talk.
Only Concubine Dun was still an outsider at the moment, and was completely confused by the current situation.
In the past, when the Empress had something to do, she would only call her. Unless it was a festival, she would rarely call her and the Fifteenth Prince together.
But after calling them over, he didn't say anything. He just sat there and teased the Ninth Princess. First, he kept asking the little girl a lot of nonsense, and then he fed her some fruit, and then he left the mother and child there to sit there, as if he had completely forgotten about them.
The Queen has always been clear about rewards and punishments, but she has always been kind and generous, and has almost never deliberately made things difficult for anyone. But why did she suddenly act like this today? What is her intention?
Could it be that she was trying to warn her? Thinking of her change in attitude towards the fifteenth prince, Concubine Dun felt a pang in her heart. But after thinking about it carefully, she believed that in front of others, she had behaved the same as before and had not given anyone an advantage.
There was also the Royal Consort with two princesses, seemingly drinking tea, but they looked over with inquiring eyes from time to time. Why was that?
Just when Concubine Dun was full of confusion and was about to ask the Queen if she had any instructions, she heard the Ninth Princess, who was chewing a plum, speak.
[Tongjie, the one with the dark face, is that Concubine Dun? ]
How could this child be so ignorant of etiquette that she actually talked about her elders in front of them? Concubine Dun was unhappy and frowned slightly, looking at the little girl.
The system flipped through the character summary: [Yes, that's her. Youzi, let me tell you, the fifteenth prince got into trouble and was demoted to a commoner, and Concubine Dun was also banished to the cold palace because of her poor teaching.]
A strange male voice suddenly appeared in her ears, saying such shocking news. Concubine Dun was startled and dropped the teacup in her hand onto her skirt. Thanks to her quick reaction, she picked it up immediately, but the hot tea had wet a large area of her skirt.
Before she could figure out what that male voice meant, she heard the Ninth Princess speaking again. No, no, no, she didn't say that. She didn't even open her mouth.
[That's not surprising.] Thinking about the original ending of the fifteenth prince, Ji Jinyou sighed.
The system continued: [Later, the fifteenth prince died on the street. The news spread back to the palace and then to the cold palace. Concubine Dun regretted it. She thought about her failed life and how she had died in the house where she lived. The whole palace was in chaos at the time. No one noticed her and no one collected her body. When she was found many days later, she had already smelled bad. Eh~]
Ji Jinyou was chewing a plum. When she heard this, she, who had a very rich imagination, couldn't help but imagine the scene in her mind. Her stomach suddenly felt churning, and she quickly lay down on the edge of the couch: "Grrrl~"