As soon as they entered the room, Jiang Chuting kissed Xing'er's forehead and handed him to the wet nurse to take him away. Xing'er pouted and whimpered twice, turning his head from the wet nurse's arms to look at Jiang Chuting, but he didn't cry.
On the way back, Pei Jing and Xing'er kept looking at each other, creating an awkward atmosphere. Jiang Chuting tried her best to keep the two away from each other to avoid any unnecessary trouble.
Pei Jing caught a glimpse of the child being carried away and disappearing out of the corner of his eye. He then looked away and focused his gaze on Jiang Chuting's face. His expression changed abruptly, and he began to interrogate her: "Tell me, why are you never here when I come? Are you doing this on purpose?"
Jiang Chuting said, "I don't know divination, so how would I know when you would come? It can only be said to be a coincidence."
Jiang Chuting walked into the house, with Pei Jing following closely behind. Pei Jing questioned, "So you mean I came at the wrong time?"
"Yes, you could say that." Jiang Chuting nodded and said slowly, "You come whenever you want, but you've never given me any advance notice."
Actually, that makes sense. Jiang Chuting isn't a concubine in the imperial harem who needs to wait for his favor at all times. Does that mean he should stay in his room waiting for him every day?
This was absolutely impossible for Jiang Chuting, and Pei Jing did not see him as that kind of person either.
However, he has been very busy with official duties lately, and when he finally has a little time to see him, he is always unavailable. This has happened several times, which makes him feel frustrated.
Pei Jing grabbed his sleeve, preventing him from leaving. Looking at his face, his gaze darkened: "Now that you've given birth, I'm thinking of arranging for you to go to the palace. That way, I won't have to go through so much trouble to see you."
Jiang Chuting remained silent for a moment, then asked him, "What if I say no?"
Pei Jing stared intently at him, his jaw clenched, and asked, word by word, "Then what do you intend to do?"
Jiang Chuting smiled slightly, her tone softening considerably: "I've gotten used to this place and don't want to move. Besides, the weather hasn't been very good lately, so I probably won't be going out much."
His meaning was quite clear. Pei Jing gave a heavy snort and said nothing more, which was considered his acknowledgment.
With him, I always had to give in.
The two sat down at the tea table. Jiang Chuting brewed hot tea for him, glanced at the snow falling outside the window, and said, "Xiao Jiu, the snow is getting heavier and heavier."
"What's the rush? I haven't even had my tea yet, and you're already trying to send me away." Pei Jing's gaze lingered on his tall, slender waist, unwilling to look away.
Jiang Chuting explained, "I'm not trying to rush you. It's just that the roads are slippery because of the snow, so it's better to go back as soon as possible."
Pei Jing rested his chin on his hand and said, "I'm not leaving. I haven't eaten my fruit yet."
Fruit? Jiang Chuting didn't react for a moment. Pei Jing glared at him and said, "It's those red fruits you bought. I went to great lengths to pick them for you. Aren't you going to offer me some?"
He bent over slightly; it was indeed hard work for him, old man.
Jiang Chuting called someone into the house and ordered them to wash the fruit and bring it up. After it was served, Pei Jing examined the small plate of unidentified red wild fruit with his eyes, hesitating to take a bite.
Having grown accustomed to a life of luxury, he had probably never eaten anything so "lowly".
Observing his expression, Jiang Chuting took the initiative to say, "It's cold, and the fruit is icy cold. I'm afraid it will upset your stomach if you eat it. Why don't we take it away?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Pei Jing picked one up and put it in his mouth.
Jiang Chuting stared intently: "...How is it?"
Pei Jing savored the sweet taste, chewed it, swallowed it, and then groaned, "Disgusting." When he left, he took a small bag with him, giving the same reason as before: he had worked hard to pick it up, so even if it tasted bad, he had to eat it.
Pei Jing was in a good mood. When he returned to the palace, he still had a smile on his face. The chief eunuch Zhang Dequan came to greet him and reported after he finished speaking: "Your Majesty, the Empress sent someone over this afternoon to deliver a message."
Pei Jing didn't stop walking, and said casually as he went, "What is it?"
Zhang Dequan followed closely behind him and said, "Her Majesty the Empress is pregnant."
Upon hearing this, Pei Jing's smile vanished, and he glanced back at Zhang Dequan. Zhang Dequan kept his head down, utterly respectful.
"Oh, I see." Pei Jing said in a cold tone, "Have someone send some things over."
Zhang Dequan replied, "Yes, this servant will send someone to do it right away."
The Empress waited and waited, her eyes filled with longing, but all she received were a pile of rewards. She didn't see Pei Jing at all, and couldn't help but feel disappointed.
Has His Majesty really returned to the palace?
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Is he... in a meeting, too busy to come over?"
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty seems to be writing in the Imperial Study."
The Empress was taken aback and couldn't help but sigh. She knew that His Majesty had no feelings for her, but he would provide her with everything she needed as Empress, and he would not deliberately make things difficult for her. She should be content and never dared to ask for more.
But she was only eighteen years old, and under these circumstances, she couldn't help but harbor a sliver of hope that he would come and take a look. But he preferred to write rather than come over.
It was like a bucket of cold water being poured over her, extinguishing all her joy.
The Empress sat quietly for a moment, pondering the matter, then served herself a nourishing soup and braved the cold wind to go to the Imperial Study. If he wouldn't come, she would go by herself.
Upon arrival, they were told that His Majesty had returned to his bedchamber. The Empress had no choice but to go to Pei Jing's bedchamber, but when she arrived, she found that he was still not there.
"His Majesty has just gone to Cixi Palace because His Majesty has requested permission from the Empress Dowager."
The Empress knew that Pei Jing was not deliberately avoiding her. If he didn't want to see her, he would simply stop her at the door.
But the more coincidental the events, the more heartbroken and frustrated she felt. She didn't show it on her face, only saying calmly, "Since His Majesty is not here, then let me take the tonic soup in."
The Empress stepped into the hall, personally carrying a food box and placing it on the table. She frowned as she noticed a dish of small red wild berries on the table that seemed out of place in the grand hall.
The feeling was like a dull, gray pebble that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere in a pile of glittering pearls and gems. Not only was it an eyesore, but it also tarnished everything else, making people annoyed.
She found it unbelievable, and her face darkened with anger: "How could you present such an unworthy item to His Majesty's table? How do you all do your jobs?"
The palace attendant explained, "Your Majesty, His Majesty brought this back to the palace himself."
The empress, who had grown up in luxury, had never eaten or even seen such coarse wild fruit before. It was pitifully small, with rough skin, and some even had cracks in them. It was a pitiful sight.
The Empress couldn't understand it at all, nor could she imagine that His Majesty would eat this. She said with certainty, "This kind of thing will definitely make him sick. For His Majesty's health, throw it away immediately!"
"But..." the palace maid hesitated, but the Empress raised her voice slightly: "What? You're not going to listen to me anymore?"
She didn't think His Majesty would punish her for losing a few wild fruits; he was so busy, how could he possibly care about such a small thing? Besides, she was the Empress, and she could make that decision herself.
The palace maid obeyed and took away the plate of fruit, while she warmed up the tonic soup before reluctantly leaving.
When Pei Jing returned to his bedchamber from the Empress Dowager's place, the first thing he noticed was that the plate of fruit on the table was missing. He remained silent for a moment without any emotion, then calmly called someone in.
After hearing that the Empress had visited, Pei Jing didn't react much. He simply waved his hand and dismissed the person.
The bowl of nourishing soup was thrown away along with the small stove.
The Empress initially thought nothing of it, but after several attempts to see Pei Jing, she was turned away each time. Then, for a whole month, Pei Jing didn't visit her palace at all—something that had never happened before.
In the past, Pei Jing would visit her at least once every ten days to save face for her.
The Empress panicked. She racked her brains in her palace for a long time, but she couldn't think of anything she had done wrong. She had to find a mistake, and the most likely one was that she had ordered someone to throw away the plate of fruit.
But she also found it absurd.
It really was just a plate of wild fruit.
Could it be... that His Majesty thinks she's being too presumptuous? Even if it's just an insignificant little fruit, it's His Majesty's property, and what she did was overstepping her bounds.
The Empress broke out in a cold sweat and wanted to confess her guilt to him, but Pei Jing wouldn't even see her. This situation continued for more than a month. The Empress was restless and couldn't eat or sleep. She became haggard and finally couldn't bear it any longer. She went to Cixi Palace to cry to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager comforted her with a few words, told her to take good care of herself during her pregnancy, gave her some gifts, and then sent her away.
"Little Jiu is such a willful child." After watching her leave, the Empress Dowager smiled and said to the young female official standing beside her, "Yuanxi, speaking of which, I have never met that person outside the palace."
Her beloved prince had someone detained outside the palace—a man she met while going to the Nine Heavens to get rid of the poison. It seemed to be Xiao Weijia's master.
When the Empress mentioned the plate of fruit brought back from outside the palace, the Empress Dowager roughly understood what had happened. The Empress had unknowingly offended him greatly, and it seemed unlikely she would recover anytime soon.
Yuan Xi had a youthful face, but her voice was low and husky, which seemed somewhat incongruous with her appearance: "Would the Empress Dowager like to go and meet her?"
The Empress Dowager did not answer, but sighed, "I never realized that Xiao Jiu would like men." Moreover, it doesn't seem like he's just playing around.
Yuanxi said, "Your Majesty need not worry, His Majesty knows what he's doing."
Having established empresses and consorts and conceived a royal heir, it's not a problem for her to like a man.
"If it's consensual, that's fine, but I'm afraid..." The Empress Dowager didn't pay too much attention, but she knew about what her son had done. Most likely, the other person was forced to stay, and if they developed any disloyalty, he would be in danger.
The Empress Dowager grasped Yuanxi's wrist, looking at her with a smile in her eyes, and said, "Why don't you come with me and see for yourself whether there will be any problems? That way I can feel more at ease."
Yuanxi nodded naturally: "Okay, I will do my best."
The Empress Dowager patted her hand with satisfaction.
Because of Yuanxi's divination abilities, she helped Xiao Jiu escape several calamities. However, Yuanxi herself also said that divination takes a lot of effort and cannot predict all major and minor events. For example, she failed to predict Xiao Jiu's poisoning.
However, she didn't blame him. After all, Yuanxi had been loyal to her for so many years and had secretly made many contributions. In this deep palace, one still had to rely on oneself most of the time.
"Yuanxi, when will I finally be able to visit your hometown?"
Yuanxi said she came from Penglai Island, and the Empress Dowager always believed her, after all, she was truly mysterious. For more than twenty years, she too had come to share the same faith, believing that Penglai Island truly had divine protection.
"No, Your Majesty," Yuanxi replied as always, her hoarse voice gentle, "because you have no affinity for immortality."
The Empress Dowager was a little disappointed and shook her head with a sigh, "Never mind, I'm not even as good as that brat Wei Jia."
Time flies, and Xing'er is already seven months old. She has learned to roll over, crawl, and is quite a handful.
Of course, he didn't mess with Jiang Chuting, he messed with Jiang Xian.
Jiang Xian doted on him and spoiled him, letting him climb all over his head and even deliberately making him laugh. Every time he came, he would bring some new little gadgets and crawl around on the ground with him without any regard for his image, acting more like a father than Jiang Chuting.
Jiang Xiancheng had no hope of having a biological child, and Lord Jiang and his wife really longed for a child. So Jiang Xiancheng shamelessly asked Jiang Chuting to bring Xing'er back to the Jiang residence for a few days, and Jiang Chuting agreed.
That day, after the two had finished drinking outside, Jiang Xian, carrying Xing'er, turned around and left with the wet nurse.
Although Xing'er was very familiar with Jiang Xian, she noticed that Jiang Chuting was standing still and didn't move. She sensed something was wrong, so she reached out her little hand towards him and mumbled indistinctly, "Da da, da da da da."
Jiang Xian chuckled and kissed his little face: "Calling me 'Dad' won't help, your dad has already sold you to me!"
He was being too smug. Xing'er turned her head to look at him, her pink little mouth slightly open, revealing two white, rice-grain-like baby teeth. Her big, dark eyes stared at him for a moment, then she suddenly raised her little hand and slapped him across the face.
His strength was barely enough to tickle an itch. Jiang Xian exaggeratedly cried out a few times, then burst into laughter.
Jiang Chuting watched them walk away with a smile on her face. She turned around and was about to return to Changning Pavilion when she suddenly noticed two women standing one in front of the other in a secluded corner at the other end of the long street, staring at her with undisguised eyes.
The woman standing in front looked to be in her thirties. Her hair and clothes were very understated, but she was beautiful and exuded an air of nobility.
The one behind looked to be no more than twenty years old, unremarkable in appearance, but with a calm demeanor.
The three of them stared at each other for a moment. The person on the other side took the first step, seemingly about to walk towards them. Jiang Chuting raised her hand to signal them not to move, and went to meet them herself.
As Jiang Chuting walked up to her, the beautiful woman looked him over for a long time before saying uncertainly, "Young master, you look somewhat familiar."
Jiang Chuting nodded and said, "Yes, we have met before, about... more than eighteen years ago."
She pondered for a moment, then suddenly remembered and exclaimed in surprise, "Ah, it was you!"
Eighteen years ago, Yuanxi predicted that Xiao Jiu might encounter misfortune in the palace and advised her to leave the palace to avoid it. So she found a pretext and left with the child. Before leaving the palace, Yuanxi told her that there might be dangers outside the palace, but they would be resolved quickly, and she didn't need to worry.
Just as she expected, two-year-old Xiao Jiu, taking advantage of her inattention, ran off into the crowded street and was pushed into the water. In the end, he was rescued by two young heroes.
She offered them a large sum of money as a reward, but they refused. Instead, she left them a token, saying that if they were to meet again in the future, she would do her best to help them with something.
Later, as expected, something happened in the palace. Xiao Jiu went to play in the small garden almost every day, and a poisonous snake appeared out of nowhere. It bit the Seventh Prince who was passing by. The venom spread, and even with the best efforts to save him, the Seventh Prince still had to have one leg amputated. From then on, he could only get around in a wheelchair and completely said goodbye to the struggle for the throne.
From then on, she believed Yuanxi's words without a doubt.
"It is I." Jiang Chuting smiled and bowed, "This humble subject greets the Empress Dowager."
He never expected that Pei Jing's joke would actually come true; it turned out that he and Pei Jing had indeed coincidentally saved Pei Jing from drowning years ago.
It turns out that the two had met before.
The Empress Dowager had not expected him to recognize her identity so quickly. After her initial surprise, she nodded and smiled, saying, "No need for formalities. I could tell back then that you were a kind-hearted, pure-hearted, and upright person. It is fate that we meet again."
"Your Majesty flatters me," Jiang Chuting said, her gaze shifting slightly.
From the moment he walked over, he could feel the woman beside the Empress Dowager staring at him intently, her gaze so intense that it was impossible to ignore.
He looked over, but she didn't look away. Instead, she clasped her hands tightly together, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.
The Empress Dowager casually remarked, "I wonder how the young hero who helped you save people back then is doing? I still remember that you two seemed to hit it off immediately and got along very well."
Jiang Chuting still smiled faintly, but her eyes dimmed slightly as she truthfully replied, "He has been gone for many years."
The Empress Dowager was surprised by this. She moved her lips and said, "This is truly a pity."
It was inconvenient to talk on the street, so they went to a private room in a restaurant. Jiang Chuting and the Empress Dowager sat down and chatted briefly, without mentioning Pei Jing at all.
"Back then, I promised that if we met again, I would do my best to help you with something." The Empress Dowager looked at him and asked, "Is there anything you need my help with now? As long as it is within my power, I will do my utmost."
Jiang Chuting's long eyelashes fluttered slightly, but she did not reply immediately.
He didn't speak, and the Empress Dowager took the opportunity to carefully observe him.
This person seemed to be only a few years younger than her, but her face was already full of the marks of age, while he, apart from being a little taller and more composed than he had been a decade or so ago, with more defined features, looked no different. His appearance was still as young and handsome as ever, his eyes were still as warm and intelligent as ever, and his temperament remained untainted by worldly dust, aloof and pure.
Time may pass, but the good qualities he possesses have remained perfectly preserved.
It's not hard to understand why Xiao Jiu would like him.
Jiang Chuting's mind raced, but he finally spoke up: "Since Your Majesty the Empress Dowager knows of my existence, then you must also know my only request."
"You... want to leave Jincheng?"
"yes."
The Empress Dowager knew he was forced to stay, but she didn't expect him to say it so directly. Her eyes flickered slightly, and she couldn't help but say, "Aren't you afraid that I will tell Xiao Jiu? After all, he is my son. Compared to you, I will definitely prioritize him."
Jiang Chuting respectfully replied, "Your Majesty knows exactly what to do. I am simply grateful that Your Majesty keeps her promise and have sincerely expressed my thoughts. As for the outcome, I dare not harbor any resentment."
The Empress Dowager chuckled and sighed, "That sounds good at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it seems to be saying that since I can't do it, why should I make promises in the first place?" She appears gentle and mild-mannered, but she actually has a sharp edge hidden in her words. Interesting.
Jiang Chuting lowered his head and said, "This humble subject dares not."
The Empress Dowager thought for a moment and said, "I have a question for you: why are you unwilling to stay?"
Jiang Chuting spoke earnestly: "I only have the feelings of a teacher to Your Majesty. I am truly ashamed to accept Your Majesty's feelings for me, and I do not wish to deceive him."
“You are very frank, but... based on my understanding of Xiao Jiu, once he has made up his mind, it is extremely difficult to change it.”
Jiang Chuting simply couldn't refute the second half of the statement.
The Empress Dowager hesitated for a moment before continuing, "It is indeed inappropriate to leave such a fine young man trapped here. But this matter is truly not something I can interfere with. Letting you go is easy, but if it causes a rift between me and His Majesty because of you, wouldn't that be a loss?"
Jiang Chuting understood her concerns. He didn't respond and didn't have much hope for her. After a while, he heard her say, "However, since I made a promise first, I won't easily go back on my word... Please allow me to think about it some more."
Jiang Chuting felt a surge of warmth in her heart, stood up, and solemnly bowed deeply to her: "Thank you, Empress Dowager."
The Empress Dowager waved her hand: "No need to thank me too soon. Whether I can be of any help is still unknown."
As the Empress Dowager rose to leave, Yuan Xi, who had been silently watching Jiang Chuting, suddenly said, "Empress Dowager, may I speak with this young master alone?"
Yuan Xi's reaction could only mean one thing: this person truly had a significant impact on Xiao Jiu's future. The Empress Dowager glanced at Jiang Chuting again, then said, "Alright, you two talk." She then left, filled with doubt.
Jiang Chuting was a little surprised and looked at Yuan Xi, saying, "I wonder what kind of girl you are..."
Yuanxi suddenly chuckled softly, and said slowly in a hoarse voice, "My name is Yuanxi. I'm not a girl anymore. I'm over fifty years old now."
Jiang Chuting was taken aback. Looking at her face, she clearly looked to be in her early twenties at most. Could it be that she possessed the art of preserving youth?
Yuanxi did not continue the topic. Her deep, ocean-like eyes gazed at him with an almost devout look as she said, "Young master, your wish is to leave His Majesty's side, is that right? Then, please grant me this honor and let me help you."
“However, the time is not right yet.” She placed her right hand in front of her chest and bowed deeply to him: “Please be patient and wait, and please believe me.”
Faced with this sudden act of kindness, Jiang Chuting was utterly bewildered, and even more so, suspicious. She asked calmly, "...Have we known each other before?"
Could it be that I helped her before, and she is repaying my kindness?
Yuanxi shook her head: "This is the first time we've met."
Jiang Chuting asked, puzzled, "Then why did you help me?"
Yuanxi said, "Because..."
Yuanxi's eyes shone brightly: "Because, it is destined by Heaven that you are the person I must protect."
The Empress Dowager sat in the carriage, feeling uneasy, and waited for a long time before Yuanxi finally lifted the curtain and came up.
The Empress Dowager suddenly grabbed her wrist, staring intently at her as she asked, "How is it?"
Yuanxi looked back at her solemnly: "Empress Dowager, this person has an unusual destiny. We absolutely cannot let him stay by His Majesty's side for long."
The Empress Dowager's pupils narrowed: "Really?!"
"Yes, but we can't let him lose his life, otherwise the consequences will be just as dire."
Yuanxi never lies. The Empress Dowager took a deep breath, seemingly completely convinced by her words, looked into her eyes, and asked, "So you mean we can't keep him, but we can't kill him either, we can only find a way to send him away?"
“Yes.” Yuanxi said firmly, “We must find the right opportunity to drive him out of Jincheng and never let him set foot here again.”
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