Seeing the sudden red mark on the child's left cheek, Emperor Chongzhao's face flashed with a hint of guilt.
I instinctively dared not look into the child's overly clear eyes.
Qingyin: "..."
Fortunately, he wasn't a real child. Otherwise, if a real child had been suddenly taken away by the emperor to an unfamiliar environment and then startled and pinched by the emperor, he would have been crying long ago.
"Alright, set up a bed here and have someone wash up and sleep next to it."
Suddenly lifted into the air, Qingyin, who had been placed in Li Yuanzhen's arms by the emperor, blinked.
However, the emperor did not look at him, but instead ordered the eunuch to bring the memorials that he had not approved that day.
Li Yuanzhen, who took Qingyin away, was genuinely surprised. Could this child be His Majesty's illegitimate son? His Majesty had actually left a child in his bedchamber.
This is a treatment even the Crown Prince doesn't receive! Li Yuanzhen was puzzled. If he hadn't personally investigated the child's background, he probably would have believed that the child was His Majesty's illegitimate son.
Qingyin, who was staring at Li Yuanzhen with wide eyes, was handed over to a palace maid by Li Yuanzhen. After taking a fragrant bath, she was placed on the dragon bed—a small bed next to him.
Although it's a small bed, it was personally ordered by His Majesty to be made of the finest fabrics, with no room for compromise.
Qingyin nestled in the bed and sighed comfortably. As expected of the emperor's exclusive residence, the entire palace was treated to the highest standards: soothing incense, soft bedding, and a perfect temperature. So comfortable, so incredibly comfortable.
Qingyin, amidst the slumber, unconsciously felt the sleepiness that had just been washed away return, and couldn't help but yawn before drifting into a sweet dream.
Emperor Chongzhao, who had been reviewing memorials late into the night, rubbed his sore eyes and said to Li Yuanzhen, who was also drowsy beside him, "Prepare hot water for a bath."
Upon finally hearing that His Majesty wanted to take a bath, Li Yuanzhen trembled and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
...
After bathing and changing into his nightgown, the young emperor fell silent as he looked at the small bed that had suddenly appeared next to his dragon bed and the obvious little bulge.
Emperor Chongzhao, who had grown accustomed to being alone and had forgotten about the child who had suddenly been brought back, was speechless.
Emperor Chongzhao walked over quietly, his footsteps audible. He passed by Qingyin, whose head was buried tightly under the blanket, and his eyes furrowed slightly.
"So small, won't the child suffocate under the blanket?" Emperor Chongzhao thought of that face, whiter than a wall. He pursed his lips, reached out and turned the blanket over, revealing the child inside, whose face was flushed from the heat.
Emperor Chongzhao nodded in satisfaction and lay down.
He should have been uncomfortable with the presence of another person, but the baby's natural milky scent in the air made him fall asleep without realizing it.
As dawn broke and it was time for court, Li Yuanzhen tiptoed in, intending to remind His Majesty to get up.
Upon catching sight of the rosy-cheeked child sleeping beside the dragon bed, Li Yuanzhen's voice instinctively softened.
"Your Majesty, it is time for court."
Emperor Chongzhao opened his eyes, a fleeting glimpse of sleepiness in them, but all sleepiness vanished, replaced by a state of complete wakefulness, as if His Majesty had never slept at all.
Emperor Chongzhao concealed his surprise. He had never slept well and often woke up in the middle of the night. He never expected to sleep soundly through the night yesterday. Emperor Chongzhao did not believe in accidents or coincidences, so he dismissed other possibilities and concluded that it was just an extra child by his bedside.
Emperor Chongzhao glanced quietly at Qingyin, who was affecting his mood and sleep.
"Be quiet, don't disturb him."
There were only a handful of people in the hall, and Li Yuanzhen immediately realized who His Majesty was referring to.
Although shocked, Li Yuanzhen, as the chief eunuch, remained calm and composed.
The palace also became lively because His Majesty was raising a child in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Many of the concubines in the palace were restless.
In Changchun Palace, Consort Yu looked at the various concubines sitting in the palace, each with their own thoughts, her annoyance completely hidden in her drooping peach blossom eyes.
With her delicate makeup and red lips, Consort Li smiled lightly and tentatively asked Consort Yu above her, "I heard that this child was brought back by Princess Qingyan. I wonder how adorable this child is that he has caught His Majesty's eye. It seems that the child's parents are also very well-mannered. I wonder if I could get to know them?"
Actually, rather than asking Consort Li about the child's parents, Consort Yu above her wanted to ask if the child was His Majesty's illegitimate child.
However, you definitely can't ask that directly.
Consort Yu looked at the concubines below, who were making a great effort to circle around and inquire about Ruyu's whereabouts. She felt annoyed, but she still had to smile on her face.
"My dear sisters, please keep your hearts at ease. His Majesty only took the child Yan'er brought along because he couldn't speak and was pitiful, and also because he was cute. As for the child's parents, they've probably already passed away..."
Orphan, boy, without parents, mute.
The concubines looked at each other, wondering what to do. They felt that the child was more likely to be His Majesty's illegitimate son!
However, since he was mute, he wasn't worth her taking him in.
Some of the concubines' enthusiasm faded, and they left on their own after only a few words.
The remaining concubines, seeing the annoyance on Consort Yu's face, were not tactless and left one by one.
Only Consort Yu and her personal maid Cuiyu remained in the palace.
"Your Highness? Are you worried about Young Master Ruyu?"
Seeing the obvious annoyance on the Empress's face, Cuiyu considerately massaged the Empress's head.
Consort Yu sighed softly, "I felt a connection with that child. I originally thought that my father could adopt him as his son, but now that he's with His Majesty, things will be different in the future."
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