"Your Majesty, Consort Yu, and Consort Guo, please wait in the outer room for a moment. I'll be right there," Qian Shengyan said, appearing completely unhurried. "Let Hongshan come in first."
In fact, Qian Shengyan also wanted to see Hongli, but since Hongzhou was with her, she couldn't very well skip the Fifth Prince and only see her own son first.
Who knew Hongli would be so clever? Qian Shengyan heard Hongshan's "tap tap tap" footsteps, but when he reached the door, he seemed to trip over something and cried out, "Ouch!" Then Hongli's stern voice rang out: "Why can't you even walk properly..."
As they were talking, Hongli carried Hongzhou in.
Seeing Qian Shengyan looking at them, Hongli winked at her and lowered his voice: "There are some troublesome servants in Foerguochun's courtyard. She hasn't finished dealing with them yet, so she probably won't be able to come see Mother for a while."
"Okay." Qian Shengyan was curious, but she knew this was not the time to ask questions, so she said first, "I'm fine, but I've made you all worry. Don't worry, I'm all better now."
"Hmm..." Hongli was still somewhat incredulous. He hesitated before speaking, "Doctor Zhou said that Mother doesn't seem to have much of a will to live..."
Will to survive?
Qian Shengyan was taken aback, then laughed: "Mother is fine, why would she need to live... It's not like she's going to die."
"Mother!" Hongli stamped his foot, "Spit it out!"
Qian Shengyan was speechless, but also found Hongli's unusual childishness amusing. However, she then realized that she had scared him by sleeping all day, and suddenly felt a pang of heartache.
She softened her voice and gently comforted him, "Mother is really alright, I still have to stay with Hongli..." Her sleeve was tugged, and she smiled, lowering her head to pat Hongshan's head, "I'll stay with Hongshan too, I still have to see you get married and have children."
"Then Mother must remember what she said." Hongli rarely had a pleading look in his eyes. Qian Shengyan's throat tightened slightly at his expression, and she hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Hongshan remained quietly nestled in his mother's arms. Later, when Qian Shengyan was about to get up to change her clothes, Hongli excused himself and left, but Hongshan was still unwilling to leave.
Fortunately, he was too young, not even four years old, so Qian Shengyan didn't insist on kicking him out. However, the feeling of being dressed in her outer garment while having a little kid hugging her legs was both helpless and funny.
Hongshan just kept looking at her, his big eyes blinking, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn't.
Qian Shengyan dressed herself in presentable clothes, bent down to pick him up, and laughed, "What's wrong with our Hongshan?"
"Mother..." Hongshan's chubby little hands wrapped around her neck, and his head moved close to her face, rubbing against her obediently, showing no trace of his usual mischievousness.
Qian Shengyan was amused by him and kissed his chubby cheek. Just as she was about to carry him out, she heard his small voice in her ear: "Mother, will you die?"
Qian Shengyan was taken aback, then realized that the child had also been frightened yesterday. It was her oversight; she should have comforted little Hongshan immediately. She hugged Hongshan tightly, kissed his chubby cheeks, and, mimicking him, whispered in his ear, "Mother won't die; she'll always be with Hongshan."
"Really?" the child asked, a satisfied smile already on his face.
Qian Shengyan nodded: "Really."
She would be a famously long-lived empress dowager in history, living to the age of eighty before passing away.
Holding her son, Qian Shengyan went outside and first apologized to Empress Ulanara: "Your Majesty, I have not yet gotten up, and I have kept the Empress waiting."
"It's alright. You're still recovering from your illness; I've arrived early." Ulanara waved her hand, subtly observing Qian Shengyan's complexion. Seeing that her face was rosy and she didn't appear seriously ill, she couldn't help but feel a little puzzled. "Is Consort Xi alright?"
"I'm sorry to have troubled Your Majesty. I feel much better today." Qian Shengyan smiled and nodded, put down Hongshan and told him to go find Hongli and Hongzhou. Then she nodded to Gengshi and Guoshi before sitting down in the armchair.
Ulanara was at a loss for words. She forced a smile and asked Geng and Guo with feigned concern, "How was your meal yesterday? There were even servants in my household who dared to be negligent. If Yanruo hadn't urged me so hard, I almost wouldn't have been served lunch at all!"
This is an insult to Qian Shengyan for making such a fuss when nothing's wrong; the whole palace is going to starve because of her.
Qian Shengyan smiled slightly and remained silent. Geng Shi, being a concubine, spoke up, "Your Majesty, my concubine and Consort Guo are both well."
"Oh? You're cheering even though the servants have blocked the door and you can't get out?" Ulanara snorted lightly, her long fingernails seemingly casually digging into the armrest. After a "click," she laughed and said, "Heaven has eyes. This morning, before I even got up, I heard that the little eunuch who spoke rudely to me yesterday had fallen into the lake and drowned."
Qian Shengyan: ...
If you don't emphasize the word "mistake" so much, she'll believe you.
It seems that Ulanara was used to using this method to demonstrate her inviolable imperial status, but Qian Shengyan was really not used to her so easily taking a life and being so smug about it.
She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and looked at Madam Guo.
Guo understood her meaning and knew that with Ulanara present, it was impossible for anyone to have a proper conversation. She and Geng had only come to visit and had no intention of becoming Ulanara's accomplices. So, she tugged at Geng, stood up, and said with a smile, "Your Highness is alright, so I am relieved. We will not disturb Your Highness's rest any longer and will return now."
Geng had the same idea and also took Hongzhou with her.
There was only one Ulanara left, and logically there was no point in her staying any longer, but she refused to leave and even exchanged a few words with Hongli. In the end, it was only when Yinzhen returned that she was driven away.
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