Zhao Fuhai acted quickly, and the matter was resolved by the afternoon.
Hutu didn't leave either; she stayed in Chengqian Palace to play with her two younger sisters.
Yartan and Unashi are almost a year old now and are just learning to speak.
While luring them with pastries, Hutuli tirelessly taught them to speak: "Ama~ E'niang~ Sister~"
However, the two little ones only chased after the pastries, making "ah ah ah" noises.
After teasing them for a while, Hutuli became a little impatient: "Mother, when will the sisters start talking?"
"It'll be soon, it'll only be a matter of a few months," Changning comforted her. "Let them listen in when we talk, and they'll be talking soon."
"Was I quick to learn to speak when I was little?" Hutuli turned to ask Changning. Changning laughed and said, "Yes, you were very smart when you were little. You would talk to Hongyan, your little mouth would chatter non-stop, like a chatterbox."
Hutu chuckled: "I can talk now too. Grandma Huang says I can talk more than her parrot, like a little sparrow."
“That’s true.” Changning thought the Empress Dowager’s words were quite apt. “You’ve always had a lot of energy. By the way, your mother is planning to have a playground built in the Imperial Garden. I’ve already instructed people to do it. The concubines in the harem will run ten laps every day. If you want to stretch your muscles, you can run with them.”
Hutu was taken aback for a moment when he heard this, but after understanding, he was overjoyed and clapped his hands, saying, "Great! This is wonderful! I was just worried about not being able to go to the training ground! Hongyan and the others are using that place now. If there is a training ground in the garden, it will be even more convenient."
"Mother, don't worry, leave everything to me. I'll make sure they run well, don't miss a single lap, and keep a close eye on them for you."
Changning gave her a thumbs up, feeling that she had entrusted the matter to the right person: "Mother's eldest daughter is still the most reliable."
The mother and daughter were chatting and laughing when Zhao Fuhai crouched down and came in.
"You found out?"
Zhao Fuhai nodded in agreement: "Your Majesty is wise. We have already found out. That person is the First Prince's son, Haha Zhuzi, Fuchang's son, Bayan."
Previously, when the eldest prince was visiting the South Third Palace with Haha Zhuzi, he met the eldest princess who came to deliver some things, and that's when the two got to know each other.
Later, Bayan bribed the eunuch serving the eldest prince and a maidservant serving the eldest princess, and the two of them were responsible for relaying messages.
In these three months, I delivered five messages and sent gifts three times.
Changning narrowed his eyes slightly. This Bayan really went to great lengths and had some tricks up his sleeve. He even managed to win over the people serving Honghui and Yierha.
That makes sense, though. He was Honghui's cousin and a close relative, so it's understandable that the eunuchs around Honghui would try to curry favor with him.
Hutuli asked curiously, "I've met this Bayan before. He's alright looking and seems quite charming. Does he genuinely like older sisters?"
Zhao Fuhai almost couldn't help but laugh. The Second Princess is so young. What's the point of being sincere in this palace? How many emperors and empresses are there in the world?
However, he didn't dare to act rashly and had no choice but to lower his head.
Changning answered her again: "Whether he is sincere or not is not very important. Even if he is sincere, he used the wrong method. To put it mildly, he is engaging in illicit dealings. To put it more seriously, he is challenging the authority of the royal family. If he truly cared about Yierha, he would never have put her in this dilemma."
Hutu nodded hurriedly, feeling that what her mother said made a lot of sense.
Changning asked with some concern, "Have all the people involved in this matter been kept under surveillance?"
Zhao Fuhai hurriedly replied, "Don't worry, Master, they've all been locked up. Everyone in the South Third Detention Center who knew anything has been investigated. The rest of the people who didn't know anything have been instructed not to say anything."
Changning breathed a sigh of relief and nodded: "Alright, I understand. You may leave."
After investigating the matter thoroughly, Changning planned to personally visit the South Third Institute.
However, considering that today was Yierha's birthday, Changning had a birthday gift prepared for her: a pair of jade lions, adorable and warm to the touch, perfect for holding and playing with at this time of year.
Hutuli originally wanted to go with them, but Changning was afraid that Yierha would feel uncomfortable. Young girls like her are very concerned about their image, so she took people with her and told Hutuli to prepare a birthday gift for her that evening.
When Changning arrived at the South Third Palace, she found it quiet. The princes had all gone to the Imperial Study, Hutuli was in Chengqian Palace, and only Yierha was there. Furthermore, Consort Mao had punished a group of palace servants, and Zhao Fuhai had arrested all those involved, leaving no one alive. Therefore, the large courtyard was rather empty.
"Yierha." Changning was helped into the inner room by Chuixue.
Yierha's eyes were red. Upon hearing Changning's voice, he hurriedly got up, casually wiped the corners of his eyes, and his voice was still very nasal.
"Greetings to the Empress Dowager."
Seeing that her face was covered in tears, Changning didn't dare to scold her anymore. She could only tell her to wash up first: "Alright, stop crying. Go wash your face and clear your head."
Upon hearing this, Yierha knew that his mother must know. He felt ashamed and embarrassed. He also remembered what his mother had said when she was angry this morning: this matter could not be kept secret. What would the whole capital think of her?
Thinking of this, Yierha couldn't help but burst into tears again.
Changning was at her wits' end, but she still comforted him gently, "What's the big deal, Yierha? Your mother is here, don't be afraid. Go wash your face first, don't cry. This isn't a huge deal. You're a princess, who would let you suffer like this?"
Yierha gradually stopped crying and went to wash up, sobbing intermittently.
Changning sighed. Raising a daughter is really exhausting! You can't be too lenient or too harsh. If it were a son, he'd give him a good beating. But with a daughter, you have to coax her gently, lest she leave any psychological trauma.
She felt it was alright, it was just a case of puppy love. The problem was that Yierha was already engaged, and her boyfriend was probably not very reliable. In addition, being in the royal family made her prone to trouble.
But it wasn't to the point of contemplating suicide.
She also needs to hear Yierha's thoughts.
After a while, Yierha finished washing up, wiped away the tear stains on her face, and restyled her hair. Only her eyes were a little red, but everything else was in place, which satisfied Changning.
"That's more like it. A royal princess should have a natural air of authority and composure. What's with all this crying and wailing? It doesn't solve anything."
Yierha nodded slightly, but did not speak.
Seeing this, Changning could only speak first: "Today is your birthday. This pair of jade lions is a gift from the Empress Dowager. I hope everything goes well for you and that you have a joyful birthday."
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