"Father!" Feng'er rushed into Zhao Cong's arms like the wind, her clear voice choked with sobs, a sound that broke one's heart.
Zhao Cong couldn't dodge in time, and fearing he might pass on his plague to Feng'er, he quickly took off his outer garment. Then he patted Feng'er's head and said lightly, "I knew you couldn't stay in the courtyard alone."
"Once you come here, you can't leave Yuebinlou even a single step, understand?"
Feng'er nodded obediently, hugging her father's leg. "I heard that Lin Qingwan has been taking care of you all this time, while you two lonely women have been in the same tent..."
"Wait a minute." Zhao Cong's handsome eyebrows furrowed slightly as he caught a familiar scent.
Lonely widow? I don't know where she heard that term from.
"I was unconscious for a few days and was in a coma for a long time," he explained after a moment's thought.
Feng'er grinned, "She just said that too."
"Father, have you two already rehearsed your stories?"
Zhao Cong was taken aback, raised his eyelashes, and looked at Lin Qingwan.
Lin Qingwan laughed in exasperation, "Your Highness, is there any possibility that what we're saying is actually true?"
Feng'er said matter-of-factly, "I didn't say it was fake, but you're in such a hurry."
Lin Qingwan: ......
Okay, she admits defeat.
Zhao Cong picked up the child with one hand, saying, "You're bullying her again."
Feng'er's eyes widened. "Father, I like her so much that I begged her to be my mother, but she refused."
Feng'er hugged Zhao Cong's neck and nuzzled him affectionately, "Daddy~"
Zhao Cong was unsure whether to explain first or comfort him who was about to cry.
More importantly, Lin Qingwan was right in front of him, and the more he looked at his son, the more suspicious he seemed that he was clinging to her because of his young age, or even trying to extort money from her.
Zhao Cong took a deep breath, his expression very serious. "Feng'er, have I never hit you before, so you don't know how much a child has to pay for doing or saying the wrong thing?"
"Is that why you keep spouting these vulgar and outrageous things?"
When Feng'er saw that he was angry, she pouted and burst into tears.
The gloom on Zhao Cong's face dissipated. "If you're here to cause trouble, then have Shen Xu send you back to the palace. I have many things to deal with and don't have time to play with you."
Feng'er clung tightly to his clothes, refusing to let go. "I won't leave! I want to stay with Father."
"I will never make you angry again, and I will never say those things again."
"I can only watch as my father is all alone, and in the future, my grandfather will force him to marry a woman he doesn't like and put her there as a vase. She might even use her family background and status to bully my father."
"I'm also seen as a thorn in my side. If I don't spend more time with my father now, I'm afraid I won't live to grow up."
Zhao Cong pinched the bridge of his nose. This kid!
Lin Qingwan initially felt awkward listening to this, but now, seeing Feng'er crying so sadly and still teasing the Crown Prince like this, she thought it was truly innocent and childlike.
If they keep avoiding the issue, it will only make them seem like they're trying to hide something. It would be better for them to be more open and just say it's to appease the child.
She smiled and stepped forward to wipe away Feng'er's tears with a handkerchief.
She suddenly approached, her sleeve brushing against Zhao Cong's hand. A faint fragrance wafted from her fingers and handkerchief, causing both father and son to tense up at the same time.
Lin Qingwan's voice was gentle as water, "Your Highness, please don't cry. The Crown Prince has just recovered and is busy with the ditch project. There are still patients and many people waiting to be settled outside."
"Let's talk about this when the Crown Prince is less busy, okay?"
Zhao Cong's eyes involuntarily twitched, meeting her clear gaze. He unconsciously looked away, as if trying to avoid her gaze.
Feng'er hiccuped, but her eyes shone even brighter than before. Was she willing?
"Okay, you said it, you can't lie to me."
"Pinky promise."
Zhao Cong's eyebrows twitched as he watched the two hook their little fingers together.
Throughout lunch, Feng'er's laughter never stopped, and Lin Qingwan agreed to everything he said.
Children are children; he only felt that he had achieved his goal and didn't think about why Lin Qingwan suddenly agreed to everything.
"Qingwan, I'm so sleepy." Feng'er yawned. She hadn't slept well these past two days because she was worried about them.
"Your Highness, take a nap. The Crown Prince has things to attend to this afternoon." Lin Qingwan patted him lightly a few times, and Feng'er's eyes began to droop.
He added, "Remember to ask me about anything I don't understand in the book..."
There was silence before the words were finished.
He nestled in Lin Qingwan's arms, and she gently comforted him, making Zhao Cong's heart pound.
He lowered his eyes, took a sip of tea, and pretended to be calm.
Lin Qingwan carried Feng'er into the inner room, thinking Zhao Cong had already left. When she came out, she was surprised to see him still drinking the same cup of tea.
"The tea's gone cold," she pointed out.
Zhao Cong only then realized it.
But he remained calm and said, "It's my fault for not teaching Feng'er well. I spoiled him too much in the past. You don't need to take those words seriously."
Lin Qingwan nodded, "It's just to coax the child."
Zhao Cong's eyelids twitched, and he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong.
Lin Qingwan changed the subject, "What happened to those bodies?"
"My seventh brother and I couldn't reach an agreement, so those useless people in the cabinet had no choice but to ask Father for instructions."
Lin Qingwan subconsciously felt that the emperor would definitely favor Prince Jing.
But she didn't know how to comfort the prince, so she simply said, "Oh."
Zhao Cong: "The Taoist priest next to my seventh brother has fallen into my hands. He has a tattoo on his arm."
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingwan suddenly remembered that when she was imprisoned, the Taoist priest chanted incantations over the unconscious Prince Jing, and there was indeed a tattoo on his wrist.
"It's an eagle tattoo from the Xiongnu royal family."
Lin Qingwan was taken aback. "Is Prince Jing colluding with the Xiongnu?"
Zhao Cong nodded, "So Consort Ning won't be able to cause trouble for many more days, you really don't need to worry too much."
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