Since a palace maid died during the New Year, it was considered inauspicious in every way. The queen had people send a large amount of Chinese prickly ash and wormwood to Yanqing Palace and told them to burn it inside the palace to dispel the bad luck.
She also had people splash the waters of the Taiye Pond with Chinese prickly ash water and then fumigate it with wormwood. Only then did she feel a bit more at ease.
After the fumigation, another evening came.
The golden afterglow of the sun slowly dyed the sky. The world had already donned a layer of yellowish-brown veil, just waiting for the golden afterglow to fade away on the other side of the world before it would be cloaked in the dark night.
Lin Xiaoyi was sitting in the bedroom. The last bit of golden afterglow in the sky shone through the window lattice and landed on her delicate face.
"Are you thinking about that personal maid of yours that I killed?"
The man's deep voice slowly sounded beside her ear, and a big hand landed on her plump waist.
"I'm thinking about why you wouldn't let me go and confirm if the corpse was Bailu," Lin Xiaoyi reached out and grabbed his strong arm, then turned to look at him. A hint of coldness appeared in her eyes.
"You're pregnant. You can't look at such bloody things."
The man let out a soft sigh. "Lian'er, you didn't trust me three years ago, and you still don't trust me today, three years later."
Lin Xiaoyi lowered her eyes, her tone complicated. "Pingqiang, I'm sorry for what happened to the Mu family three years ago..."
Mu Pingqiang curled his lips into a faint smile, his eyes filled with a paranoid madness. Remembering the past three years ago, he gritted his teeth slightly. "You do owe me. So I came to the palace myself to ask you why you were so cruel to me."
His hand gently stroked her bulging pregnant belly. "It's okay. These two children of yours can preserve the glory and wealth that we share. So rest assured, I've already killed Bailu, and I've sent her corpse to the mass grave."
The embrace in front of her was warm and broad. Lin Xiaoyi looked up into his deep eyes, but her slender white hand tightly grasped a white porcelain bottle.
She heard her own voice, firm. "I believe you. As long as this child is born, no one will be able to threaten us anymore. We can also be a loving couple in this deep palace."
Mu Pingqiang smiled faintly and pulled her into his arms. "Okay, from now on, we'll always be together."
The strength with which he hugged the person in his arms tightened even more.
The two had different thoughts in mind, but in the end, they wouldn't get what they wanted.
"Stay here for dinner? I've had the imperial chefs prepare a whole table of delicious dishes. Let's eat some," Lin Xiaoyi rested her head on his shoulder, her voice soft as a feather.
"No. I've noticed that your palace has recently been guarded by the emperor's men. Fortunately, the back hall hasn't been surrounded. If I stay here for dinner and get discovered by the emperor's men, it won't be good."
With that, Mu Pingqiang planted a kiss on her neck, then straightened up and left the bedroom of Yanqing Palace.
Watching his back, Lin Xiaoyi's hand went limp, and the white porcelain bottle in her hand rolled along the floor with a clatter and stopped in front of the table corner.
The world completely fell into the night, and the imperial palace fell into a deep slumber.
The next day was the fifth day of the first lunar month.
According to the rules, Wen Sheng should also leave the palace with Yu Rong. Early in the morning, Qingshu saw the two off outside the palace. The sedan chair from the prince's mansion was already waiting at the palace gate.
"Shuer, take good care of yourself. Make sure to protect yourself and the child well," Wen Sheng said as she took out a sachet from her bosom. Inside was a slightly yellowed amulet.
"This was given to me by your father back then. After I entered the Yan family, this amulet went missing. It only fell into my hands after the Yan family was raided. I hope your father in heaven can protect you."
"Mother, this was given to you by father. You should keep it," Qingshu shook her head and pushed it back.
"Be obedient," Wen Sheng tied the amulet around Qingshu's waist.
"Sister, Yu Rong will come and accompany you in a few days," Yu Rong tugged at Qingshu's skirt and said crisply.
"Okay, sister will wait for you."
In a few days when the court resumed, Yu Rong would be able to go to the imperial study to study.
Just as Wen Sheng and her son were about to get into the carriage, a voice called out and stopped them in their tracks.
"Wait a moment, Princess Anding!"
Qingshu recognized it as Dong Yun's voice. She lowered her eyes and said, "Mother, don't pay attention. Just get in the carriage. Pretend you didn't hear."
Otherwise, the empress dowager would surely come up with something annoying.
Seeing the solemn expression on her daughter's face, Wen Sheng didn't ask any more questions. She took Yu Rong and quickly got into the carriage.
The little eunuch whipped the horse on its rump. With a neigh, the carriage drove towards the palace gate.
By the time Dong Yun rushed over, she could only see the back of the carriage. Her face darkened. They weren't that far away. How could they not have heard? This Concubine Chen really was becoming more and more arrogant as her rank increased.
"So it's Aunt Dong Yun. I wonder what Aunt Dong Yun wants with this palace?" Qingshu pretended to have just noticed her and said in surprise.
"Greetings to Concubine Chen. May the empress be in good health," Dong Yun forced a smile and bowed.
"This servant didn't come to see Concubine Chen. It's the empress dowager who wants to see Princess Anding on some business. It's just so unfortunate that Princess Anding has already left the palace," Dong Yun forced a laugh.
"It really is unfortunate. I wonder what the empress dowager wants to discuss. Why don't you tell this palace so that I can have someone inform mother," Qingshu said.
"The thing is, the empress dowager had met Prince Anding a few times back then. She just wanted to catch up with Princess Anding.没想到 Princess Anding has already left."
"I see. That really is unfortunate," Qingshu smiled faintly.
With that, she walked away directly without showing any concern.
Dong Yun stood there, looking at the empty palace gate in front of her and then at Concubine Chen who was walking away haughtily. Half of her face darkened.
She really was arrogant because of the emperor's favor. The empress dowager was right. If she was left unchecked, she would be the next Concubine Xian!
She looked at the direction of the palace gate reluctantly one more time before leading her people back to Cining Palace.
On the way back to the palace, Qingshu turned to the side and said, "Go and tell His Majesty to send more people to guard the prince's mansion. If anything goes wrong, come back to the palace immediately to report."
"Yes, this servant will go right away," Xiaoshunzi replied and trotted towards Qianyuan Hall.
On the way back to the palace, Xiaoluzi ran over and said, "Your Highness, this servant has taken care of everything."
Hearing this, Qingshu curled her lips. "That's good. As long as everything is in place, let's see how Lin Xiaoyi digs her own grave during the Tomb-Sweeping Festival."
With that, she returned to Guanghan Palace.
In Guanghan Palace, Di Yunjian had been staying in Guanghan Palace for six consecutive days. Every day he would compete with the little kid Yu Rong for the emperor's favor.
Now that Yu Rong had left and the Sixth Prince had returned to Qianyuan Hall, Guanghan Palace could finally be a bit quieter.
After taking a short rest, Qingshu went to the side hall to check on the two children.
The kang in the hall was burning hot, making it as warm as spring. The two children were only wearing a comfortable little single-layered robe with a little goose-down outer robe over it.
At this moment, the two siblings were lying head to head, staring into each other's big eyes.
Di Yin liked to be quiet, so he just stared straight ahead while his lively and active older sister babbled non-stop. He yawned, reached out and scratched his nose, and slowly closed his eyes.
Just as he was about to fall asleep, his restless older sister let out a loud cry and woke him up.
Little Di Yin was extremely calm. When he opened his eyes, he saw his beautiful mother smiling at him.
The two little babies started babbling in unison.
Princess Di Zhao was lying in the small bed, lying on her back. She was anxious to be hugged by her mother. Since she had no teeth yet, saliva dripped out of her pink little mouth.
This made Qingshu's heart feel soft.