Chapter 93: The Game

Chapter 93: The Game

In late spring, the days slowly stretched, making the nights shorter.

The Palace Service Bureau maintained the Taiye Pool gardens well. With the apricot blossoms fading, peach blossoms bloomed, and by the time pear blossoms started to show, it was almost the end of April.

The Empress Dowager and the Grand Princess’s birthdays were during this period.

The Grand Princess, turning five and due to start her education, could not have a small feast like in the first year of Jianzhao. However, more importantly, it was the Empress Dowager’s birthday.

The Empress Dowager had been visiting the Wutai Mountain to worship Buddha for over half a year. When the Emperor sent for her during the New Year, she replied she needed to continue her religious observance. Would she not return for her birthday?

The Empress, having made successive mistakes, was now trying to reclaim her role as the virtuous and wise mother of the nation. She proposed to the Emperor to personally go to Wutai Mountain to escort the Empress Dowager back to the palace.

The Emperor rejected her request.

The Emperor's intention wasn't to embarrass the Empress. Rather, the Empress Dowager had sent a court lady back to the palace in advance, informing her son, the Emperor, of her devotion to Buddha and her lack of intention to return anytime soon.

With the Empress Dowager unwilling to return, the Empress couldn't ignore her birthday. Hence, that day, she sent word to all the palaces to prepare birthday gifts for the Empress Dowager, to be sent together to Mount Wutai.

Shan Zha, smiling politely, escorted the palace maid of Fengyi Palace out of Qionghua Hall.

In the warm pavilion, Jiang Hui relaxed her rigid posture and leaned back in the soft chair. Her eyes moved from the magnolia tree outside the window, and she said sarcastically, "How could the Empress Dowager resort to such tactics?"

Originally, she had agreed to use witchcraft on Zhao Shuren because of the Empress Dowager's influence and her confidante, Madam Li, who had been powerful for too long, managing to eliminate the former Empress and Crown Prince. Madam Li, in her arrogance, underestimated Jiang Hui, thinking she could be easily sent away like the reclusive Buddhist nun at Pulo Temple. This plus Jiang Hui's early awareness of Biyue's actions forced the Empress Dowager to retreat to Mount Wutai to pray.

But now, this behavior seemed entirely uncharacteristic of the Empress Dowager.

Wan Song knelt beside her, gently massaging her increasingly sore lower back due to the growing pregnancy, while Qiukui placed a jade plate of sliced quince next to Jiang Hui, whispering, "Does the master think the Empress Dowager won't return to the palace as long as you are here?"

"No," Jiang Hui shook her head slightly.

The Empress Dowager's initial departure was a strategic retreat. Now, judging by the Emperor's attitude towards the second prince, it was evident that he hadn't let go of his anger. Why would he then contradict himself by using this as a threat? Moreover, the Empress Dowager surely knew about Jiang Hui's pregnancy and wouldn't expect the Emperor to agree, even if she had such intentions.

"The Empress Dowager not returning to the palace probably means she indeed has some matters to attend to," Jiang Hui frowned slightly and instructed Qiukui, "Send Qingfeng to the Marquis of Ningyuan's residence to send a message, asking them to check on Mount Wutai in Jinzhou."

"Yes," Qiukui responded softly and quietly withdrew.

At this moment, Wan Song said, "Master, when you were napping earlier, Hongying came to ask if the young master needs to fall 'ill' during this period?"

Since Nian'er's health was purportedly "weak," it wasn't possible for him to be healthy and free of ailments all year round. However, Jiang Hui couldn't actually let him fall ill. He was so young; how could he understand how to pretend to be sick?

Actually, if the Emperor wasn't kept in the dark, they would just need to spread the news outside that the eldest prince was ill again, without needing Nian'er to pretend to be sick in Yaohua Palace.

Yet, Jiang Hui had to keep the Emperor in the dark. Although the Marquis of Ningyuan had stepped down from the Northern Pass, the generals of the Northern Army, who had followed the Marquis for generations, still held influence. The Marquis's influence would only wane gradually, not disappearing in just a generation or two.

Given Nian'er's young age, when he grows up, bearing the identity of the eldest prince, with nobility and kin backing him, and if he is robust in health, he might not only attract the eyes of the harem but also gradually arouse the Emperor's vigilance.

Thus, she had no choice but to keep the Emperor in the dark as well, waiting for a suitable time in the future to let Nian'er "recover" his health.

"Nian'er just fell ill in February, so there's no need for another illness now. Let's wait a bit before pretending again," Jiang Hui softly told Wan Song, "Bring Nian'er here, I want to spend some time with him."

During the sudden cold spell in spring, Nian'er, still young, couldn't withstand the fluctuating temperatures and truly fell ill, coughing for days, which deeply worried both Jiang Hui and the Emperor.

"Yes," Wan Song responded softly, and soon returned carrying Nian'er.

On seeing Jiang Hui sitting in the armchair, Nian'er called out "Mother" and gently patted Wan Song, saying, "Nian'er, walk, walk."

Having spent much time with him, Wan Song understood his intentions and, smiling, set him down and led him towards Jiang Hui.

Nian'er walked steadily, though not quickly, and when he reached Jiang Hui, he leaned against the armchair and looked up at his mother, suddenly saying, "Mother, pretty!"

Jiang Hui laughed, asking Pomegranate and Hongying, who followed behind, "Who taught Nian'er this new phrase?"

Pomegranate replied with a smile, "My lady, it was us. Yesterday, we accompanied the young master in the garden to see the flowers and said they were pretty. He must have picked it up then."

Jiang Hui lifted Nian'er onto her lap, sitting together on the armchair. He didn't fidget, instead reaching for the green jade bracelet on her left wrist.

"Would Nian'er like to play with mother for a while?" Jiang Hui let him play with the bracelet, supporting him with her right hand to prevent him from falling.

"Nian'er, mother, good!" He looked up, his attention captured by the tassel dangling from Jiang Hui's headpiece, reaching out to grab it.

Jiang Hui took down the headpiece, not giving it to Nian'er directly, but softly said, "From now on, whatever mother does, Nian'er should do too, okay?"

Not sure if he understood, Nian'er's gaze remained fixed on the tassel, exclaiming, "Nian'er, want!"

Jiang Hui coughed softly twice, holding the polished end of the headpiece and handing the tasseled end to Nian'er, softly saying, "Mother is coughing, does Nian'er want to cough too?"

Nian'er didn't react, completely absorbed in playing with the headpiece.

Wan Song commented from the side, "My lady, the young master is still too young to understand."

Jiang Hui nodded slightly, not looking disappointed, "I know, teach him a few more times. If it doesn't work, we'll think of something else."

After playing with the headpiece for a while, Nian'er handed it back to Jiang Hui, saying sweetly, "Mother, give."

Unlike usual, when she took something from the Emperor and never returned it.

Jiang Hui, smiling, took it back and reinserted it into her hair, then asked Nian'er, "Do you know what coughing is?"

She then demonstrated with a soft cough, her voice gentle and slow, "This is coughing, Nian'er used to cough like this when he was sick."

Nian'er tilted his head to watch Jiang Hui, stared for a while, then made a gurgling sound from his throat, saying, "Cough, coughing!"

Jiang Hui couldn't help but laugh a few times, kissed Nian'er, and said, "Not gurgling, like this—"

The two of them, one teaching and the other learning, by dinner time, Nian'er was able to produce a delicate coughing sound.

Jiang Hui gently lifted Nian'er, looking into his clear eyes, "The coughing you do with mommy, you mustn't tell daddy, okay?"

Nian'er, wrapping his arms around Jiang Hui's neck, closed his eyes wearily.