Page 514

The Empress Dowager, after scolding, stepped forward to check on Susu.

"Susu, don’t cry. Would you like some cake from great-grandma?"

Susu was crying so hard she was gasping for breath, tears hanging on her long eyelashes, yet her hand tightly clutched Chu Lingfeng’s clothing without letting go.

Chu Lingfeng was only eight years old and had no other option but silence in such a situation.

Concubine Yun felt sorry for Yinyin as she helped him up but before she could comfort him, the Empress Dowager fiercely reprimanded her, naturally leaving her dissatisfied.

Looking at Susu, who kept on crying, it was clear that it was Yinyin who fell, and Susu just sat on the ground; surely, she was crying deliberately to make the Empress Dowager accuse Yinyin.

So young and already playing the victim, what would become of her when she was older?

"Empress Dowager, Yinyin just adores Susu too much; he has always said how cute little sister Susu is and how he wants to protect and play with her."

Concubine Yun glanced toward Chu Lingfeng, deliberately shifting the blame onto him, "Yinyin was worried that Prince Chu might knock down Susu, so he went forward to hold her. It was because Prince Chu intentionally didn’t let go of Susu that they fell."

Chu Lingfeng, not being accused for the first time, looked up at the Empress Dowager and explained, "Empress Dowager, I did not push her, nor did I intentionally hold onto her."

Concubine Yun glared at Chu Lingfeng, "Empress Dowager, Prince Chu has lied more than once or twice, last time he even pushed Yinyin down. After being reprimanded by your concubine, he still shows no remorse."

Upon hearing this, Chu Lingfeng sadly cast his gaze downward. Last time, Yinyin had intentionally pushed him, but ended up falling himself. Concubine Yun had made him go hungry for a day and had also beaten him.

The Empress Dowager glanced at Chu Lingfeng, then saw that Susu was still clinging tightly to his hand, crying so much yet wouldn’t let go.

The wet nurse was the first to notice that Susu was always holding onto Chu Lingfeng’s clothing, which is why she only sat down on the ground instead of falling down.

"Empress Dowager, Susu is smart; she knows that holding onto Prince Chu, she won’t fall. If she hadn’t held onto Prince Chu, she definitely would have hit her head with that fall just now."

Upon hearing the wet nurse’s comment, Concubine Yun couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Wasn’t this plainly contradicting her?

So much talking for a mere servant.

Seeing Susu cry so heartbreakingly, the Empress Dowager didn’t care about her own age; she reached out to hold Susu, "Susu, let great-grandma hold you."

Only then did Susu release Chu Lingfeng’s hand, letting the Empress Dowager hold her; she also stopped crying at this point.

The Empress Dowager found it quite miraculous that Susu stopped crying once she held her, and knowing Susu’s little face was still wet with tears made her especially endearing.

She looked at Yinyin and saw him glaring at Chu Lingfeng.

"Yinyin, you must not hold Susu again next time."

Yinyin sulkily pursed his lips.

"Empress Dowager, it was also an unintended mistake by Yinyin, and he will not repeat the same error next time," said Concubine Yun as she prodded Yinyin, "Yinyin."

Yinyin, currently unhappy, hung his head in silence.

The Empress Dowager glanced at Yinyin, "You are now six years old and should have learned quite a few things. How is your writing coming along?"

Concubine Yun proudly claimed, "Replying to the Empress Dowager, not only does Yinyin write well, but he also knows poetry and prose."

"I remember the Crown Prince wrote beautifully at six. Let’s see if your claim holds true, if he indeed surpasses the Crown Prince," said the Empress Dowager.

Seeing an opportunity to show off, Concubine Yun eagerly had the writing materials prepared.

Once everything was ready, Concubine Yun, delighted, ground the ink and handed the vermillion brush to Yinyin.

"Yinyin, write something for the Empress Dowager to see."

The Empress Dowager’s brow furrowed as she watched the scene unfold.

Yinyin held the vermillion brush and started writing confidently.

Once he finished, Concubine Yun snatched the brush from his hand impatiently, urging excitedly, "Yinyin, show it to the Empress Dowager."

Yinyin obediently took the writing and ran up to the Empress Dowager, presenting it as if it were a prized possession, "Great-grandmother, look at the writing Yinyin did."

The Empress Dowager looked down at the writing in Yinyin’s hand, and maybe because of Concubine Yun’s praise, she had high expectations, but the writing fell short of her hopes and left her disappointed.

"The writing is passable, but it doesn’t quite match up to the Crown Prince’s when he was six."

Concubine Yun’s smile froze on her lips. She leaned down to inspect the writing Yinyin did; it looked perfectly fine, so neat. How could it be worse than the Crown Prince’s?

The Empress Dowager, seeing Concubine Yun’s disbelief, said softly, "Concubine Yun, you may go to Wanbao Building and see the writing the Crown Prince did at six which even the late Emperor praised."

After saying this, she left the pavilion, carrying Susu.

Susu lay on the Empress Dowager’s shoulder, waving her chubby little hands non-stop at the kneeling big brother.

Chu Lingfeng looked up and could see Susu watching him, but he kept his head down, for he knew he would go hungry again due to today’s incident.

He didn’t know when such days would end.

Concubine Yun, slightly indignant, took Yinyin to Wanbao Building. After seeing the Crown Prince’s writing from when he was six, and comparing it to Yinyin’s, the difference was immediately apparent.

Determined, Concubine Yun decided to teach her grandson properly.

"Yinyin, do you want to practice your writing diligently? Surpass all of them."

Yinyin nodded, "Understood, grandmother."

Later, when Taotao was five, her writing was already better than Yinyin’s.

As for Susu, her only responsibility was to enjoy good food and be doted on by everyone.

If Susu were to write, the retired Emperor would be the first to praise how well she wrote.

*

The noon sun was at its zenith.

The Empress had been riding for a long time and came to a cliff, looking at the waterfall not far away and feeling refreshed.

It had been too long since she rode a horse, and she was a bit tired after a short while, with some pain in her thighs.

But seeing such a beautiful scene was worth it.

Thinking back to when she entered the palace at fifteen, she never had the chance to freely enjoy an unrestrained life.

What confined her was not the Imperial Palace, but...

The Emperor followed the Empress from afar to this place. He tightened the reins and stopped a few dozen yards away, his gaze fixed on the Empress, not wanting to disturb her for a moment.

The violent movement from riding the horse caused his wound to reopen, and it was now bleeding.

Yet, the Emperor didn’t notice at all, his attention entirely on the distant red figure.

Seeing the Empress running her horse wild just now, he knew she must be happy at this moment—there is nothing more liberating than galloping on a horse.

The Empress sat on horseback, staring at the waterfall in front for a long time, while the horse lowered its head to graze. Feeling it was about time, she tightened the reins and turned back.

Only to see the damned Emperor in the distance, standing still, his gaze directed toward her.

She wondered how long the damned Emperor had been there?

He came, but didn’t speak.

Worried about the Emperor’s injury, the Empress hurried over on her horse.

The Emperor thought the Empress finally deigned to lookout— he had thought she would not return until the afternoon.

"Why did Your Majesty come? Aren’t you worried about the wound reopening?"

The Emperor said, "How could I be at ease when you are out here alone? It has been a long time since we rode together, and today I got my wish. The Empress’s horsemanship is still excellent."

The Empress snorted, "Your Majesty is injured. If something were to happen, it would still require this concubine to protect Your Majesty."

The Emperor chuckled lowly, "Rest assured, Empress, even injured, I can ensure Your Majesty’s safety."

"..." Empress: "I dare not presume."

The Emperor asked, "Are you feeling better now?"

The Empress did not deny it, "It is a bit better."

Hearing this, the Emperor smiled, "In the future, every year, I shall take you to the autumn hunting expedition."

The Empress was stunned by his words. The autumn hunting was an activity for the princes and courtiers, unrelated to the women of the palace; her inclusion this time was quite unexpected.

The prospect of coming every year naturally pleased her.

"Why has Your Majesty suddenly become so kind?"

The Emperor said, "Seeing the Empress riding earlier made me think of the time before you entered the palace. The life within the deep palace can be monotonous and dull; it’s good to get out and take in some fresh air."

While the Empress was happy at the thought of spending half a month in the hunting fields each year, she couldn’t help feeling stifled thinking about how the damned Emperor had never thought to bring her before.

She thought she could not come, but now that she had, she realized it was not about her being unable to come, but about whether the damned Emperor would allow it.

It was just a matter of the damned Emperor’s say-so.

The Emperor saw the Empress, who was happy a second ago, become somewhat unhappy. He urged his horse closer to hers.

"What is it, are you not happy, Empress?"

The Empress said softly, "Naturally, this concubine is happy to leave the palace. It’s just that Your Majesty has suddenly become so good, it makes this concubine feel unexpectedly favored."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor pondered for a long while. "It’s not that I did not want to bring you out before, it’s just that..."

Unable to help herself, the Empress pressed, "Just what?"

She really wanted to know what excuse the damned Emperor would come up with next.