Chapter 122: Holding a Big Secret

Concubine De was shocked to learn of this matter but seeing the Tyrant’s calm expression, she knew the Emperor had his own plans.

She couldn’t offer any advice on this matter, only giving the Emperor a few words of comfort.

Time flew by quickly, and two months passed in the blink of an eye.

The year-end was approaching.

In half a month, it would be the new year.

Ah Bao was also ten months old.

She was a bit smarter and walked earlier than other children. At ten months, she could walk a few steps on her own.

Zhilan was making a snowman for Ah Bao in the yard.

It had snowed just yesterday, and Ah Bao was very happy. She had never seen snow before. Although it was cold, she still wanted to come out and step in the snow.

Listening to the crunching sound of snow underfoot, Ah Bao happily rolled around in the snow.

Her little face was red from the cold, but Ah Bao didn’t want to go back inside.

“Your Highness, the little princess is very precocious and clever. At ten months, she is like other children who are a year old. Look, she walks more steadily now,” Zhilan said with a smile.

Concubine De looked at the happy Ah Bao playing in the yard and smiled. “Yes, she’s not only more mature than other children, but her appetite is also larger than other children of the same age.”

Despite being only ten months old, her appetite was astonishing.

In these two months, Ah Bao had grown quite a bit.

Her face was chubby and fair, like a little snowball, very cute.

“Cool, you’re not fat!” Ah Bao wobbled over.

[I’m not fat!]

Concubine De chuckled lightly, “Yes, you’re not fat. It’s fine to eat more.”

Every time she saw Ah Bao growing on the scale, she was delighted.

Every mother wants her child to gain a little weight.

“Your Highness, do you have any concerns lately? I notice that you often sigh,” Zhilan said cautiously. As a maid, she was not supposed to pry into her mistress’s matters.

But she was genuinely worried about the Concubine.

The little princess was still young and needed her mother.

The Concubine couldn’t be like last year, when she was sent to the cold palace.

“With the new year approaching, be careful with the princess these days. There might be incidents in the palace during the new year.”

A chill ran through her as Concubine De wrapped Ah Bao in a cotton coat.

The Third Prince’s background remained unclear, and the Emperor had been secretly investigating. Recently, it seemed Concubine Hui was not allowed to contact her family.

Ah, the palace must be brewing something big.

The next day.

Several Concubines were enjoying tea and snow in the small garden.

Concubine Rou and Concubine Hui were known to be very close sisters.

They often gathered, and today was no exception.

“Concubine Rou, isn’t that Concubine De and Concubine Chun coming over?” Concubine Hui spotted the two approaching from afar.

Concubine De and Concubine Chun were walking and talking, not sure what they were discussing.

Zhilan was holding Ah Bao.

It was Ah Bao’s first winter and her first time seeing snow. She had played all day yesterday and obviously hadn’t had enough fun.

Now, in Zhilan’s arms, she kept trying to squirm down.

[It’s the plum garden, such beautiful snow plums]

“Sister, look! Quickly look at the plum blossoms.”

Ah Bao pointed at the plum garden with her little hand.

Zhilan asked Concubine De for permission, “Your Highness…”

Concubine De smiled and glanced at Ah Bao.

Ah Bao was blinking her big, dark eyes, looking pitifully at her, “Cool, flowers…”

[I really want to see the snow plums]

The underworld had never had such a beautiful place.

Ah Bao really liked the snow.

“Go on, be careful not to slip,” Concubine De reminded, adjusting Ah Bao’s fluffy scarf.

“Yay, Concubine De is so nice.” Ah Bao grinned with joy, gave Concubine De a kiss on the cheek, and hurriedly skipped towards the plum garden.

Zhilan followed behind.

“Be careful,” Concubine De’s words had just finished.

Ah Bao tripped and fell directly into the snow, her whole body covered in snowflakes.

Ah Bao was overjoyed, laughing and rolling around in the snow.

In no time, her small figure disappeared into the plum garden, and Zhilan didn’t dare relax, keeping a close watch.

The little princess was very playful.

Concubine Chun watched Ah Bao with a complex emotion that flashed briefly in her eyes.

She also had a child.

But she couldn’t bring her out.

She also wished she could often hear her child’s joyful laughter, but unfortunately, that was a luxury in this lifetime.

“How coincidental, two sisters, there’s freshly brewed plum blossom tea here. Come and sit for a while,” Concubine Hui invited, rising from her seat.

The four of them sat in the pavilion, enjoying tea by the fire.

The warm steam in the pavilion dispelled some of the chill.

Concubine Rou sighed with boredom, “Concubine De, among us, you are the luckiest. Since you had Ah Bao, the Emperor visits your Yihe Palace every day. To be honest, I am quite envious.

Teach me, how did you manage to have a daughter?

I heard there’s a secret method outside the palace to adjust one’s body, ensuring whether you have a boy or a girl. It’s amazing.

Concubine De, you didn’t go outside the palace to adjust yourself, did you?”

“Concubine Rou is joking. As you said, it’s my luck.” Concubine De lowered her gaze, truly feeling fortunate to have had Ah Bao.

Otherwise, she might have faced ruin and even fallen into depression and death.

Concubine Rou glanced at Concubine De, “I just saw Ah Bao following behind you, Concubine De. How come she’s not visible now?”

Since the last time she saw Ah Bao at Baiyun Temple, she hadn’t seen the Tenth Princess again.

It must be said that Concubine Rou missed the little girl a bit.

“Zhilan took her to play in the plum garden. The little girl is very playful.”

Concubine Rou could no longer sit still and wanted to check on Ah Bao.

Concubine Hui noticed her anxiety and was puzzled.

Concubine Rou usually disliked Concubine De, so why did she suddenly seem to like Concubine De’s daughter after visiting the temple?

It was really strange!

“Concubine Rou, instead of envying others with lovely daughters, why not find a way to have one yourself?” Concubine Hui said with a slight smile. “Among the four of us, only Concubine De has a daughter. The three of us have not been successful.”

Concubine Rou’s son, the Fifth Prince, had been sent to a fief.

Her son, the Third Prince, rarely visited Qingyun Palace.

As for Concubine Chun’s son, well, that was even more of a problem.

Clearly, they all had sons.

Yet none could compare to Concubine De.

She had given birth to a daughter, the only little princess of the Tiansheng Dynasty.

Concubine Hui, thinking of this, almost wrung her silk handkerchief into pieces.

The three were engaged in heated conversation, while Concubine Chun remained silent.

Usually, she was quite talkative, but whenever the topic of children came up, she had nothing to say.

In the plum garden, Ah Bao was having a great time playing, but she saw a little prince standing not far away under a plum tree.

His eyes were so beautiful.

Like stars in the night sky.

“Sister, he…” Ah Bao tugged at Zhilan’s sleeve. Snowflakes were all over her head, and Zhilan was patiently wiping them away.

Following Ah Bao’s gaze.

“Princess, that is His Highness, the Ninth Prince. He is six years old this year, your Ninth Brother.”

[But why does the Ninth Brother look a bit strange?]

Zhilan saw Ah Bao in a daze and quietly said, “Princess, do you want to go play with the Ninth Prince?”

Ah Bao nodded. Playing in the snow was more fun with someone else.

With that thought, Ah Bao trotted over to the Ninth Prince.

Zhilan was startled and said, “Princess, please don’t go over there.”