Qin Shi regained her composure and slowly raised her hand to hold Zhao Jing’s hand. “You don’t need to worry. In Mother’s heart, you will always be the beloved daughter.”
The Prince Mansion was vast and prosperous, and even with Qi Yuyao’s return, it was not as if they couldn’t take care of two children.
Qin Shi thought this way, but she hadn’t considered that Prince Chen might disagree. After all, Prince Chen had never refused her requests before. Moreover, he had always loved Zhao Jing deeply, and their father-daughter bond of fifteen years was not something that could be severed overnight.
However, Zhao Jing couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Mother, what do you mean? What do you mean when you say I will always be in your heart? I am already your daughter!”
As Qin Shi looked into her daughter’s stubborn eyes, she felt a sudden pang of pain in her heart. However, the truth had to be revealed to Zhao Jing.
“Jing’er, please calm down,” Qin Shi spoke gently, tinged with a hint of sorrow. “Mother knows it’s difficult for you to accept this right now, but what Huan’er said is true. You are indeed…”
Qin Shi saw tears welling up in Zhao Jing’s eyes, and she struggled to find the words to continue. After a pause, she finally mustered the courage to say, “You are indeed not the flesh and blood of Prince and me.”
“No, no, I don’t believe it,” Zhao Jing vehemently shook her head, tears streaming down her reddened eyes. “Mother, you’re lying to me, right? I don’t believe—”
Before she could finish her sentence, Zhao Jing’s body went limp, and Qin Shi’s compassionate gaze turned to one of panic. “Quickly, fetch the royal physician!”
One of the waiting maids hurriedly ran out. Qin Shi, struggling to maintain her composure, got off the bed and watched as the two maids gently laid the unconscious Zhao Jing on the couch. Her heart was filled with both pity and helplessness.
“My poor Jing’er.”
The faint footsteps approached again, and the maid who had previously gone out and returned once more now knelt down upon entering the room.
“Your, Your Highness.”
Qin Shi turned to look and saw the maid who had gone to fetch the royal physician. She quickly asked, “Did you manage to summon the royal physician?”
The maid, trembling with fear, stammered, “The steward said that Miss Zhao is now considered a commoner and cannot be attended by the royal physician.”
“Did he truly say that?”
The maid lowered herself to the ground and replied, “I dare not deceive Your Highness.”
Qin Shi’s graceful and beautiful face twisted with anger. She gritted her teeth and said, “He is a person sent by that old hag, for sure. She could never tolerate us, mother and daughter, in the past. Now that she has seized this leverage about Jing’er’s background, she must be itching to take action.”
Speaking such disrespectful words was something Qin Shi wouldn’t dare do under normal circumstances, even in the presence of her trusted aides. Now, she had mentioned the old hag, driven to anger.
The maid hesitated, seeing the vindictiveness in the Consort’s eyes, and didn’t dare to tell her that it was actually the Prince’s orders.
“Your Highness, please calm down,” Qin Shi’s nursemaid pushed the door open and entered. She walked over to Qin Shi, helping her to sit down in a chair, and advised, “The most urgent matter is to summon a physician to examine Miss Zhao.”
Qin Shi’s lost composure slowly returned, and her rapid breathing gradually calmed. “You’re right,” she said, “Qiu Lan, go to my private treasury and fetch fifty taels of silver. Then, go and invite Doctor Li from the Jing’an Hall.”
“Yes,” the maid named Qiu Lan responded while kneeling, then she went to get the silver and left once more.
Unseen by anyone, on the nearby bed, Zhao Jing, who had fainted, blinked her eyelashes ever so slightly.
The next day, Qi Heng, dressed in princely attire, sat inside a carriage. A beautiful-looking maid knelt beside him, pouring tea into a cup with her fair wrists, as delicate as fine porcelain. Her every movement was elegant beyond words.
When Qi Yuyao led two maids into the carriage, she saw this scene. She pursed her lips and greeted, somewhat unfamiliar and reserved, “Father, you’ve waited long.”
“No need to worry,” Qi Heng’s cold expression softened. He gestured to the cushion beside him, “Please, have a seat.”
Qi Yuyao followed his words and sat down. Her two maids followed her into the carriage, kneeling behind her, one on each side.
The carriage was quiet, and while Qi Yuyao maintained a calm exterior, her heart raced with nervousness. It was her first time riding in the same carriage as her father. She was also anxious about the upcoming visit to the palace.
She had initially planned to ask her father about the Empress Dowager’s preferences, but as soon as she entered the carriage and faced her father’s cold and aloof countenance, she found herself unable to speak.
In case she asks something wrong and angers her father, becoming disliked by him, just like her mother, what should she do?
The carriage continued to move steadily, and the faint sound of the rolling wheels echoed inside the compartment. Qi Yuyao lowered her head, and her hands, hidden beneath her sleeves, involuntarily twisted her fingers. She was silently rehearsing in her mind, preparing for the conversation with her father.
The maid serving tea beside her held a cup of tea and turned to face Qi Yuyao. Despite her slightly bent posture, she gracefully lifted the teacup and gently addressed her, “County Princess, here is your tea.”
Qi Yuyao came to her senses, accepted the teacup with both hands, and took a sip. The refreshing taste of the tea seemed to wash away her worries, and even her nervous heart began to calm down.
“Father.”
“Hmm?” Qi Heng had been pretending to rest with his hand over his forehead, so as not to make Qi Yuyao more nervous by staring at her. He opened his eyes upon hearing her.
Holding the teacup, Qi Yuyao, with the warmth of the cup giving her courage, asked, “Father, could you tell me about the Empress Dowager’s preferences?”
“This silly child, worrying about whether the Empress Dowager likes her.” Prince Chen’s tone carried a touch of pride, “Such a silly child, worrying about such trivial matters. Based on the fact that she is my blood, the Empress Dowager will surely like her very much.”
Qi Heng gave him a glance; his words were not entirely wrong. In the past, the Empress Dowager had shown immense favor to Zhao Jing, even though she didn’t particularly like the Prince’s consort, Qin Shi. This favoritism towards Zhao Jing was due to her being Prince Chen’s only daughter.
Qi Heng looked at Qi Yuyao’s tense expression and chuckled lightly. “No need to be nervous. The Empress Dowager will definitely like you. She adores children who are beautiful the most.”
The low, pleasant laughter caused the surrounding maids to change their expressions. The maid who had served the tea discreetly glanced at Qi Yuyao, her eyes revealing a hint of admiration.
Qi Yuyao was taken aback and couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Her father, her own father, had just praised her for being beautiful!
Her face turned bright red, and she sneaked a glance at Qi Heng. In her eyes, her father was the most handsome person she had ever seen.
The emblem on the carriage clearly marked it as belonging to the Prince of Chen’s residence, so when the carriage passed through the palace gates, it was allowed to continue without stopping. After a considerable distance, the carriage finally came to a leisurely halt.
Qi Heng was the first to step out of the carriage, and a eunuch waiting nearby immediately approached, wearing a flattering smile. “Your Highness, may you be blessed. The Empress Dowager has heard that the Princess is entering the palace today and has specially instructed me to wait here.”
Qi Heng flicked his sleeve, ensuring his attire was without wrinkles, and then looked back. Qi Yuyao was also being helped out of the carriage by her maids.
“Father?” Qi Yuyao tilted her head in confusion and glanced at the eunuch. The eunuch took a step forward and bowed respectfully. “I greet the Princess.”
Qi Heng cleared his throat and pointed to a sedan chair nearby. “He is the person sent by the Empress Dowager to receive you. You should go with him to Shoukang Palace for now.”
Qi Yuyao was stunned. She nodded and said, “I thought Father would come with me…”
“No need to worry. Father will come to see you after the morning court session,” Qi Heng reassured her, patting her head. “If you have any questions, you can ask him.”
Qi Heng’s gaze then turned to the eunuch, who immediately tried to please him. “I will certainly answer any questions the Princess has to the best of my ability.”
Qi Heng was relieved and turned to walk in the direction of the Hall of Diligent Governance. The eunuch and the accompanying palace maids all exclaimed, “Farewell, Your Highness.”
Qi Yuyao bit her lip and, unable to see her father anymore, turned to the eunuch. She spoke softly, “Thank you for guiding me.”
“No need to be polite, Princess. You can call me Guo Zhi,” the eunuch said as he walked to the sedan chair’s door and lifted the curtain with a smile. “Please, Princess, get into the sedan chair. The Empress Dowager has been eagerly awaiting your arrival since early this morning. Let’s return quickly to avoid keeping Her Majesty waiting.”
…
Qi Heng paced outside the Hall of Diligent Governance with his hands behind his back. The bustling discussions from inside the hall reached his ears. He stepped into the hall and casually scanned the room, realizing that most of the officials had already arrived.
The ministers, who had been engaged in lively conversations, inadvertently noticed his arrival. Their voices fell silent, and the people around them also turned to the entrance, creating a sudden hush in the hall.
“Your Highness.”
The officials bowed and then stepped back, creating a clear path in the middle.
Qi Heng walked up to the Prince’s chair on the raised platform and took his seat. His gaze fell on the left side of the gathering, where the Crown Prince Qi Shao should be standing. However, that spot was currently empty, indicating that the Crown Prince had not yet arrived.
Just as they say, “Speak of the devil and it shall appear,” Qi Shao walked into the hall with a stern expression. Since Qi Heng had cultivated his internal energy, his senses had become sharper, allowing him to clearly see that the Crown Prince’s shoes were already halfway wet from stepping into a puddle outside the hall.
Qi Heng raised an eyebrow. Did he just step into a trap while walking?
Qi Shao sensed a scrutinizing gaze and felt a rising sense of offense. He lifted his head to see who had dared to openly scrutinize him. Their gazes met across the entire hall.
Despite the considerable distance, Qi Shao couldn’t discern the other person’s expression clearly. However, he saw the person comfortably sitting on a plush animal-skin cushion while he, as the Crown Prince, had to stand below with the other officials. This realization left him feeling somewhat unbalanced.
Qi Shao sneered, then raised his voice, “Uncle Prince Chen, you’re quite early today. The palace heard that Prince Chen’s residence had found the true County Princess. But you know, royal bloodlines must not be confused. Uncle, I hope you haven’t brought back another impostor.”
As Qi Shao’s words fell, the officials, who had been quietly discussing, involuntarily fell silent. Their gazes shifted back and forth between Prince Chen and the Crown Prince, with a sense of curiosity and tension in the air.
Qi Heng placed the teacup he was holding gently onto the table, producing a faint clinking sound. Yet, it had an impact, causing a sudden shift in everyone’s mood.
“I’ve heard that the Crown Prince has taken a new concubine, and she’s already expecting?”
