novelraw Chapter 775 - 754: Offspring
Chapter 775 - 754: Offspring
Fengyu and Mingzhu sat side by side on the jade steps. Wisps of white steam rose from the hot spring, and the evening breeze brushed through the forest, rustling the bamboo leaves. Fengyu herself had endured days of mockery, humiliation, and isolation due to her low status.
She could empathize with Mingzhu’s unease and fear. Though Mingzhu now carried the title of Princess, she lacked the confidence befitting one. She wasn’t like Ruyi—although Ruyi was young, she had grown up surrounded by an understanding of her noble identity. If anyone dared provoke him, the little child could summon quite the imposing presence, and even the palace maids and eunuchs were reluctant to fool him.
Mingzhu had suffered contempt in Fox City since childhood because her father, Xie Jue, was there. After arriving in the Capital City, Xie Jue remained cold and distant toward her—unlike a loving father in an ordinary family. Furthermore, Xie Jue and Lan Ningzhen divorced, which inevitably led Mingzhu to overhear rumors and gossip. As a child, any neglect or mishandling by the adults would deeply affect her temperament.
"Mingzhu, you are the Grand Princess of Beining. The Emperor’s decree was absolute; this fact will never change. Don’t fret about whose traits you resemble or don’t resemble, nor worry that your parents’ divorce diminishes your status as a princess. You are yourself. Your identity is yours alone. You must embrace and recognize your own status. Among the noble women in this world, apart from myself, there is no one who outranks you. If anyone dares disrespect you, you can absolutely invoke your title as Princess to put them in their place. What others say doesn’t matter—so long as we acknowledge you, you are the Grand Princess of Beining," Fengyu said gently. "You are from Beiman, and Miss Lan brought you into the fold. Gossip from others is inevitable. But your father is the sole Prince, and his position is esteemed. You are his eldest daughter, so others will only envy you and resent you. It’s this envy that drives their attacks. They hope to provoke you into losing face or acting out. They believe you, as someone of Beiman, are undeserving of the title of Beining’s Grand Princess. Therefore, they eagerly await you committing an act that undermines the dignity of your title. The more you care, the more insecure you appear, and the more obvious it becomes that this is your vulnerability. But if you remain indifferent, steadfast in your belief, and confident in your status as Princess, what can they do to you? Your father, uncle, aunt, and even Ruyi are all part of your family and will support you. So don’t be afraid, and don’t doubt yourself."
"Really? Can I do that?" Mingzhu asked hesitantly, "What if others question me? Can I refute them?"
"You can even reprimand them. And if you’re unsure about striking the right balance, just come to me. Watch how I handle them." Fengyu laughed lightly and said, "You’re just a child. In the entirety of the Capital City, none of the other children your age hold a rank as high as yours. But if an adult speaks harshly, tell us. You have elders backing you—don’t foolishly allow yourself to be bullied."
"I understand now, Aunt." Mingzhu’s eyes lit up as she hugged Fengyu’s arm happily. "If someone bullies me, I’ll teach them a lesson!"
Fengyu chuckled, "Alright then, tell Aunt—who’s been saying unpleasant things to you?"
Mingzhu thought for a moment, then shook her head, saying, "The past is in the past. It’s partly my lack of authority and confidence that let them bully me. It’s my own fault—I’ll just overlook their petty offenses. But if anyone dares to bully me in the future, I’ll deal with them myself, Aunt, so don’t worry."
"Good. That’s the spirit of Beining’s Grand Princess."
Mingzhu leaned against Fengyu’s shoulder, delighted. "Aunt, Mingzhu really likes you~!"
Fengyu couldn’t help but laugh as she pinched Mingzhu’s nose lightly. "Aunt likes our Mingzhu very much too."
She used to dislike children, thinking of them as noisy, troublesome, and the most fragile yet most irritating creatures in the world. But ever since Ruyi came into her life, her perspective on children gradually changed. Now, whenever she saw children the same age as Ruyi, she found them adorable—and naturally, she liked little Mingzhu as well.
When Fengyu returned, Xie Xun had already come back. The Forbidden Army had delivered the petitions and memorials for review to the Manor, intending to send them to the cabinet after Xie Xun approved them. Fengyu, drying her hair, asked, "Why did you come back so soon?"
"Ruyi fell asleep," Xie Xun said with a smile. "Thankfully Second Brother and I noticed quickly; otherwise, he would’ve drowned in the water. He was floating on his back while swimming and drifted off to sleep."
Fengyu mused that he must have exhausted himself with his antics during the day.
She sat across from Xie Xun to brew tea as he swiftly reviewed the memorials. Amid the beauty of springtime and the charm of the evening, even the wisest ruler would wish to wrap up official duties promptly to share moments of leisure with the Empress. The cabinet had not sent many documents, and the workload was light, making the review process quick. The Forbidden Army waited outside to deliver them back to the cabinet overnight.
"You should assign someone to shadow Mingzhu for a while and identify which household’s children are speaking out of turn around her—or if there’s anything odd about the attendants serving her—and address the matter swiftly."
"What happened?" Xie Xun paused his writing.
Fengyu recounted her earlier conversation with Mingzhu. "I suspect she’s either being ridiculed at the Imperial College or one of her attendants is spreading gossip."
"Alright, I’ll handle it. But isn’t it better for Mingzhu to confront this matter herself? As a princess, she needs to learn to establish authority sooner or later."
"That’s true, but if she’s being bullied at the Imperial College, then at her age, what kind of devious schemes could she have? Anything said must have been taught or overheard from their elders at home. We’ll secretly observe without interfering. If Mingzhu handles it appropriately, we won’t step in. But if she’s unsure, we’ll guide her slowly. We can’t let our child be bullied by others."
"Alright, I’ll send Zhang Boxi to monitor the situation." Xie Xun handed the reviewed memorials to the head eunuch, instructing him to deliver them to the Forbidden Army for transport back to the cabinet. Fengyu’s hair was now half-dry, and Xie Xun helped apply hair oil for her. These tasks were usually managed by Qiuxiang, but Xie Xun, when he had spare time, delighted in tending to her personally.
The osmanthus oil had a touch of Lan Hua fragrance, crisp and refreshing without being overly sweet. It was Fengyu’s favorite scent, and Xie Xun enjoyed it as well. The room was quiet for a while as Xie Xun massaged her scalp while applying the oil. Fengyu felt so relaxed she was nearly drifting off when Xie Xun teased her gently, "Ever since Ruyi and Mingzhu moved into the palace, you’ve been smiling more often."
"Really?"
"Really! You like them very much." Xie Xun privately felt a trace of jealousy but dared not express it aloud. Fengyu was sensitive, and their difficulty conceiving weighed on her. He feared hurting her further and carefully refrained from exposing his emotions—even though he also cherished the children deeply.
"Ruyi is adorable, Mingzhu is clever—they’re both lovable children," Fengyu said. "Their presence in the palace certainly brings joy."
If only she could have children of her own to keep them company.
Whether a son or a daughter, Fengyu would love them dearly. Time and again, she prayed silently for the blessing of having a child, yet her hopes were repeatedly dashed. This month, her period was late by several days, and her heart raced with anticipation. She thought there might finally be good news, but it turned out to be nothing more than a false hope—her period had only been delayed by a few days.
"If you’re fond of them, let them stay in the palace," Xie Xun said.
Fengyu immediately perked up, "Will Second Brother agree?"