Emperor Mingxian paused in his work, then nodded and said, "Yes, the seventh prince's wife gave birth in the last few days. How is she doing?"
"Your Majesty, she has given birth. Mother and child are safe. It's a boy." Fu Shun carefully observed Emperor Mingxian's expression.
Emperor Mingxian was clearly taken aback for a moment: "This seventh son's wife is also a lucky one, reward her." He didn't say anything more, which made Fu Shun a little unsure of Emperor Mingxian's thoughts. This gift could be given, but whether Emperor Mingxian was happy or not was a big question, so there was a lot of knowledge involved in what gift to give. How could Fu Shun make a decision on his own?
Emperor Mingxian, perhaps aware of Fu Shun's predicament, said while looking at the memorial, "Among the items we presented as tribute some time ago were two jade ruyi scepters. Select a few more and send them over as well."
Upon hearing this, Fu Shun was startled. The jade ruyi was too large to carry around, but it was perfect for display and offering. Moreover, the jade was of exceptionally pure color. Most importantly, both ruyi were cut from a single piece of jade, each about half a foot long – a rare and valuable find. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been sent to the palace as offerings. A few more items would have made them even more valuable. Of course, considering that Ouyang Yue had given birth to Emperor Mingxian's first grandson, this was indeed fitting. Hearing that Emperor Mingxian hadn't issued any further decrees, Fu Shun was somewhat confused. He sent someone out to fetch the items, still pondering that if the Princess Consort of Chen gave birth to a daughter, she would still enjoy wealth and honor, but it would be far less than giving birth to a son. Fu Shun had originally thought that, given Emperor Mingxian's temperament, he might directly bestow some kind of reward this time.
Baili Chen is now a prince, and his child is a sure thing. At the very least, he will be a heir apparent, then a prince, then a prince of the first rank, and if he gets a good one, he might become the crown prince. After all, this Prince Chen is the second son of Emperor Mingxian, and now he has also fathered the eldest son, and he also holds the title of Emperor Mingxian's first grandson, which greatly increases the possibility. It seems that the emperor does not have this intention, and it seems that things are going to get complicated.
As for the concubines in the harem, they hurriedly had things selected and sent to Prince Chen's residence, but whether their intentions were genuine or not, no one cared.
In the Prince Zhi's residence, Baili Zhi listened to his subordinate's report with a smile on his lips. However, when his concubine, Sun Meng'er, heard this, her face immediately darkened: "Princess Chen is quite capable. Her first child is a boy. Haven't we heard that this child is quite strange? He didn't cry when he was born, but after a while, he started crying on his own. Was he already this extraordinary as a child?" Her words were sarcastic, but they reflected the concerns of many women in the Prince Zhi's residence.
With the Crown Prince's death, Emperor Mingxian was left with only four princes. Among them, the fourth prince, Baili Chang, was the least likely. Although Baili Chen and Baili Mao were more probable, Baili Chen had a bad reputation and was disliked by many court officials, while Baili Mao came from a humble background. While they had a chance, it wasn't a certainty. Baili Zhi hadn't been prominent in court before, but as the eldest son of the legitimate wife, he hadn't committed any serious offenses. With proper management, he might have a better chance than Baili Chen and Baili Mao. As Baili Zhi's woman, if he became emperor, all the women in his courtyard who were originally from the Prince's residence would be taken with him. Even if they are concubines without official status, they will at least be promoted to the rank of Zhaoyi or Guiyi. Most of the concubines will likely be promoted to the rank of Fei. As for Sun Meng'er, she will at least be a Guifei, and if things go well, she will become the Empress. How many women who marry into the royal family do not dream of becoming Empress? Sun Meng'er was happy about the death of the Crown Prince when she was suddenly struck on the head by Ouyang Yue Zhao. She is currently holding a grudge.
Baili Zhi glanced at Sun Meng'er and said indifferently, "The Princess Consort of Chen has given birth. How can the Prince's Mansion not show some appreciation? Tell the servants to prepare some gifts and send them over. This is the first child of the Prince's Mansion, so be careful."
Sun Meng'er felt even more resentful. Baili Zhi was afraid she would cause trouble out of jealousy. Was she really that unreasonable? Besides, it was just having a child. They were all brothers. Would the Chen Prince's Mansion dare to find fault with them? Saying it like that only made her seem petty.
Several women from Baili Zhi's inner quarters were still seated in the hall. Below them were one concubine, two other concubines, and two maidservants who could only stand at the back. There were no women of low status in the Prince's mansion; even the concubines were carefully selected from various noble families, some even sacrificing their own dignity to have their legitimate daughters willingly become concubines. One of the maidservants was originally prepared by the Sun family for Sun Meng'er. Sun Meng'er had seen Baili Zhi lingering among the concubines some time ago, and had no choice but to send one of the maidservants. This maidservant was quite beautiful, but came from a collateral branch of the Sun family, so her status was naturally inferior to Sun Meng'er's, but at least she would give Sun Meng'er some support in the mansion. Baili Zhi had previously intended to make her the Princess Consort, and now was the perfect opportunity. Even if Sun Meng'er was unwilling, she would definitely add this woman to her list. Once she ultimately secured the position of Princess Consort, wouldn't she be able to manipulate all the women in the mansion as she pleased? Sun Meng'er harbored resentment, but she didn't dare to do anything to Ouyang Yue, after all, this was a big deal. However, she could play some tricks to annoy people. So when Baili Zhi said that, Sun Meng'er suppressed the thought that had just risen in her mind. There was plenty of time in the future, and she didn't believe that if she didn't take action, no one would do such disgusting things.
The other concubines and maids looked around, their eyes darting about, and Baili Zhi watched coldly, as if watching a play, quietly sipping his tea.
In the Prince Mao's mansion, Baili Mao, along with his two consorts, Leng Caidie and Ning Xishan, naturally heard the news immediately. Baili Mao couldn't hide it anymore, his face turning ashen: "Damn it, Princess Chen actually gave birth at this time. Recently, the Lin family has been secretly contacting me. Now, the fate of this child may be uncertain."
Since Baili Cheng's death, Baili Mao has become increasingly cautious, but only on the surface. Secretly, he's been maneuvering among various powerful families. He had already established connections with more than half of Baili Xian's faction. If the Lin family were to agree to support him, he would undoubtedly become the next Baili Cheng. Before long, these people would petition Emperor Mingxian to appoint a new crown prince, and who else could claim the position if not him? However, Baili Chen has already had an heir before him. The uncertainty now rests entirely on Emperor Mingxian's mind. Will he prioritize the court officials' recommendations or the continuation of the imperial line? In that case, his chances with Baili Chen would be fifty-fifty. Baili Mao has spent years biding his time for this opportunity; how could he possibly let it slip away?
Ning Xishan's complexion was also poor. She had only been in the Mao Prince's residence for less than a year, and there was still no sign of pregnancy. Baili Mao was probably anxious. He had initially been kind to Leng Caidie, intending to win over the Leng family. However, after Leng Caidie married him and became his principal wife, the Leng family had not made a clear statement, and they had continued to maintain contact with the Chen Prince's residence. In addition, Leng Caidie was already disabled. If it weren't for Emperor Mingxian's order to protect Leng Caidie's position as principal wife, she would have been a divorced woman long ago. Since then, Baili Mao's attitude towards Leng Caidie had clearly changed, and people kept coming into the residence. Baili Mao was probably also thinking about this: more women, ten or twenty, even one pregnant would be fine. At worst, the ones of lower birth could give birth to children that Leng Caidie or Ning Xishan could raise. Unfortunately, after more than half a year, not a single one had conceived, and even those who were a month or two pregnant couldn't be kept.
Ning Xishan naturally contributed to this. In the Mao Prince's mansion, whoever gives birth to the first child will naturally gain a foothold. Although Leng Caidie still holds a position, Baili Mao never enters her room. As long as she gives birth to a boy first, even if Leng Caidie occupies the position, the future Crown Princess and Empress will belong to Ning Xishan. However, despite taking the medicine and having the imperial physician watch her body, there is still no sign of pregnancy. Ouyang Yue is so lucky that her first child is a boy, which makes Ning Xishan extremely unbalanced.
In the end, Baili Mao still had two things prepared and went to Prince Chen's residence. Baili Mao looked at Leng Caidie and then at Ning Xishan and the other women in the backyard: "You lot are all incompetent. You can't even conceive a child. What use are you to me?" In Baili Mao's eyes, women were nothing more than tools for bearing children, which was indeed the truth.
Everyone's expressions were grim. Leng Caidie sneered. Baili Mao didn't even touch her now; who was she supposed to have children with? He even admitted he was incompetent, unable to conceive, so how could he expect a woman to bear them? Baili Mao had married even earlier than Baili Chen, yet he hadn't produced a single child. Not to mention Baili Chen, even though the Crown Prince was dead, the women in his harem had gotten pregnant one after another—something he couldn't match. Blaming women for this wasn't an option.
Leng Caidie sneered at Ning Xishan. This was no pushover either. In the manor, whenever someone was rumored to be pregnant, either it wasn't detected yet, or the pregnancy was too early and a miscarriage was likely. Baili Mao was now relying on the Ning family and dared not do anything to her. Leng Caidie had fully experienced this when she first married into the Mao Prince's manor. Baili Mao's methods towards women were all the same: whoever was useful, he would exploit. Ning Xishan was just following the same old path. She wanted to see how far she could go.
However, she was still very jealous of Ouyang Yue. Leng Caidie was not an easy person to deal with. Now she was dispensable in the manor, which was why she had to endure it. But back then, she wanted to be no less than Ouyang Yue in anything, yet she didn't marry as well as Ouyang Yue, and she couldn't bear as many children as Ouyang Yue. Who could be at peace with that? Suddenly, she glanced at Ning Xishan and said, "Cousin is indeed quite fortunate, but being fortunate doesn't mean you have the life to enjoy it. Has the Prince ever said that extreme prosperity must lead to decline?"
Baili Mao was taken aback, but Ning Xishan's eyes flashed with a glint of light. Ouyang Yue was too glamorous right now. If she were to fall into a ditch now, it would only make her more doomed.
Baili Mao thought for a moment and said, "I haven't heard that Father Emperor is going to bestow any honors upon my little nephew. This won't do. My little nephew is Father Emperor's eldest grandson, which is of a different significance. Tomorrow I will go to the palace and hope that Father Emperor can bestow honors upon my little nephew first."
Baili Chen's eldest son would naturally inherit his position as the prince's heir. However, this was only legitimate if Emperor Mingxian personally conferred the title. Normally, this could only be done after the child came of age. Otherwise, if the child died before reaching adulthood, wouldn't it be redundant?
Ning Xishan laughed: "Your Highness, I will go and prepare gifts for the Prince Chen's residence in a while. We should pay a visit to offer our congratulations when the young prince is one month old."
Baili Mao sneered: "That's natural."
The next day, Baili Mao invited several ministers to court and excitedly asked for a reward for Baili Chen's son, Baili Su. Baili Su was born with the title of heir apparent, truly another wealthy and powerful man in the Chen Prince's mansion.
Ouyang Yue was holding Baili Su in her arms, poking Baili Su's cheek with her hand. Seeing a hint of dissatisfaction in her son's eyes, she smiled and said to Baili Chen, "Your Highness, we must make this full moon celebration a lively affair, otherwise we would be letting down all those who are here to laugh at us."
Baili Chen sneered: "Of course, how could they possibly scheme against my son?"
Baili Su seemed to sense Baili Chen's affection. He turned his little head, his big, dark eyes crinkling into a smile, and he giggled. Baili Chen was taken aback. Why did he have this strange feeling that his precious son's smile was a little wicked? Like a little fox about to do something naughty? Just like his wife before she tormented someone. Baili Chen was somewhat stunned, looking at his silly-looking son. He must have just imagined it...
☆、250, you old witches, bring it on!
As the saying goes, every child is the best in their own family. Although Baili Su had only been born a short time, Baili Chen always felt that his son was different from other children; it was a feeling. He still remembered that his son had appeared to him in a dream. At that time, he couldn't see his son's face clearly, but his clever and mischievous appearance was still fresh in his memory.
His son was different from many children from birth. He was exquisitely beautiful and adorable. Those babies who were born uglier than monkeys couldn't compare to him. Baili Chen had heard the saying that the prettier a child is when they are young, the uglier they will become when they grow up, but he didn't believe it. His son would be the most handsome in the future, even better than him. Moreover, his son was very smart. Apart from the fact that the child was physically weak, his son seemed to be healthier and more lively than ordinary people. It usually takes several days for a newborn to become visible, but his son was visible on the second day. In addition, his eyes were big and bright. He was also cute and not shy with strangers. He would giggle at everyone, which was so adorable. Now, everyone in the mansion, from the oldest to the youngest, would beam with joy when they talked about the young master. They liked him from the bottom of their hearts.
Leaving aside the couple Baili Su and Ouyang Yue, Princess Shuangxia, Lady Cheng, Lady Li Rushuang, and a group of others, everyone who saw them liked them. Before, when they entered the manor, they would look for Ouyang Yue and the others, but now the first thing they said was, "Where is Xiao Su'er?" That's the difference.
Baili Su was feeling quite pleased with himself, and naturally forgot his suspicion about Baili Su's strange expression earlier. Even if he had any doubts, given his love for his son, he certainly wouldn't think too deeply about it. Besides, his son was so young, what could he possibly do?
Ouyang Yue held Baili Su in her arms. The child had just been born and couldn't speak yet, but Ouyang Yue could tell what he was going to do just by the way his eyes moved. That was tacit understanding.
Ouyang Yue reached out and poked her son's soft, almost dripping cheeks. The little boy immediately pouted his bright red lips, rolled his eyes at her, and watched Ouyang Yue's continued antics. He then turned his head, opened his mouth, and put Ouyang Yue's finger in his mouth, grinding it against his gums with a resentful look, which only made Ouyang Yue giggle. He didn't even have teeth yet, and he was already planning to retaliate in this way—children are just so simply adorable.
Baili Chen looked over and couldn't help but come closer, smiling as he said, "My son is so silly. Is he hungry? Does he want milk?"
Ouyang Yue turned her head and chuckled strangely, "He probably has something he's unhappy about."
Baili Chen was taken aback and said with some dissatisfaction, "That won't do. How can he bite you? I can't allow it for any reason. He's already so young and he's already being unfilial. What will he be like when he grows up? I have to teach him a lesson."
Ouyang Yue's lips curled into a smile, as if she saw her son's face darkening: "He's so small, what's there to scold him for?"
Baili Chen crossed his arms, squinting at Baili Su who was staring blankly at Ouyang Yue's finger in his mouth. He pulled his hand away and said angrily, "You little brat, this woman is mine from head to toe. This kind of behavior is unacceptable. Besides, biting someone's hand is the behavior of a puppy. Don't do such shameful things again." As he spoke, he took out Ouyang Yue's finger that was being held in her mouth. Baili Su really wanted to bite it in anger, but he was a child with no ability to resist. He didn't even have the strength to bite. There wasn't even a red mark on those jade-like fingers. For once, Baili Chen held it with a look of heartache and comforted him, "Wife, the little guy doesn't know any better. Don't blame him. If he dares to do this again when he's older, I'll beat him so badly he can't get out of bed."
In ancient times, offspring were of paramount importance, but here, children are less important than a wife. That's the difference! Look at that nervous look on his face. Ouyang Yue smiled sweetly, while Baili Su stood to the side with a look of disdain. A pair of silly parents, humph!
No response?
He was ignored, and he was filled with resentment. "I'll keep staring! Staring! Staring!"
Unfortunately, while the others were engrossed in their battle, Baili Su was completely ignored, sucking his finger with a resentful and dissatisfied expression!
It was another morning. Baili Su, having eaten and slept well, lay on the small bed that Ouyang Yue had specially ordered for him by Baili Chen, lost in thought. He was a little regretful. His mother no longer loved him the most. If he had known this would happen, he shouldn't have agreed to choose Baili Chen in the first place. Waaah, he had no place in his mother's heart anymore.
"Cousin, you're here." Baili Su suddenly heard a laughing voice not far away. His expression immediately changed, and his resentful look turned into an adorable look. He had just woken up and his cheeks were still flushed with an alluring rosy glow. His eyes were big and bright, and his white lotus-like fingers were being rubbed and bitten in his mouth. He looked incredibly cute no matter how you looked at him.
When Leng Caiwen arrived at Baili Su's private little wooden bed, this was the scene he saw. Leng Caiwen, who had been playing among the flowers, found it difficult to remain completely untouched by the dust. He hadn't even been able to imagine this boy as his own before. After meeting Ouyang Yue, he reconsidered, but it was too late. He harbored some resentment towards the boy, but upon seeing Baili Su, a sudden thought struck him. Why was this little guy so naive? Although his face resembled Baili Chen's, his eyes were exactly like Yue'er's—so bright and pure, as radiant as the most beautiful stars in the sky. His resentment instantly lessened.
When Baili Su saw someone arrive, he thought, "Hmm, this is the first time I've seen this person, isn't it?" But it didn't matter; a smile could always do good. He imagined her smiling face like a daisy, and how hard it would be to resist. Ouyang Yue watched from the side, sighing inwardly. "Even a grown man like my cousin can't resist," she thought, "you naughty girl! You can charm women all you want, but you can't even spare men! Do you really want to be a heartthrob?" Thinking this, Ouyang Yue smiled more happily than anyone else, her face radiating pride.
Leng Caiwen had already held Baili Su in his arms and said with a smile, "Good nephew, call me uncle and I'll take you to eat candy."
Baili Su felt endless contempt, but he still chuckled foolishly. His eyes curved into crescent moons, and his little red lips parted to reveal his toothless mouth, making him look adorably silly. Leng Caiwen reached out and poked Baili Su's cheek. Baili Su was annoyed. How dare anyone pinch his face like that? His mother had been pinching it so much these past two days that it was almost deformed. "Hey, you're not a woman, how dare you pinch me? I'm not interested in you anymore, stop it!"
He was furious, but he couldn't say a word. It was so frustrating! Baili Su felt even more resentful. That's the problem with kids. They're not ready to talk yet. *sobs*
However, Baili Su's flushed face and angry, wide-eyed expression only made him look cuter and more adorable to outsiders. He was inevitably poked and tormented by Leng Caiwen for a while. Finally, Ouyang Yue rescued him when she saw that Baili Su was about to go crazy with anger, otherwise it would have turned into a real feud.
Leng Caiwen smiled faintly, took out a pure white handkerchief from her bosom, and opened it to reveal a 'love lock'. Ouyang Yue was stunned for a moment, but Leng Caiwen had already pulled Baili Su's small hand away and said with a smile, "I carved this lock myself. Although my skill is a bit lacking, it comes from the heart. I originally wanted to carve a lucky lock, but I felt that lock was too small, so I made a bigger one, which is why I have this. I hope you don't mind, cousin."
Ouyang Yue was speechless. Baili Su, who was being held in Leng Caiwen's arms, darted around with his eyes, finally settling on Leng Caiwen's face. He muttered to himself, "Something's not right. This man looks at my mother the way he looks at my father..."
A love rival!
Baili Su pursed his lips. Although he had many complaints about Baili Chen, he thought the man was not bad. He would absolutely not allow anyone else to ruin things.
"Ahhh!" Baili Su suddenly grabbed wildly in the air, startling Leng Caiwen. The strange atmosphere in the room immediately dissipated. Ouyang Yue was holding Baili Su tightly and no longer paid attention to him. Leng Caiwen gave a wry smile: "I have something to do. My little nephew must be hungry. I'll go first. Cousin, you go ahead with your work."
"Um... Cousin... Okay!" Ouyang Yue wanted to say something more, but in the end she just smiled. Leng Caiwen's eyes flickered, and his body seemed a little slumped. He knew in his heart that it was really impossible for him and his cousin to be together, no matter what. Life is not something to be taken lightly. If you make up your mind and don't fight for it, you will only regret it and suffer in the end.
Nestled in Ouyang Yue's arms, Baili Su bit his finger and thought silently. Originally, his mother belonged to him alone. Then Baili Chen appeared, and not only did he have to be born through Baili Chen's sperm, but he also had to share his mother with him. But there was no way around it; he couldn't just use her and then kick her out. His mother also liked this man a little bit, so he had no choice but to accept it reluctantly. Watching his silly parents being all lovey-dovey every day was already enough to cause him internal injury. Now, with another one, wouldn't he have even more of his mother's attention diverted? Having Baili Chen as his mother was already enough of a headache; what would happen if there was a second one?
Baili Su clenched his little fists and squinted, thinking, "That's absolutely impossible. It seems the heavy responsibility of protecting my silly parents' love will fall on my shoulders. He's still just a baby, okay? This task is truly arduous..."
Ouyang Yue reached out and chuckled as she rubbed Baili Su's tender little face: "You look so nervous, what are you thinking about?"
Baili Su rolled his eyes. "I can't even speak yet. Don't tempt me. I'm not telling you." Baili Su made a soft, dissatisfied sound and yawned. "A child's body is really useless. I'm sleepy again."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Baili Su fell asleep from exhaustion. Ouyang Yue smiled, her face full of tenderness and love, and carried Baili Su to bed with her. Being able to see Su'er again, she felt she had nothing more to ask for in this world. Ouyang Yue narrowed her eyes, but Su'er's birth held a different significance; many people were likely eyeing the Chen Prince's mansion. Now that Su'er had finally returned, she would absolutely not allow anyone to harm him.
"What, is Su'er asleep?" Baili Chen walked in quietly at this moment, his head peeking out from the bedside. Ouyang Yue smiled and nodded: "Children this young are always easily tired."
Baili Chen touched Ouyang Yue's forehead and said, "You're still in confinement. Your great-aunt has sent two more people to benefit from this. You need to rest well these next few days. I asked the imperial physician, and if you don't rest well during this time, you might fall ill later. If you dare to get out of bed again, I'll use other methods to make sure you can't get out of bed."
Ouyang Yue glanced at Baili Chen with dissatisfaction. Of course, Ouyang Yue knew that Baili Chen was just trying to scare her. She was just not used to resting since her rebirth in her previous life. However, she had done very well. Even when she was resting, she did not leave the room: "The imperial physician also said that I should move around a bit. Staying in bed all day is not a good thing."
Baili Chen put his arm around Ouyang Yue and said, "It's only for a while. Get some rest. Your husband is with you every day, and there's our precious son too. Are you worried about being bored?"
Ouyang Yue didn't speak, but Baili Chen simply pulled her into his arms and made her lie further inside. Baili Chen took off his outer robe and slipped into the quilt: "Husband, stay with your wife and rest."
Ouyang Yue blushed slightly: "You're not allowed to do anything, Su'er is right next to you."
Baili Chen smiled and said, "I know, I'll have to wait until you're out of confinement. I'll save it up for now and make it up to you later."
"You're so unserious." Ouyang Yue lightly patted Baili Chen's chest. Baili Chen didn't mind, he just took her hand, kissed her, and then closed his eyes to rest. Ouyang Yue didn't ask. These past two days, Baili Chen had to deal with official business whenever he had a spare moment. In a while, it would be the full moon, and there would be no shortage of banquets. The Prince Chen's mansion would have to be built as solid as a fortress. How could Baili Chen not be nervous?
Ouyang Yue stretched out her arm and put it on his waist, nestled against Baili Chen, closed her eyes, and soon fell asleep.
In ancient times, there were many rules for the full moon celebration, such as reciting incantations, offering sacrifices to ancestors, and naming the baby. Since Emperor Mingxian had already decreed that Baili Su would become the heir apparent of Prince Chen, his full moon celebration would be even more grand. Two days before the full moon, Ouyang Yue was about to finish her confinement period. She and Baili Chen would first go to the palace to see Emperor Mingxian, the Empress Dowager, the Empress, and others. Then there would be some royal etiquette, and one very important point was that the baby would be recorded in the royal register and named by the Emperor. Of course, Baili Chen had already revealed that Baili Su had chosen a name, which had been submitted in writing. The rest was just a matter of following the etiquette.
At this time, Emperor Mingxian, Empress Dowager, and the families of the concubines, princesses, princes and other relatives below the empress were all present in Chengxiang Hall. This was probably the greatest benefit for the royal children and grandchildren. Under normal circumstances, they could receive gifts from both sides. Entering the palace to meet people was considered a visit. In two days, a full moon banquet would be held at Prince Chen's residence. Those who went to the full moon banquet to give face could not leave empty-handed.
Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue were dressed in rank-specific attire, exuding extreme luxury and wealth. Baili Chen wore a deep purple robe with a dark pattern of flying dragons, the dragons so lifelike they conveyed both mystery and extraordinary heroism. Coupled with his cool and aloof demeanor, Baili Chen possessed a natural air of authority. However, compared to his usual arrogant and aloof attitude, the undisguised joy on his face today clearly showed his excitement. Ouyang Yue, on the other hand, wore a light purple robe with flying phoenixes, her posture dignified and elegant. Two golden phoenix headbands swayed in her hair, tassels hanging down to her ears, creating a shimmering effect as she walked, perfectly complementing her exquisite and beautiful features, adding to her radiance.
Several maids, including Dongxue and Chuncao, followed behind. The child was held by an old nanny. Dongxue kept her eyes fixed on Granny Xi, worried that something might happen in the palace and the little prince might fall. However, nothing happened along the way. Baili Chen and Ouyang Yueyi knelt down, followed by a row of kneeling people, to pay their respects to Emperor Mingxian and the others.
"Get up." As soon as Emperor Mingxian spoke, the Empress Dowager smiled: "Quickly bring the child here for me to see. It has been a long time since the palace has been so lively."
When Granny Xi stood up, she glanced at Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue, as if asking them a question. The two nodded slightly. Granny Xi then stepped forward and handed the child to Granny Zhan. Granny Zhan was clearly stunned when she saw the child's appearance, but she quickly turned around and handed the child to the Empress Dowager.
When the Empress Dowager saw the child, her eyes clearly flickered, and then she smiled and said, "Oh my, this child is really handsome. He will surely grow up to be a person of unparalleled talent and elegance."
The Empress leaned closer for a look, her expression changed drastically, she glanced at Emperor Mingxian and then at Baili Chen, seemingly gritting her teeth as she suppressed a laugh, "This child is indeed handsome."
"Let me see it." Fu Shun had already taken it. Emperor Mingxian's face, which had been smiling faintly, stiffened, and his breathing seemed to tighten. After a pause, he said, "He is indeed good-looking. He looks exactly like the seventh prince when he was young. Although he is still young, his features are already beginning to show. When he grows up, he will definitely be a handsome man who is no less than the seventh prince."
Baili Chen said calmly, "Father and Grandmother are too kind. I don't expect him to be outstanding. I just hope he grows up peacefully. Children shouldn't be praised." Baili Chen's words seemed to be humble, but upon closer listening, they seemed somewhat impolite. However, Emperor Mingxian did not notice these things at the moment. He just squinted and stared intently at the child in his arms.
Children's skin is always exceptionally good when they're young, so smooth and flawless, with a rosy glow. Even though their features haven't fully developed yet, this child's appearance is already beginning to show. His eyes are large and bright, and now, staring intently at him, those dark pupils are filled with his reflection. His small nose is slightly upturned, and his lips are as red as cinnabar. Isn't this exactly what Baili Chen looked like when he was young? What does this mean? Is this a accusation against his actions towards Baili Chen? Is this really such a coincidence?
Emperor Mingxian suddenly felt a headache coming on and raised his eyebrows slightly. Fu Shun was startled, but without showing any emotion, she took the child downstairs to show him to the concubines, princes, and princesses. Naturally, he received a lot of praise, and each of them would take off a jade pendant or something as a gift. When the child finally returned to Baili Chen and the others, Granny Xi was already carrying a ring of gifts behind him. Fortunately, Ouyang Yue had prepared in advance and had Dongxue go down to pack them up, otherwise it would have been quite a burden.
"He is indeed a good child. He has inherited the best features of both of you. Not bad at all." The Empress Dowager smiled kindly. This child had indeed inherited the best features of both parents. His features were very similar to Baili Chen's when he was a child. His eyes were like Ouyang Yue's. Although his outline was similar to Baili Chen's when he was a child, it was much softer than Baili Chen's. It was more like Ouyang Yue's. He had less of Baili Chen's coldness and more of his gentleness.
Sun Meng'er sat to the side and said with a smile, "That's right. Princess Chen is really lucky. Not only was she the first among the princesses to get pregnant, but her first child was also a boy. No one else can compare to her in terms of good fortune."
The Fourth Prince's Consort, Bai Ying, paled slightly. Bai Ying was a gentle and quiet woman. She had married Baili Chang no later than Sun Meng'er and others, but both of them were still pregnant. Moreover, because Baili Chang was in poor health, he didn't even have a concubine or maid in his harem. After so long without any news, Bai Ying inevitably became the subject of gossip. People said she was jealous, unable to bear a child for the Prince of Lin, and wouldn't allow others to serve her. In fact, Bai Ying was very wronged. First of all, Baili Chang was in poor health and couldn't engage in sexual relations like a normal man. Moreover, although Baili Chang was a prince, he had no chance of competing for the throne. Who would want to marry their woman into such a family? Take the Prince of Chen's mansion, for example. Being promoted to a concubine by Baili Chang was perhaps not as good as being a maid in the Prince of Chen's mansion. That was the difference.
Although there have never been any promiscuous women in the Prince Chen's mansion, Ouyang Yue is pregnant after all. It's unreasonable for others to say that Ouyang Yue is jealous and caused Baili Chen to have no child to carry on the family line. Compared to Ouyang Yue, Bai Ying is much more miserable.
Sun Meng'er looked at Bai Ying with a cold smile. At this moment, Bai Lichang covered his mouth with a handkerchief and coughed. Bai Ying was stunned for a moment and quickly said softly, "Your Highness, what's wrong? Quickly drink some tea to calm down."
Bai Lichang picked up the glass and took a small sip. His face was pale from coughing, with an unnatural flush, clearly indicating a serious illness. Bai Ying felt a pang of pain in her heart. Although Bai Lichang was unwell, preventing her from becoming pregnant, and even subjecting her to some unpleasant rumors, he had always been extremely good to her. She felt that compared to those who constantly fought for power in the inner quarters, Bai Lichang's ability to provide her with such a peaceful life was enough for her. Gently patting Bai Lichang's back, Bai Ying ignored everyone else.
Sun Meng'er narrowed her eyes. This Bai Ying was such a coward. She couldn't even utter a rebuttal after being spoken to like that. She was truly useless. Sun Meng'er gritted her teeth slightly. The more she looked at Ouyang Yue, the more displeased she became. Ever since Ouyang Yue came in, she had been subtly watching her. As for the child being brought over, she hadn't even looked at it carefully. She always wanted to say a few sarcastic things to Ouyang Yue, but she wasn't about to invite trouble. But this Bai Ying was spineless.
Ouyang Yue glanced at Bai Ying. In terms of seniority, Bai Ying was Bai Lichen's cousin, and thus also her cousin. Although the Bai family had fallen on hard times, it seemed that none of the major families could match the Bai family in raising their daughters. Not to mention that the Bai family had raised Empress Bai, who was virtuous, kind, and dignified, and was praised by everyone in the harem, the court, and the people, far surpassing Empress Lin, Bai Ying's act of prioritizing Bai Lichen even after being reprimanded on the spot was no less impressive than many others present. Although Ouyang Yue was a modern person who did not agree with the ancient doctrine that women should be subservient to men, compared to those women who schemed and plotted for power, Bai Ying's actions had already given her an unspoken advantage.
Emperor Mingxian nodded slightly as he looked at Bai Ying. Baili Chang drank his tea and shook his head at Bai Ying. The latter withdrew her hand and sat demurely. The two did not talk much, but they had a perfect understanding. Ouyang Yue immediately felt a bit of goodwill towards Bai Ying.
Baili Mao gave Baili Su, who was still in swaddling clothes, a cold smile, then turned his head away. The other concubines and princes in the palace all had their own thoughts, and the meeting ended in this atmosphere. Two days later, Baili Su would have his real full moon celebration.
Fu Shun followed Emperor Mingxian out of Chengxiang Hall, feeling uneasy. The Emperor's demeanor in Chengxiang Hall had been somewhat off, though he had concealed it well. However, Fu Shun, being so close to Emperor Mingxian, couldn't be mistaken. Fortunately, most people were focused on the Chen Prince's group and overlooked these things. Watching Emperor Mingxian walk quietly, not heading to the Imperial Study, but instead turning towards the inner palace, Fu Shun followed for a few steps and already understood where Emperor Mingxian was going—Ming'ai Hall.
The Anle Palace where Empress Lin currently resides is not the actual imperial palace. The true empress's palace is the Ming'ai Palace, which was where Empress Bai once lived. After Empress Bai's death, Emperor Mingxian had it sealed off, preventing outsiders from entering freely. Empress Lin had also tried to move into the Ming'ai Palace, a symbol of her empress status, but Emperor Mingxian was adamant. Empress Lin protested several times, even going so far as to appeal to the Empress Dowager, only to be reprimanded each time. She eventually suppressed the matter. People in the palace initially thought Emperor Mingxian sealed the palace to remember her, but after that, he never visited the Ming'ai Palace again. To avoid further trouble, no one mentioned the Ming'ai Palace again. Fu Shun, who had served Emperor Mingxian for many years, knew that Emperor Mingxian had visited before, but always secretly. This was the first time he had done so openly.