The Enchanting Imperial Concubine (Book 2)

Chapter 314 - Proactive

After Ye Yun had walked away, the Third Prince gently tugged on Yi Shunrong's clothes and whispered,

"Mother, can I have my own dog?"

"No," Yi Shunrong responded irritably, her tone harsh.

Seeing her son's face fall, she realized she had been too strict. She crouched down and picked him up, speaking gently,

"Han'er, there's a saying: 'indulgence in play leads to the loss of ambition.' It means that if you become obsessed with playing or something, you'll lose your motivation and stop striving for progress. You're a good boy, and now it's time for you to start studying. You can't just focus on play, or you won't be the smart, good child you are, understand?"

Though the Third Prince felt a bit disappointed, he had been taught by his mother many times about the importance of studying. He accepted her words and nodded, no longer insisting on the matter.

After her encounter with Yi Shunrong, Ye Yun felt uneasy, as though she'd absorbed some bad luck. She ordered her people to take Niangao outside to play while she returned to her quarters.

But before half an hour had passed, upon returning, she heard Lumei bring some big news.

The palace had sent word: the Second Prince had fallen into the lake, but luckily, Qin Baolin had saved him.

"How coincidental!" Ye Yun said in surprise.

It wasn't that she was overly suspicious, but in the palace, there were hardly any genuine acts of kindness.

She herself had once used ginseng to help An Shi during the difficult birth of the First Prince. And what was the outcome?

"It was the lake next to Jing De Fei's residence. The Second Prince was playing ball, and when the ball rolled into the lake, the Second Prince chased after it. The ground was slippery because of the snow, and he lost his balance, falling into the water. None of the servants knew how to swim. Just at that moment, Qin Baolin happened to be delivering a new scarf to Jing De Fei and saw the incident, so she saved him," Lumei explained.

She added, "Qin Baolin's hometown is near the water, and they say she was raised as a boy for a period of time when she was young, so she knows how to swim."

This didn't sound like a scheme—it was likely just a coincidence. However, Ye Yun couldn't help but furrow her brow.

"The Second Prince falling into the water probably means we won't be staying in this garden for a month. The Emperor will definitely want to go back to check on the child."

Sure enough, before she could even sit down for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Yuan Jiu came in person to deliver the news.

He said the Emperor was hurrying back to the palace ahead of everyone, and that all the consorts would return the next morning.

After all, it was already afternoon, and there were two children staying in Lingxi Garden, so rushing back would tire them out.

"His Majesty's orders are for you, Shunyuan, to make the necessary arrangements for the return journey," Yuan Jiu said.

Ye Yun nodded. "I understand. Eunuch, please hurry back to serve the Emperor. Also, deliver a message for me: tell His Majesty that the Second Prince is fortunate and will be fine. He should not worry too much."

"Ah, I will remember that. I'll take my leave now."

Yuan Jiu cupped his hands and hurried off.

"Shunyuan, how should we make the arrangements?" Huiyue asked.