The Enchanting Imperial Concubine (Book 2)

Chapter 380 - Rarity

In Zhongcui Palace, after Jing De Fei returned, she first sipped a cup of hot tea. At this time, she wasn't feeling very well; managing palace affairs was somewhat exhausting.

"Why did Your Highness suddenly say such things in Qixiang Palace today? The Eldest Prince has been weak since birth; why bother with him? It only burdens the people in the Imperial Hospital, and it might even cause dissatisfaction among them toward you," Nianzhu said while bringing a soft pillow for her to rest on.

Jing De Fei chuckled, unconcerned. "How could they be dissatisfied? Didn't you see how happy Imperial Physician Shen looked?"

"Imperial Physician Shen is close to Ming Zhaoyi; could it be that Ming Zhaoyi has plans for Qixiang Palace?" Nianzhu paused for a moment.

"That's unlikely," Jing De Fei shook her head. "What would Ming Zhaoyi want to do? Wan Xiuyuan and the Eldest Prince pose no threat to her. I suspect Ming Zhaoyi has noticed something and is secretly investigating."

Tan Xiang immediately picked up on the nuance in her words. "Has Your Highness also sensed something?"

Jing De Fei lowered her gaze and put down her cup. "On the day Qin Shi gave birth, Wan Xiuyuan looked at the child several times. I initially thought she was just reminded of her own deceased child, but upon closer inspection, I felt there was too much calculation in her gaze. Later, when the Eldest Prince suddenly fell ill and it was so severe, I began to have my suspicions."

Tan Xiang's expression changed, a hint of disbelief in her eyes. "You mean, Wan Xiuyuan wants to raise the Fifth Prince, so she wishes for the Eldest Prince to die?"

"The Wan family of Shenzhou is one of the top noble families in Nan Qi, having produced officials for generations and sent their legitimate daughters into the palace. Don't they have ambitions for that position?" Jing De Fei said.

In her view, there was no woman in the harem who did not want to become Empress Dowager. Especially for someone like Wan Shi, who came from a prominent family, it was difficult to accept living as mere ornamentation in the palace after having experienced glory when they first entered.

"But we have no evidence," Nianzhu said softly.

"What evidence do we need? The life and death of Wan Shi and the Eldest Prince have nothing to do with me," Jing De Fei said coldly. "Ming Zhaoyi and the Fourth Prince are the real threats."

Tan Xiang straightened up. "What should we do then?"

Jing De Fei calmly took a sip of tea, then summoned the two maidservants to her side and whispered a few words.

Meanwhile, in Zhaochun Pavilion, Ning Chen had just arrived when he saw the Fourth Prince and Nian Gao running excitedly outside.

He quickly picked up his little son. "Where are you going?"

"To see the flowers," the Fourth Prince said with a smile, adding, "Sister likes flowers."

The "sister" he referred to was naturally the Second Princess, as the other two, the Eldest Princess and the Third Princess, were not as close to him. In the Fourth Prince's view, only the Second Princess was his sister.

Seeing the lively and healthy Fourth Prince lightened Ning Chen's mood considerably. He smiled and ruffled his son's hair, setting him down. "Go play and find your sister."

The Fourth Prince got down and lingered with Ye Yun for a while before heading outside.

The two of them watched the child leave. Suddenly, they saw the Fourth Prince trip and fall forward.

Ye Yun and Ning Chen both startled, but the next second, Nian Gao, who was close to the Fourth Prince, promptly dropped down to cushion his fall.

Although the Fourth Prince stumbled, he fell onto Nian Gao and was completely unharmed.

Ning Chen was about to approach the child, and the servants were also moving in, but Ye Yun called out to them. She shouted toward the front, "Jing'er, does it hurt? Can you stand up by yourself?"

The Fourth Prince was feeling wronged, but when he turned around and saw his mother's gentle and radiant smile, he instantly felt better. Supporting himself on Nian Gao, he climbed back up. "It doesn't hurt!"

"Jing'er is so brave! Go play, but you can't run; be careful not to trip again," Ye Yun said with a soft smile.

With such uplifting emotions, the Fourth Prince completely forgot about the earlier little mishap and happily went on his way.

Once the Fourth Prince had gone far, Ning Chen finally spoke up. "You really have a big heart; you're not worried about him getting hurt."

"He's not that delicate! Boys shouldn't be raised too pampered," Ye Yun said as she took Ning Chen's hand. "Didn't the Emperor see too? Jing'er is sturdy; the Emperor can rest easy. He's my own child; how could I harm him?"

That made sense. The three-year-old Fourth Prince had been eating by himself for a long time and often ran out to play; he really did seem more robust than the other children. Especially since he hadn't been sick since he was born, he was indeed in good health.

Thinking about it, Ning Chen began to agree with Ye Yun's "rough and simple" way of raising children. One of Ning Chen's greatest strengths was not to meddle in things he didn't understand; he wouldn't unnecessarily insert his opinions. This was something Ye Yun liked about him very much. After all, there were children in the palace who were still nursing at three or four years old, while the Fourth Prince had stopped before he was even a year and a half.

Given all the differences, if Ning Chen hadn't been agreeable, many people in the palace would have likely spoken ill of him.

After they entered the house and sat down, Ye Yun took the initiative to mention something to Ning Chen.

"My mother wrote saying that the Duke of Ying's eldest son has found a beautiful confidante and is quite taken with this Miss Li. He is even purchasing a house outside to keep her hidden. However, it seems his wife has already caught on, but this Miss Li appears to be pregnant. I thought it would be prudent to inform the Emperor."

During this time, Ning Chen had been keeping an eye on the Duke of Ying's household and was naturally aware of Chen Xianwen keeping a concubine. He had even sent someone to investigate; the woman's name was Li Zhirui, a recent favorite at the Zuiqing Tower, whom Chen Xianwen had redeemed and was keeping outside the manor.

Now it seemed that she had an undeniable connection to the young lady before him.

"Why is the Emperor looking at me like that?" Ye Yun raised her eyebrows slightly and shot him a playful glance. "I've put in so much effort to find a good piece for you; shouldn't the Emperor thank me?"

"You really aren't afraid that I might suspect you," Ning Chen shook his head helplessly.

Ye Yun's eyes curved into a smile, looking just like a cunning little fox. "If the Emperor suspected me, you wouldn't have revealed so many secrets back then."

After speaking, she poured a cup of tea for Ning Chen. "But this sword still needs a skilled person to wield it; there are many matters I can't help the Emperor with."

"Clever little thing!" Ning Chen finally couldn't help but smile, reaching out to pinch Ye Yun's nose.

He had already sent people to check on Li Zhirui's background and found her to be quite a suitable candidate. He had intended to use a few tactics to recruit her for his own purposes, but he hadn't expected it to be this woman's arrangement.

Of course, he once again felt that Ye Yun truly knew how to restrain herself, never overstepping her bounds, and timely relinquishing power. How could a smart and discerning woman not be likable?

In any case, Ning Chen found himself increasingly fond of her.

In the following days, everything seemed to gradually improve. After the Imperial Hospital prepared medicine for the Eldest Prince, his condition stabilized significantly; although he hadn't fully recovered, he hadn't experienced repeated high fevers again.

Meanwhile, outside the palace, when Lady Mei sent someone to eliminate her husband's concubine, not only did the plan fail, but it also angered Chen Xianwen, who brought the person back to the Duke of Ying's household.