The Enchanting Imperial Concubine (Book 3)

Chapter 441 - Siblings

After a whole day of festivities, although it was just a small gathering in the palace, it was still exhausting.

Especially since Ning Chen had taken some time in the afternoon to visit Jiuchen Palace and meet the royal relatives who had come to pay their respects.

In the evening, as usual, Ning Chen went to Zhao Chun Palace, only to see the Fourth Princess playing in the courtyard with Niangao, wielding a small wooden sword.

"Yuan'er, where's your Sixth Brother?" Ning Chen asked, looking at his young daughter with a smile in his eyes.

The Fourth Princess, sweating from her play, turned to see her father and smiled. She tossed the sword to a servant and ran over, calling for a hug.

"He went to Ruyi Pavillion, following Fourth Brother. Mother said they get along because they're two of a kind," the Fourth Princess replied.

As she spoke, she rolled her eyes in a way that unmistakably resembled Ye Yun's influence.

Ning Chen found it amusing—these three children had inherited Ye Yun's temperament, though their appearance took after him.

"And do you know what 'two of a kind' means?"

"Well... it means that my brothers are both smelly!" The Fourth Princess couldn't quite explain, mumbling incoherently.

Hearing the commotion outside, Ye Yun came out and saw the father and daughter chatting. She gave a small bow and then used a handkerchief to wipe the fine sweat off her daughter's forehead.

"If your brothers aren't keeping you company, you should stop exhausting Niangao. It's getting old and can't handle your antics anymore."

Nian Gao was two years older than the Fourth Prince, practically a grandfather among dogs. But thanks to its careful upbringing, it still looked quite lively, though it didn't enjoy running around much. Most days, it like lying at Ye Yun's feet or staying in the Ruyi Pavillion, spending a couple of days with the Fourth Prince before returning.

"Go find your Fourth Brother and bring your Sixth Brother back. Your Fourth Brother still has to write essays tonight, so don't let them get too rowdy. Come back after dinner," Ye Yun said, patting her daughter's head.

The Fourth Princess nodded and quickly ran off.

With the children away, Ning Chen took Ye Yun's hand and led her inside.

It looked like they'd be dining alone tonight.

Ye Yun thought that since the Fourth Prince was older now, the task of watching over the younger ones should naturally fall to him.

Over at Ruyi Pavillion, the Fourth Prince was already overwhelmed by his younger brother, who was poking around everywhere. Hearing his little sister's voice from outside only made his headache worse.

"Tell the kitchen to prepare something light for dinner; they can't handle anything too spicy," the Fourth Prince instructed.

Bai Zhu nodded with a smile and went to take care of it.

Although the Fourth Prince pretended to be annoyed, he was always meticulous in his arrangements—after all, they were still family.

Meanwhile, without having to cater to the children's tastes, Ye Yun decided to enjoy hotpot with Ning Chen.

Though it was summer, eating hotpot still felt satisfying, especially paired with chilled fruits—it had a unique charm.

Ning Chen gently picked up a slice of lamb for her.

"You should eat more now. When we head to Zhasake, the journey will take about a month, and it won't be easy."

"But once we're there, we can have roasted meat! The barbecue there is different from what we have in the capital. Just thinking about it makes me hungry," Ye Yun said with a smile.