The Enchanting Imperial Concubine (Book 3)

Extra - If There Is an Afterlife

After the Crown Prince ascended the throne, Ning Chen moved in with Ye Yun to Lingxi Garden.

The other concubines in the harem had all become Grand Consorts, and none of them were brought along.

Ning Chen was only in his forties when he abdicated, still in the prime of his life, so even though he stepped back from power, he didn't completely withdraw from affairs.

Of course, it wasn't that he held onto power and wouldn't let his son take charge; rather, Ning Yu Jing often came to consult him about many matters he found hard to decide.

Unlike Ning Chen, who still loved to worry about things, Ye Yun fully embraced her retirement life. She resumed practicing the flower arrangement and incense burning skills she had learned in her girlhood.

She had always enjoyed planting flowers and herbs in the courtyard, and now the house was filled with various vases, making Ning Chen feel at times like he was living in a flower garden.

One time, unable to hold back any longer, he delicately remarked, "Isn't there a bit too much floral display in our chamber?"

"With such a small hobby, how can I be deprived of it?" Ye Yun saw right through his concerns and rolled her eyes at him unceremoniously. "I haven't mentioned the flock of pigeons you raised in the courtyard."

After stepping back from power, Ning Chen suddenly took an interest in raising birds, particularly pigeons. He had a whole bunch of gray and white ones and even named a few that he was especially fond of, dedicating a separate courtyard to house their coop.

In the mornings, when the cage was opened, pigeons would fill Lingxi Garden, especially around the curved moon bridge where the sunlight was best, making it a beautiful sight from afar. But up close, it was a different story.

Everyone understood how birds could be rather indiscreet. The servants tasked with cleaning up had a tough time, dealing with pigeon droppings daily

Ning Chen awkwardly touched his nose and chuckled a bit.

"My dear, I meant to say that the flowers in this room look lovely, and their fragrance is delightful, even better than incense."

"That's only natural; you should consider whose craftsmanship it is," Ye Yun raised an eyebrow, pleased with his understanding.

However, her enthusiasm for flower arranging didn't last long. As autumn arrived, flowers gradually dwindled, leaving her with little to tinker with, and her gaze shifted to the lake in Lingxi Garden.

A lone fisherman in a straw hat, fishing alone in the chilly river snow—what a beautiful scene! How could retirement life be complete without fishing?

This idea received Ning Chen's approval.

So, the next morning, the two took their fishing rods and boarded a small boat, heading to the center of the lake. However, Ye Yun's skills were... well, typical of a novice with high hopes.

By the end of the morning, catching two fish would be considered a success. But Ning Chen was a master angler, filling his bucket within less than an hour.

At first, Ye Yun comforted herself, thinking she would catch up later, but when she realized she couldn't, she became thoroughly frustrated.

Ning Chen found it amusing and thought to himself how, even at her age, she still had a childlike temper, so he started to go easy on her.

Even when he clearly had a fish on the line, he didn't reel it in.

"I see that today's fishing isn't too good; there aren't many bites."