Qin Yining smiled and nodded. The First Prince was three months younger than her two precious ones – now her Han Ge’er and Zhao Ge’er were almost a full year old.

Thinking of this, the longing she constantly suppressed yet could never fully contain surged forth again. She missed her children and also missed Pang Xiao – terribly.

Her gaze became soft with yearning. The Empress, also being a mother, understood and patted her arm sympathetically.

Qin Yining came back to herself and smiled slightly at the Empress.

Just then, Nanny Sun led a group of people inside: “Your Majesty, the First Prince has arrived.”

The lead wet nurse, wearing dark green palace attire and possessing delicate features of about twenty years, held a bright red swaddling bundle as she knelt: “The First Prince pays respects to Her Majesty the Empress.”

“Rise quickly and bring Hao Ge’er for me to see.”

“Yes.”

The wet nurse rose and, with help from several other wet nurses, arranged the covering portion of the bright red swaddling before handing the fair, tender baby wearing a light pink brocade jacket and tiger-head cap to the Empress.

The child was born fair and clean, pink and tender. Watching from the side, Qin Yining caught the soft milky fragrance emanating from the child and was reminded of her own two precious little ones, nearly bringing tears to her eyes.

She forcibly controlled her emotions, absolutely unable to lose composure. What – not being happy to see the Prince? If someone seized upon this as leverage, it might cause trouble later.

Qin Yining smiled: “His Little Highness is truly adorable as carved jade and snow, with clear brows and beautiful eyes. He’s surely destined to be a clever and filial child.”

What mother doesn’t love hearing her child praised? The Empress felt Qin Yining grow even more dear to her. She was no longer young and received no favor from His Majesty – perhaps she’d never have another chance to bear more children. This child was her everything!

The Empress joyfully held the child, bringing him close to Qin Yining: “Look, see how he’s smiling at you.”

The little Prince waved his tender white hands adorned with silver bracelets, smiling and drooling simultaneously.

Qin Yining was filled with affection watching him. She removed the gold cloud-pattern necklace set with rubies from her neck and offered it with both hands to the little Prince.

“Your Majesty, this is a meeting gift from this subject’s wife for His Highness. Please don’t disdain it. May His Highness be intelligent and healthy, safe and sound, growing strong.”

Qin Yining’s words were simple yet perfectly matched every mother’s hopes for her child. When mothers first have their children, their initial wish is simply for them to grow up healthy and safe – especially women in these deep palace walls.

The Empress felt Qin Yining’s sincerity and smiled as she accepted the necklace, holding it up against the little Prince: “I thank you on Hao Ge’er’s behalf.”

Hearing the Empress use “I” to refer to herself, Qin Yining knew this was sincere gratitude from a mother, not from an Empress.

The two gathered together to play with the child while surrounding palace attendants also smiled. The First Prince was particularly cheerful today, giggling adorably and melting everyone’s hearts.

Consort Yun could no longer continue practicing her bowing. Gritting her back teeth, she hid all her jealousy.

That aging, ugly woman! What was so special about bearing a son? As if anyone couldn’t do it! In the future, she would bear many more and better ones!

Consort Yun also approached the Empress, craning her neck to see the Prince in the Empress’s arms.

The milky-scented little baby was indeed adorable, his smiling appearance softening hearts. But beyond that softness, unprecedented jealous hatred blazed like fire, igniting her entire being.

This child was so cute – His Majesty must surely dote on him greatly? If this child grew up safely, when she had children in the future, wouldn’t she have no opportunities left?

How wonderful it would be if this child died.

Or became disabled, disfigured – anything would do!

As long as this child had no connection to the throne!

Consort Yun’s jade hands painted with bright red nail polish reached toward the child’s face as if possessed, the sharp points of the silver nail guards on her ring and little fingers adorned with pearls nearly touching the child’s cheek.

The Empress faced Consort Yun sideways and couldn’t see clearly. Though other palace attendants might have noticed, since the person was the Empress Dowager’s cousin’s daughter, everyone hesitated momentarily.

Only Nanny Sun, utterly loyal to the Empress, cried out in alarm. Unfortunately, she was too far away and too old; encountering such a situation, she panicked and could only shout “Ah!” without any substantial warning.

The Empress was startled by Nanny Sun’s cry. Looking down, she saw a hand wearing a warm jade ring fiercely gripping a hand with silver nail guards, the pearl-adorned sharp tip stopped right beside the First Prince’s right cheek – another half inch forward and it would have pierced the child’s face!

“What are you doing!” The Empress quickly pulled away with the child.

Qin Yining glared angrily at Consort Yun, her gaze like ice picks, gradually tightening her grip as she spoke through gritted teeth: “Consort Yun, can you bear the consequences of harming the Prince?”

“I, this palace didn’t! Let go, ah!”

Consort Yun seemed to awaken from a dream, hurriedly trying to withdraw her hand. Despite using all her strength, she couldn’t break free from Qin Yining’s vise-like grip. She couldn’t understand how, both being women, Qin Yining could possess such strength!

Missing her children, seeing the First Prince reminded Qin Yining of her own Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er in swaddling. As a mother, who could tolerate someone wanting to harm their child? Even if it wasn’t her own child, anyone with basic humanity wouldn’t hurt an innocent baby. In that moment, she couldn’t consider anything else.

Qin Yining grabbed Consort Yun’s hand and twisted it behind her back.

Consort Yun screamed “Aiya!” in pain. Under the pressure on her arm, she could only bend at the waist. Her other hand desperately tried to pull Qin Yining’s hair, but a slight increase in pressure from Qin Yining forced her to twist her body to the other side.

“How dare you! Release this palace! This palace is a consort – you dare lay hands on this palace, do you not want your life!”

“You’re the one who doesn’t want your life! Daring to attack the First Prince before everyone’s eyes – what are your intentions?”

“This palace didn’t! You’re slandering this palace! This palace only wanted to touch the First Prince’s cheek – where was there any intent to harm!”

This was still in the palace where Qin Yining wasn’t in charge. If someone dared attack her sons, Qin Yining would have already broken that vicious hand!

Qin Yining shook her hand, releasing her grip. Consort Yun, in her struggle, lurched forward and stumbled to the ground, clutching her shoulder with a pale face, nearly crying from pain.

“How dare you! This palace will tell the Empress Dowager!”

The Empress held her son tightly, shouting angrily: “Go ahead and see whether the Empress Dowager cherishes her own grandson or you!”

The sharp cry in anger was particularly piercing. The previously giggling child was frightened into wailing.

The Empress’s heart ached as she soothed the child, patting the First Prince’s back while whispering: “Good Hao Ge’er, don’t cry, don’t cry.” She then glared furiously at Consort Yun being helped up by others, saying coldly: “Under my very nose, you dared to strike! So vicious – how can you be tolerated? Someone!”

“This servant is here.” Nanny Sun and all the Kunning Palace attendants responded.

“Bind Consort Yun and deliver her to the Court of Imperial Clan for judgment!”

“Yes!”

Nanny Sun rolled up her sleeves and, with two senior palace maids, seized Consort Yun.

Consort Yun cried out in pain, shouting: “Let me go! Why do you say I intended to harm the Prince! Which of your eyes saw it! I only wanted to touch the First Prince’s cheek – it’s Princess Consort Zhongshun, yes, she framed me!”

“So many eyes watching, yet you still dare argue!” The Empress raged. “It seems this palace has been too lenient with you all, allowing you to become so audacious!”

“This subject only found the First Prince adorable and wanted to touch him. True, this subject wore nail guards, but being a grown person, I would naturally avoid harm! How could this subject possibly hurt the First Prince! Clearly Princess Consort Zhongshun framed me!”

“Drag her away!” The Empress swept her sleeves.

Nanny Sun immediately obeyed and escorted the prisoner away.

Consort Yun struggled continuously, shouting: “I didn’t, I didn’t! You people all breathe through the same nostril, ganging up to slander me! Empress, aren’t you afraid of karmic retribution for such false accusations!”

The Empress angrily replied: “You deliberately tried to harm an infant in swaddling – though unsuccessful, you harbored murderous intent. Aren’t you afraid of karmic retribution? Do you dare swear by your future children?”

Consort Yun choked, her words blocked.

Watching the person being taken away, the Empress frantically tried to soothe the child.

As the First Prince cried, the Empress’s heart ached and she also shed tears, murmuring: “It’s Mother’s uselessness, Mother’s fault. If Mother weren’t so weak, how would anyone dare harm you before Mother’s eyes? It’s all Mother’s fault…”

Seeing the Empress holding the Prince with mother and son crying together, Qin Yining couldn’t bear it and sighed softly.

Actually, the Empress’s punishment of Consort Yun was truly unwise.

As Consort Yun said, even though Qin Yining had caught her in the act, with no actual wounds on the First Prince’s face, it was essentially hearsay without evidence. She had many ways to argue her case. Even if everyone present testified, it wouldn’t pass muster with the Empress Dowager. Releasing Consort Yun would only require a word from the Empress Dowager. If seized upon by those with ulterior motives, it might drag her in too, pinning charges of slandering consorts and sowing discord upon her.

But with the Empress angry, there was truly nothing she could do, nor could she find grounds to advise. Counseling at this moment would only anger the Empress further and waste all her recent efforts.

Qin Yining was a free-spirited person. Though understanding how events would unfold, she wasn’t particularly concerned. After all, regarding accusations of deliberate framing, the other side equally lacked solid evidence – it would just be a matter of blaming both parties equally. Regardless of how well she performed, the fact of Li Qitian’s wariness toward Pang Xiao remained unchanged.

Thinking thus, Qin Yining smiled consolingly: “Your Majesty, please don’t be sad. Fortunately His Highness is unharmed. You need only be more vigilant in the future.”