The children were quite clever, far surpassing their peers in intelligence, knowledge, and physical ability. But no matter how capable they were, they were still young after all. They completely failed to notice that all their words had been overheard by Pang Xiao and Huzi, who were secretly hiding not far away.

Huzi lowered his head, silently suppressing his laughter.

The children spoke in their childish voices yet like little adults, worrying about mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relations one moment, then worrying about their father taking concubines to bully their mother the next. They were so adorable it made his heart itch – when would he and Bingtang also have such a lively and cute son?

Pang Xiao was also torn between laughter and tears. He hadn’t expected that in their eyes, he was the type who would let his wife suffer.

However, Pang Xiao wasn’t angry about this. Instead, he reflected on himself. The children had lived with Qin Huaiyuan in Yiyue and hadn’t been reunited with them as a couple for long, so there was no question of being partial to their mother from spending more time with her.

So the reason they thought this way was eighty percent his own fault.

The two children didn’t plan to return immediately. Instead, they held hands and found a corner sheltered from the wind. After glancing at the palace servants standing guard in the distance, they whispered secrets.

“Just during dinner, Mother was bullied to tears. She barely ate anything.” Zhao Ge’er lowered his head, his fingers repeatedly pulling at the white rabbit fur on his sleeve cuff.

“Mother wasn’t bullied to tears – she cried from anxiety. Grandfather said he was leaving, and you also said you were leaving. Mother is the type who most hopes for the whole family to be together.” Han Ge’er sighed like a little adult. “But Grandfather is someone who will do great things, and you’re also someone who will do great things. You can’t always accompany Mother.”

Han Ge’er sighed, then suddenly leaned close to Zhao Ge’er and whispered:

“Actually, it’s still Grandmother who’s bad. Whenever Grandmother sees Mother, she purses her lips and glares, and says unpleasant things. She always says we’re bastards. I heard people say that before we were born, Mother was kidnapped and suffered a lot outside, so some people suspect we’re not Father’s biological children.”

“Really?”

“Of course it’s false. We are Father’s biological children – otherwise Father wouldn’t like us so much. I don’t know what Grandmother is thinking, why she just doesn’t like us.”

Watching Han Ge’er frown in distress, Zhao Ge’er shook his head: “It must be because Mother is beautiful, so Grandmother is jealous of Mother, which is why she doesn’t like us either.”

…

Not far away, Pang Xiao’s face gradually darkened as he eavesdropped, his entire being emanating thick anger.

Seeing Pang Xiao’s genuine fury, Huzi felt anxious, fearing Pang Xiao would go beat his sons, since it was wrong for such young children to gossip about their grandmother behind her back.

But that wasn’t what made Pang Xiao angry.

Yao Shi actually said such things in front of the children!

He didn’t know what Yao Shi and Yao Chenggu were thinking. He was the children’s father – how could he not know whether those two children were truly his offspring?

But Yao Shi insisted on this point, claiming the two children had impure bloodlines, determined to put a cuckold’s hat on his head. This wasn’t enough – they actually dared to slander Sister Yi like this and speak nonsense in front of the children!

It was only because the children had been well-taught by Qin Huaiyuan and had their own judgment that they were fine. If they were ordinary children who were constantly disliked by their own grandmother and always told they were bastards, what kind of people would such children grow up to be?

Moreover, a narrow-minded woman with no sense of the bigger picture constantly saying such ridiculous things in front of children – if the children followed by her side, what would they learn to become? Gossips?

Pang Xiao’s fists clenched tightly, his knuckles making cracking sounds. Though his expression couldn’t be seen clearly in the darkness, the terrifying aura emanating from his entire being was impossible to ignore.

Huzi was extremely worried but didn’t know how to advise him.

But Pang Xiao strode out of the shadows, heading straight for the two children.

Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er were still whispering when they heard approaching footsteps. They suddenly turned around and immediately saw their father striding toward them. Looking up at their tall and mighty father, the oppressive feeling of standing beneath a mountain was more intense than ever before, making the children nervously purse their lips, even forgetting to pay their respects.

Walking up close, Pang Xiao asked: “Why aren’t you returning to Kunning Palace to rest?”

“Father, we’ll go back after talking a little longer.” Han Ge’er grinned as he grabbed Pang Xiao’s hand.

Zhao Ge’er immediately grabbed Pang Xiao’s other hand, craning his neck upward: “Father, is Mother crying? Are you going to handle court business instead of accompanying Mother?”

Pang Xiao had originally intended to ask the two children something, but instead found himself being questioned.

He hadn’t reacted before, but Sister Yi had cried so sadly earlier, and now leaving her alone, wouldn’t she be even sadder? He had originally intended to accompany Qin Yining, but who would have thought encountering the two children’s secret conversation would make him forget.

Now his expression turned stern: “It’s getting late. Let’s all go back.”

The children nodded together.

As Pang Xiao lifted his head and strode forward with the children on either side, Zhao Ge’er smugly winked at Han Ge’er from behind Pang Xiao, the small beauty mark between his brows making his pretty, delicate features appear somewhat mischievous.

Han Ge’er grinned broadly, gripping Pang Xiao’s hand while moving his short little legs quickly to keep up with his father’s pace, anxiously speaking as they went: “Father, if the Empress Dowager bullies Mother in the future, would you help your mother or help my mother?”

Pang Xiao paused, helpless: “I won’t let your mother suffer any grievances.”

“But Mother has always been suffering grievances.” Han Ge’er seemed not to understand where Pang Xiao’s confidence came from. “They all say that even though Mother will be empress in the future, she’ll still have to be managed by the Empress Dowager. Whatever common wives have to do, my mother will have to do too. Also, the Empress Dowager said that my mother owes the Pang family a debt, so whatever she does is deserved. Father, what debt exactly? Are we really not your sons, like the Empress Dowager says?”

Pang Xiao suddenly stopped walking and looked down at Han Ge’er, who was looking up at him.

Han Ge’er had eyes very similar to Qin Yining’s – large and bright, with curved corners when he smiled, very endearing.

Even under the oppressive imperial authority of his biological father, Han Ge’er didn’t show weakness, still tilting his head to look at Pang Xiao: “Father, why aren’t you speaking?”

After a moment of silence, Pang Xiao said: “You’re very clever. You’ve even learned to roundabout tattle on your grandmother to your father?”

“We didn’t! Father knows everything anyway. We don’t need to tattle.”

Han Ge’er stuck out his tongue, grabbed Zhao Ge’er’s hand, and ran forward. His small body was quite fast.

Pang Xiao watched their retreating figures, both annoyed and amused. Han Ge’er had probably just been mocking him – knowing everything but unwilling to stand up for their mother?

For children of only five to learn to speak like this, they had obviously inherited their grandfather’s formidable abilities. What would they become when they grew up?

Pang Xiao felt much more cheerful, extremely grateful for Qin Huaiyuan’s efforts in raising his two children to be so sensible. They dared to speak in important occasions, had their own thoughts, could think independently without yielding to others’ opinions, could even quote classics to explain their viewpoints, and could even play tricks roundaboutly in front of their father.

Such children probably surpassed even ordinary adults.

“You rascals! When you go back, copy the Classic of Filial Piety first! Don’t think about asking your mother empress to intercede for you!”