The long night passed slowly.

Yun Chu slept deeply.

Feeling an itch on the tip of her nose, she sneezed loudly and opened her eyes.

Before her were two enlarged faces, two pairs of bright, limpid eyes reflecting her own face—it was Yu and Changsheng.

Last night, these two little ones had snuck in, insisting on sleeping together with her. She had Jiu’er inform Prince Pingxi, then kept the two children with her.

Although they had made a commotion through much of the night, they slept extraordinarily well in the latter half. It had been a long time since she had slept this well.

“Mother, you’re awake!”

Chu Hongyu called out sweetly. When no outsiders were present, this address of “Mother” came too smoothly.

“Mommy…”

The little girl followed with a call, then crawled into Yun Chu’s arms.

Chu Hongyu refused to be outdone and hugged Yun Chu’s neck tightly.

The little girl raised her foot and placed it on Yun Chu’s waist.

“Changsheng, don’t go too far.” Chu Hongyu said huffily. “Last night you hugged Mother and slept the whole night, and I didn’t say anything. Now you still want to monopolize Mother—I absolutely won’t agree to that!”

He kicked the small leg off Yun Chu’s waist with one foot.

The little girl withdrew her leg, widened her eyes, and moisture gradually floated up in her pupils, looking utterly aggrieved to the extreme.

Before Yun Chu could say anything, Chu Hongyu, in his capacity as older brother, was the first to cave, compromising: “All right, all right, I’ll yield half the position to you.”

He reached out to grab his sister’s little foot and placed it on Yun Chu’s stomach.

Only then did the little girl break into a smile through her tears. She hugged Yun Chu’s neck, pressed her face against Yun Chu’s face, looking completely content.

Yun Chu held a child in each arm, feeling her chest fill up.

At this moment, the servants guarding outside heard the sounds and knocked before entering.

Tingshuang, who served Yun Chu, had long grown accustomed to this scene, but Nanny Zheng, who served the two young masters, was shocked to the extreme.

She knew the two young masters liked this Madam Xie, but she hadn’t known they liked her to this degree… If her feeling was correct, His Highness also treated Madam Xie differently from others… The father and two sons all especially liked the woman before them.

If Madam Xie were still Miss Yun, she would probably become the future Princess Pingxi. Unfortunately, Miss Yun had become Madam Xie five years ago… What a pity!

“Yu, Changsheng, time to get up.” Yun Chu sat up holding the two children.

Nanny Zheng and several attendants hurried over. “Young Lord, Young Miss, let’s put on clothes first…”

Yun Chu took the clothes. “Let me do it.”

Such opportunities were too rare. She also wanted to be closer to the children.

She carefully helped the two children dress one after another, then helped them wash up. As for combing hair, Yun Chu wasn’t very skilled at it, so she carefully selected hair ornaments for the little girl.

Soon all three had finished their morning toilette. She held the two children’s hands and walked out. Early breakfast had already been prepared in the flower hall.

Just after finishing their meal, Chu Yi walked in from the courtyard entrance.

Seeing Physician Bi following beside him, the little girl was so frightened she immediately climbed into Yun Chu’s arms. Chu Hongyu also stood in front of his sister like a protective parent.

Physician Bi laughed good-naturedly. “You two little fellows were personally saved by this old man. How did you come to treat your savior as an enemy?”

He and Chu Yi were old acquaintances, so of course he wouldn’t really mind.

He placed the medicine box on the table and continued, “Young Miss, don’t panic. This time we’ll insert the needles in the hot spring. With the spring water as a buffer, it won’t hurt as much as before. Relax, and it will pass quickly.”

Upon hearing the words “needle insertion,” the little girl began trembling all over, clutching Yun Chu’s neck desperately.

Yun Chu held her and stood up, coaxing gently, “Changsheng, there are some nasty little bugs living in your body. Physician Bi uses silver needles to kill those bugs. Once the bugs are completely eliminated, your body will naturally get better.”

Chu Changsheng’s long lashes were already wet with tears. She shook her head to express her resistance.

Yun Chu leaned close to her ear and said in a low voice, “After this acupuncture session ends, Mommy will give you a small gift.”

She took out a small pouch from her sleeve, opened a small gap, and let the little girl take a peek.

Chu Changsheng’s eyes immediately lit up.

Inside was a small doll, identical to the one her brother had, except brother’s was a boy doll and this pouch contained a girl doll.

Brother wore the pouch with the doll at his waist every day and wouldn’t even let her touch it.

Now it was wonderful—she also had her very own doll.

Seeing this tactic work, Yun Chu immediately put away the pouch and said gently, “Mommy will accompany you to the hot spring pool. Together we’ll eliminate all the little bugs, okay?”

Chu Changsheng nodded without hesitation.

“Your Highness, this Madam Xie is much better at coaxing children than you are.” Physician Bi couldn’t help but sigh. “Your Highness has no equal when it comes to suppressing bandits, but you’re truly terrible at coaxing children.”

Chu Yi said coldly, “If you don’t speak, no one will take you for a mute.”

The group walked to the hot spring pool. Yun Chu was preparing to go into the water together with the little girl, but the little girl shook her head at her.

Chu Hongyu spoke up. “Auntie Yun, little sister means she can do it by herself.”

Chu Changsheng walked down into the hot spring pool with bare little feet and sat on the chair the nanny had already prepared. Physician Bi also went into the water.

The little girl’s outer robe was removed, and silver needles were inserted one by one into the acupuncture points on her back. Although buffered by the spring water, the little girl still bit her lower lip in pain.

Her small face turned snow white, and beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down one by one.

Yun Chu’s heart also clenched tightly.

How could she bear to just stand by and watch? She immediately walked down into the pool and grasped the little girl’s ceaselessly trembling hand.

About a quarter-hour, or perhaps half a shichen, the acupuncture finally ended. When all the silver needles were withdrawn, the little girl’s body went limp and she fainted in Yun Chu’s arms.

She quickly carried the child ashore. Nanny Zheng wrapped the little girl in a clean blanket, and a group of servants followed in a flurry.

Yun Chu was about to follow.

“She’ll sleep for at least a day and night before waking.” Chu Yi spoke. “Madam Xie should also hurry back to change clothes.”

Yun Chu looked down to see her soaked garments clinging to her body. Immediately after, Tingshuang draped a cloak over her shoulders.

She curtsied to Chu Yi, turned and walked into the inner chamber. Tingshuang attended to her as she changed clothes.

Tingshuang was already dressed as a married woman, with her hair pinned up, giving her somewhat of the composure and dignity of a managing nanny.

Originally, Yun Chu had given her a month’s leave, but something suddenly came up at the military camp. With Yu Ke not at home, Tingshuang had nothing to do and simply moved in.

With Tingshuang here, Yun Chu felt very reassured.

She first went to check on the unconscious Chu Changsheng, then picked up Chu Hongyu. “These two days with you both have been very happy, but it’s getting late—Auntie Yun must go home.”

Chu Hongyu’s nose tingled with emotion.

He had thought that staying together for a long time would make parting easier, but he discovered that the more time they spent together, the more he wanted to stay together forever.

But he knew these two days had already been very precious. He couldn’t ask for more.

He obediently climbed down from Yun Chu and waved his hand. “Goodbye, Auntie Yun.”

Yun Chu touched his face, then looked at Chu Yi, who had been standing silently to the side all along. “Your Highness, I’ll take my leave first.”

Chu Yi nodded and watched as she boarded the carriage with her maid’s assistance.

Only after the carriage had traveled far did he withdraw his gaze and look at the attendant behind him. “Chengxu, go investigate matters concerning the Xie Family.”

Chengxu nodded. “Your Highness, should this subordinate investigate from when Master Xie was in Jizhou, or from when he became an official?”

Chu Yi spoke lightly, “Investigate matters concerning the Xie Family’s inner quarters.”

Chengxu scratched his head with a completely bewildered expression.

When had their prince ever cared about the affairs of other people’s back courtyards?