Chapter 145: Is Xiao Fu Bao Disliked? The Whole City Loves Me With Their Lives
**Chapter 145: The Empress Dowager**
Lunch was so delicious that Suisui's eyes and mouth were almost too busy to keep up. However, being small with a modest appetite, she couldn't manage to taste everything she wanted.
By the time she reached the oily honey steamed bun, she was already full. She also drank half a small bowl of pigeon soup and had a bit of red bean sweet soup afterward. After eating and drinking to her heart's content, she started feeling sleepy.
In the afternoon, Qi Wangfei needed to take Feng Xuanrui to the palace, while the other brothers went to the estate. Qi Wangfei was worried about Suisui, so after discussing with the little girl, she decided to let her stay in the mansion and play with Liu Hemeng. Physician Liu would stay to watch over them.
With Aunt Xiang and the other servants around, Qi Wangfei was somewhat reassured.
As Qi Wangfei was about to leave with Feng Xuanrui, Aunt Qiu softly asked her, “There are still some cherries in the kitchen. Should we take some to the palace?”
Hearing this, Qi Wangfei was puzzled. “The cherries from the Shanglin Garden should be ripe by now, right? We don't need to bring them.”
Fruits in April and May were not particularly rare, especially for the royal family, which had a wide variety and quantity from the Shanglin Garden.
When Aunt Qiu mentioned this, Qi Wangfei's heart skipped a beat. She recalled how, last night, she had promised Suisui that they would go cherry-picking once the cherries ripened.
At that time, Suisui had asked her if she liked cherries. Cherries, with their sweet and sour taste, were something Qi Wangfei naturally enjoyed, as they could be made into various sweet soups and iced drinks.
Now, hearing Aunt Qiu say that only one cherry tree had ripened with exceptionally bright red fruit while the others remained half-green, Qi Wangfei couldn't help but worry. Was this because of Suisui?
Could it be that this child truly brought good fortune?
But Qi Wangfei didn't want this kind of attention. The Prince Qi's household was already wealthy enough; they had no desire to climb any higher. If Suisui did possess some unique qualities, could the family even protect her?
Qi Wangfei felt she needed to be careful not to draw too much attention. After considering it for a moment, she reassured Aunt Qiu, “Perhaps that tree is simply closer to the water source, so it ripened earlier. Shanglin Garden might have similar cases, and cherries don't travel well, so let's not bring any.”
Better to keep things quiet within the household and avoid making a spectacle.
After calming her thoughts, Qi Wangfei composed herself and decided to take Feng Xuanrui to the palace.
Meanwhile, after lunch, the Feng brothers took a short nap before heading to the estate. Suisui didn't rush to sleep and played Five Wooden Pieces with Liu Hemeng before they both went to bed hand in hand.
Aunt Xiang gently soothed them to sleep, ensuring no unexpected incidents occurred.
In the meantime, the fabrics sent by Qi Wangfei had arrived, and Aunt Xiang planned to draw a few designs for Suisui to choose from. Whatever the little girl liked, she would make.
As the children slept soundly, Aunt Xiang quietly worked on her tasks nearby, occasionally glancing over to ensure everything was fine. Nuan Dong and Nuan Xia were in the outer room, tidying up the toys and items used by Suisui and Liu Hemeng, handling everything with care and precision, making the entire courtyard exceptionally quiet.
After arriving at the palace with Feng Xuanrui, Qi Wangfei first paid her respects to the Empress Dowager.
Originally, she intended to pay her respects to the Empress afterward, but the Empress Dowager insisted they stay, not wanting them to go through the trouble.
Having been away from the capital for over a month, Feng Xuanrui was dearly missed by the Empress Dowager. However, since spring began, the strong winds and blooming flowers had aggravated the Empress Dowager’s respiratory condition, particularly her sensitivity to pollen.
Since the flowers bloomed, the Empress Dowager had rarely left the palace. Despite her precautions, she still inhaled some pollen, triggering her respiratory symptoms, making her feel extremely unwell. Sometimes, the imperial physicians had to stay overnight in her palace, fearing an episode that could prove fatal.
Recently, with most flowers having already bloomed and borne fruit, pollen levels had reduced significantly. Two spring rains also helped settle the air, so the Empress Dowager was finally feeling more comfortable. Upon hearing that Feng Xuanrui had returned, she immediately sent word for Qi Wangfei to bring him to the palace.
Seeing him now, the Empress Dowager touched Feng Xuanrui’s head and smiled. “You’ve lost weight. You must have suffered on the journey.”
The troubles Feng Xuanrui encountered during his travels were naturally not detailed in the memorials sent by Prince Qing. However, the Prince privately relayed the situation to the Emperor, who, in turn, informed the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager knew that her grandson had endured quite a few hardships.
Thinking about the scoundrels who dared to target her grandson, the Empress Dowager was filled with rage and wished she could storm the dungeons and personally deal with those scum!
However, as the Emperor had said, the country had its laws, and the family had its rules. Once the investigation was complete, those responsible would be dealt with appropriately.
Turning her thoughts back to her family, the Empress Dowager grumbled at Qi Wangfei, “If those disobedient concubines and mistresses in your household act up, deal with them as you see fit. You are the royal princess consort listed on the royal genealogy; what do you have to fear from them?”
“The ones who can’t behave are only taking advantage of your kindness, getting bolder by the day.”
The Empress Dowager continued to grumble about various matters, eventually sighing deeply. “It’s not entirely your fault; it’s all because of that wretched son of mine, always shirking his responsibilities. I hear he’s been up to no good at the private manor again?”
Qi Wangfei could only smile awkwardly at this topic.
The Empress Dowager grew even more agitated. “At his age, he still doesn’t know shame. His outrageous behavior has become the talk of the capital. Does he think it reflects well on me? That ungrateful son needs a good beating to remind him who his mother is!”
“You just wait. I’ll send someone to the manor today to drag him back and give him a good scolding!”
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