Princess Consort Ling glared fiercely at the maid. "What? Are you thinking of running to Prince Ling to complain?"
The maid immediately dropped to her knees. "This servant would never dare!"
"Dare not? Or will not?" Princess Consort Ling stared ruthlessly at the maid.
"If even a single word of this leaks out, your entire family can forget about living!"
"This servant does not dare! This servant will only ever be loyal to you, Your Highness!"
Terrified, the maid kowtowed vigorously.
Princess Consort Ling turned and walked away briskly. Her mind was preoccupied with her daughter, leaving her with no time to dawdle with a maid.
The maid hastily scrambled up from the ground and hurried after her.
When Princess Consort Ling stepped into her daughter's courtyard, the maids and older servants in the yard all knelt to pay their respects.
Ignoring them, Princess Consort Ling walked straight to the door of her daughter's room.
"This servant greets Your Highness."
The maid serving Commandery Princess Anning rushed over and knelt in greeting.
"How is the Commandery Princess? Has she eaten anything?"
The maid shook her head, a look of distress on her face.
"Your Highness, ever since the Commandery Princess heard that you were keeping watch over Commandery Princess Funing, Commandery Princess Anning has been on a hunger strike."
"We servants have tried everything, but the Commandery Princess still refuses to eat a single bite."
"This servant also reported this to Prince Ling. Upon hearing it, His Highness simply grounded the Commandery Princess."
"Thank goodness you are finally here, Your Highness. Please, go in and check on her!"
The maid gave Princess Consort Ling a heavy kowtow.
Hearing this, Princess Consort Ling recalled the scene just moments ago, when Prince Ling had rushed over the instant he heard Song Shuyu was awake.
His own daughter was on a hunger strike, yet not only did Prince Ling fail to comfort her, he even grounded her!
A wave of sorrow and chill swept through Princess Consort Ling's heart.
She even began to suspect—could this Song Shuyu be Prince Ling's illegitimate daughter from the outside?
What lucky star? What great help to his ascension to the throne! It was all a lie!
It was all just a cover-up for the truth that she was his bastard daughter!
At this thought, Princess Consort Ling's fingernails dug deeply into her palms.
No!
She had to thoroughly investigate this Song Shuyu's background!
She would absolutely never allow anyone else to carve up what rightfully belonged to her own children!
"Your Highness?" The maid on the ground noticed Princess Consort Ling spacing out.
"Enough. Stand guard at the door. No one is allowed near!"
"If anyone dares to disobey, they will be met with the rod!"
With that said, Princess Consort Ling pushed open the door and walked inside.
The moment she entered the room, Princess Consort Ling saw her daughter on the bed hastily lying back down.
Moreover, a sweet, rich aroma lingered in the room.
Princess Consort Ling sniffed the air. It was the scent of osmanthus pastries.
Inwardly, Princess Consort Ling breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed her daughter wasn't too foolish after all!
She walked over to the bed, looked at her daughter pretending to be asleep, and sat down.
"Alright, get up. Stop pretending to sleep."
On the bed, Commandery Princess Anning did not move.
"Next time you sneak food, remember to open the window. The smell is too strong."
"Also, wipe the crumbs from the corners of your mouth clean!"
"These little tricks of yours can't fool your royal father! No wonder he grounded you."
As soon as Princess Consort Ling's words fell, Commandery Princess Anning immediately opened her eyes.
"Mother! How could you take Father's side too? Am I even your biological child?!"
As Anning spoke, tears began to stream down her face.
"They all say that country bumpkin is Father's real flesh and blood, and that I was picked up off the streets!"
"I hate that Song Shuyu. The moment she arrived, she stole my father away."
"And now, she's even stolen my mother!"
"I've become an unloved orphan! Boohoo!"
Anning opened her mouth and bawled loudly.
Seeing her daughter crying her eyes out, Princess Consort Ling's heart immediately ached for her.
She slid closer and pulled her daughter into her arms.
"You silly girl, of course you are Mother and your royal father's biological child! Mother can swear to that!"
"Don't listen to those lowly wretches wagging their tongues! Next time you hear them saying such things, just have the steward beat them to death!"
Anning sobbed incessantly.
"But I wasn't feeling well, and you didn't even come to see me!"
"You went and stayed by that little wretch's side for days and nights! You simply don't want me anymore!"
"Is it because that little wretch is better at pleasing people? So both you and Father like her now and don't like me anymore!"
Hearing her daughter repeatedly call her a little wretch, Princess Consort Ling wanted to reprimand her.
However, seeing how heartbroken her daughter looked as she cried, Princess Consort Ling's heart softened.
She took out a handkerchief and wiped away her daughter's tears.
"Don't say such things again next time. If your royal father hears you, he will definitely be furious."
"Mother will always love you. No one can ever take that away."
After Funing vented her frustrations, seeing her mother gently wiping her tears, her crying gradually quieted down.
"Mother went to take care of her this time because her illness delayed our departure."
"You also know that your imperial grandfather's birthday celebration this time is crucial."
"Your royal father wants to get there early to arrange things properly."
"If she stays sick like this, how can we leave?"
Princess Consort Ling explained softly to her daughter.
She had raised her son and daughter single-handedly, so she naturally knew that her own children were not the type to make trouble out of nothing.
Anning throwing a tantrum was purely out of jealousy.
"Then we just don't bring her along, and that solves it!"
"She isn't even part of our family. If she can't travel, leave her here in Feng City."
"When the time comes, you can just leave a few reliable maids and older servants behind, Mother. Once she's better, they can escort her to the capital. Isn't that the same?"
Anning asked between sobs.
"No, she is very important to your royal father!"
"This time, she must go with us to the capital!"
Princess Consort Ling wiped her daughter's face clean, hugged her, and gently patted her back to comfort her.
"Anning, Mother is only going to tell you this once. You must memorize it firmly in your heart and tell absolutely no one."
Anning looked up at her mother and nodded.
"Not even Brother?"
Princess Consort Ling nodded.
"Besides your brother, you cannot tell anyone!"
Anning nodded. "Alright, I will remember."
"Your imperial grandfather's health is no longer as good as it used to be."
"This time, it is very likely that your imperial grandfather will establish the Crown Prince."
Anning's eyes lit up.
"Mother, is the Crown Prince the future Emperor?"
"Shh!" Princess Consort Ling hushed her softly.
"That Song Shuyu, according to your royal father, carries fortune in her destiny. She can help your father ascend to that position!"
"Once your father sits on that seat, you will go from being a Commandery Princess to a supreme Imperial Princess."
"And your brother will be the future Crown Prince!"
"So, considering that Song Shuyu is useful to us, we will tolerate her for now."
"On the day your father achieves his goal, Mother will personally vent this frustration on your behalf!"
Sensing the murderous aura emanating from her mother, Anning shuddered.
Then, she obediently hugged her mother tighter.
"Mother, I'm sorry. It was your daughter being ignorant."
"I thought that you and Father didn't want me anymore, so I deliberately went on a hunger strike."
"It was my fault. I will never do it again."
Princess Consort Ling revealed a smile.
"Good girl! Now eat your food properly. Mother is going back to rest for a while."
"Okay!"
After seeing her mother off, Commandery Princess Anning noticed the flower on the table. She snatched it up and snapped it in two.
