“Royal Father, my brother and I were just playing a game.”
“Whoever lost had to kneel and kowtow to the winner to admit defeat.”
Xiao Yun'an answered with an aggrieved expression.
Prince Ling stared at Xiao Yun'an for a while, then turned to look at Xiao Yunlin.
Xiao Yunlin seemed terrified of him. He clutched the attendant’s clothes tightly and hid behind him, refusing to come out.
Prince Ling secretly sighed.
“Get up,” he said to Xiao Yun'an.
“If one does not work hard while young, one will accomplish nothing in old age.”
“Starting tomorrow, report to the outer study at dawn and study under the tutor!”
As soon as Prince Ling finished speaking, Xiao Yun'an looked up in surprise.
“Royal Father, will the Imperial Academy no longer hold classes from now on?”
Prince Ling clasped his hands behind his back.
“That is a matter for the future!”
“When it comes to learning, one must either advance or fall behind. Not a single day can be missed.”
“Go back and review your lessons properly. Tomorrow, I will test you on what you have learned!”
“Come to think of it, bring Anning along tomorrow as well.”
Xiao Yun'an assumed that his father had specially hired a tutor for him and his sister, and he was instantly overjoyed.
“Yes, Royal Father. I’ll go tell Mother and my sister right away.”
Xiao Yun'an scrambled to his feet, bowed, and prepared to leave.
“A physician will be coming to examine your mother later. Tell her.”
Prince Ling mentioned it casually.
Xiao Yun'an froze.
“A physician?”
Prince Ling shot him a glance. “Your mother is unwell. How can she recover without seeing a physician?”
Xiao Yun'an left with a complicated expression.
Prince Ling watched Xiao Yunlin, who was still hiding behind the attendant, and felt deeply disappointed.
He had originally thought Xiao Yunlin’s condition was only temporary.
Now, it seemed that the boy might never get better.
Prince Ling began to consider the matter.
Having only one son was still too risky.
“Brothers fight side by side, and fathers and sons go into battle together.”
Whenever Prince Ling thought of Princess Consort Ling, his brows furrowed.
“Come. Take him to his mother.”
In the end, Prince Ling made up his mind.
It was no great loss if Xiao Yunlin was useless. At worst, he could simply have another child.
Since Secondary Consort Wei had managed to raise Xiao Yunlin so well, she would certainly be able to raise another child just as well.
With that thought, Prince Ling quickened his pace.
After Princess Consort Ling heard what Xiao Yun'an had said, she fell into thought for a moment.
“Mother understands. Hurry back and review your lessons.”
“What if you can’t answer your father tomorrow and he scolds you again?”
Xiao Yun'an grew a little nervous at that.
“Then I’ll take my leave, Mother.”
“Go.” Princess Consort Ling nodded.
Only after Xiao Yun'an had left did Princess Consort Ling turn to the maid beside her.
“Where is Your Highness now?”
The maid answered cautiously.
“It is said that he took the Second Young Master to Secondary Consort Wei’s residence.”
Princess Consort Ling let out a mocking laugh.
He was only a fool. She refused to believe that a man like Prince Ling would still hold out hope for him!
The estate of this princely household would belong to her An'er in the future!
“How are things progressing on the other side?”
The maid lowered her head.
“The people are ready, but because something happened to the Second Young Master, all the consorts have begun watching their children closely.”
“Even the fiercest tiger has moments when it lets down its guard.”
“Have someone keep a close watch. The moment there’s an opportunity, just…”
A vicious edge filled Princess Consort Ling’s voice.
“Yes.”
The maid shuddered.
Princess Consort Ling turned her head and glanced at her. The maid immediately froze.
“If you want to live, learn to keep your mouth shut!”
“Yes! This servant understands!”
“Go outside and stand guard. Come back in after the physician arrives.” Princess Consort Ling waved her hand.
The maid hurriedly rose and withdrew.
Song Shuyu had barely made it halfway when she could walk no farther.
She spread her legs and struggled to support her own weight.
Large beads of sweat rolled down her face.
“It’s so hot!”
“I’m so tired!”
Song Shuyu pulled out a handkerchief, wiped away her sweat, and fanned herself vigorously.
“Commandery Princess, why are you here? You gave this servant such a fright searching for you!”
The maid’s voice sounded like heavenly music to Song Shuyu.
“Why did you take so long?”
“Hurry over and carry me!”
After Song Shuyu spoke, she noticed that the maid seemed hesitant.
“What? Do you no longer respond when I call you?” Song Shuyu snapped angrily.
The maid hurried over and crouched down.
“This servant was worried that the smell on me would offend Your Highness.”
She had just run all over half the city beneath the blazing sun to buy an iced drink.
When she returned to the estate, she discovered that the Commandery Princess was missing.
She had then been terrified into searching everywhere for her.
After sweating so much in the heat, she was certain she must smell awful.
Sure enough, Song Shuyu caught a strong odor.
She instinctively pinched her nose.
“Why do you smell so bad? Ugh…”
The maid lowered her head and secretly grumbled to herself.
The smell coming from the Commandery Princess was no better than her own.
After hesitating for a moment, Song Shuyu still kicked the maid.
“Get down!”
The maid crouched.
Song Shuyu glanced around. Only after confirming that her father was nowhere in sight did she climb onto the maid’s back.
The maid hoisted Song Shuyu up and slowly started walking back.
“Are you trying to let me burn to death? Hurry up!”
Song Shuyu was so hot that she had become thoroughly impatient.
The maid had already run several rounds searching for her, and all her strength had long since been exhausted. She was forcing herself forward through sheer willpower.
Gritting her teeth, she quickened her pace.
Unfortunately, they happened to reach a step.
The maid’s legs had gone weak. She failed to lift her foot over it and tumbled forward.
“Ah!”
Seeing that she was about to make intimate contact with the ground, Song Shuyu screamed in fright.
Her cry quickly attracted the household servants.
Song Shuyu had struck her forehead, leaving a large bump and scraping the skin. When blood began to flow, she thought she was going to die.
She sat on the ground, sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath.
The maid realized she had caused trouble and knelt on the ground, begging for mercy again and again.
“Commandery Princess, please forgive me! I didn’t do it on purpose!”
Nanny Rong heard that Commandery Princess Funing had fallen and hurried over.
Without wasting a word, she ordered someone to fetch a physician.
“Take her away and give her twenty strokes!” Nanny Rong waved her hand.
“Nanny, this servant didn’t do it on purpose!” The maid hurriedly kowtowed and begged for mercy.
“Commandery Princess, please forgive me! This servant truly didn’t do it on purpose!”
Song Shuyu covered her forehead. She had been crying so hard that her vision had begun to darken.
“You did it on purpose!”
“You wanted to kill me!”
“Even if I become a ghost, I’ll never let you off!”
Song Shuyu cried as she spoke.
Nanny Rong quickly ordered the maid to be dragged away.
With Song Shuyu left behind, Nanny Rong found herself in a difficult position.
With the Commandery Princess’s plump figure, even she could not carry her.
“You there!” Nanny Rong called over a sturdy servant woman. “Carry the Commandery Princess back to her room!”
The woman happily bowed to Song Shuyu before crouching down.
Song Shuyu immediately backed away.
“No!”
“You’re all trying to kill me!”
“Get away!”
As she spoke, Song Shuyu kicked the servant woman, knocking her to the ground.
Nanny Rong put on an ingratiating smile. “Commandery Princess, I’ll keep an eye on her. If she dares to drop you, I’ll have her beaten.”
Song Shuyu pointed at Nanny Rong.
“I want you to carry me!”
