Yun Suiwu bent down and placed a small wooden boat into the lotus-shaped pool.
The Little Prince quickly grabbed it. He narrowed his eyes, looked up at the Prince, and then happily tried to put it into his mouth.
His greedy little expression was so amusing that people could not help but laugh.
Yun Suiwu reached out and gently patted the Little Prince’s round head. Perhaps the child understood the saying, “Once you receive a gift, it is hard to refuse the giver.” He neither dodged nor fussed.
After that, Yun Suiwu clasped his hands behind his back and walked through another door. Aunt Pei followed him inside.
“Look at you, Nanny Shen. Your face is so red…” The two maids looked up and saw Lianxiang’s face glowing red like rosy clouds on fresh snow, and they laughed softly.
Lianxiang was puzzled when she saw how calm they were, without the slightest embarrassment.
Even though she was a widow now, a woman’s body was not something people should casually look at—especially her feet.
“Nanny Shen, you don’t need to be embarrassed. The customs in Wangjing City are very open. The Prince grew up in the imperial palace, so he naturally wouldn’t think anything of this. Besides, you know how cold and indifferent the Prince is. In this huge manor, he still has only one concubine, Lady Song…”
Xiyu tried to comfort her.
Normally, she did not think Lianxiang was particularly beautiful. But now, with her cheeks flushed pink and fair skin glowing like snow brushed with rouge, she looked incredibly delicate and lovely.
The sight even made Xiyu want to reach out and touch her face.
“That’s right…” Xixue glanced toward the door the Prince had entered. After confirming it was shut, she lowered her voice and whispered into Lianxiang’s ear.
“You know, even if you stood naked in front of the Prince, he wouldn’t spare you a glance.”
Lianxiang was startled. Her face became even redder.
Both Xiyu and Xixue had come from the palace. In fact, most of the people serving the Little Prince had been left behind by the Emperor and Empress. Only the wet nurses had been selected locally from Guangling.
Because of this, they knew many things.
“Starting with the Emperor himself, then the Crown Prince, and Prince Zun—all of them are loyal and deeply devoted men. The Little Prince will probably be the same when he grows up. If someone is not the person the Prince loves, he won’t even bother to look at her twice.”
Xixue only told Lianxiang these things because she knew her well and trusted that she would not gossip.
Lianxiang listened carefully.
She had never imagined that the men of the imperial family could be so devoted, only having feelings for the woman they truly loved.
The thought surprised her.
Her heart relaxed considerably, and the blush on her face gradually faded.
For some reason, the Prince suddenly seemed much less frightening than before.
Even those embarrassing incidents that she had never dared to speak about no longer seemed like such a big deal.
Still, she could not understand why she had dreamed such a shameful dream in broad daylight.
In that dream, the Prince had mistaken her for her cousin, held her in his arms, and kissed her…
With a creak, the door opened.
Aunt Pei entered carrying a tray.
“Have you finished washing the Little Prince? If so, Nanny Shen, bring him inside and soak in the hot spring together with the Prince.”
So this had not been the real hot spring bath after all.
Fortunately, they had already cleaned the Little Prince.
Lianxiang lifted him out of the water and wrapped him in a blanket.
The Little Prince had not finished playing and naturally did not want to leave. He kicked his little legs and squirmed like an eel while whining unhappily.
Following Aunt Pei’s instructions, Lianxiang carried him through the door.
Inside was an entirely different world.
Mist drifted through the air. There were artificial rock formations and green plants everywhere.
Most importantly, this was an outdoor hot spring pool.
It had been built in a valley surrounded by tall rocky cliffs, while bright moonlight poured down from above.
Lianxiang was amazed.
Not only did she not feel cold, but breathing the fresh air made her feel wonderfully comfortable.
The Little Prince babbled in her arms.
Through a peach tree with a few blossoms blooming on its branches, she saw the Prince sitting in a round hot spring pool.
His strong, broad back was exposed above the water.
One muscular arm rested casually on the edge of the pool.
He looked carefree and elegant, noble and refined.
Lianxiang immediately lowered her eyes, feeling as though they had been burned.
Remembering Xixue’s words, she carried the Little Prince over to the Prince.
The Prince’s presence was simply too powerful.
The masculine strength and authority radiating from him made her heart beat faster.
Her face flushed once again.
It was simply a natural reaction for a young woman seeing a man’s body other than her late husband’s.
She quickly calmed herself.
The moment the Little Prince noticed the bright moon reflected in the water, he became fascinated.
His soft, chubby body twisted continuously in Lianxiang’s arms.
He stretched out both hands toward it, causing the blanket wrapped around him to slip off.
Lianxiang was already tired from the long journey. Her arms ached, and she was beginning to struggle to hold him.
“Bring the Little Prince here.”
Yun Suiwu raised his eyes and spoke in a deep, clear voice.
Lianxiang obediently carried the child closer.
The Prince extended one long arm and easily lifted the restless Little Prince into his embrace.
Supporting the child’s bottom with one arm, he let the Little Prince lie against his strong, broad chest.
The moment he entered the water, the Little Prince immediately grabbed the qilin jade pendant hanging from the Prince’s neck.
It was as if he had been eyeing it for a long time.
His chubby little legs kicked excitedly in the water.
Then he stuffed the jade pendant into his mouth and carefully chewed on it with his newly grown baby teeth.
When he discovered he could not bite through it, he took it out and studied it for a moment before putting it back into his mouth.
His little lips moved rapidly as if he were nursing, making soft smacking sounds.
At the same time, both of his chubby hands tugged continuously at the black cord holding the pendant.
A child his age had no sense of restraint.
As long as he was having fun, that was all that mattered.
He pulled hard on the cord as if he were riding a horse.
Making sounds that resembled “giddy-up,” he clearly treated the Prince like a horse to ride, even tightening the cord around the Prince’s neck.
Seeing this, Lianxiang quickly and nervously looked at the Prince’s expression.
However, Yun Suiwu’s features remained relaxed, showing no displeasure at all.
He simply allowed the Little Prince to continue playing and making trouble in his arms.