All the way home, Ye Ningxin was thinking about how to explain to the Prince that, in a moment of impulse, she had brought back a wandering child.
Upon arriving home, before Ye Ningxin could even speak, an astonishing scene unfolded.
The child, carrying his belongings, entered the house and came face-to-face with the Prince. He froze instantly, then dropped what he was holding, threw his arms around the Prince’s leg, and burst into loud sobs.
“What’s going on?” Ye Ningxin’s mind raced.
“The Prince’s illegitimate child in the capital? No, the age doesn’t match! Could it be the Prince’s long-lost younger brother? A young prince? That’s possible too. What else could it be? A servant? A friend? A nephew?…”
The situation seemed a bit complicated.
But in reality, it wasn’t complicated at all. Hearing the child’s cries, the Prince tentatively asked, “Is that Fu Sheng?”
The child’s face was streaked with tears and snot. “Your Highness, it’s me! I’ve finally found you, Your Highness…” He cried even harder.
Only after Fu Sheng had calmed down did Ye Ningxin finally manage to pry him off the Prince’s leg. This child was taking advantage of the Prince’s blindness, smearing tears and snot all over him.
After Ye Ningxin had seated both of them on stools by the table, the Prince asked, “Fu Sheng, how did you end up here? Where is Gu Quan?”
“My father… my father passed away.” Fu Sheng spoke only one sentence before tears threatened to fall again.
Ye Ningxin quickly handed the child a teacup, barely stopping his tears.
“Did he fall ill suddenly?” the Prince asked doubtfully, as Gu Quan was only in his forties, in the prime of his life, and had always been in good health. Such a thing shouldn’t have happened.
“No!” Fu Sheng said, clenching his fists and reddening his eyes. “My father, he…” He swallowed the rest of his words and glanced at Ye Ningxin.
It seemed that what followed was a secret matter, not meant for Ye Ningxin’s ears.
“Ahem… Well… You two talk, I’ll go check if the herbs I was drying are ready.”
Ye Ningxin stood up to leave, but Gu Haoyuan spoke, “No need!”
Turning to Fu Sheng, he said, “Fu Sheng, greet the Princess Consort!”
“Prin… Princess Consort?” This sister seemed kind enough, but she didn’t look at all like the mistress of the household. And the Prince, so noble and dignified—back in the capital, even Minister Sun had wanted to marry his daughter to the Prince, but the Prince had refused.
That Miss Sun was said to be well-educated and beautiful.
Though the Prince had fallen on hard times, in his heart, his own Princess Consort shouldn’t be someone like this…
The child was young, and his thoughts were written all over his face. But he couldn’t disobey the Prince’s words. Reluctantly, he bowed to Ye Ningxin and said respectfully, “This humble servant greets the Princess Consort.”
“Fu Sheng, right? No need for formalities.” Ye Ningxin didn’t care about his thoughts and naturally wouldn’t make things difficult for him.
The Prince continued questioning Fu Sheng, “What exactly happened to your father?”
Fu Sheng: “Reporting to the Prince, after the incident at the Prince’s residence, my father was ordered to return to our ancestral home in Tongguan to handle affairs at the old estate. But before we even reached our destination, we encountered a group of bandits. They not only robbed us of our silver but also killed without hesitation. All the servants accompanying us were killed, and my father also… Before he died, my father told me to come to Zhiyang County to find the Prince, but I must never reveal my identity to anyone…”
The Tongguan area had never been known for bandit activity. For a group to innocently encounter bandits who robbed and murdered, it seemed these bandits must have had some background. The Prince began to form his own thoughts on the matter.
Calculating the time, from Fu Sheng’s father’s death until now, it had been over half a year. Just looking at the boy’s appearance, one could imagine how he had managed to make his way here.
Ye Ningxin felt the child had been through a lot.
Now, however, a new problem arose. The house had only two rooms, one inner and one outer. Currently, she and Gu Haoyuan each occupied one room. Where would Fu Sheng be accommodated?
“Let Fu Sheng stay with me tonight.”
As if reading her thoughts, the Prince spoke up.
In truth, Ye Ningxin had long been considering moving. Previously, without money, they had no choice but to make do in this dilapidated house. Now that they had some silver, it was time to plan properly. Should they renovate this old house or move directly into the city?
Ye Ningxin shared her thoughts with the Prince, who replied without hesitation, “We’ll stay here!”
Little did she know the Prince’s little secret, thinking only that he was reluctant to part with the hot spring on the back mountain. In reality, she was quite reluctant to leave it too.
Since that was the case, they would start renovating the house tomorrow.
In the evening, to celebrate Fu Sheng’s arrival, Ye Ningxin prepared four dishes: chestnut braised chicken, hibiscus swallow’s nest, sweet and sour pork tenderloin, and steamed mandarin fish.
Children naturally have a sweet tooth, so the sweet and sour pork tenderloin was specially made for Fu Sheng.
Unexpectedly, the Prince became addicted to it, taking piece after piece, unable to stop.
“Such a grown man, yet so fond of sweets,” Ye Ningxin muttered under her breath.
Fu Sheng, being new and unfamiliar, was initially reserved. But seeing that both the Prince and the Princess Consort were approachable and without airs, he no longer adhered strictly to the formalities of the Prince’s residence and began eating heartily from his bowl.
“This is truly delicious! A hundred times better than the cooks at the Prince’s residence!” Fu Sheng was also won over by Ye Ningxin’s culinary skills.
Whether it was Miss Sun or Miss Li, surely no one could make such delicious food!
Watching the Prince eat with such relish warmed Fu Sheng’s heart. To be able to take such good care of the Prince, this sister must be quite good, right?
…
Conflict arose just before bedtime.
Although Ye Ningxin had helped Fu Sheng heat water for a bath, he absolutely refused to sleep with the Prince, as it was improper!
While the Prince wasn’t paying attention, the child secretly pulled Ye Ningxin aside. “Sister, you really are the Princess Consort, right?”
Ye Ningxin: “Yes.”
“Then why aren’t you sleeping with the Prince?”
Ye Ningxin: “…”
Fu Sheng: “In the past, when my mother was angry, she would send my father to sleep in the outer room with me. So, are you and the Prince angry with each other now?”
“This troublesome child, why so many questions?” Ye Ningxin felt a headache coming on. “We’re not angry. The Prince is just more accustomed to sleeping alone.”
“Impossible. If the Prince enjoys sleeping alone, why did he get married? My father said that after a man gets married, he always sleeps with his wife.”
Is ancient enlightenment education this early? Ye Ningxin hadn’t expected to encounter such a question and simply passed the buck: “The Prince truly prefers sleeping alone. If you don’t believe me, ask him.”
Perhaps freed from the constraints of the palace, Fu Sheng grew bolder. He approached the Prince and said, “Your Highness, the Princess Consort says she wants to sleep with you.”
Ye Ningxin: “…”
This child is doing it on purpose, he must be doing it on purpose!
“Oh?” The Prince chuckled softly upon hearing this. “Has the Princess Consort finally stopped being angry with me?”
He heard it. He must have heard everything just now.
Ye Ningxin’s face flushed red. What on earth did she bring back with her!