The little one’s eyes quickly welled up with tears again, leaving the child-rearing novice 007 unusually flustered.
But it had to fulfill its duty and tell Jiang Yingcheng the truth: 【You are Fang Zhaoyi’s elder sister’s daughter.】
【At that time, Noble Consort Rou, leveraging her maternal clan’s influence, successively caused several Little Imperial Princes to contract severe illnesses right after birth. These princes either became mentally impaired or physically disabled, with none meeting a good end. Coincidentally, the Mingze Emperor was wholly focused on expanding the empire during that period, and the consorts dared not report it.】
【It so happened that your mother gave birth to a baby girl a few days before Fang Zhaoyi. Your mother then devised a plan: if the fetus in Fang Zhaoyi’s womb was indeed a Little Imperial Prince, they would swap you into the palace.】
The rest needed no further explanation, as her current situation in the palace spoke for itself.
Jiang Yingcheng hung her head and sobbed for a long while, making Fang Zhaoyi’s heart ache in sympathy.
Unconsciously, Fang Zhaoyi recalled the moments she had shared with the little one over the years.
The child rarely cried, not even making a fuss when hungry or bumping into things in the middle of the night. Since this was her own sister’s child, Fang Zhaoyi had taken care of her with considerable dedication.
However, in recent months, the little one had become particularly clingy, trailing behind her all day like a small shadow. Her stumbling yet determined efforts to keep up were utterly endearing. The more time they spent together, the more attentive Fang Zhaoyi became.
Fang Zhaoyi raised her hand, intending to pull the little one into her arms and pat her gently for comfort. But before she could even reach the child’s shoulder, that inner voice emerged again—
【Then Chengcheng likes her too!】 Jiang Yingcheng declared with firm resolve, as if making a solemn vow.
She had already spent three months with her mother-concubine! No one knew better than her how her mother-concubine usually treated her!
Jiang Yingcheng counted on her fingers, listing to 007 all the evidence that Fang Zhaoyi liked her too.
【Mother-concubine is so good—she secretly tucks Chengcheng in at night!】
【When meals are delivered to the palace, Mother-concubine always gives Chengcheng the meat first!】
【Mother-concubine even hums beautiful lullabies for Chengcheng!】
【Anyway, Chengcheng loves Mother-concubine!】
Fang Zhaoyi was taken aback, then felt a warm surge burst from her chest. It flowed throughout her body before gathering entirely in her eyes.
Tears welled up in her eyes as her hand naturally rested on the little one’s shoulder, drawing her into an embrace.
Fang Zhaoyi had never known how to handle their relationship before. The child was clever and adorable, and she genuinely liked her, but there was always an emptiness in her heart reserved for the child outside the palace.
She often felt that since she couldn’t love this child wholeheartedly, she didn’t deserve the child’s love in return.
But now, she no longer had such concerns.
She must have done countless good deeds in her previous life to be blessed with such a treasure in this one!
Startled by Fang Zhaoyi’s sudden movement, Jiang Yingcheng’s milky voice emerged muffled from within the embrace: “Mother-concubine?”
Her inner voice, however, was much clearer: 【What’s wrong with Mother-concubine?】
Fang Zhaoyi took several deep breaths before swallowing the lump in her throat: “It’s nothing. Mother-concubine was just too worried about you. You mustn’t run off to play without saying anything from now on, understand?”
Jiang Yingcheng wriggled in Fang Zhaoyi’s arms and nodded: “Chengcheng understands!”
After speaking, she suddenly seemed to remember something and wriggled out of Fang Zhaoyi’s embrace. Like presenting a treasure, she took out the pastries she’d snitched from the Mingze Emperor and held them out with both hands: “Mother Consort, eat!”
【I snitched these from Father Emperor—they’re super sweet!】
Fang Zhaoyi looked at the little one’s sparkling eyes and finally broke into a smile through her tears: “Alright, Chengcheng should eat too.”
So what if she wasn’t her biological child? She’d already raised her for so long—this was her baby!
Jiang Yingcheng took a bite of the mung bean cake Fang Zhaoyi brought to her lips. It was delightfully sweet, just like her current mood.
She felt so happy she could practically float, and couldn’t resist sharing with someone: 【Tong Ge, Tong Ge, are you there?】
007 responded: 【I’m here.】
Jiang Yingcheng kept stealing glances at Fang Zhaoyi’s face, her joy nearly tangible as she boasted: 【Mother Consort really does like Chengcheng!】
007 hesitated for a moment before tentatively asking: 【What about your birth mother?】
【Birth mother…】 Jiang Yingcheng paused, 【Is she as beautiful as my mother consort?】
This time 007 replied quickly: 【Yes, she is beautiful.】
Jiang Yingcheng’s mother looked remarkably similar to Fang Zhaoyi—they were full sisters, which was why Fang Zhaoyi had felt secure raising her son in the other’s household.
But just thinking about that person’s actions made 007 feel increasingly agitated.
From today’s interactions with 996, it was clear the little one was desperately craving familial affection. It truly didn’t know how to broach the subject of being cautious around her birth mother.
The mung bean cake was rather dry. With her cheeks puffed out, Jiang Yingcheng struggled to swallow for quite a while: 【Hehehe, then Chengcheng will definitely grow up to be beautiful too!】
Her baby fat hadn’t faded yet, and recently Mother Consort had been feeding her so well she’d become quite plump. Though she looked adorable, she still longed to have features like her mother consort’s.
Round eyes, a tall nose, a pointed chin.
In short, exceptionally, exceptionally beautiful!
“Buurp~”
The dry mung bean cake finally went down. With no water to be found in the sedan chair, Fang Zhaoyi could only gently pat the little one’s back, though her thoughts were completely captivated by the child’s inner monologue.
The “Tong Ge” who kept conversing with Chengcheng must have mentioned her birth mother. Fang Zhaoyi didn’t understand that person’s intentions, but she found herself holding her breath unconsciously.
Why would he suddenly bring up her sister? Could he be trying to persuade Chengcheng to leave the palace to find her birth mother?!
That absolutely couldn’t happen!
If it were discovered they’d swapped Chengcheng for the prince, that would be the crime of deceiving the emperor—punishable by beheading!
After a moment, she finally heard that milky-soft inner voice again.
【Huh? She’s bad?】
【She told cousin his true identity?】
A roaring sound filled Fang Zhaoyi’s ears, and white spots danced before her eyes.
Her sister told Jinshu his identity?
Hadn’t they agreed not to say anything?!
The child was still so young—what was the purpose of telling him this?
A terrible premonition rose in Fang Zhaoyi’s heart, sensing her sister’s motives couldn’t be simple.
Sure enough, the next moment, Chengcheng’s inner monologue gave her the answer—
【Hmm… my birth mother told my cousin that Mother Consort abandoned him?】
【She wants to become Empress Dowager after cousin successfully ascends the throne??】
Fang Zhaoyi froze, a bone-chilling cold abruptly sweeping through her entire body.
How could her sister, whom she trusted so deeply, treat her like this?!