A sharp pain twisted through Jun Wan’s heart, and she quickly looked toward the infant cradled in the woman’s arms.
From the original owner’s memories, she knew that this gentle, graceful woman was Nanny Lin, her wet nurse. Nanny Lin had followed the original Jun Wan all the way from the Silver Wolf Kingdom to this place. Accompanying them was Linglan, a palace maid who had grown up alongside her since childhood.
“Your Highness, you’re awake!” Linglan cried out the moment she saw Jun Wan open her eyes. She hurried over and helped her sit up.
Nanny Lin had just picked up the baby to find a wet nurse to feed him. Hearing Linglan’s words, she looked toward Jun Wan.
Seeing that she had awakened, Nanny Lin smiled lovingly.
“Was the little imperial grandson crying and disturbing your rest? This old servant will take him out and have the wet nurse feed him. Your Highness should let Linglan help you eat something first.”
As Nanny Lin turned to leave, Jun Wan quickly stopped her. Pushing aside her thoughts about the jade pendant, she said anxiously,
“Nanny, give me the baby. I’ll feed him myself.”
“W-What? How can that be?” Nanny Lin objected immediately. “Your body is still very weak. What if something happens?”
“It’s alright. I’m feeling much better already.”
Jun Wan stretched out her arms toward the baby.
“Besides, feeding him myself will help strengthen the bond between mother and son.”
Although Nanny Lin felt sorry for her, she also thought her words made sense.
Even though she herself had served as a wet nurse, she still hoped that Jun Wan’s child would grow up close to his own mother.
In the end, she gently placed the baby into Jun Wan’s arms.
The moment the little one settled against her, he stopped crying altogether, nuzzling his tiny head back and forth.
Looking at the rosy-cheeked baby in her embrace, Jun Wan suddenly felt an indescribable pull of blood and kinship. Unable to resist, she lowered her head and softly kissed his tender little cheek.
Seeing this, Nanny Lin instructed Linglan to fetch the ginseng chicken soup that had been prepared for Jun Wan.
Just then, the steward arrived with news that the Emperor had sent Eunuch Wang to deliver imperial rewards.
Nanny Lin glanced at Jun Wan, who was nursing the baby, and quietly withdrew from the room.
When she reached the main hall, she found it already piled high with gifts. Eunuch Wang stood there waiting with a broad smile.
“I’ve kept you waiting, Eunuch Wang,” Nanny Lin said apologetically as she entered. “Our Princess has only just given birth and cannot move about. I hope you’ll forgive the inconvenience.”
Eunuch Wang waved his hand with a cheerful laugh.
“No matter, no matter. This servant has come under His Majesty’s orders to deliver rewards to the Princess Consort of Prince Zhan.”
As he spoke, he pointed to the opened chests on the floor, unfolded the gift list, and read each item aloud one by one.
After finishing, he continued,
“By His Majesty’s verbal decree, the little imperial grandson is hereby bestowed the name Jingchen.”
Everyone in Prince Zhan’s residence immediately knelt to express their gratitude for the imperial favor.
After they rose, Nanny Lin took out a pouch of gold melon seeds she had prepared in advance and presented it to Eunuch Wang. She also instructed the servants nearby to distribute prepared reward pouches to everyone who had accompanied him.
“You’ve all worked hard making this trip. This is a small token of Her Highness’s appreciation.”
“Oh my, Your Highness is too courteous,” Wang Cai replied politely, though his hands accepted the pouch without the slightest hesitation.
After all, it was a gift from the Princess Consort of Prince Zhan. How could he casually refuse?
Once Wang Cai and his entourage had departed, Nanny Lin had all the imperial rewards moved into the treasury before returning to Jun Wan’s room.
By then, Jun Wan had finished feeding the baby. Linglan had laid him back in his little cradle, while Jun Wan was slowly sipping her chicken soup.
“Was it someone sent by the Emperor to deliver rewards?” Jun Wan asked.
Nanny Lin’s face glowed with joy, her voice trembling with excitement.
“Princess, His Majesty personally bestowed the name ‘Jingchen’ upon the little imperial grandson! To receive an imperial name immediately after birth—our young master is the very first in the entire prince’s residence!”
Jun Wan frowned upon hearing this.
Either the Emperor had become muddleheaded, or he had done it deliberately. Such an extraordinary favor would inevitably attract jealousy from all sides.
But since it was an imperial decree, there was nothing she could do except hope she was overthinking things.
After Nanny Lin and Linglan left the room, Jun Wan quickly removed the jade pendant hanging around her neck.
She wanted to know whether it was this pendant that had brought her to this world.
The pendant was oval-shaped, blood-red in color, smooth and lustrous, with a delicate texture. Carved upon its surface was a phoenix spreading its wings in flight.
It looked exactly like the one her mother had given her.
Suddenly, a warm current flowed from the hand that was holding the pendant.
Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at it in disbelief.
How had she never noticed this warmth hidden within the jade before?
Could this also be a storage space?
She had read plenty of transmigration novels, and people who crossed over almost always came with a magical space.
No sooner thought than done.
Jun Wan relaxed her body and concentrated on entering the pendant.
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself standing in the middle of a vast, endless stretch of land.
On that enormous empty plain stood a single lonely building—
her home from the modern world.
She stood there frozen for several seconds before delight surged through her heart.
It really was a dimensional space, and it could be controlled with her thoughts.
Jun Wan hurried toward her house.
It was built in the style of a shop with a residence behind it.
The front consisted of a two-story storefront. Three-quarters of it had been used by her father as a supermarket, while the remaining quarter housed the pharmacy her mother ran.
Between the shop and the house was a courtyard.
Behind it stood their two-story residence, with bedrooms upstairs and the kitchen and living room downstairs.
Jun Wan ran through every room.
Except for her parents, everything else had come with her.
Even her backpack was there, containing the firearm and detection device from her last mission that she hadn’t had time to hand in.
She rushed outside for another look.
Her off-road vehicle was parked in the courtyard just as she had left it, and all the goods inside both the pharmacy and the supermarket were intact.
Tears welled up in Jun Wan’s eyes.
Why had everything been brought over except her father and mother?
After grieving for a while, she left the space.
Looking at little Jingchen sleeping peacefully in his cradle, her heart finally settled.
Her parents hadn’t come with her, but she still had the child she had given birth to.
She was not alone.
In the blink of an eye, it was time for little Jingchen’s third-day bathing ceremony.
Everyone in Prince Zhan’s residence was busy preparing for the celebration. Noble Consort Yi also arrived early, bringing many servants carrying a mountain of gifts.
Because the Emperor was gravely ill, no grand banquet was held. Only Noble Consort Yi and the members of Prince Zhan’s household gathered to celebrate little Jingchen’s ceremonial bath.
Just after the auspicious basin had been struck and they were about to dress the baby, a deep bell suddenly rang out from outside.
Then it rang again.
And again.
Nine times in total.
The moment the bell began to sound, Noble Consort Yi froze in place.
The tiny outfit she had been holding slipped from her hands and fell to the floor.
When the ninth bell faded away, she stumbled toward the door, shaking her head as she muttered,
“No… impossible… impossible…”
The palace attendants who had accompanied her hurried after her.
As Noble Consort Yi’s personal maid left, she cast a deep, meaningful glance at Jun Wan and the child in her arms.
Holding her son close, Jun Wan turned to Linglan.
“Go. Follow them and find out what’s happened.”
Linglan acknowledged the order and ran after Noble Consort Yi.
After Nanny Lin completed the final steps of the ceremony, she let out a long sigh.
“Didn’t they say His Majesty’s condition had improved? How could he suddenly… pass away like this?”
Jun Wan’s brows knitted together.
Whatever happens, it had better not involve her son.
Otherwise, they would discover that she was not someone to be easily bullied.