Chapter 121
**Chapter 121: More Than One Child**
Li Yao lowered her head in grievance, tears streaming down her cheeks.
At that moment, the old nanny who took care of Li Yao appeared, holding a plate of cherry pie.
Seeing Li Yao sobbing in the room, the old nanny's heart ached. She hurried inside, wrapped her arms around the crying girl, and said gently, “Your Highness, the young lady is still so young. Please don’t scold her.”
The old nanny was sent by the Empress to look after Li Yao, so her words carried weight.
The Princess’s face hardened. “I discipline my own child. Who do you think you are to lecture me?”
The old nanny replied coldly, “I am here on the Empress’s orders to care for the young lady. If you are dissatisfied with me, you may report me to the Empress.”
The Princess gritted her teeth in anger.
That cunning old woman always brought up the Empress! The Empress was the mother of the nation, powerful and imposing. The Princess dared not provoke her and had to swallow her grievances.
The Princess retorted, “What are you to act so high and mighty in front of me—”
Before she could finish, Liu Nanny rushed into the room and whispered something in the Princess’s ear.
It turned out that the school at the Guozijian had just let out, and Chengke and Chengzhen had not yet returned. Liu Nanny found out that the two children had been summoned to the palace by the Empress to join her for dinner.
The Princess’s face went pale with shock!
The Empress had actually taken her children into the palace! What did this mean? Was she trying to take her children away?
“Get the carriage ready! I’m going to the palace!” The Princess was frantic, turning to leave without sparing Li Yao another glance.
If she were honest with herself, the Princess didn’t have much affection for Li Yao. No matter how clever or outstanding her daughter was, she would only become someone else’s wife in the future.
The Princess’s reprimand of Li Yao tonight was driven more by a desire for control.
Her daughter, even if the Princess herself didn’t care for her, must stand on her side.
Once the Princess hurried away, the courtyard fell silent. Li Yao, cradled in the old nanny’s arms, looked up with red-rimmed eyes. “Nanny, does my mother really love me?”
The old nanny sighed deeply, offering no answer, simply holding the poor girl close.
...
...
In Kun Ning Palace.
At a round table made of rosewood, exquisite dishes were laid out, and the palace maids stood neatly to the side, the hall quiet and serene.
Li Chengke and Li Chengzhen sat obediently, not daring to touch their chopsticks.
The Empress smiled warmly, “Your great-grandmother hasn’t seen you in a long time and misses you dearly, so she had the nanny bring you to the palace—come, try this Golden Jade Soup.”
The palace maid brought over two bowls of Golden Jade Soup.
Golden Jade Soup was a dish beloved by children. It consisted of cooked chestnuts sliced and boiled with yam, then sweetened with honey, raisins, and osmanthus, resembling gold and jade, hence the name.
The older brother, Li Chengke, who was a bit bolder, said timidly, “Thank you... Your great-grandmother.”
The younger brother, Li Chengzhen, was much shyer, not daring to eat, keeping his head down the entire time. When the Empress spoke to him, he stammered, his responses incoherent.
The two children were quite afraid of the Empress.
This fear stemmed from their mother’s constant complaints about the Empress, saying she had a sweet tongue but a venomous heart, often punishing the Princess to kneel for hours on end. Over time, the children had come to see the Empress as a terrifying enemy, filled with nothing but dread.
The Empress smiled, “Eat more; you’re both too thin. There’s also Golden Chicken, Crab Stuffed Orange, and Braised Bass.”
The two children kept their heads down, silently eating the Golden Jade Soup.
The Empress did not eat, her keen eyes discreetly observing the two children. As they ate, their hands trembled, and Li Chengzhen’s eyes were even red-rimmed.
Just as they finished dinner, a palace maid came to report that the Yanjun Princess wished to see them.
The Empress rubbed her temples wearily. “Look how anxious she is. I’m not going to eat her children. Take Chengke and Chengzhen back to the Princess.”
The palace maid led the two children out of Kun Ning Palace.
The sky had completely darkened, and lanterns in the palace lit up one by one, illuminating the entire imperial residence. The Empress sat in her chair, disappointment etched in her eyes, and said to Qian Nanny beside her, “These two children have been spoiled.”
The Yanjun Princess pushed the children to study, believing that a wealth of knowledge would lead to success. But being born into royalty, scholarly prowess was merely a garnish.
To stand tall as a prince, one must have a sense of the bigger picture, discern right from wrong, possess courage, and not be timid.
Qian Nanny served a cup of tea, smiling brightly. “Your Highness, don’t worry. There’s still Shen Shi. She’s wise and bold, with a broad vision; her children are sure to succeed.”
The Empress took a sip of tea. “Let’s hope so. Shen Shi is due next spring; it would be best if she has a son.”
After a pause, the Empress added slowly, “Even if it’s a daughter, that’s fine.”
Given Shen Wei’s favored status, she would surely have more than one child in the future.
...
...
Time slipped away like sand through fingers, gradually passing. After several days of heavy rain following the start of autumn, the temperature dropped sharply, and the lotus flowers in Shen Wei’s courtyard began to wither, their once vibrant green leaves turning into dry stalks.
Jixiang and Dechun jumped into the pond, working hard all afternoon to dig up a large pile of lotus roots. Some were sent to the kitchen to be made into delicacies, while others were grated and stored as lotus powder.
Every morning, they would brew two cups of lotus powder, adding raisins and osmanthus, which tasted delightful. Both the Yanjun Prince and Shen Wei enjoyed it.
In autumn, a sweet osmanthus tree was transplanted into the courtyard. The tree sprouted golden dots, filling the air with a rich fragrance. Shen Wei’s days were quite leisurely, maintaining her pregnancy exercises, attending to the Yanjun Prince, and overseeing the expansion of her shops.
As autumn progressed, the ice products at the Mi Yan shop decreased, replaced by some desserts suitable for fall and winter, which continued to sell well.
Additionally, the “makeup powder” that Shen Wei had previously asked Ye Qiushuang to try making was also prepared in a jar. Ye Qiushuang used this powder on her face, achieving a more even and fair complexion. The female customers visiting the dessert shop noticed and began to inquire about the makeup powder she used.
Ye Qiushuang took a small amount of the powder and gave it to the female customers to try. As word spread, the makeup powder gained a reputation in a small circle.
Ye Qiushuang named it “Jade Complexion Powder.” This powder had a light wear-off, excellent coverage, and was minimally toxic, causing no significant redness or swelling when applied.
Seizing the opportunity, Ye Qiushuang opened a rouge shop, selling not only ordinary blushes, powders, and lipsticks but also featuring the signature “Jade Complexion Powder.”
Due to the expensive ingredients, a box of “Jade Complexion Powder” was priced at an astonishing fifty taels of silver, with only thirty boxes sold each month. This price deterred many customers, and only two boxes had been sold so far.
Shen Wei was not anxious; good wine needs no bush. A quality makeup powder would sell itself. She intended to employ “scarcity marketing” to drive up the price of the “Jade Complexion Powder.”
Shen Wei set the account book aside.
Rong Nanny brought over a cup of citrine water. Shen Wei took the cup and casually asked, “Has my brother been slacking off in his studies at the Wenmiao?”
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