LIGHTNOVELONLINE
Chapter 201.2
This was an unavoidable situation. When Xiaobao first went to the imperial study to learn, Yaoniang had a hard time getting used to it. She felt a sense of loss and sadness, but fortunately, Erbao was lively, which prevented those emotions from lingering.
“This son doesn’t have anything troubling my mind.”
Xiaobao blushed involuntarily at this intimate gesture, but he didn’t struggle. He let his mother embrace him and watched her sew his clothes stitch by stitch. When he was younger, he used to watch her like this all the time. Now that he had fewer opportunities, he cherished these moments even more.
In fact, it was not so much that he enjoyed watching his mother sew his clothes as he enjoyed this atmosphere. Remembering the conversation his parents had earlier, Xiaobao secretly vowed in his heart that he would never let this situation happen in the future and would not let his mother be sad.
However, after experiencing many things recently, witnessing a brutal struggle for the throne and the deceitful relationships between emperors, princes, and brothers, Xiaobao now felt somewhat lost and lacking in confidence. After all, there was a huge difference between this life and the previous one. In this life, his parents and Erbao were all safe and sound, and it could be foreseen that he would have many more siblings in the future. People’s hearts were unpredictable, and who could say for certain what the future would be like?
In the face of imminent earth-shattering changes in fate, the inner turmoil and anxiety were not limited to Yaoniang alone. Even Xiaobao, who had lived through two lifetimes, couldn’t escape them.
“Alright, alright, mother will finish sewing soon. Later, mother will take you to see Huahua. You haven’t seen how much the kittens Huahua gave birth to have grown. You said you wanted to give Yueyue one, so let’s pick one together later.”
“Okay.” Xiaobao nodded.
Afterwards, the mother and son had the maid bring a cloak, and they went to the western wing together.
In the western wing, a separate room was arranged for Huahua. An earth dragon was burning inside the room, giving off a warm and cozy feeling as soon as they entered. It made one can’t help but marvel at how good a master Huahua followed, receiving better treatment than many people.
A cat bed was placed by the corner, and Huahua was lying there with a few little things hidden under her belly. At first glance, they were not visible, but upon closer inspection, they could be seen as several little kittens.
Erbao was also there, squatting in front of the cat bed. This little guy had always been impatient, but in front of Huahua, he could restrain himself.
He squatted there, using his little hands to count something while murmuring under his breath.
Approaching him, it turned out that Erbao was indeed counting the little kittens.
“Have you figured out how many there are yet?”
“There are four of them in total. Mother, look, did I count them correctly?” Erbao turned around and saw Xiaobao as well, and excitedly said, “Big brother, you’re back!”
Xiaobao nodded and walked over to squat with Erbao. He counted under his breath and said, “Indeed, there are four.”
“Yes, yes, there are four. I counted several times. Big brother, you came back really early today. Why did you come back so early? I thought I had to wait a long time for you to come back.”
Erbao spoke like a child, but the phrase ‘a long time’ revealed his thoughts.
There were not many children in Jin Wang Manor. Xiaobao went to the imperial study every day, and Yan Ge’er rarely comes over now that he is studying as well. There were hardly any people to accompany him to play during the day. He could entertain himself and there were also eunuchs to play with him, but nothing excited him more than “big brother coming back.”
“Big brother finished studying early today, so I came back earlier.”
As soon as he heard about studying, Erbao looked envious, saying, “When Erbao grows up, I want to go to the palace to study with big brother.”
“If Erbao wants to go, big brother will take you tomorrow.”
“But mother said I can only go once I am older.”
These words were said by Yaoniang to Erbao. For a while, Erbao also clamoured to go to school, but it was obvious that he was too young and didn’t know anything. If he went to the palace, he would only cause trouble and distract Xiaobao from his studies. Besides, it was a turbulent time recently, so Yaoniang dared not let Erbao into the palace.
Seeing Erbao looking at her with eager eyes, Yaoniang was at a loss and couldn’t help but look at Xiaobao.
Xiaobao said, “Mother, don’t worry, I’ll take care of him. Besides, we might all be living in the palace in the future, so going to the imperial study is just a matter of time.”
Yaoniang’s heart skipped a beat, and she couldn’t help but stare at Xiaobao, asking, “Do you know something?”
But Xiaobao didn’t answer her; he diverted the topic by using Erbao, pulling him to talk about which kitten was plumper.
Qianqing Palace
As soon as Jin Wang entered, he was hit by a flying object, but he quickly caught it.
It was an imperial edict.
He didn’t have time to read it carefully, but Emperor Hongjing scolded angrily, “Don’t pretend to be innocent, you brat. Take the imperial edict and get lost. Get things done before the New Year, and Zhen will take Xiaobao to Xiao Penglai to recuperate after the New Year. Zhen has never seen such an unfilial child. You know your father is seriously ill, yet you still cause trouble like this.”
Jin Wang’s mind was in chaos as he tightened his grip on the imperial edict in his hand.
Li Dequan stepped forward to congratulate him, saying, “Congratulations, Your Highness.”
…
When the news from the palace reached her, Yaoniang was playing with the two children on the kang, with a small white kitten.
Huahua was protective of her offspring, not allowing anyone to touch the kitten. It would bare its teeth to whoever tries to them, except for Xiaobao. When he reached out to hold the kitten, it just glanced at him and crawled back.
The kitten, less than a month old, was like a small ball of pink, soft and able to walk around, but not far.
This litter of kittens born to Huahua was indeed strange. Although Huahua was a tabby cat, none of the kittens in this litter were tabby. There was one pure black, one milk white, and two calico cats, mostly resembling their father.
Among them, the milk-white kitten with faint yellow patterns on its body was the fattest. It was also the most active since birth. While the other siblings were still naive, it already knew how to fight for milk.
Every time Yaoniang came to see it, she could see it climbing mountains, overcoming obstacles, and successfully reaching the milk. After it had eaten its fill and got tired of it, it would let the milk go to the other kittens.
Xiaobao picked it out with the intention of giving it to Yueyue.
Erbao was a little reluctant and couldn’t understand his brother’s feelings. “Our family isn’t lacking food. Why give the white one to Yueyue?”
“Stingy, Yueyue treats you so well, and you can’t even give her a kitten.”
Yueyue was a sensible little girl. Every time she came to Jin Wang Manor, she would bring pastries for Erbao because he loved the pastries made by the cook from the Sun Family who came from Jiangnan.
When Erbao heard that it had to do with the pastries, he hesitated, saying, “Forget it, let’s give it to Yueyue then. We’ll see it again in the future anyway.”
In reality, he just didn’t want to part with the pastries. Yaoniang and Xiaobao couldn’t help but laugh.
While they were laughing, a servant hurriedly walked in from outside. It was Li Dequan’s follower, Xiao Shunzi. Several other servants who came with him all had smiles on their faces as if something joyous had happened.
“Congratulations, niangniang. Congratulations, niangniang. The emperor has issued an imperial edict, passing on the throne to His Highness. Our Highness will soon become the emperor, the supreme ruler.”
This surprise was not unexpected, but they didn’t expect it to come so suddenly, so Yaoniang was still stunned.
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