Chapter 28: The Fate of a Favored Concubine Used as a Shield in a Harem Intrigue Story……

Because he had been seriously ill since childhood, Imperial Consort had once knelt before Buddha for forty-nine days, praying for his life to be spared and kept by her side. Therefore, Shen Yijing truly believed in these ethereal things.

Since the dream said that he was destined to be childless in this life, and that was why this little chubby bird was sent to his side, then this should be his child in this life.

Jiujiu’s attempt to lean in and kiss his dad froze there, and he began to stare at his dad with a face full of suspicion.

Something wasn’t right. How could the Emperor Father in this world so easily believe that he was his child?

He shouldn’t be trying to fool him first, and then, after fooling him, quietly throw him away.

Thinking of this, Jiujiu stood there, pretending to be an ordinary little bird who knew nothing.

Shen Yijing didn’t mind, gently rubbing his head with his thumb.

“What should I call you?”

Fearing that his dad would give him another random name, Jiujiu, forgetting that he had just reminded himself to hide his identity well, quickly blurted out:

“Jiujiu~ Shen Jiu!”

When he first hatched, his dad had wanted to play a trick, saying that on the day he was born, a hundred birds came to the Heavenly Palace with flowers to congratulate his birth, so he wanted to call him Dan Dan.

At that time, Jiujiu didn’t know how to speak, so he could only chirp hard, and that’s how his name was changed to the current Shen Jiu.

“Hmm? You can talk?”

Even though Shen Yijing had prepared himself, he was still stunned when he heard Jiujiu speak.

Then he reacted, thinking that this should be his offspring in this life, which wasn’t too unbelievable.

“Call me Jiujiu.”

“Okay, I’ll call you Jiujiu.”

It was still a bit cold in the early morning, and only two windows were left open for ventilation in the room, the incoming wind causing Shen Yijing to cough twice.

Hearing his dad’s cough, Jiujiu quickly flapped his small wings against his hand.

It was strange, though he was a small bird about the size of his finger, there seemed to be a warm current that, through the contact, soothed the itch in his throat.

As soon as the sun came out, the palace servants in Cun Chao Palace, where Shen Yijing lived, began to bustle about. The eunuchs, while sweeping, suddenly heard a announcement.

“Noble Consort Jing has arrived.”

Inside the hall, Shen Yijing sat on a soft couch, a bowl of steaming medicine in front of him. Even from this distance, one could feel its bitterness.

Although he had been drinking it for so many years, Shen Yijing still disliked it, frowning as he played with the little bird.

Most Imperial Family members matured early. Shen Yijing had known for a long time that with his frail body, he was destined to be childless in this life.

Under such circumstances, Jiujiu’s appearance was a complete surprise.

Although he looked like a small bird, not even fully feathered, Shen Yijing found him adorable no matter how he looked at him. When he was annoyed by him and lay on the ground wiggling his claws, acting spoiled, Shen Yijing felt joy in his heart.

Until he suddenly heard the announcement of Imperial Consort’s arrival, he instinctively picked up the medicine placed there and drank it in one gulp.

The medicine was swallowed, but the bitterness seemed to cling to his throat, bitter all the way to his heart.

When the palace servants pushed open the door and Noble Consort Jing entered, she could tell at a glance that this child probably hadn’t been drinking his medicine properly when she wasn’t around.

But today, she had no mind to scold Shen Yijing. She quickly walked to the soft couch opposite Shen Yijing and sat down, her attention falling on the little bird beside him.

Shen Yijing quickly got off the soft couch to greet Imperial Consort, vaguely sensing that Imperial Consort seemed off today.

Although life in the palace was not easy, Imperial Consort always maintained her pride. Even if she just went for a stroll in the Imperial Garden, she would first make sure she was impeccably dressed.

But today, her hair seemed to have been done in a hurry, and even her hairpin was crooked.

When Imperial Consort came in just now, he even heard the crisp sound of tassels clashing, everything completely different from the Imperial Consort in his memory.

“Yijing, I had a dream last night.”

As she said this, Noble Consort Jing turned her head to look at the Nanny serving by her side. The Nanny understood and led all the servants in the room out.

“Heaven has opened its eyes. In consideration of my daily chanting of scriptures and worship of Buddha, it is willing to grant you one thing, to ensure your longevity, and to understand that you are destined to be childless, allowing him to stay by your side always.”

When Shen Yijing heard this, he instinctively looked at the little chubby bird sitting there secretly drinking his tea, his expression gradually becoming solemn.

“Imperial Consort, to be honest, I also had such a dream last night…”

The dreams of both mother and son were largely the same, which made it very difficult for Shen Yijing not to believe.

While they were both puzzled, Jiujiu also felt his head full of question marks, instinctively thinking that this matter might be related to Star Lord.

Besides Star Lord, no one else would go to such lengths just to help him gain a foothold in this world as quickly as possible.

Jiujiu secretly took another sip of his dad’s tea, thinking that when he went back later, he would definitely not deliberately bully Star Lord like before.

Pulling Star Lord’s beard while he was asleep was something the childish little Jiujiu used to do. Now he was a mature Shen Jiu, and he would greet Star Lord before going to steal the sugar beans Star Lord refined.

“If that is truly the case, then it would naturally be for the best.”

“Imperial Consort, last night I felt much more comfortable sleeping. This little bird even climbed onto my chest in the middle of the night.”

This morning, Noble Consort Jing heard the palace servants report that the Eighth Prince hadn’t coughed much last night.

“Good, good.”

After having that dream, Noble Consort Jing couldn’t sit still. She didn’t even go to greet the Empress, and even urged the palace maid while she was doing her hair.

Now that she had arrived, seeing that Shen Yijing’s complexion was indeed more rosy than before, she picked up a cup of tea and took a sip.

“What’s his name? Let me see him.”

Jiujiu instinctively felt that Noble Consort Jing was talking about him. He shook his body, tidied his feathers, and walked to Noble Consort Jing, sitting down in as obedient a posture as possible.

“Chirp~”

“Imperial Consort, his name is Jiujiu.”

“Shen Jiu, sounds good.”

Jiujiu nodded perfunctorily. It was certainly good, he thought so too, after all, it was the name he chose himself.

“He looks quite well-behaved. Does he like gold? A few days ago, your uncle sent some things over, saying they were bells he bought casually while looking for famous doctors in the Western Regions, only thumb-sized.”

“I originally thought I might reward them to your Imperial Prince’s Consort after you marry. Now it seems, they are just right for Jiujiu.”

No matter how many imperial physicians determined that her child would not live past twenty, Noble Consort Jing herself refused to believe it. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, she wanted to keep her child by her side.

Not only her, but also her maternal family’s elder brother and nephew were the same.

Although she was childless now, being able to live longer was already the best outcome for her.

Ultimately, Noble Consort Jing cared most about her child. Shen Yijing growing up safely was more important to her than anything else.

As soon as Jiujiu heard there was a gift for him, he immediately stretched out his small wings. He noticed that this grandma kept looking at his dad, and he even hooked her clothes with his claws and wiggled them.

Noble Consort Jing was attracted by the movement and looked down. The fluffy little wings extended towards her, and the down on them swayed with the breeze.

“Oh, is he asking for it? So smart. Come, follow Grandma back to the palace, you can pick anything you want from the storeroom.”

Shen Yijing heard this and instinctively wanted to refuse for his child, but Jiujiu had already flapped his small wings and flown to sit on Grandma’s shoulder before he could speak.

He leaned his head against Grandma and rubbed it, his clear chirping sounds making Noble Consort Jing’s mood involuntarily brighten.

“Let’s go, Yijing, you come along too. Your uncle and grandfather sent a lot of things a few days ago, and there are also fabrics they entrusted me to make clothes for you. Let’s go see if there’s anything you like.”

She had originally planned to send them over a long time ago, but Shen Yijing had fallen ill again a while ago, and her mind was entirely on her child’s illness.

Shen Yijing quickly stood up, bowed slightly, said “yes,” and followed behind Imperial Consort.

Under normal circumstances, Shen Yijing would not leave the palace gates; a gust of wind could make him fall ill again.

Today was a rare good day, and the sunlight felt warm on him.

The Imperial Garden was very quiet now. The imperial concubines all went to greet the Empress at this time. Noble Consort Jing would also go if she was in the mood, but most of the time she was too lazy to go.

No matter how unrestrained she was in the harem, the Emperor dared not touch her.

Initially, when she was a young maiden of sixteen, she would dutifully go to greet the Emperor every day, fearing his anger.

Later, during her pregnancy, she experienced various hardships, and how could she not see that behind every incident, there was the Emperor’s hand at play?

After her heart grew cold, doing many things became much more carefree.

Now, she only wanted herself and Yijing to live well in the palace, and she prayed that her relatives outside the palace were also well. As for other things, she dared not and could not think about them now.

Jiujiu sat on Grandma’s shoulder, craning his neck to look. This was the most beautiful grandma he had ever seen, dressed in a light blue palace gown, with hairpins and tassels mostly in the same color.

Her beauty was not breathtaking, but she exuded a gentle and refined scholarly aura, making Jiujiu want to fly over and cuddle with Grandma.

Upon arriving at Noble Consort Jing’s palace, Jiujiu first fixated on the pastries held by the palace servants. They were exquisitely made, and he could smell their fragrance from a distance.

“Chirp, chirp, chirp, Daddy, get Jiujiu one.”

Shen Yijing, following behind Imperial concubine, heard this and instinctively looked at the pastries in the direction Jiujiu’s wing pointed.

Noble Consort Jing also noticed Jiujiu’s small movement. Her Nanny had the palace servant holding the pastries come over, and she personally took a small piece of pastry and fed it to Jiujiu’s mouth.

“Do you want to eat this?”

“Chirp~”