Chapter 29: The Fate of a Favored Concubine Used as a Shield in a Harem Intrigue Story……

Jiujiu ate very carefully, trying his best not to let any pastry crumbs fall onto Grandma’s palm. After finishing, he tumbled around in Grandma’s palm.

After tumbling, he noticed his feathers were a bit messy, so he stood there and shook his body, then lifted his head to stare at Grandma.

See, he didn’t get his feathers dirty while eating. Shouldn’t Grandma praise him?

Consort Jing had never realized that she possessed the ability to understand an animal’s thoughts before this.

Perhaps it was because the little bird’s expression, seeking praise, was too obvious, so obvious that she couldn’t ignore it. She stroked his head and praised him, saying, “You’re amazing.” Jiujiu was so proud he wished he could stick his forehead to his back.

Consort Jing had been unhappy for some time due to Eighth Prince’s health issues, and even the palace attendants were walking on eggshells.

Now that Eighth Prince’s health had improved significantly and he could even walk around, the attendants were somewhat relieved.

“Come, let’s go to the storeroom and take a look. Although that bell is a bit small, the carvings on it are exquisite. How about stringing it with a red cord and hanging it on Jiujiu’s chest?”

Jiujiu touched his chest with his wing, thinking his grandma’s idea was good, and nodded in agreement.

As soon as the storeroom door was opened, Jiujiu was dazzled by the golden light inside.

Initially, the Prime Minister had to agree when the Emperor proposed taking his daughter as a concubine, simply to avoid the Emperor’s suspicion.

Later, he realized that even if he hadn’t sent his daughter into the palace, even if he had retired and returned to his hometown, taking his entire family away from the Capital City, the current Emperor would still suspect him of having a hidden agenda.

The Prime Minister felt immensely guilty towards his daughter. Whenever there was anything good, he would send it to the palace first.

Consort Jing herself didn’t have so many thoughts; she just lived life as it came. At this point, it was useless to resent her father.

The Nanny took out a bell in a small box. Consort Jing opened it and held the small bell against Jiujiu’s chest to measure.

This small bell was a bit darker in color than Jiujiu’s body. She had just been thinking that a gold cord would also look good, but now it seemed a red cord would be more striking.

Jiujiu initially patiently accompanied Grandma in browsing the storeroom, but gradually he became restless and started flying around to look at things he liked.

Consort Jing was preoccupied with what beautiful clothes she could make for Shen Yijing from these fabrics, picking them up and holding them against Shen Yijing.

At this moment, she didn’t look like the favored Consort Jing who held sway over the six palaces, but merely an ordinary mother concerned about her child.

The storeroom keepers saw the Consort’s affection for the bird and dared not stop him. They merely followed carefully behind, fearing he might damage something.

Jiujiu first hung a pearl bracelet around his neck, then ran over and hugged a large gold ingot.

He held it firmly with his wings and claws, ready to stuff it into his daddy’s clothes pocket for safekeeping, only to realize he couldn’t fly.

“Chirp chirp chirp, chirp chirp chirp, Daddy, come quickly.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Yijing instinctively wanted to look for him. Consort Jing also began looking around when she heard the chirping.

The palace attendant serving Jiujiu proactively stepped forward and led the two masters over. They saw a small bird, no bigger than a palm, greedily clutching a large gold ingot.

From that angle, it was clear he was exerting all his strength, but still couldn’t fly.

Shen Yijing walked up to him, squatted down, and placed the gold ingot, along with Jiujiu, in his palm.

“Mother Consort, forgive me.”

“It’s fine, look how greedy he is.”

After Consort Jing spoke, she ordered the things she had just picked out to be taken away. When she sat down on the soft couch, Jiujiu still couldn’t bear to let go of his large gold ingot.

Oh, if this were the previous world, how many cups of milk tea could he buy himself?

Jiujiu’s face was full of a doting smile as he rubbed hard against the gold ingot. Consort Jing, who had originally intended to discuss serious matters with Shen Yijing, unconsciously had her attention completely drawn to him.

“I didn’t expect him to be such a greedy little fellow.”

Greedy?

Jiujiu’s action of rubbing the large gold ingot paused at these two words. He looked up at Grandma, wondering if she would think ill of him just because of this.

“It’s fine, I’m not saying you’re bad. It’s human nature to love money.”

The Nanny serving Consort Jing brought over two more freshly made pastries. When Jiujiu leaned his head in to smell the pastries, his wing was still on the gold ingot.

“When you go back later, take that whole box with you. How about letting Jiujiu sleep in it tonight?”

Consort Jing offered the pastry to Jiujiu, so the little fellow wouldn’t have to agonize over whether to cling to the gold ingot or eat.

He saved her child’s life. Let alone a box of gold ingots, even if he wanted her life, Consort Jing would not hesitate to slit her own throat.

After feeding him, Consort Jing thought about what she had given him to eat today. Seeing Jiujiu’s eyes still fixed on the other side, she reminded him:

“You can’t eat too much; little birds can also get indigestion.”

Jiujiu, who was very skilled at perfunctorily dealing with his grandfather in his previous life, obediently retracted his head. When he returned to the palace with his daddy, he could still sneak a bit more to eat.

“Your Ladyship, His Majesty said he would come for lunch.”

Consort Jing frowned slightly upon hearing this. Some things were inconvenient to say with the child present, but it was clear at a glance that she disliked the Emperor.

She originally wanted to refuse, but remembering she had already refused once before, refusing again would be inappropriate.

“Prepare some of Yijing’s favorite dishes. Let’s all have lunch together.”

“Yes, Mother Consort.”

Jiujiu then reluctantly walked to Grandma, almost failing to stop. When Grandma looked at him, he chirped a few times.

“Oh right, and Jiujiu, what do you like to eat? Let me see when we have lunch together. How about I only make your favorite dishes next time?”

“Chirp!”

The Emperor was still wearing his court robes. Sitting in his chair, he saw Shen Yijing there and smiled, asking about his health.

“You look much better.”

“Thank you for your concern, Father Emperor.”

Shen Yijing, like his mother consort, disliked the Father Emperor, but he didn’t show it on his face.

The Emperor noticed the small bird sleeping on the table. He usually disliked such things, but since it was in Consort Jing’s palace, he didn’t say much, only asking:

“I seem to recall that the Consort does not care for such small things.”

“He’s Yijing’s pet.”

“Oh? At Yijing’s age, he should still focus on his studies. Several of his younger brothers have already begun their schooling. Yijing should also work harder.”

Consort Jing’s hand, clutching her handkerchief, was now tightly clenched. The veins on the back of her hand visibly twitched, and a faint smile played on her red lips.

“His Majesty is right. I will supervise him well.”

The imperial physician had repeatedly warned that Yijing’s current illness was not suitable for expending too much energy. Even if he wanted to study diligently on his own, Consort Jing would stop him and make him rest more.

After the meal, Consort Jing was too lazy to attend to the Emperor further. She used her indisposition as an excuse to send the Emperor away.

Thinking of the family letter her mother had sent her recently, she could already guess the reason for the Emperor’s visit this time.

People in the palace only knew that only Consort Jing dared to show displeasure to the Emperor, but they didn’t know that every bit of the Emperor’s favor towards her hid an ulterior motive.

When Shen Yijing took Jiujiu back, Jiujiu, full and content, was already a bit sleepy. He lifted his small wing to shield his face from the sun.

Back in the Palace of Enduring Dawn, Shen Yijing placed Jiujiu in his palm, gently poked his head, and whispered:

“Jiujiu? Wake up.”

Jiujiu impatiently covered his ears with his wings, rolled over, and continued sleeping.

It was this impatient little demeanor that made Shen Yijing want to tease him. He reached out and poked him again.

“Jiujiu, wake up and eat pastries.”

“Chirp! Jiujiu can eat three pieces!”

Jiujiu, who bounced up and sat, hadn’t even opened his eyes yet, but first sniffed around with his nose. He didn’t smell the scent of pastries. After opening his eyes, his attention immediately fell on his daddy.

“Chirp chirp chirp! You lied, Daddy!”

The angry little bird, if not for considering that his daddy in this world wasn’t in good health, would have definitely gone up and pecked him a couple of times.

“It’s Daddy’s fault. I originally wanted you to sleep on the bed.”

Jiujiu gave a soft huff, then waddled on his short legs to his daddy’s palm and squatted down. He turned his head and pointed his wing at his daddy’s bed.

Since Daddy was now willing to believe that he was his own little one, Jiujiu no longer intended to hide it. He swaggered and let his daddy take him to snuggle on the bed.

No matter how exquisite his own little nest looked, in Jiujiu’s heart, it still couldn’t compare to the comfort of his daddy’s big bed.

“Come on, let’s take a nap together.”

Shen Yijing didn’t have much energy. Before he met Jiujiu, he would take a nap every day, otherwise he would feel as if he couldn’t breathe.

In the evening, Shen Yijing took Jiujiu to admire the sunset in the courtyard. Watching the sun gradually sink into the mountains, and associating it with his own frail body, Shen Yijing’s mood was somewhat low.

A guard came over with a cloak in his hand, draped it over Shen Yijing’s shoulder. Shen Yijing himself reached out to gather it and tied the cloak’s strings.

Jiujiu, who was covered by the cloak, poked his head out and pecked his daddy in retaliation.

Although he was small, that didn’t mean he was nonexistent! Being covered under such a thick cloak, his daddy really wasn’t afraid of suffocating his little one!

“Jiujiu, I’ll be careful next time.”

Shen Yijing rubbed Jiujiu’s head. This apology felt somewhat insincere to Jiujiu, but considering he was his daddy, and he could now smell the dinner.

After silently weighing it in his mind, if he were to throw a tantrum with Daddy now, he would definitely miss dinner.

“No next time, Daddy.”

Jiujiu extended his small wing towards Daddy, and Shen Yijing understood, grasping and squeezing it.

“Okay.”