Chapter 90: Crown Prince’s Concubine – 18 (End)

The old Emperor passed away, and the Crown Prince ascended the throne. Within the imperial court, arguments broke out every single day. The remaining princes were all shrewd enough to keep their mouths shut, doing their best to minimize their presence so the new Emperor wouldn’t take notice of them.

After all, the winner takes all, and they hadn’t exactly been on friendly terms with the Crown Prince in the past.

Once the Crown Prince took the throne, he shed his former kind and gentle persona. He struck with the force of a thunderbolt, employing ruthless methods to show his ministers that he was not like the late Emperor; he would not be manipulated by anyone. He only required his officials to be obedient.

He executed batch after batch of the veteran officials until everyone was as quiet as a chick in a nest. Only then did it dawn on everyone that the current Emperor was truly different from the last!

The new Emperor was nothing like the “benevolent and sincere” man the late Emperor had described. He was a Rakshasa with the face of a Bodhisattva¹.

Xie Liangchen was transformed overnight into the Emperor’s favorite, and the Xie Family estate became a bustling hub of activity. People came and went constantly, bearing heavy gifts, but Ren Xin took charge and rejected every single one of them.

Her grandmother praised Ren Xin for doing the right thing. “Some gifts are like hot coals in the hand. Our Xie Family certainly isn’t lacking for those few trinkets. All we seek is peace and safety!”

Time flew by, and the three children were now four years old. They were incredibly mischievous; there wasn’t a single corner of the manor they hadn’t trampled through. Crucially, they were exceptionally bright, making it impossible to use their studies as a way to control them.

Xie Liangchen was at his wits’ end. He could only increase their academic workload and constantly give them physical training to burn off their boundless energy.

But it was no use; the children continued to turn the world upside down.

“Mother, let’s go out and play!”

“Mother, I heard there’s a place that’s really interesting…”

“Mother, I have silver! Let’s go out and run wild!”

Ren Xin: “…” So annoying!

“Go find your father. He’s in the study.”

Having pointed them toward their target, Ren Xin vanished. She would leave the three little demon kings to Xie Liangchen. If she didn’t use him as a shield now, then when?

Over the past few years, Ren Xin had given up on the idea of having a daughter. Who told her man to be so useless?

Grandmother remained in robust health. Although the three little rascals were naughty, they were incredibly sweet-talkers. They managed to coax hearty laughter out of Grandmother every time, swindling her out of countless treasures in the process.

However, they weren’t greedy. Whenever they got something good, they always saved a portion for Qingfeng. Qingfeng doted on his younger brothers as well. Every time he returned from school, he would prepare gifts for the family. They weren’t necessarily expensive, but they made everyone happy. Qingfeng was especially meticulous when choosing gifts for the “Three Little Ones,” so their bond was exceptionally strong.

When Grandmother learned of this, she said with a beaming smile, “They are all good children. Even if I were to die this instant, I could stand tall and proud in the afterlife.”

Xie Liangchen quickly stopped her. “Grandmother, don’t say such unlucky things. You haven’t even seen our daughter yet. What a regret that would be!”

Ren Xin gave Xie Liangchen a skeptical look. How did he have the face to even mention a daughter?

Once the two of them returned to their room, Ren Xin questioned him: “Where is this daughter? Do you have a mistress tucked away somewhere? Are you planning to adopt a child and have me recognize her as my own?”

Xie Liangchen: “???”

“What nonsense are you talking? You know better than anyone whether I have other women. I only have one tael² of silver in my purse right now—just enough for a bowl of noodles at a roadside stall. Who would follow me?”

Ren Xin thought about it and realized he had a point.

In the year the children turned seven, Ren Xin became pregnant again. Everyone felt that this child must be a girl. Ten months later, the fruit ripened and fell; to their surprise, it really was a daughter.

Life was complete!

Ren Xin had now become the goal of every unmarried woman and the envy of every married one. She had such a blessed life! She had given birth to three sons right after marrying in, and each son was outstanding. Years later, she had given birth to a daughter, achieving the perfect balance of children.

Most importantly, her husband had never taken a concubine, remaining devoted to her alone.

Even the Ren Family members who had been stationed in the provinces heard of Ren Xin’s good fortune.

Ren Xin’s stellar reputation also made the daughters of the Ren Family exceptionally sought after in marriage. The Ren clansmen were stunned, but it was a welcome development, and the young ladies of the Ren Family were all filled with gratitude toward Ren Xin.

The ultimate winner in life—Ms. Ren Xin—was currently busy surreptitiously hoarding items to satisfy her little hobby. While she couldn’t say for sure what she would leave behind in each small world she visited, she was determined to take something with her.

It truly was a peaceful, ordinary life

Translator’s Notes