Chapter 23: The Bowl Fell…

After a short while, Lin Yue had finished feeding the child the goat milk, one spoonful at a time. The boy was surprisingly cooperative, his eyes, dark and round like grapes, darting about with great liveliness.

Lin Yue was quite fond of him, cooing as she fed him, "There’s a good boy, eat up. How about your great-aunt takes you to catch dragonflies later?"

"We'll watch the dragonflies fly and the frogs jump, year after year. They grow up so fast, and so will you, our dear little one. You’ll grow up strong and be loved by everyone."

Jinghui ate with great delight, his small cheeks flushed with color. The dark circles beneath his eyes vanished as if they had never been there at all.

The Empress, who was holding him, had been observing in secret. She noticed not only the disappearance of the dark circles but also a protruding blue vein on his forehead—a feature she had always found rather jarring—which had now vanished entirely, leaving no trace.

The child’s eyes were clear and bright, full of vigor, and his body seemed significantly sturdier, showing no signs of his former frailty. The Empress felt a surge of emotions and had to use all her strength to keep from weeping.

The bowl of goat milk was soon empty. Xiao Jinghui, still wanting more, looked at Lin Yue with wide, longing eyes, his little lips pouting in a way that was both pitiful and endearing.

Lin Yue scraped the bottom of the bowl and looked at the little one. "My sweet, it’s all gone. Let’s have more tonight, shall we? If you eat too much, your tummy will hurt."

*[The effect of one bottle of nutrient solution is like a miraculous elixir, not to mention this body-strengthening pill. There might even be other side effects; I really shouldn't give him too much.]*

*[Otherwise, once you’re on your feet and strong enough to kill a cow with one punch, I might be able to keep my cool, but I’m worried your grandmother and the others would be scared out of their wits.]*

Everyone else: "..."

"Giggle, giggle..." Xiao Jinghui laughed happily.

"No more, full."

Lin Yue set the bowl down with a smile, picked him up, and gave him an affectionate kiss on the forehead. "My precious, we won't eat anymore. Let’s go walk it off."

With that, she turned to the Empress. "Sister-in-law, I’m going to take Jinghui for a stroll in the courtyard."

"Yes, of course, do go," the Empress replied hurriedly.

She then cast her gaze toward the empty bowl... but before she could do anything, Nanny Ping, oblivious to its importance, whisked it away to be cleaned.

The Empress watched with bated breath, just about to speak up, when the Crown Princess suddenly shouted, "Wait!"

Startled, Nanny Ping let her hand slip, and the bowl fell. With a sharp "clatter," it shattered on the floor.

The Empress Dowager: "!!!"

The Emperor: "..."

The Empress: "..." Oh, heavens...

The Crown Princess: "..." Ahhhhh!!!

The Crown Prince: "..." Alas... even my eyes hurt just looking at it. What a tragedy!

The atmosphere turned strangely suffocating, silent, and eerie. Nanny Ping’s heart skipped a beat; she felt as though she might die on the spot. Her knees went weak and she knelt down immediately. "I beg your Majesties for mercy! My hands are clumsy, I deserve to die!"

The Crown Princess felt her heart twisting with pain: *You certainly do deserve to die!*

But what could she say? She could only let out a long sigh, as if all her strength had been drained away. "I only meant to tell you not to bother with such chores; let the palace maids handle it."

"The Princess of Ding is unfamiliar with the palace; you should be attending to her instead."

The Empress Dowager’s face darkened: "Exactly!"

The Empress said coldly: "You have no sense of propriety, you useless thing!"

The Emperor: "Look at you, an old nanny, you are simply... sigh..."

The Crown Prince: "Ahem, if you are too old, you should just retire to your hometown."

Nanny Ping: "..." Heavens, what great sin had she committed to be held in such contempt by all the royals at once, to the point where they wanted her gone? *Woe is me... I wish I could just drop dead!*

...

Lin Yue hadn't been walking long before Xiao Jinghui fell asleep in her arms. A wet nurse took him away to rest, and the Crown Prince and Princess followed under the guise of tending to him. They soon began to carefully examine him in the side hall.

Hearing her son’s steady breathing, no longer obstructed by that congested sound, and feeling his strong, rhythmic heartbeat, the Crown Princess wept with joy.

"Your Highness, Jinghui is healed! Come and see."

The Crown Prince cast a vigilant glance outside; seeing no palace servants, he could no longer hold back and stepped forward. He listened intently to his son’s heartbeat—it was indeed different from before. In the past, the child slept restlessly, waking at the slightest sound. But now, even as he gently squeezed the boy’s small hand, the little one remained in a deep, peaceful slumber.

Trembling with excitement, he slowly unbuttoned the child’s clothes, discovering that the boy’s skeletal frame had transformed. Before, his ribs had been painfully visible, making him look like a frail kitten. Now, upon touching him, his frame felt entirely different—significantly sturdier and stronger.

The Crown Prince carefully straightened his son’s clothes and, gripping his wife’s hand, asked, "You heard it too, didn't you? The Princess of Ding’s inner voice?"

Although surprised, the Crown Princess nodded. "Yes, I did."

"The Princess must be a person of extraordinary talent, even more capable than the Great Master Zhang. Even he said Jinghui could only be nursed back to health slowly."

"That is certain," the Crown Prince agreed. "But we must keep this a secret. The Princess saved Jinghui, and we cannot put her in danger. What if others found out and threatened her family? Furthermore, I finally understand why the Prince of Ding was able to return from the dead. And these past three years, the Princess has rarely stepped outside; perhaps she has been cultivating her inner power."

The Crown Princess’s eyes brightened. *Of course! Why hadn't she thought of that?*

The Crown Prince continued, "I just received news that Great Master Zhang met with the Princess today. It is said that Luo Qingyu went to the Qingcheng Daoist Temple last night to invite him. We have sent people to request his help for Jinghui many times, but he always declined, claiming he was in seclusion. Why would he rush here overnight now? I can think of no other reason than that the Princess is a master worthy of his respect."

"Is this what they call 'hiding in the mountains, or hiding in the city'?" the Crown Princess exclaimed. "The Princess must be a transcendent master. She even said she wanted to save you, Your Highness?"

"Could it be that she meant for us to hear her inner thoughts? I noticed that while the Emperor and Empress show her great respect, they don't seem surprised at all."

"Indeed," the Crown Prince said. "Perhaps our devotion moved the heavens, granting us this opportunity. Man'er, you have truly suffered these past years. Rest assured, I will treat you well; I will never let you be wronged."

The couple embraced, a wave of joy surging within them as they began to envision a beautiful future.

Suddenly, the Crown Prince pulled away and asked, "Did the Princess also say that the old man, Huo Renli, would use Jinghui in the future?"

The Crown Princess’s expression shifted, and she said angrily, "And not just that—it seems he even harmed Jinghui."

The Crown Prince replied coldly, "That old wretch. I saw through his crooked heart long ago. He’s always clinging to my fourth brother, his murky eyes filled with filth. I’ve told my brother several times, but he won't listen."

The Crown Princess pondered, "How could Huo Renli ever get close enough to serve Jinghui? Could it be that... in the future, the fourth brother died as well?"

It seemed there were many significant events they were still unaware of. The couple looked at each other, their hearts tightening with an indescribable dread.