The Crown Princess Is Jealous Again - Chapter 108

The waiter greeted them with a beaming smile. “Welcome, guests! Looking for a room?”

“Two superior suites.”

The waiter hissed through his teeth. “Ah, what bad luck, traveler. We only have one superior suite left.”

“Then we shall look elsewhere,” Xiao Beitang said, preparing to leave.

Xiao Tao glanced at the sleeping Xiao Yi and whispered, “Master, the young mistress is exhausted. Perhaps it is best to stay here. One superior suite is spacious enough for the masters to share.”

“That’s right,” the waiter chimed in. “Our standard rooms are quite decent, too, and you won’t find many good vacancies left in other inns at this hour.”

Song Qingqian considered this for a moment. “Let’s stay. Yi’er is fast asleep; let her sleep with us tonight.” She looked at Xiao Beitang, who had been carrying the child all day and was surely tired as well.

Xiao Beitang looked down at Xiao Yi, who was slumbering peacefully against her shoulder. “Very well, we stay.”

Xiao Beitang laid Xiao Yi on the bed and tucked the quilt around her. The child smacked her lips in her sleep, looking incredibly precious.

After dinner, the two returned to the room. Xiao Beitang sat by the bedside, watching Xiao Yi with eyes full of tenderness. “She looks so much like you. Not like me at all.”

Song Qingqian teased her softly, “When her stubborn streak flares up, she is very much like you.”

“She isn’t stubborn; she’s very good.”

Song Qingqian smiled. “You’ve only known her a few days. Besides, I never spoiled her, so she never had the chance to be willful.”

“Looking at her, I feel I owe her too much,” Xiao Beitang sighed. “I wasn’t there when she was born, and only now have I come to her side. And you, I owe you so much as well. To raise a child alone, I can only imagine the hardship. It would be only natural if she hated me.”

Song Qingqian quickly explained, “She doesn’t hate you. She is trying to be close to you.”

“I know. I can feel it. But the fact that she won’t call me ‘Mother’ means there is still grievance in her heart. I will use the rest of my life to make it up to her.”

“She is just shy. Through my stories, she only knows the most beautiful side of you.”

Xiao Beitang smiled. Together, they watched the tiny figure—small hands, small feet, a sleeping angel.

Song Qingqian took the inner side of the bed while Xiao Beitang took the outer. They lay facing each other, foreheads touching, creating a small, warm cocoon between them where Xiao Yi slept securely and soundly.

In the early morning, Xiao Yi woke up. She opened her eyes to see Xiao Beitang’s face right in front of her. She glanced over at Song Qingqian, feeling an indescribable sense of happiness. She lay still, not daring to move, watching the two adults especially Xiao Beitang. She studied the curve of Xiao Beitang’s brow over and over.

Xiao Beitang’s eyes suddenly fluttered open. Their gazes met. Xiao Yi’er’s face flushed crimson, and she quickly looked away.

“Awake?” Xiao Beitang whispered.

Xiao Yi nodded.

“Hungry?”

Another nod.

“Then I’ll take you to wash up and get some food,” Xiao Beitang whispered. “Let your mother sleep a while longer.”

Xiao Yi nodded again.

Xiao Beitang’s skill at dressing a child was still lacking; it took her quite a while to get the girl ready before leading her out by the hand.

After breakfast, Xiao Beitang led the girl back to the room.

“You’re up?” Xiao Beitang asked with a smile as she saw Song Qingqian dressing.

“Mhm. Come here, Yi’er.” Song Qingqian beckoned.

“Mother!”

Song Qingqian tidied the child’s stray hairs. “Where did you two go?”

“We went to have breakfast,” Xiao Yi replied.

“And who took you?” Song Qingqian asked, knowing full well.

Xiao Yi stole a glance at Xiao Beitang and pointed at her.

“And who is she?” Song Qingqian pressed.

Xiao Beitang’s heart hammered against her ribs like a drum, waiting for the answer.

Xiao Yi hesitated for a long time before whispering, “Mother.”

Song Qingqian smiled brightly. “Good girl, Yi’er.”

Xiao Beitang’s emotions were a chaotic swirl. She hadn’t dared to hope she would hear those words so soon. After leaving them to suffer for four years, her sense of debt was immense. That one word “Mother” felt like ten thousand fireworks exploding in her heart, like a thousand butterflies taking flight in a brilliant, dazzling display.

She began to feel greedy; she wanted Xiao Yi to love her, to love her very, very much.

She let out a breath of relief and smiled at Song Qingqian. Her arms were still sore from carrying the child all day, but it was a small price to pay for winning the girl’s heart.

Xiao Beitang knelt and beckoned. “Yi’er, come here.”

The girl ran over. Xiao Beitang scooped her up and spun her around. “Whee!”

Xiao Yi’er’s laughter rang through the room like silver bells.

The following two days, Xiao Yi became incredibly clingy toward Xiao Beitang—a development Song Qingqian was delighted to see. On the fourth day, they finally began the journey back to the capital.

What Song Qingqian didn’t realize was that the welcoming party was far grander than she could have imagined. At the city gates, the civil and military officials stood in perfect ranks, waiting respectfully.

It was only when the carriage reached the palace gates that Song Qingqian saw the vast crowd.

“Why are there so many people?” she asked.

“They are here to welcome you,” Xiao Beitang replied with a slight, confident curl of her lip.

The officials knelt in unison. “We respectfully welcome Your Majesty back to the capital!”

Liu Zi stepped forward to lift the curtain. Xiao Beitang dismounted first, then turned to help Song Qingqian down before lifting Xiao Yi out. Xiao Yi, never having seen so many people, was frightened; she hid behind Xiao Beitang, clutching her robe.

“Rise,” Xiao Beitang said, her voice commanding and deep.

Zhao Ziming looked up and was instantly overjoyed. Teacher Song? She’s back and with a child?

Song Qingqian gave him a slight nod.

Xiao Beitang picked up Xiao Yi and took Song Qingqian’s hand, her thumb pressing reassuringly against Qingqian’s palm to steady her. They walked through the path cleared by the officials. The courtiers exchanged looks, but none dared to utter a word.

They stepped into the palace. The long corridors, high walls, red bricks, and golden tiles were a dazzling display of imperial splendor. As they passed through the palace complexes, Xiao Yi’er’s eyes didn’t blink once.

“Mother, this place is so big!” Xiao Yi didn’t know where to look first, twisting around in Xiao Beitang’s arms.

“Yes,” Xiao Beitang laughed. “It is very big.”

The child looked at the palace staff standing respectfully everywhere. “Are all these people our neighbors?”

Xiao Beitang found the description hilarious. She kissed the girl’s cheek. “They aren’t neighbors, Yi’er. You’ll understand later.”

They went directly to Kunning Palace. Xing’er was already waiting with the staff. She led the group in a kowtow, smiling. “This servant welcomes Your Majesty.”

“Rise. Xing’er, is everything ready?”

“Replying to Your Majesty, everything has been arranged according to your instructions.”

Xiao Beitang turned softly to Song Qingqian. “Let’s go.”

As they stepped inside, Song Qingqian saw that Kunning Palace was entirely different from her memory. It had been refurnished to look exactly like the former Zichen Palace. Everything was familiar to Song Qingqian, but entirely new to Xiao Yi.

“Mother, it’s so big!” Xiao Yi ran inside and spun in a circle. “Is this our new home?”

“Mhm,” Xiao Beitang smiled. “Yi’er will live here from now on.”

Xiao Yi giggled. “I want to play hide-and-seek here with Xiaoyu and the others. They’d never find me!”

Seeing her happiness, Xiao Beitang promised casually, “I’ll have them come over to play with you in a few days.”

“Are you truly bringing them here?” Song Qingqian asked.

Xiao Beitang smiled. “Not just them. The Bureau of Astronomy is already selecting an auspicious date. In a few days, I shall officially install you as Empress—a proper marriage to welcome the Mistress of the Middle Palace. Since they are your ‘family’ from the village, they must be invited to the banquet.”

Song Qingqian frowned. “Xiao Beitang, I came back with you because I didn’t want you to be alone. I never thought about being Empress. My identity.”

“Since you know your identity, you should know that this is an Imperial Decree,” Xiao Beitang said, her smile fading slightly, replaced by a tone of unyielding authority. “It is not a jest to be trifled with.”

Song Qingqian was not afraid of her, but she knew it was the truth. Regardless of her current standing, she could not defy Xiao Beitang’s will.