The Crown Princess Is Jealous Again - Chapter 109

“What about Yi’er?” Song Qingqian asked, her eyes following Xiao Yi as the child explored the hall with reckless abandon.

“When she is older, she can choose for herself.”

Song Qingqian: “?”

Song Qingqian had actually meant to ask how they would explain Yi’er’s parentage to the world, a detail Xiao Beitang seemed to have bypassed entirely.

Watching the little “bolting rabbit” leap around the hall, Xiao Beitang’s eyes softened with a tender smile. “I owe her so much. Moving forward, I only want to make it up to her and see her happy. I won’t force her into anything. She can decide whether or not she wants to be Emperor. If she wants it, the position of Heir Apparent will be hers alone. If she doesn’t, she can do as she pleases; I will provide everything for her.”

Song Qingqian shook her head. “That isn’t what I meant. She is still small, we don’t even know if she will differentiate as a Kunze or a Qianyuan.”

Xiao Beitang answered decisively, “Even if she is a Kunze, if she wants to be Emperor, she shall be.”

Song Qingqian was stunned for a moment. She believed Xiao Beitang was capable of such a thing, but that day was far off, and she didn’t want to dwell on it now. She thought for a moment and asked, “How will you explain her birth to the world?”

“There is no need to explain to anyone,” Xiao Beitang said nonchalantly. “She is the child of you and me. We were wed eight years ago.”

“I will restore the glory of the Song clan. Neither Minister Song nor you should bear the burden of Song Qingxu’s crimes.”

Song Qingqian remained silent, her lips pressed together. She knew Xiao Beitang was looking out for her, though she had thought a change of identity would be simpler, to no longer be Song Qingqian meant no longer carrying the heavy weight of the Song family’s alleged treason.

Xiao Beitang sensed her worry. “Don’t dwell on the past; leave everything to me. I haven’t exactly been a foolish ruler, have I? The merit of unifying the Central Plains is enough for me to be willful for a long time. No matter what I do, the world will tolerate it.”

Song Qingqian’s brow smoothed slightly as she nodded. Xiao Beitang extended her hand; Song Qingqian took it and followed her toward the back of the palace.

“I know you can’t bear to be apart from Yi’er, so she will stay with us in Kunning Palace,” Xiao Beitang whispered into her ear, adding in a low breath, “Though she’ll have to sleep in the side hall. It wouldn’t be convenient for her to sleep with us.”

Her breath almost nipped at Song Qingqian’s ear. Song Qingqian smiled. In the few days since their reunion, Xiao Beitang had already mapped out their entire future.

Liu Zi entered to report: “Your Majesty, the Dowager Consort of Prince Zhong and the Princess are here to seek an audience.”

Song Qingqian noticed Xiao Beitang’s brief hesitation. “Go and see them. I’ll take Yi’er to look around; everything is still a novelty to her.”

Xiao Beitang nodded. “I’ll be back shortly.”

The Dowager Consort and Xiao Wan bowed. “Peace to Your Majesty.”

Xiao Beitang raised a hand with a smile. “Wan’er is here. I’ve just returned and you’re already here; did you miss your Imperial Aunt?”

Xiao Wan rose and smiled. “Mhm, Wan’er missed you.”

“I missed you too. I was planning to summon you tomorrow, but here you are.”

The Dowager Consort was distractedly scanning the hall. Xiao Beitang knew exactly what she was looking for, she had undoubtedly heard that Song Qingqian was back with a child and had rushed over.

“Does Sister-in-law have something on her mind?” Xiao Beitang asked.

“This servant heard,” she stammered.

“Heard that I brought back a Kunze and a child, is that it?” Xiao Beitang didn’t mention Song Qingqian by name.

The Consort gave a dry laugh. “Yes. That is why I brought Wan’er to congratulate Your Majesty.”

“Mhm. You know her as well, Sister-in-law. In a few days, I will be holding the Grand Wedding. I’d like to trouble you to help oversee the preparations.”

The Consort tried to demur. “How could I possibly manage Your Majesty’s wedding?”

Xiao Beitang had said it on purpose. She feigned a difficult expression. “True, you have to look after Wan’er. I’ll leave it to the Ministry of Rites instead.”

“As Your Majesty says.”

Xiao Beitang said no more, beckoning Xiao Wan to her side. “Wan’er, you have a younger sister now. Are you happy?”

Xiao Wan looked down. Most children her age are innocent, yet she muttered, “Will Imperial Aunt still love Wan’er as much as before, now that there’s a sister?”

Hearing this, Xiao Beitang shot a cold look at the Dowager Consort, who lowered her head guiltily.

Xiao Beitang said earnestly, “Wan’er, remember this: your Imperial Aunt will always love you. My feelings for you won’t diminish because of anyone else. But you are also Prince Zhong; you cannot spend your life relying on someone’s affection. You must uphold the House of Prince Zhong yourself.”

She spoke clearly, and Xiao Wan’s mother surely heard the warning beneath the words.

A few days later, acting on Xiao Beitang’s instructions, Zhao Ziming reopened the old cases in court. He declared that Song Qingxu had been a spy planted in the Song family by Northern Liang and that he was not Minister Song Lian’s biological son.

The Grand Marshal also submitted a memorial praising Song Lian’s integrity, officially rehabilitating the Prime Minister’s estate. Seeing which way the wind was blowing, the officials followed suit, requesting the Song family be cleared of all charges.

Xiao Beitang immediately issued an edict restoring the Song family’s honors and pardoning all exiled members of the clan. On the same day, she issued the decree to install Song Qingqian as Empress.

The Song estate, which had been desolate for years, became a hive of activity. Everything was refurbished, restoring it to the prestige of a great noble house. Xiao Beitang sent men to the village to fetch the residents. Even the local magistrate went along, his attitude far humbler and kinder than usual. The Village Head and the others were whisked away to the capital, still in a daze.

Along the way, the Village Head repeatedly praised his own foresight, saying he knew Miss Xiao was someone special—turned out she was a capital official, likely higher-ranking than the County Magistrate! And she kept her word; she had actually invited them.

Auntie Wu joked that they were now people with “influence.” The carriage was filled with laughter. But when they pulled up to the gates of the Prime Minister’s Estate, everyone stood agape.

“Good heavens, this house is far too grand.”

“It’s, it’s massive, isn’t it?”

“Just how high of an official is Miss Xiao?”

The Village Head tried to ask the attendants, but they only smiled and dared not reveal the truth. The steward arranged their stay. Little Xiaoyu looked around with wide eyes, much like Xiao Yi; they had never seen such splendor.

Xiao Beitang wouldn’t allow Song Qingqian to return to the Song estate early, only permitting her to go back the night before the Grand Wedding. She used every soft tactic and stubborn plea to keep her in the palace. Song Qingqian knew why, Xiao Beitang didn’t want her to spend too much time in the estate alone, fearing the memories of her parents would bring her only grief.

Only when night fell did Xiao Beitang finally agree to escort her back.

“How about I stay here at the Song estate with you tonight and head back tomorrow morning? No one would dare say anything,” Xiao Beitang leaned in, trying to persuade her.

Song Qingqian pushed her back. “No, this is already highly irregular. I have Yi’er with me; what are you afraid of?”

Xiao Yi giggled and promised in her sweet voice, “Don’t worry, Mother. Yi’er is big now; I can protect Mama.”

Xiao Beitang laughed, her heart finally easing slightly. Still, she worried that returning to this place where everything had changed would be too painful for Song Qingqian.

The last time she married her, her parents were there. This time, she was marrying her again, but everything was different.

As Xiao Beitang’s carriage faded into the distance, Song Qingqian looked up at the grand gate of the Song estate. Just like the day of her first wedding, red silk draped the plaque and lanterns lined the paths. It was bustling and familiar, yet Minister Song and Lady Song were nowhere to be found.

Song Qingqian felt a surge of vertigo as the reality hit her—they were gone. Even after several years, returning to this place brought a wave of sorrow she couldn’t suppress. Her hand subconsciously tightened.

“Mama, it hurts,” Xiao Yi nearly cried out.

Song Qingqian gasped and let go, kneeling to blow on the child’s small hand. “I’m sorry, Yi’er. Mama was bad; I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Her eyes were red, tears brimming at the edges. Xiao Yi burrowed into her arms. “Yi’er doesn’t hurt. Mama, don’t cry.”

Despite her efforts, hot tears traced paths down her cheeks. If Father and Mother could see Yi’er, how happy they would be, she couldn’t help but think.

“Xiao Yi!” Xiaoyu and the others came running, calling her name.

Xiao Yi jumped up. “Mama, it’s Xiaoyu and Xiaofang!”

Song Qingqian quickly wiped her tears and smiled. “Go on.”

The Village Head and the others stepped out. “You’re back?” the Village Head asked. His voice sounded a bit like Song Lian’s, though lacking the old minister’s resonant power.

For a split second, Song Qingqian thought it was her father. She blinked, then recovered her smile. “Village Head, are you all settling in comfortably?”

The Village Head still couldn’t quite believe it. “Xiao Song, is this your home?”

“Yes.”

“Your house is this big?”

Auntie Wu laughed. “I know! At first, we thought it was Miss Xiao’s house, but they told us it was the Song Estate.”

Song Qingqian smiled faintly. “It is indeed my home.”

“If you had such a wonderful home, why did you live in the village for so long?” Auntie Wu asked, clearly thinking she hadn’t known how to enjoy her blessings. In the few days she’d been there, Auntie Wu had become a lady of leisure, with servants attending to her every need.

The villagers marveled at the splendor, but Song Qingqian’s smile remained strained.

“Xiao Song, you must be tired. Go and rest; I’ll take them back to their rooms,” the Village Head said, sensing her distress. He spread his arms like a net, ushering everyone back inside.

“Yi’er, go play with Xiaoyu for a while. Mama will come find you soon,” Song Qingqian said, patting the child’s back. Xiao Yi nodded happily and ran off with her friends.