Chapter 237: Mustn’t Make Mother Angry
After touring the General Mansion, Pei Yan and Mei Wanying left with Ling to visit the Princess Mansion.
Even though they weren’t living in the Capital City, the Princess Mansion was kept in perfect order.
Pei Yan had personally selected the attendants.
He also made all the decisions regarding the mansion’s affairs, big and small.
Every plant, every tree was arranged to Mei Wanying’s liking. Pei Yan thought their daughter would love it too.
’If she doesn’t like it, that’s fine too. I’ll just give her a new estate and let her do whatever she wants with it.’
’The estate Ah Yin likes will remain Ah Yin’s.’
A grove of wintersweet had been planted in the mansion, and it was the perfect time to admire the blossoms.
Ling’s little legs had given out, so she was now perched on Pei Yan’s neck, getting a ride from her father as they strolled through the Plum Garden.
Attendants watching from a distance were so shocked by the sight that their eyes went wide.
’Is this still the cold, ruthless, and decisive Emperor?’
’We all knew the Emperor doted on the Little Prince, but we never imagined it was to this extent.’
’They say love for a person extends to all they cherish. The Emperor must love Miss Mei so deeply to treat her daughter like the apple of his eye, even letting the Little Prince ride on his neck.’
’Having served in the palace before, they’d seen plenty of princesses, but not even the most favored one ever received such treatment.’
A look of envy appeared in all their eyes simultaneously. ’The Little Prince really hit the lottery with her birth!’
The attendants followed at a respectful distance, careful not to disturb the family of three.
Worried her daughter might fall, Mei Wanying stayed close by Pei Yan’s side, her hands raised and hovering protectively around Ling.
Pei Yan felt a pang of jealousy.
’Ah Yin is too good to Lingling. She treats her so delicately, as if she might melt in her mouth or shatter in her hands.’
’In Ah Yin’s heart, Lingling is the most important one!’
Mei Wanying caught his resentful glance and found it completely baffling.
She pinched his waist. "Hold on to Ling, and don’t you dare drop her."
Pei Yan was already holding Ling’s ankles securely with both hands.
He sighed from the heart. "Thank goodness we only have one."
’If we had a few more, would Ah Yin even notice me anymore?’
’He’s spouting nonsense in front of a child,’ Mei Wanying thought, glaring at him with a clear warning in her eyes.
Pei Yan immediately tattled to Ling. "Your mother is glaring at me."
Ling looked sleepy, but her tone was very serious. "Daddy, don’t make Mother angry."
’If Daddy didn’t provoke her, why would Mother glare at him?’
’Daddy must have done something wrong.’
’When she was being naughty, Mother would stare at her to scare her, too.’
Pei Yan pressed on with his complaint. "Your mother pinched me."
Ling huffed and tilted her chin up. "That’s what you get for tattling, Daddy. Serves you right!"
Pei Yan clicked his tongue. "Who did she learn to be so sharp-tongued from?" he asked Mei Wanying.
Mei Wanying shot the man a look. "She gets it from her father."
’The old Pei Yan had a vicious tongue. A single sentence from him could leave a person speechless.’
’He’d restrained himself a lot around her.’
’But with outsiders, he was still his same old self.’
’Case in point: after having his feelings hurt by Pei Yan’s cutting remarks too many times, even Chen Shujing had stopped writing to him to vent.’
The corners of Pei Yan’s mouth turned up. This was his and Ah Yin’s daughter. ’She’s just like me... That’s a good thing!’
Ling couldn’t understand what her parents were talking about and started clamoring to pick flowers for a garland.
This Plum Garden was planted for her and her mother. Ling could pick as many blossoms as she wanted.
Pei Yan stopped under a wintersweet tree, letting Ling pick the flowers herself.
He was so tall and upright that Ling only needed to reach out to touch the flowering branches.
She plucked a few of the most delicate blossoms and tucked them into Pei Yan’s topknot.
Pei Yan froze, shooting Mei Wanying a pleading look. ’A grown man wearing flowers... Won’t this ruin my masculine image?’
He couldn’t refuse his daughter’s kind gesture, so his only hope was to call for backup.
Although Pei Yan was one of the Military Generals, he was exceptionally handsome. The flowers didn’t look out of place on him at all; in fact, they only served to accentuate his devilishly charming face.
Mei Wanying sized him up.
’It confirms it,’ she thought. ’I just have a weakness for handsome men. That’s why I keep falling for him.’
’But you can’t praise a man like him. His ego would swell to the heavens.’
Mei Wanying cleared her throat. "Ling picked those flowers herself. Don’t disappoint your daughter."
Ling thought they looked very pretty. "Don’t you take them off!"
So bossy!
’How could I dare say another word?’ Pei Yan thought. ’These two are the bosses of me.’
’If they tell me to go east, I wouldn’t dare go west.’
’They’re both my weakness. I would never dare to go against their wishes.’
Satisfied, Ling started mumbling, "And Mother... Mother needs to wear flowers, too..."
She plucked another short sprig of wintersweet and leaned her little body over, trying to tuck it into Mei Wanying’s hair bun.
"This little rascal isn’t even afraid of falling."
Mei Wanying quickly moved closer, steadying her daughter with one hand while letting the little one tuck the wintersweet into her hair.
She wore her hair in the style of a married woman, a cloud of dark locks piled high, revealing a smooth, fair forehead. The delicate sprig of wintersweet only made her picturesque features stand out more.
Mei Wanying was a beauty; even a two-year-old could tell.
Ling clapped her hands. "Mother, you’re so pretty!"
Pei Yan’s gaze was scorching.
His stare made Mei Wanying’s face flush. She lowered her eyes, which only made her appear more alluringly gentle.
The man abruptly tore his gaze away, his Adam’s apple bobbing. "It’s getting late. We should go have dinner."
’After dinner, I’ll put Ling to bed. Once the child is asleep, it’ll be my private time with Ah Yin...’
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Mei Wanying and Pei Yan had been apart for months; now that they had finally reunited, it was only natural for him to have such thoughts.
Mei Wanying saw right through him but didn’t say a word.
She let Ling decide. "Should we go back to the General Mansion, or stay here in your Princess Mansion?"
"Mine?" Ling asked, confused.
Mei Wanying explained, "This is a gift from your daddy. It belongs only to you."
Such a huge estate was a gift from her daddy! Ling laughed out loud.
"Let’s stay here! Let’s bring Grandmother over so we can all live together!" Ling declared.
Mei Wanying patted her little head and praised her for being such a filial child. "Grandmother is getting on in years and doesn’t want to go through the trouble of moving. She’s waiting for us at home."
For a small child, family was the most important thing. ’I want to go home and see Grandmother!’
Seeing her little one’s lip begin to tremble, on the verge of tears, Mei Wanying quickly tried to distract her.
"I wonder what delicious things the kitchen has prepared for us?"
Pei Yan immediately summoned an attendant to report.
The attendant began to list the dishes. "Braised squab, steamed fresh fish, chicken stew with fresh bamboo shoots..."
He recited a long list of dishes, which included Ling’s favorite soup dumplings.
This instantly captured Ling’s attention.
She tugged on Pei Yan’s ear. "Daddy, I want to eat!"
Pei Yan smiled faintly.
’So this little one is just a greedy little piggy!’
The attendant didn’t dare to watch.
He was screaming inwardly, ’The Little Prince is so bold! How dare she pull the Emperor’s ear!’
’And the Emperor isn’t even angry.’
’Just how much does he dote on the Little Prince...?’
The family of three made their way to the dining hall. When they arrived, they saw someone waiting at the entrance.
Mei Wanying recognized her; it was Empress Dowager Gu’s trusted attendant.
Mrs. Feng.
As soon as the family of three appeared, Mrs. Feng’s gaze was drawn to Ling.
The little girl was nestled in the Emperor’s arms with a few plum blossoms tucked in her hair, looking the very picture of innocence.
Compared to the girl in the portrait, the real-life Ling was vibrant and playfully mischievous.
’She’s just so adorable.’
’The Empress Dowager will surely adore her when she sees her!’
With a smile on her face, Mrs. Feng gave a respectful curtsy.
"Your Majesty, with the Little Prince’s birthday approaching, the Empress Dowager sent me to ask Miss Mei whether the birthday banquet should be held in the palace or outside."
"If it’s to be held outside, Her Majesty said it would be a fine opportunity for her to get out for a bit."