Chapter 414 - 416: An Accidental Birthday
For a good while, Feng Bailing finally snapped out of her stupor.
"You mean to say, it's the Emperor who made Noble Consort Guo barren?"
Dugu Wu was somewhat surprised as well; he hadn't expected Feng Bailing to catch on so quickly.
No wonder the dean always praised Feng Bailing in front of Dugu Wu.
In other people's eyes, Emperor Yongye was an exalted ruler, a wise monarch who combined grace with majesty, but Feng Bailing, having lived through that life, had a very thorough understanding of Emperor Yongye.
Especially after experiencing the time with the Empress, Feng Bailing could be even more certain that Emperor Yongye was a ruthless character, one who, for the sake of the throne, would disregard any and all emotions and familial bonds.
The Empress had initially been without progeny too and later adopted Dongfang Cheng; could it be that Noble Consort Guo would become the next Empress?
A chill surged from the depths of Feng Bailing's heart.
"You've been the dean's honorary disciple for some time, and he must have taught you quite a bit. In the matter of imperial authority and strategy, Emperor Yongye has always known how to maintain a balance of power. At the beginning, he used the Empress and Noble Princess Consort Xiao to balance the harem, and also pit me, the Old Grand Preceptor, against Prince Mu. Now, Prince Mu and Noble Princess Consort Xiao have joined forces thinking that by doing so Noble Princess Consort Xiao can become the Empress. But the reality is the opposite; the more Noble Princess Consort Xiao does so, the less likely she is to become the Empress. Conversely, Noble Consort Guo has no offspring, and her father, Sacrificial Officer Guo, who refrains from politics, is someone Emperor Yongye can trust the most. But if you help her, Emperor Yongye might think I have sided with Noble Consort Guo, making her position all the more unstable."
Dugu Wu analyzed the pros and cons.
This was why Sacrificial Officer Guo wanted to resign and return to his hometown, but Feng Bailing, completely unaware, convinced him to stay with a poem.
Feng Bailing fell silent, just when Dugu Wu thought she would change her mind and no longer meddle in Noble Consort Guo's affairs, Feng Bailing shook her head.
"What you said might all be true. But I still want to help Noble Consort Guo. You don't understand how important a child is to a woman. I want to give Noble Consort Guo that choice."
Feng Bailing hadn't forgotten the joy in Noble Consort Guo's eyes when she saw Feng Xiaoli.
She truly loved children.
"Not every woman values their children that much. Xiaojin and I are prime examples of that."
After saying this, Dugu Wu left with a cold expression.
Feng Bailing sighed; every time Lady Dugu was mentioned, Dugu Wu had a big reaction.
That night, Dugu Wu did not return.
Feng Bailing originally thought that without Dugu Wu, she could sleep well until dawn, but somehow she remained awake until the middle of the night, feeling an emptiness at the core of her being.
Finally, she got up to check on the two children. Just as she reached the doorway, she saw Baishan loyally squatting there.
Feng Bailing picked up Baishan and first went to Feng Xiaoli's room; the little one had already fallen asleep.
The Buddhist Alms Bowl was placed beside the child's pillow; Feng Bailing tucked her daughter in and then went to Dugu Xiaojin's room.
It was already late at night, yet Dugu Xiaojin could not fall asleep.
Dugu Xiaojin hadn't recovered from the incident that happened that afternoon; he held a book, but his mind was intermittently filled with the event of swapping bodies with Baishan.
Such a thing had never happened before, and once Baishan became small, he remembered nothing, playing with Xiao Li carefreely.
Dugu Xiaojin also didn't know who to confide in; he knew his father and the Queen Mother were both very busy lately, and he didn't want to worry them.
Not until he heard footsteps did Dugu Xiaojin look up and see the Queen Mother walking in.
Feng Bailing was clearly not pleased.
"Why are you still awake so late? Children should get enough sleep, or else you won't grow tall."
Having said that, Feng Bailing shook her head with a smile.
Among his peers, Dugu Xiaojin was already considered tall; he was the same age as Feng Xiao but a good half a head taller than her, even taking into account that boys mature later than girls.
"I want to read more. Everyone says the Competition Among Ten Countries is about to begin, and we have a chance to represent Great Chu in the competition."
Dugu Xiaojin, while attending the Imperial Academy, heard both the students and teachers there discussing the Competition Among Ten Countries.
Dugu Xiaojin didn't really understand what the Competition Among Ten Countries was all about, considering his young age, but he knew that his father was also overseeing this competition.
He heard Dongfang Jin say that his father was in charge of this competition too.
There was an unspoken sense of competition between Dugu Wu and the Crown Prince.
Emperor Yongye placed great importance on the Competition Among Ten Countries, and Xiaojin believed that if he could earn a qualification in the competition, both his father King Dugu Wu and his Queen Mother would be very proud.
"The Competition Among Ten Countries is a major national event, not something a child should concern themselves with."
Feng Bailing pinched Dugu Xiaojin's nose gently; Xiaojin and Xiao Li were two extremes. Xiao Li was naive and romantic, impulsive by nature, while Dugu Xiaojin was overly composed and cool-headed, exuding a maturity that didn't match his age.
Feng Bailing thought of what Dugu Wu had said before: a part of Dugu Xiaojin's mature character was also because he had grown up without a mother.
Feng Bailing sighed.
"Xiaojin, do you miss your biological mother?"
No sooner had Feng Bailing finished speaking than she regretted it, for she saw a sad expression crossing Xiaojin's face.
"I used to miss her a lot."
Dugu Xiaojin said in a low voice.
Feng Bailing's eyes grew blurry; a sour feeling surged in her heart as she looked at Dugu Xiaojin and thought of her own lost child.
"But I don't miss her now, because I already have a Queen Mother and a little sister Xiao Li. You are the best mother in the world."
There was a light in Dugu Xiaojin's eyes.
Feng Bailing felt a heaviness in her heart.
"What if one day, due to certain reasons, I have to leave you? Would you blame me?"
The words reached Feng Bailing's lips but she couldn't bring herself to say them.
When Feng Bailing made the one-year agreement with Dugu Wu, her intentions were simple.
Dugu Wu had shown kindness to her, and by curing Dugu Wu's leg injury, she had repaid him for his past kindness of attending to her body in the street.
At the time, she just wanted the year to pass quickly.
But at some point, her feelings began to grow complicated; she did not want the year to end so fast, she had grown attached to this family.
"Get some rest early, so you can be energetic for class tomorrow."
Feng Bailing rubbed Dugu Xiaojin's head.
Just before she left the room, Feng Bailing suddenly thought of something.
"When is your birthday?"
Feng Bailing asked.
She had made a birthday cake for Dugu Wu last time, and since then, the little food-lover Feng Xiaoli had been clamoring for a birthday cake every day.
Feng Bailing had promised to make one for her on her birthday.
Feng Bailing then remembered that when it came to Xiaojin's birthday, she should also make one.
It's just that she didn't know when Xiaojin's birthday was.
"My birthday is on the first day of the twelfth lunar month. And yours, Queen Mother?"
Dugu Xiaojin asked in return.
"My birthday is in January."
Feng Bailing thought for a moment; Dugu Xiaojin was born a few days earlier than Xiao Li.
Seeing Feng Bailing walking out, Dugu Xiaojin called out from behind her.
"Queen Mother, I will give you a big gift when the time comes."
Feng Bailing smiled and walked out.
"Queen Mother, I want to participate in the Competition Among Ten Countries, then win the first place as a birthday present for you."
Dugu Xiaojin solemnly stated in his heart, deciding to keep the secret of their body swap to himself for the time being.