Chapter 651: Bound by the Child-Bearing System, Becoming a Winner in Life Chapter 652 Background Rabbit Spirit (24)

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

The two were outside the palace complaining about the Empress, while the mistress living alone in Fengyi Palace also sneered at Shen Yao's failure to recognize a good thing.

"Just a country girl from some small town, truly unable to read the situation."

The Empress felt stifled, thinking that she had been so courteous to worthy people that anyone else would have bowed and kowtowed by now; only the Jing Wang Fei was skilled at playing dumb, and she and Jing Wang truly were of one family.

"Your Majesty, the Jing Wang Fei hasn't seen much of the world, so it's inevitable she wouldn't appreciate your kindness."

The servant attending her racked her brains to soothe her, her words needing to be neither too obedient nor displeasing to this master; saying one sentence felt like it had to twist eight ways—she truly went to great lengths.

"Hmph! Jing Wang is also just a bastard son born of a low-born concubine; now that the Emperor values him, he's grown even more arrogant." The Empress had always looked down on those whose birth was inferior to hers; back when the Jin Family was at its peak, this person had suppressed all the imperial consorts equally in the harem.

It was only now that the Jin Family's power had waned, and the Empress had previously been caught by the tail, that she was willing to humbly lower her proud head.

The more she spoke, the more annoyed she became; the Empress waved her hand and casually asked about the Crown Prince's recent situation.

The servants beside her exchanged glances, hesitant in expression, unsure how to speak—the Crown Prince's recent situation was indeed not good.

After all, the Crown Prince's fragile body was well known; previously, the Empress had even privately reduced the frequency of the Imperial Physician's visits.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is in the palace."

"Fine, since he's unwilling to come to Fengyi Palace, this palace doesn't want to spoil the mood over it." Anyway, a perfectly good person staying there couldn't be lost.

The servants:...

Having no choice but to accept those words about receiving the Imperial Physician's treatment, the servant hurriedly stepped forward to lightly support the Empress's arm, bowing respectfully as she saw her back to the sleeping hall to rest.

Sometimes, the bond between mother and child was as fragile as a thin sheet of paper.

The Crown Prince's inner suffering was understood by no one; at an age that should have been full of vigor, only a shell remained, the soul within long withered and faded.

Back Courtyard of Jing Wang Fu

Shen Yao was leading the three children in a rampage among the flowers.

"Slowly, no rush, no rush."

"Mother Consort, want flowers, want flowers."

"Mother Consort, go out, play!"

"Mother Consort, Father King, Father King, Father King."

Three children, three personalities; ever since they could blurt out words one by one, Shen Yao's child-rearing life had shifted from easy to difficult, with all sorts of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy experiences too much to tell outsiders.

"Yan'er, bring your younger brother and sister over to eat some pastries to cool off."

Shen Yao smiled and waved her hand; the servants beside her stood in a row carrying various food boxes.

Not far away, a thick blanket had already been spread, with the three children's favorite toys placed on top.

Lin Chengyan heard Mother Consort calling her; her eyes curved into narrow crescent moons. With one hand she pulled her brother away from picking more flowers, and with the other she supported her sister who wanted to taste whether the flowers were salty or bland. She toddled toward Shen Yao on her short little legs.

Just a few steps away, Lin Chengjue broke free from the brother restraining his wrist; because he used too much force with his small strength, he dragged the lightest Lin Chengjing forward, and the small body immediately rolled into a ball.

Lin Chengyan and Lin Chengjue followed closely behind, knocking the toys on the blanket into disarray, and they themselves fell in a daze.

Pfft

Shen Yao couldn't help but laugh out loud at the children's adorable little appearances. She raised her hand to place her handkerchief over her eyebrows and eyes to cover most of her facial expression, lightly coughed, and waved her hand to signal the wet nurses and servants to come forward and help them up.

Children were tough and fall-resistant; this little bump really wasn't a big deal.

Indeed, they were already laughing happily playing with toys, opening their mouths to ask for their favorite pastries.

Lin Chengyan and Lin Chengjue liked sweet food, especially that crispy and dense texture; eating it made them feel content and satisfied.

Lin Chengjing preferred salty food; she never ate enough and still acted coquettish and cute.

Sitting on the blanket with legs crossed, with someone specially assigned to shade her head from above, the three children ate until their cheeks were round and their eyes were round and bright. From afar they looked like a round ball, making one's heart inexplicably soften.

Full and fed, a bit sleepy.

The three children raised their hands to rub their eyes and yawn as if copied and pasted; their little heads nodded bit by bit, like ripe little round melons.

Shen Yao curved the corners of her lips, softly leading the three children back to the small courtyard for a stroll. "Go wash up and clean up; coax them to nap for a while."

The wet nurses and servants agreed upon hearing, leading the children as they turned and left.

Shen Yao herself did not return to her room, but sat by the stone bench in the courtyard, asking the attending servant to bring the unfinished account books.

These days there had been many social exchanges at the Wang Fu; the family's Ku Fang was not enough, so they had to newly open an idle small courtyard for storage.

The two courtyards on either side of the Wang Fu had already been connected by workers, but due to insufficient time they had not yet been moved into; besides, their family was mostly small children, so they probably wouldn't be used for several years.

Clatter clatter—

The account books on the table were constantly flipped through by fingers; Shen Yao's gaze shifted slightly, her sight falling on a horse farm in the suburbs.

This was a reward the Emperor specially gave Lin Xingzhi after the Luogui City affair was concluded; not only the horse farm, but also several separate courtyards and imperial manors within it.

Not long after the Luogui City matter ended, the Shangfu City matter arose again, so Shen Yao had not yet had time to organize these things. Now that she saw them, she would have someone handle them.

"Report all repairs normally to the Imperial Household Department; all funds shall be drawn from public funds."

"Have the steward send people to watch over it well. In a few days, I and the Wang Ye will also go there."

A horse farm—when idle, one could still ride horses. That place wasn't far from the Imperial Hunting Ground; by then, they could request permission from the Emperor and go on an autumn hunt along the way.

After all, whether the Imperial Hunting Ground was used or not, it required manpower and resources to manage. They, as a couple, were meritorious officials of Li Guo; using the hunting ground once wouldn't make the Emperor so stingy.

"Naturally, Imperial Brother acts fairly. Yao Niang, when do you want to go to the hunting ground?"

Lin Xingzhi smiled and moved close to Shen Yao, saying that with him taking action, he would certainly not disappoint his wife.

Shen Yao raised her hand and tapped Lin Xingzhi's forehead. "Wait until the Shangfu City matter is settled."

Nowadays, the court and the Emperor were investigating all forces related to Shangfu City; every day officials fell from power—either demoted or removed from office, lightly exiled or heavily beheaded—so that inside and outside the entire Jingcheng, people were anxious and fearful. Only Jing Wang Fu could live more easily.

However, this ease was only relative; on the surface they still had to put on an attitude of extreme apprehension and refuse to see outside guests behind closed doors. Even the few stores Shen Yao loved to visit most on ordinary days could only provide door-to-door service.

Fortunately, Shen Yao was content and happy; with her husband and children by her side, she was not like certain people who were still dissatisfied and wanted to jump even higher.

(Certain people:... feels like someone is throwing shade at this palace)

By the end of September, the matters arising from Shangfu City were finally concluded.

Shen Yao packed up her three children, who could already run, jump, and speak well, and together with Lin Xingzhi, they traveled in a carriage in a grand procession to the country estate outside the city.

This time they planned to return after a month; during this period there were hot springs, horseback riding, and autumn hunting, along with vacation sightseeing.

Sitting in the carriage with her eyes closed to rest her mind, Shen Yao grabbed the system and asked it about the progress.

The system was first stunned, then reacted: it was that group of damn locusts!

"Checked, checked, behind them is a Lang demon," the system still found it unbelievable. Who could have thought that the tragedy of Luogui City originated from an ordinary hunt, and the only extraordinary thing was probably that this group of people hunted a wolf demon cub.

As for what happened afterward, there is no need to say more. The wolf demon went out to avenge her child but failed, and the Lang demon, who had been familiar with her for many years, resorted to this despicable measure and directly took the lives of the culprits.

Of course, many innocent people were implicated, including the serious consequences caused by the locusts going out of control.

But things had come to this; the Lang demon hiding behind the scenes had long since run off without a trace. As for locust demons, this type that remains low-intelligence even after becoming a demon can be found, but new ones would appear after killing them. Shen Yao could not possibly exterminate the entire locust species.

"Grievances have their source, debts have their debtor; everyone who hurt Lin Xingzhi must be dealt with."

"Tonight we will make a trip alone, go quickly and return quickly, and this matter will end here."

Shen Yao opened her eyes; the street sounds of human life on both sides filled her ears, and the expression that should have been serious and solemn instantly became full of spring warmth and blooming flowers.

She raised her hand to lift the curtain blocking the light and sweetly called out Lin Xingzhi's name.

Lin Xingzhi, who was riding a horse to coax his son, immediately handed the child in his arms to the wet nurse, ordered his subordinates nearby to guard the three young masters, then he himself dismounted and got into the carriage, arriving by Shen Yao's side and sitting down in the blink of an eye.

Shen Yao:...?

"Yao Niang personally invited me, so Xingzhi naturally dare not be negligent," Lin Xingzhi said while moving his hands and feet, and soon the two were breathing intertwined.

The liveliness inside the carriage could not be heard by people outside, but Shen Yao always felt that this was more stimulating.

Carefully avoiding making a sound on one hand, while enduring Lin Xingzhi's mischievous fingers on the other.

Shen Yao bit her teeth tightly, and finally let Lin Xingzhi use his lips to pry open bit by bit, until the fine sounds she made were all swallowed.

"Master, we have arrived."

Someone outside the carriage conveyed the news; Shen Yao, who had already tidied her sleeves and skirt hem, leaned on Lin Xingzhi's arm and stepped out of the carriage.

"Careful"

When getting off the carriage, Shen Yao almost lost her footing and fell, and Lin Xingzhi raised his hand and caught her in a full embrace.

With slightly pink cheeks and affection in the corners of her eyes, Shen Yao couldn't help but hum softly, glancing with coquettish anger at the culprit who looked completely upright.

Lin Xingzhi:...

Lin Xingzhi awkwardly touched the tip of his nose; he didn't quite know what to say. Cough cough cough, a man facing the woman he loves will always be impulsive and unable to control himself.

Leaning close to Shen Yao's ear to whisper an apology, Lin Xingzhi offered to cede territory and pay indemnities and begged for forgiveness, but in the end Shen Yao raised her hand and let it go. However, "Yan'er and the others are unfamiliar with the place these two days, so Xingzhi should keep her company more at night."

Lin Xingzhi's expression froze on his face, and after a while he realized he had been exiled by his wife. Not only could he not sleep holding his fragrant and soft wife, but he also had to coax three children who slept restlessly and liked to kick around.

Shen Yao didn't care how Lin Xingzhi felt; anyway, she was in a very good mood now.

The country estate before her eyes was still an old thing built by workers during the Former Emperor's time; the interior imitated the architectural beauty of Jiangnan, and every plant and tree exuded the unique delicate tenderness and quaint ingenuity of Jiangnan.

Strolling to the courtyard residence, Shen Yao smelled a fragrance drifting in the air, a faint fresh scent, a bit like orange peel.

Shen Yao looked around and discovered kumquat and Buddha's Hand citron plants in the corner.

These were potted plants and penjing liked by scholars and literati in the Jiangnan region; now appearing in this courtyard before her eyes, it was actually quite appropriate.

Behind her, footsteps grew closer and closer.

It turned out to be Lin Xingzhi, whom Shen Yao had left behind. This man held Lin Chengjing in his arms, with Lin Chengyan and Lin Chengjue following on either side.

"Yao Niang"

Lin Xingzhi approached Shen Yao with a wronged expression. Even though he couldn't be intimate with his wife at night, during the day his wife did not refuse his closeness.

Lin Xingzhi, who quickly changed his attitude, followed closely beside Shen Yao, and had to call out "Yao Niang" whenever he saw anything.

Shen Yao:...

Shen Yao took the two older boys, Lin Chengyan and Lin Chengjue, who were desperately trying to break free from the wet nurse's hold and placed them on the ground. As for Lin Chengjing, the little petty person was lazily a ball, shrinking in Lin Xingzhi's arms and constantly yawning.

After Lin Chengyan and Lin Chengjue were put down, they were like monkeys without rope restrictions, crying "wow wow wow" as they took their short little legs to explore the courtyard scenery.

Lin Chengjing rubbed his eyes, pointed at his two brothers surrounded by wet nurses and servants, and laughed out loud.

"Get down, want to find big brother."

Lin Chengjing got down from Lin Xingzhi's arms, walked with his short little legs firmly to join the monkey army, causing the entire courtyard to be filled everywhere with the laughter of children.

Shen Yao and Lin Xingzhi stayed in place; seeing this, they both smiled happily.

The little demon stars being able to play by themselves instead of bothering them was exactly angel babies.

"Yao Niang, you have worked hard all the way; go back to the room and rest."

Lin Xingzhi acted like a big-tailed wolf. Shen Yao shook her head helplessly. She had worked hard on the road, but who was it that added the workload?

The culprit Lin Xingzhi:...

Lin Xingzhi pulled Shen Yao's wrist back to the room to rest, providing full service throughout.

Originally wanting to rest for a while on the stairs, by the time Shen Yao opened her eyes again, the sky was already dark.

Terrible

Slept in!

Raising her hand to rub the swollen sides of her forehead, Shen Yao called out loudly to the servant waiting outside the door and had herself change into a long skirt and attire.

Dinner was already prepared; Lin Xingzhi was accompanying the three little demon stars who had just woken up.

Seeing Shen Yao come out of the room with a relaxed expression, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

"Yao Niang."

"Have the wet nurse pack things up for them; it's time to dine."

Shen Yao took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the cheeks and necks of the three little flower-faced cats.

Hmm, actually nothing had changed; children were naturally quick to get dirty, especially once they could run and jump, making them all the more troublesome to care for.

The wet nurses waiting around gathered forward, each holding one child, and quickly withdrew.

Lin Xingzhi came up to Shen Yao to tout his own merits, and his last sentence returned to sleeping at night; translated, it meant that Shen Yao, as a newcomer, was bound to feel discomfort, and at night she should all the more have him stay by her side to relieve fatigue and boredom.

Shen Yao:...

Shen Yao raised her eyebrows, her gaze as if emotions were hooking Lin Xingzhi, "Oh?"

She only smiled without speaking, and Shen Yao stood up and took Lin Xingzhi to have late dinner.

The servants of this Bie Yuan were all elderly people left over from the Former Emperor's time, working diligently every day without the slightest slack, fearing that the new owner would be dissatisfied and send them back to the Imperial Household Department to fend for themselves.

Therefore this late dinner was very abundant, and all five members of the Shen family ate until their bellies were round and full.

For this, Shen Yao not only drank sour soup to aid digestion, but also insisted on strolling in the courtyard to digest; when night came and she changed into her quilt to rest in bed, she was once again pulled by Lin Xingzhi, who had been hiding here early, into intimate movement.

Shen Yao:... Rogue!