Chapter 169: Mother and Child Heart-to-Heart

Zhao Shi, in a panic, hurriedly comforted, "Sisi, don't listen to Ye Qingran's words; she's deceiving you! Rest assured, the position of the Seventh Prince's Consort can belong only to you!"

"I won't listen, I won't listen, I won't listen!" Ye Sisi suddenly seemed mad, covering her ears, shaking her head wildly, shouting loudly.

Even though she isn't as clever as Ye Huanhuan, she's not foolish either; if today's matter blows up, Guanglu Fu and the Imperial Clan, to suppress public opinion, will inevitably consider Zhao Yan's and the Seventh Prince's marriage.

Guanglu Fu's status is not low; a legitimate daughter marrying a prince cannot be content to be merely a secondary consort, so…

Having figured out the intricacies, Ye Sisi glared at Zhao Yan with a venomous stare, hysterically spitting out a harsh line: "Zhao Yan, the position of the Seventh Prince's Consort can only be mine!"

After speaking, she covered her mouth and fled the room without looking back…

Watching Ye Sisi leave, Ye Qingran's lips curled into a ghostly arc. Knowing her goal was achieved, Ye Qingran also rose and left the Spring Breeze Inn.

These past days, Xiliang City has been especially bustling.

Two incidents, talked about with relish, became the main gossip among Xiliang's townsfolk after meals.

The first matter concerns Zhao Hao.

The news that Zhao Hao's manhood was ruined again spread like wings; everyone heard it and laughed uncontrollably, saying he must be the only man whose manhood was destroyed twice. However, there were also reports that this time Zhao Hao fared worse, that the thing shattered into fragments.

No one felt sympathy for this; many thought Zhao Hao's fate was deserved.

The second matter concerns Zhao Yan.

Even though the beautiful and learned miss of Guanglu Fu and the current Seventh Prince, in secret rendezvous in Room Tian No. 1 of the Spring Breeze Inn, were deliberately concealed by the Imperial Clan and Guanglu Fu, the affair still spread quickly, becoming a widely known 'secret'.

Even reports from the Spring Breeze Inn claimed the two had not been the first to indulge in such trysts there! When the news spread, the common folk couldn't help exclaiming how the scions of noble families truly know how to have fun!

Especially since Zhao Yan is the acknowledged elder cousin of Ye Sisi, the recognized Seventh Prince's Consort! An elder cousin snatching her younger cousin's man—how melodramatic!

In an instant, Zhao Yan was despised by everyone, and the Zhao Family, now embroiled in two scandals, was thrust to the forefront of public opinion.

Zhao Tian and Wang Yan, frazzled and desperate, even entertained thoughts of death. Seizing the chance, Zhao Tian petitioned His Majesty, requesting that Zhao Yan be betrothed to the Seventh Prince at Dongfang Xuan. Considering the Imperial Clan's face, His Majesty issued an imperial decree, agreeing to grant Zhao Yan in marriage to the Seventh Prince as his principal consort.

In an instant, it sparked further turmoil.

With that imperial decree, it meant that Ye Sisi, the miss of the Prime Minister's Residence, would have no chance with the Seventh Prince! From the widely expected quasi‑Seventh Prince's Consort to a nothingness, Ye Sisi became the most tragic figure in this drama.

When she learned of the news, Ye Qingran merely smiled and brushed it aside.

Everything was as she had anticipated.

In Fu Qianchen's and Mo Xiaohu's room, only Mo Xiaohu lay on the bed, sleeping soundly.

Leng Yue draped a thin blanket over him, revealing his delicate, cute little face. Perhaps dreaming of something tasty, Mo Xiaohu smacked his lips.

Beside him, Xiao Huihui also slept soundly, even snoring. One can't help but wonder if Xiao Huihui is the only sparrow that snores.

When the three entered, they concealed their breath and made no sound underfoot.

"Xiao Chen?"

Ye Qingran looked at the empty half of the bed and asked.

Leng Yue smiled, "He, he had a little quarrel with Xiao Hu, saying he didn't want to see Xiao Hu today, so he ran off to sleep on a locust tree by himself."

Ye Qingran smiled and shook her head.

These two children are truly amusing; when they quarrel they detest each other, yet when they reconcile they're inseparable. They argue at least once a day and make up within an hour.

Ye Qingran walked to the bedside, knelt on the floor, propped her chin, and carefully observed Mo Xiaohu's pure sleeping face.

He is her child.

This realization filled Ye Qingran's heart and eyes with tenderness.

She couldn't help but reach out, gently tracing the contours of his face.

She still recalled their first meeting; she hadn't thought much then and didn't think Xiao Hu resembled her at all. Now, upon close observation, she increasingly sees many resemblances between mother and son.

For example, those eyebrows and eyes, those lip shapes.

He is the continuation of her bloodline!

What a marvelous feeling!

"Mother… um… Xiao Hu really likes mother…" It seemed that Ye Qingran's touch on Mo Xiaohu's face made him feel her presence, causing him to utter a cute murmur in his dream; his tiny face, like a kitten, kept rubbing against Ye Qingran's palm.

Ye Qingran's lips lifted a faint smile, while the tip of her nose tinged with sourness.

"Xiao Hu, mother also likes you very much."

Behind her, Han Xing Leng Yue, who had barely stopped crying, was overcome with another wave of sorrow, tears once again spilling onto the ground with a pattering sound.

Ye Qingran withdrew her hand, intending to pull the blanket over Mo Xiaohu, but suddenly heard him speak dreamily again.

"Mother, don't leave Xiao Hu; Xiao Hu will be obedient…"

He frowned, shook his head, looking extremely frightened.

Ye Qingran felt a pang in her heart.

She hurriedly reached out to stroke his cheek, trying to sweep away the fear in his heart.

Mo Xiaohu at that moment slowly woke.

He opened his eyes and saw the beautiful mother.

"Eh? Beautiful mother? Why are you here?"

Mo Xiaohu sat up, rubbing his eyes; his handsome little face looked a bit dazed from just waking.

Ye Qingran just stared at him, forgetting to answer. His earnest demeanor and deep gaze seemed to beg to make up for five years of missed time.

"Beautiful mother?!" Mo Xiaohu stretched out his short little hand, waving it before Ye Qingran. She snapped back, "It's nothing, I just missed you, came to see you."

"Hehe~" Mo Xiaohu grinned, "Beautiful mother is the best!"

He said that while climbing up, leapt into Ye Qingran's arms. In her embrace, a warm feeling filled both her arms and her heart.

She didn't hesitate to hold him, feeling that fullness, and thought that her once incomplete life was finally complete.

The past five years, traversing green mountains, traveling thousands of miles, enduring countless hardships, all have been worth it!

"Xiao Hu, mother has something to tell you."

"Mm hm, go ahead."

Actually, you are my child; it's just that when you were born, I accidentally threw you away...

Mo Xiaohu stared, eyes wide, very surprised, "Really?"

Ye Qingran nodded.

"Great, Mother, you really are my mother! Xiao Hu is so happy!" Mo Xiaohu came out of Ye Qingran's embrace, jumping up and down, unable to contain her joy.

"You don't blame Mother?"

"Why would I blame Mother?" Mo Xiaohu blinked, puzzled, then gave a hehe laugh, "I believe Mother definitely didn't do it on purpose back then. Since it wasn't intentional, how could Xiao Hu blame you? Besides, these years Xiao Hu has been doing fine in Mo Yuan, aside from missing Mother, she hasn't suffered much."

What an understanding child!

Ye Qingran's heart was filled to the brim, so much so that she didn't notice that outside the door, Fu Qianchen, who had originally come to reconcile with Mo Xiaohu, inadvertently overheard their conversation, and a forlorn expression appeared on her face.