Upon hearing Zhao Hua's words, Yun Shan was taken aback and felt a sense of astonishment.
She hesitated for a while before finally revealing her concerns with a cold tone, "Miss, are you saying that someone genuinely intends to harm our Second Prince?"
Frowning, Zhao Hua shook her head, unable to spare the time for further contemplation. She was already trembling with fear. "I'm just speculating, but I can't understand who would plot against him. Shang Yang is already dead, so there shouldn't be anyone left in the palace with a motive to harm the heir to the throne, unless..."
She tapped her fingers on the table from time to time, the sound as chaotic as her tangled thoughts.
A preposterous idea flashed through Zhao Hua's mind but was quickly suppressed.
Without voicing her speculations, she only instructed Yun Shan, "Tomorrow morning, go and summon Zhang Imperial Physician. Tell him that the Second Prince is experiencing palpitations and needs his examination. Also, pay a visit to the Office of the Imperial Secretariat and inform Cheng Yu that he can take a break."
Yun Shan nodded in agreement. "Miss, your considerations are thorough. If someone is truly targeting the Second Prince, they won't give up after one failed attempt. Until we have conclusive evidence, it's safest for the Second Prince to remain in our palace."
She believed wholeheartedly that Zhao Hua wanted to keep Cheng Yu under close watch to protect him from hidden dangers.
Little did she know that Zhao Hua's true concern lay with their elder brother, who attended school and classes with Cheng Yu every day...
That night, Zhao Hua tossed and turned, unable to find sleep. It was almost a sleepless night for her.
Every time she closed her eyes, memories flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern.
She recalled Chenghuan's well-behaved and sensible demeanor in front of her, his teary eyes filled with grief and mourning, and...
Chengjing's death.
When the first soft morning light spilled onto Cheng Yu's face, Zhao Hua had been quietly sitting by his bedside, keeping watch.
As she looked at his handsome sleeping face, many emotions surged within her.
She felt a deep sense of guilt for failing to protect Cheng Yu in the past. Now that they had finally reunited after overcoming countless obstacles,
if anyone dared to plot against her son,
regardless of who harbored ill intentions, she would not let them off easily!
She had no idea how long she had been guarding her child like this,
until the gentle morning light cast its first ray upon Cheng Yu's face, and the little one lazily opened his eyes.
He was somewhat surprised to see Zhao Hua sitting by his bedside. "Mother?"
With a gentle touch, Zhao Hua stroked Cheng Yu's forehead and smiled, "You're awake."
Under the guidance of the Chen family couple, Cheng Yu had already developed the habit of rising early. Now that he was in the palace, he didn't need the maidservants to wake him up when he went to the Office of the Imperial Secretariat.
Seeing Zhao Hua today, he thought he had overslept and hurriedly sat up from the bed, eager to change and freshen up.
Zhao Hua stopped him and spoke softly, "Yesterday, your mother noticed that you were also deeply saddened during your elder sister's mourning ceremony. So, she asked for you to have a break today. Take a good rest for a couple of days, and your studies can wait."
Although Cheng Yu had only recently returned to the palace and had only played with Jinghe three or four times,
But he knew that was his older sister and it was also his first experience of losing someone close to him, so he felt uneasy in his heart.
However, he said, "Actually, the one who should be the most devastated by the passing of our older sister is our eldest brother. Yesterday, I saw him crying so much at our sister's funeral that his voice went hoarse. From that, I knew that their relationship must have been very good in the past."
Zhao Hua followed the child's words and asked without showing any trace, "What about you? Since you returned to the palace, you have been closest to your eldest brother. How do you get along with each other?"
Cheng Yu nodded without hesitation, "My eldest brother treats me very well. When we were in Hengzhou before, there was also an older brother who was slightly older than me and played with me, but they were not like my eldest brother. He always protects me, pampers me, and even takes the initiative to teach me my lessons."
The goodness of Chenghuan, as mentioned by Cheng Yu, goes far beyond these words,
The child went on and on, but Zhao Hua didn't really pay much attention to the words that followed,
Instead, a sense of self-blame arose within her.
She blamed herself, perhaps her suspicion was too heavy, or perhaps after soaking in the palace for many years, she had become afraid of the hearts of people in the harem, to the point where she even had to be cautious and suspicious of a five-year-old child...
No matter how treacherous the hearts of the people in the palace may be, children should always be the purest beings in this world,
And Chenghuan, raised under the care of his sister Wan, who treated him as her own, how could he not bear it?
So, Zhao Hua temporarily set aside her speculations about Jinghe's death,
Convincing herself that all of this should be viewed as an accident.
Later, Imperial Physician Zhang came to Feng Luan Palace, took Cheng Yu's pulse in a perfunctory manner, and then requested a day off from the Office of the Imperial Secretariat, allowing the child to rest well.
After morning court, Xiao Jingheng heard that Cheng Yu was sick. With the early death of Jinghe, he was like a startled bird, fearing any further loss to the heir to the throne. So he went straight to Feng Luan Palace to visit.
Zhao Hua accompanied him, and when they saw Cheng Yu still asleep, she also heard Zhao Hua say that the child was just staying up late due to excessive worries and there was nothing serious. Xiao Jingheng felt a little relieved,
"For the matter of Jinghe, several children were frightened. Especially Chenghuan, he is the most sensitive and delicate. Just by looking at him during the funeral yesterday, he seemed to have lost weight in just a few days."
Zhao Hua said, "The brothers and sisters share the same bloodline. It's difficult for us adults to accept such a sudden event, let alone the children."
As she gently stroked the dark circles under Xiao Jingheng's eyes, she couldn't help but feel sorry, saying, "Xiao Lang, you have also become haggard. I think you probably didn't sleep last night either?"
Xiao Jingheng took a deep breath, then let out a long sigh, and spoke with a hint of helplessness and bitterness,
"I always feel that heaven has been too cruel to me. First, it took away Chengjing, and then it took away Jinghe. I have few heirs, and one by one, the children have abandoned me. I can't help but feel...unpleasant in my heart."
As he said these words, his eyes inadvertently turned red,
Zhao Hua believed in his sincerity, but compared to his past actions, his sincerity was rather laughable.
Was his lack of offspring a result of heaven's indifference?
Ning Wanshuang, the child she carried for six months in her womb all those years ago, the male twin among the twins, and Cheng Yu, who was now cradled in Xiao Jingheng's hands—weren't they all the ones he had ordered to "eliminate" himself?
It is said that a tiger does not eat its cubs,
yet for the sake of his throne, for his own well-being, he continuously indulged in "eating his own children,"
such a malicious person is not even worthy of being human, so how can he blame the heavens for treating him cruelly?
Of course, Zhao Hua could only silently mock these absurdities.
Facing Xiao Jingheng, her eyes turned red, and she held his hand, sincerely comforting him with these words:
"Your Majesty is in the prime of your life, and in the future, you will surely have abundant offspring."
