CH 107.2

Xiaobao felt helpless.

He originally wanted to get close to his father to hear more information. After all, his mother was a woman, and could only wander around the house all day. As for the matters outside, she doesn’t know and has no way of knowing.

After arriving here, he heard his father and his several aides speak, and he became even more sure of his previous thoughts. Something would definitely happen around the emperor’s birthday. He had a feeling that someone would attack his father, likely not head-on, but one of his weak links.

His mother was one of them. Duke Ningguo Manor was also one of them.

Xiaobao even heard Jin Wang ordering his elites to watch over the courtyard where he and his mother lived, but he didn’t hear any arrangements for Duke Ningguo Manor.

Did his father believe that Duke Ningguo Manor had their own arrangements, or was it simply confidence in his great-grandfather and second uncle? But one must know that it was the betrayal of their closest people, ones they would never doubt, that was the most terrifying.

So he panicked. Without even thinking of hiding his abilities, he wanted to give a warning.

But no one listened to him. He had also only learned to say a few words. Because of his body’s limitations, he couldn’t speak long sentences and some words couldn’t even be said clearly. This was why he wanted to use a brush to write.

But after all this effort, his goal was destroyed by Fucheng. He was extremely discouraged but then he realized that his idea was simply not well planned enough. Not to mention whether he could actually control his hand to write, who would be able to recognize his scribble?

It seemed that he had to find another way.

Seeing Xiaobao so deep in his thoughts, the others couldn’t help but want to laugh.

A frustrated little baby deep in contemplation was simply too cute. If it weren’t because the timing was inappropriate, quite a few of the people below would want to come up to hug him and coax him out of his gloomy mood.

Why didn’t they think babies were so cute before?

Both Liu Da and Li Maotian were fathers. They recalled what they were doing their sons were doing at this age. Back then, they were very busy. On the few occasions, they were at home, their only thoughts were that the cries of the little brat were noisy and piercing to the ears.

Jin Wang glanced at Fucheng, faintly condemning him.

Fucheng felt extremely wronged. ‘Your Highness, I was thinking for your sake. If the little master wasn’t sensible and draws a few ink marks on your face with the brush, then your great and illustrious image-’

For the rest of the time, Xiaobao was very quiet and obedient, seemingly listening to the adults, but his gaze was as if he had lost all hope in the world.

Jin Wang wasn’t used to seeing this look so he glanced at Fucheng. Fucheng didn’t know what he meant at first, but then he quickly realized and ordered a dish of Xiaobao’s favourite millet cake. Jin Wang pulled off a piece from the plate and handed it to him silently.

Xiaobao took it, and with a feeling of both anger and amusement, bit into the millet cake.

After eating two pieces, water came.

Jin Wang had learned how to feed babies water. He practiced a few times while they were in the cabin in the canyon, but at that time he hadn’t thought of this child as his own. Now that he knew Xiaobao was his own son, his movements were a lot more gentle.

With the small teacup in his thin long fingers, he tilted it towards Xiaobao to give him a drink. Xiaobao took two sips then pushed the cup away with his small hands. Jin Wang set the teacup aside, took out a handkerchief then wiped the corners of his son’s mouth.

When he looked up, he saw that everyone was staring at him. With a calm expression, Jin Wang said, “Continue…”

Their meeting lasted for nearly an hour and a half. There were still more things to discuss, but Xiaobao’s eyelids were drooping, so Jin Wang called a halt.

After he ordered everyone to leave then meet again in the evening, Jin Wang carried Xiaobao back to the backyard.

When Consort Jin came back, she heard about the matter of Jin Wang carrying Xiaobao to the front yard. At most, men would hold their children or grandchildren for a moment. She had yet to hear of a man carrying an infant and not letting go.

Him doing that in the palace could still be understood. It was likely that he did that on purpose to show their father and son affection to Emperor Hongjing. But now that they were back in their own manor, who was he doing that for? So that means for him to do this, it must be out of the willingness of his heart.

Consort Jin was already uneasy, but after hearing this, she felt even more uneasy in her heart.

It was Mommy Zhou who reported it to Consort Jin, and now this matter had already spread to the entire manor. No one would say that it was Jin Wang who was unrefined. They would only say how favoured Lady Su was that even her son was also loved by His Highness. Others talked about how based on His Highness’s attitude to her son, Lady Su was pretty much set for life.

Why wouldn’t Mommy Zhou be worried? Needless to say, the consort was yet to be pregnant after all these years. If she could get pregnant, she would’ve been pregnant a long time ago. Now Lady Su already gave birth to the eldest young master of the manor and there may even be a second son on the way.

Using this time to cultivate feelings between the father and the son, not to mention whether the consort could actually have children, even if she could, it may already be too late. It was hard to say who would be in charge of this grand Jin Wang Manor in the future.

Mommy Zhou kept chattering on and on about this matter in front of Consort Jin. In the past, Consort Jin could at least maintain a fake composure but today, she could no longer pretend. She scolded, “Mommy, how could you believe these rumours from outside? Perhaps it was Xu Yueru or Side Consort Liu deliberately spreading these rumours to incite this consort and Lady Su to fight!”

Mommy Zhou disagreed. “Whether they did this on purpose to incite conflict or not, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s true. Hong’er saw it with her own eyes and came back to report it to this servant. Your Highness, if you don’t fight for yourself, in the future…”

“Enough! No need to say anymore. Leave!”

“Your Highness…”

“Leave. Zi Yan, accompany her to withdraw!”

This was the first time for Consort Jin to talk to Mommy Zhou like this. She was greatly taken aback and her old face turned gray. She opened her mouth to speak but then left with Zi Yan in silence.

“Your Highness, she was only worried about you.” Zi Han said from the side.

In the past, these maids surnamed Zi never intervened but they did today. Did they all feel that the situation had become so serious and that they had to do something?

Consort Jin was at a loss.