Chapter 215.3

For the second time in history, Huiniang had a major argument with Yao Cheng; the first time was when Yaoniang got into that accident.

“Are you still trying to protect your mother? You want to handle it? Exert a great effort? Isn’t it just using Yaoyao’s name to pressure others? Let me tell you, Yao Cheng, your mother has caused trouble not just once or twice. Not only you, but I’ve also cleaned up so many messes behind her. With her unchanging temperament, one day she’ll bring disaster to our whole family and even harm Yaoyao!”

“Do you really think it’s that serious?” Yao Cheng stammered. Seeing Huiniang’s glare, he added, “Then what should we do? The situation has escalated to this point; we can’t just leave it alone.”

“Anyway, I won’t keep it from Yaoyao. I’ll go to the palace and settle this.”

Yao Cheng held her back, “Do you really want Yaoniang to know? If she knows, His Majesty will undoubtedly be informed too, and our family’s face…”

Huiniang sneered, pushing his hand away, “At this time, you still care about our family’s face?!”

With that, she turned and left without looking back.

When Huiniang arrived, Yaoniang was playing with Sanbao and Sibao.

The two children had just learned to walk, chubby little bodies swaying like ducklings as they toddled along.

Sanbao was relatively well-behaved, a boy with a mischievous nature, though not as much of a little devil as Erbao. He explored everywhere in the Kunning Palace, followed by several palace maids and eunuchs, afraid he might fall.

As for Sibao, she took after Yaoniang’s personality – gentle and quiet. But she was timid and delicate, crying for a long while over the slightest discomfort.

The key point was that within the family, aside from Yaoniang, there was only this delicate little girl. She was held as though she might melt in one’s mouth or break in one’s hand if held too tightly. Even Erbao, with his reckless nature, became cautious around his little sister, afraid of making her cry. Otherwise, not only would he receive a glare from his Father Emperor, but also a beating from his elder brother.

In the past, Erbao thought that his older brother was quite fond of him and even doted on him. However, ever since his younger sister’s birth, his treatment has declined significantly. The last time he was beaten by his older brother was when Erbao, who still did not understand things properly, snatched Sibao’s toy, causing little Sibao to cry for a long time. That time, he finally experienced what it meant to be treated as cold as winter.

At this moment, little Sibao was clinging to their mother’s leg, crying with an indescribable sorrow. The key difference was that her cries weren’t like those of other children, loud and piercing. When Erbao cried as a child, it was like an ear-piercing wail. But Sibao, with her adorable appearance, had a softer voice when she cried, resembling the soft meowing of a kitten, her cries held within her throat.

Yet, even so, her distress was all the more apparent!

Sibao was crying because Sanbao had taken away her cat. Just like how Huahua treated Yaoniang, perhaps the various cats took after their mother, they showed little regard for the females in the family. Huahua particularly disliked Yaoniang, and the young ones not only disliked Yaoniang but also Sibao.

When encountering Emperor Jin’an and Xiaobao, Erbao, and Sanbao, the cats would become extremely docile, allowing themselves to be petted, scratched, and played with. But when it came to Yaoniang and Sibao, their faces seemed to say, “We are proud cats, and we don’t care about you troublesome humans.”

But now, Sibao had taken a liking to these furry creatures, always wanting to play with them. Originally, she had a palace maid hold special dried fish treats to lure Dahua, but Sanbao just walked by, and in the blink of an eye, Dahua started to follow him.

Seeing this, how could Sibao not feel angry, wronged, and upset?

“Hua…” Short and plump Sibao wore a delicate pink floral dress. Her hair wasn’t long enough to be tied yet, so just like her older brothers, there were a few strands gathered at the top of her head. Her chubby face was rosy with a hint of cherry blossom-like glow, a little nose that turned upwards, and pinkish lips. Even when she cried, she looked so soft that one would wish to offer their heart to her.

She held onto Yaoniang’s knee, pointing at Dahua and Sanbao who had long disappeared, murmuring short phrases like “Hua” and “want.”

Now, Sibao could speak a few words, like “mother,” “father,” “brother,” and so on.

Yaoniang comforted her, “Be good, mother will have someone bring Dahua over.”

As she said that, a palace maid led Huiniang into the room.

Once Huiniang came in, she took Sibao into her arms and asked, “What happened, little Sibao? Who bullied you? Tell Auntie, Auntie will settle it for you.”

Sibao knew Huiniang and didn’t resist being held by her. But she couldn’t talk right now, she just tugged on Huiniang and said “Hua.”

“It’s all because of that cat causing trouble again. Following Sanbao, causing little Sibao to start crying,” Yaoniang said helplessly.

Huiniang wiped Sibao’s tears gently with a handkerchief, comforting her, “Good girl, Auntie will get you two little kittens from outside the palace tomorrow. We’ll hold one in the left hand and one in the right, and we won’t compete with them.”

Sibao still hadn’t spoken, but Yaoniang chimed in, “Alright that’s enough. Kunning Palace is practically overrun by cats now. Dahua and Erhua are both female cats. If it weren’t for Doctor Liu’s medicine, who knows how many more cats there would be now.”

Just then, before Sibao could cry out, Zisu brought Dahua over, and Sibao immediately stopped crying. She pushed herself away from Huiniang and wanted to get down from her lap.

Huiniang put Sibao down, and she toddled over to Dahua, with no mother or auntie in her eyes, only Dahua.

Zisu stayed with Sibao in the corridor to play, while Yaoniang sat down to talk with Huiniang: “Sister, why did you come into the palace at this time? Is there something wrong?”

Yaoniang had given Huiniang a token that allowed her to enter the palace anytime, without needing to present the token first and wait for permission to be granted. It was quite easy for Huiniang to enter and leave the palace. However, she rarely entered in the afternoon; it was usually in the morning. This was why Yaoniang made such a remark.

“Believe it or not, there is really something wrong this time,” Huiniang said with a bitter smile. “This time, you might even get into trouble because of me.”