Chapter 3: Junior Sister Part 2

Days passed leisurely and carefree. The emperor’s birthday banquet was in early May.

That day, the Imperial Academy had a holiday, and she hoped to sleep an extra hour—after all, this little body was still small, and being sleepy was normal. But her sweet dream lasted only half a moment before the consort came to wake her.

The birthday banquet was in the evening, and it was merely early morning now—why get up so early? She pretended not to hear and burrowed deeper into the bed. Unexpectedly, the consort knew her tricks well and sat on the bed, patting her shoulder through the quilt, coaxing, “Changqing, we can’t be late tonight.”

The consort was clearly from the borderlands, yet she knew Great Qi’s customs and rules inside out. She handled matters decisively without any muddling. When she first married over, she was not held in high regard, but her perceptiveness and excellence in dealing with people gradually silenced the mocking voices.

A six-year-old child housed a soul over a dozen years old. Xun Changqing knew she could not sleep in late today. She flipped over in the quilt and rolled straight into the consort’s arms, tilting her head up with a playful smile. “Mother Consort, can we come back early tonight? Um… I mean, come back early. I have to go to the Imperial Academy tomorrow and can’t be late.”

Since avoiding the meeting was impossible, she would avoid spending time together!

The consort was used to such talk. Xun Changqing had never given her worry over her studies—this was rare even for such a young child, so how could she refuse?

After entering the palace, the consort took Xun Changqing to Changle Palace to pay respects to the empress. With no Empress Dowager in the palace, the empress held the power.

The empress came from a noble house, and her position had been personally chosen by the emperor—not for other reasons, but because of her maternal family’s status.

Before the Grand Empress Dowager passed, the court was already a tripod of power among the maternal relatives: the Gu Liang family guarding the Border City, the Yuan family defending the capital region, and the Shao family with its cloud of influences.

The Pingnan Prince’s Mansion and the Yuan family both held command over hundreds of thousands of Great Qi’s troops, while the Shao family was a century-old noble house of civil officials. Though their military power did not match the first two, their foundations ran deep—the empress’s grandfather had been the Emperor’s Tutor, with disciples filling the world.

The factions checked each other, maintaining balance.

But now, the Pingnan Prince Xun Yi, stationed in the Southwest and establishing illustrious war merits, had been added. Though not a maternal relative, his military power surpassed even his mother’s. Sovereigns could suspect their own sons and fathers—let alone others! This made countless people envious.

Changle Palace had always been the empress’s residence, and Shao Yun was its master.

Xun Changqing was dressed festively that day in a bright red brocade robe, with a pure white jade pendant hanging at her waist, her ink-black hair tied in a golden crown. Her little face was tender, cheeks round and plump, teeth like white shells, and she faintly carried a milky fragrance. From afar, she truly looked like a little young lord.

After entering the hall and performing obeisance respectfully, she sat beside the consort, sitting upright in a way that seemed somewhat childish. The empress could not help teasing her. “Changqing, your outfit is quite unusual. Are you trying to find a wife for your mother consort to bring back?”

Changqing blinked. Though she disliked such pleasantries, she had to play along. “If Mother Consort agrees, I’ll marry one.”

Her words landed, and the palace servants in the hall burst into laughter. Fortunately, there were no outsiders present. Shao Yun immediately laughed. “If your mother consort agrees, I’m afraid your father prince won’t. What girl would marry a tomboy like you?”

Changqing did not care if it was sincere or not—after all, she was a child, and children’s words were carefree. She tugged at the consort’s sleeve beside her and asked earnestly, “Mother Consort, if someone wants to marry me, do you agree?”

The Pingnan Prince’s Consort’s face flushed red, clearly amused by Xun Changqing’s serious demeanor. She covered her lips with her hand, holding back her laughter, and said, “If someone wants to marry you, then marry them. Your father prince and I won’t interfere.”

This jest left the entire palace speechless with amusement. But Xun Changqing did not smile; beneath her long lashes, her eyes were filled with deep chill. Just days ago, she had thought to have no relation with her in this life, yet here she was thinking of her again—truly spineless.

Afterward, the imperial princes came one by one to pay respects as per custom.

Shao Yun had been in the palace for many years without children. The emperor selected several noble ladies to enter the palace, and a year later, the eldest imperial prince was born—but alas, he died young after just a few months. At that time, imperial physicians diagnosed the empress with child, and the emperor granted a great amnesty. Only afterward did concubines gradually become pregnant one after another.