mesbooks Chapter 136 Whatever comes to mind
Chapter 136 Whatever comes to mind
After Yaoqin left, she went to the small kitchen. At the same time, Jinse and Tingxue were carefully helping the two adorable little ones wash up, hoping that gentle movements and warm water would quickly rouse them from their sleepiness.
A moment later, when Su Nuannuan and the two little ones had finished washing up and looked refreshed, Yaoqin happened to walk in carrying two bowls of steaming, fragrant soup noodles.
The noodles in the bowl were of uniform thickness, the broth was thick and delicious, and it was garnished with some tender green vegetables and fresh slices of meat, making it mouthwatering.
The two little ones' eyes lit up when they saw the delicious noodle soup. They couldn't wait to climb onto the chairs and sit down, ready to feast.
Once the soup had cooled down enough, they picked up their spoons and skillfully scooped up mouthfuls of noodles, eating with great relish. Although soup occasionally splashed onto their faces, overall they were quite clean and efficient.
After the two children finished their soup noodles with satisfaction, Jinse and Tingxue hurriedly stepped forward and carefully washed their hands and faces again.
Since the little ones turned two and started learning to eat independently, they have made considerable progress. In the beginning, after each meal, the table, the floor, and even their clothes would be covered in food scraps, creating a mess. However, as time went on, they gradually mastered the eating skills, and now, apart from a few stains on their faces and hands, and only occasionally a little residue on their bibs, the rest of their bodies are generally clean and tidy.
Looking at the two adorable children, Su Nuannuan thoughtfully said to Jinse, "Jinse, when we return to the palace, remember to remind me to go to the Imperial Household Department to select two experienced nannies."
I've been thinking about this lately, and I feel that these two little ones really need a nanny to take care of them. After all, relying solely on you few and those junior eunuchs, there are bound to be some oversights sometimes.
Especially Jingcheng, he's becoming increasingly mischievous and naughty; we need to find a strict nanny to discipline him. As for Jingyao, being a girl, she needs to be quiet and sensible, but she still needs careful attention.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Jinse replied respectfully with a bow.
"Your Majesty, do you think we should still let Yue Niang and Hong Lian enter the palace?" Yao Qin, who was standing to the side, frowned slightly and cautiously suggested to Su Nuannuan.
Su Nuannuan shook her head slightly and slowly said, "Absolutely not. Leaving aside the fact that these two are from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, and according to the rules they shouldn't stay in the palace for long, they are both married and have children. How could I bear to let them continue to be separated from their loved ones? Furthermore, the harem has always been a bloodbath, a place that devours people without spitting out the bones. They are not like you, with the ability to protect themselves. They are just ordinary women; if they rashly enter the palace, they might lose their lives. I am already deeply grateful for their willingness to come to the palace to help me."
Now, whether for the sake of maintaining the peace of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, for the sake of their children, or out of consideration for their family's unwavering loyalty to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, I cannot make such a decision, neither out of sentiment nor reason.
Upon hearing Su Nuannuan's words, Yaoqin's face showed worry, and she said anxiously, "But, Your Highness, we don't even know whose people those old women from the Imperial Household Department are working for. What if..."
Su Nuannuan, who was sitting on the small couch and playing with the two little ones in her arms, smiled slightly and gently comforted them, "Don't worry too much. We'll try to choose nannies with clean backgrounds and simple lives."
"Your Majesty, when will we be able to travel to the estate?" Jinse asked her mistress cautiously in a low voice.
Su Nuannuan gently shook her head and replied, "Let's wait a little longer. We've only just arrived at the palace. If we rush out now, it will inevitably give people something to talk about and give them something to criticize."
You must know, that Consort Su in the palace is always eyeing me covetously, constantly plotting against me! At this point, a mocking look involuntarily appeared on Su Nuannuan's face.
Upon hearing this, Yaoqin, standing to the side, looked completely unconvinced and said with a disdainful sneer, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, Consort Su is probably too preoccupied to scheme against you right now. She's currently focused on recuperating so that she can conceive a royal heir in one fell swoop!"
After Consort Su became pregnant when she first entered the palace, she never had any more good news for many years.
She herself may not be aware of the reasons, but Su Nuannuan knows them perfectly well, and even the Empress should be aware of them—after all, the Empress is in charge of this vast harem.
However, the empress usually turned a blind eye. As long as these concubines didn't cause any major trouble or threaten her own position, she let them do whatever they wanted.
Even if she drinks herself into a drug addict, it won't help.
You should know that Consort Qing gave her a drug that would prevent her from having children, a drug that is simply not available on the market.
Back then, she used tricks to scheme against Consort Qing with a fetus destined to never be born, and even used this opportunity to successfully advance her rank. But when Consort Qing later learned the truth, how could she possibly let her off so easily? Su Nuannuan gently shook her head as she slowly spoke.
As night falls and the lights come on, it's time for dinner.
Su Nuannuan did not stay in her own residence, Caiwei Palace, for dinner. Instead, she led the children to the Empress Dowager's residence.
When the two innocent and adorable little ones saw the Empress Dowager, they immediately rushed forward joyfully, calling her "Grandma this, Grandma that," which made the Empress Dowager very happy, and she even ate more than usual at dinner.
After dinner, the Empress Dowager first instructed her attendants to take the two little ones out for a walk to digest their food. After they left, the Empress Dowager turned to Su Nuannuan with a smile and asked gently, "Consort Zhuang, have you still not decided to arrange for two nannies to take care of their daily needs?"
Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's question, Su Nuannuan quickly smiled and replied softly, "Your Majesty, I hadn't originally considered this matter. However, after observing them for some time, I've realized that it would be inconvenient without dedicated nannies to take care of their lives. Therefore, I've planned to immediately go to the Imperial Household Department to select two suitable nannies to bring back after returning to the palace."
"Hmph! What's the point of going to the Imperial Household Department? The people there have served countless masters; how could they be reliable?" The Empress Dowager frowned slightly and shook her head as she spoke.
After a long pause, the Empress Dowager continued:
"I have two nannies under my command. I originally planned to let them leave the palace to live a peaceful life. But to my surprise, these two nannies refused, saying that they would serve me until the very end."
"Alas... Since that's the case, I'll have to make other plans. That's why I noticed that the two children don't have any nannies around them. That way, even if I pass away in the future, they'll have someone to rely on, won't they?" The Empress Dowager slowly raised her head, her gaze falling on Su Nuannuan, a deep meaning flashing in her eyes.
Hearing this, Su Nuannuan was overjoyed. She quickly stood up, bowed gracefully to the Empress Dowager, and said with a happy face, "Your Majesty, this is truly a timely help. It's exactly what I wanted. I thank Your Majesty for your generosity."
Seeing Su Nuannuan's overjoyed expression, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but smile slightly, asking in a teasing tone, "Hehehe, you girl didn't even refuse, agreeing so readily. Aren't you afraid that these two nannies are actually spies I specially planted by your side?"