coobybook Chapter 449: The Other Side
Chapter 449: The Other Side
"Your Highness is too kind. How could I be feeling unwell? I just choked by accident."
"It turns out it was just a choking incident. I thought it was a cold." Lin Rusi looked nervous and turned to look at the child being held by the nanny. "Changning hasn't gotten sick since she came out, so I'm a little worried. Please forgive me for being too sensitive."
The lady was afraid that the little grandson would really get sick, so she waved her hands repeatedly and even covered her face with a handkerchief.
Once he was sure the man was no longer looking at her, his gaze fell on the palace maid once more.
"Who exactly is that person?"
"Your Majesty, this is a cousin from the Empress Dowager's family. She has always accompanied the Empress Dowager in her vegetarian meals and Buddhist chanting. She is especially pleasing to the eye and can be taken everywhere she goes."
Take it wherever you go.
"You even brought it with you to this Buddhist worship ceremony?"
"Yes."
After the palace maid finished answering, she looked up and met the other person's gaze. She gasped and took a step back.
Noticing her movement, Lin Rusi looked up and met the cousin's clear, bright eyes.
But she remained completely calm and even nodded to the other person.
"Why is the Crown Princess still standing? Does the Empress Dowager need to ask you to sit down before you come over?"
"Of course not."
Lin Rusi replied lightly, then turned her gaze back to the Empress Dowager.
"I was just thinking of getting to know the other ladies a little better, since Jingyang is always worried that I'm too tired and won't let me go anywhere."
"That's good, so I can stay home and focus on taking care of the little prince. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so healthy."
"Your Majesty is right. Your son will certainly take even better care of Changning."
Lin Rusi smiled gently at the Empress Dowager's gaze, then glanced at the young lady again, whose expression had become utterly unfamiliar.
But that only applies to this one person; she can see it in many other people as well.
This is really troublesome; this young lady seems to regard her as an enemy.
After having a child, Lin Rusi became more generous in her dealings with people and things, and she didn't care as much as before, but that doesn't mean she wouldn't retaliate if someone attacked her.
However, the other party's identity made her feel a little troubled, so she couldn't help but turn her gaze to the Empress Dowager.
They clearly came from that situation, so how could this person not notice anything at all?
Or did they notice it but think it was nothing, or even want to force people in?
These are all just Lin Rusi's guesses, and there's no way to confirm them. Naturally, she can't show them and put herself in a passive position.
After she figured everything out, she looked again at the woman with a radiant smile and innocent, doe-like eyes.
"I'm not sure whether to address this person as 'younger sister' or something else; I don't recall ever seeing her in the capital before?"
"It's normal that you haven't seen her. She has always been by my side, and now that I think about it, that's exactly why this girl has been held back."
The Empress Dowager suddenly spoke, her gaze falling on Lin Rusi, seemingly scrutinizing something.
Thinking that his words had displeased the other party, he tensed up slightly, but out of the corner of his eye he saw Miss Biao's barely perceptible smile.
“We should be the same age, so there’s no need for the Crown Princess to call me ‘sister’ or ‘younger sister.’ Just call me Juan’er.”
"I see, Juan'er is a lovely name, but..."
Noticing the Empress Dowager's gaze, which clearly anticipated her next words, Lin Rusi naturally couldn't say anything carelessly and could only use a line of poetry to deflect the question.
Turning her gaze away, the Empress Dowager patted Zhuang Lijuan's hand and recited another line of poetry.
"A gentle breeze wafts softly, and the dew glistens beautifully."
"You're just trying to coax me."
Seeing Zhuang Lijuan's charming appearance, the Empress Dowager smiled gently and casually put a strand of hair that had fallen down back in its place.
She seemed to be used to it, and as she handed the tea to the Empress Dowager, she glanced at Lin Rusi again and gave her an even gentler smile.
"Why hasn't the Crown Princess come yet? Is she worried that the Empress Dowager and I are neglecting you?"
Zhuang Lijuan whispered a few words to the Empress Dowager and walked straight up to Lin Rusi.
Seemingly curious as to why she wasn't moving, he reached out and tugged at her arm, as if trying to loosen his grip and make some small movements.
But to Zhuang Lijuan's surprise, Lin Rusi stepped forward first.
"Walk slowly, don't fall."
"She's already at the age to get married, she can't be so frivolous anymore."
Without giving her a chance to refute, Lin Rusi turned around and took Changning, who was handed to her by the nanny, and shook the little hand at her.
"Changning really loves to sleep. She'll definitely grow up to be as tall as the Crown Prince."
"There's such a saying?"
Hearing the Empress Dowager's curious words, she naturally raised her head and nodded to the person.
"This is what I heard from the imperial physician. It is said that when children are young, more sleep and movement can help their bodies stretch out."
"Fortunately, I did not make a mistake back then, otherwise the Emperor would still be angry with me."
This sentence gave Lin Rusi an idea for how to get closer, and she slowly moved forward.
"Neither the Crown Prince nor I have taken care of the child much. Although we have a wet nurse, we always want to take good care of our first child. We would like to ask the Empress Dowager for some guidance."
Looking at Lin Rusi's eager-to-learn appearance, the Empress Dowager couldn't bring herself to dislike her. A slight smile appeared on her lips as she uttered a single word: "Good."
At this moment, Changning finally woke up, let out a soft hum, opened her eyes without crying, and even let out a clearer laugh at the familiar face.
"This child loves to laugh, which is quite unlike his father and son."
“Changning is just like me in this respect; the Crown Prince always says that we laugh exactly the same way.”
He then gave a similar but more subtle smile, making it easier for the Empress Dowager to compare the two.
Changning was unaware of all this; he simply watched Lin Rusi smile and laughed even more heartily, gesturing wildly with his hands.
"Changning likes her grandmother?"
"Ah!"
This response made the Empress Dowager even happier, and she reached out to touch Changning's little face.
Although those hands were old, they were still somewhat different from those of other people of the same age.
The little guy didn't seem to mind at all, and rubbed his smooth face against it.
"She was standing still just now, and now it's your turn?"
“I wasn’t standing still. I just chatted with the other ladies for a bit. Since you miss me so much, I’ll come over right now.”
When the Empress Dowager heard Zhuang Lijuan's words, she simply shook her head slightly, then withdrew her hand from Changning's face and gently patted the spot next to her.
Having been by her side for so long, how could I not understand what she meant?
Zhuang Lijuan immediately smiled and quickly walked back to sit down next to the Empress Dowager.
Lin Rusi didn't pay much attention to the person sitting on the other side; instead, she focused all her attention on Changning.
I wonder if Li Jingyang will come looking for her if he doesn't see her when he gets back.
If I had seen Changning in my arms for so long back then, I'm afraid I would have had a lot to say.
Thinking of Li Jingyang's incessant chatter, she lowered her head and tidied up the few stray hairs on her child's forehead.
When he looked up again, he met the strange looks in the eyes of several of the ladies.
Lin Rusi turned her head to look in the direction of the gaze and found Zhuang Lijuan sitting there. She frowned slightly in confusion.