Chapter 894: Chapter 892: Each to Their Own (2)

The Empress nodded slightly, and the two talked about other matters. When Wenhua Hall rested in the afternoon, the Empress instructed Nanny Mao to invite the three children to Fengwu Palace. The Eldest Prince was the first to greet the Empress and the Grand Dowager. The Grand Dowager stood to return the greeting, and the Eldest Prince stepped over to support her: "Grandmother, you came without letting anyone inform me!"

"Studying is serious business, this old woman wouldn’t dare to disturb you so easily." She spoke with a gaze full of affection: "You must be tired after sitting all day."

The Eldest Prince shook his head with a smile: "Not tired, the lessons were great, no feeling of fatigue!" Madam Shen’s eyes were full of relief.

Over here, Shen Wenli and Min stood up and greeted the Grand Dowager, who nodded: "There are no outsiders, no need for too much formality." Then her gaze fell upon Min, her eyes squinting slightly as she smiled: "This must be Third Young Master Xiao, truly a fine child."

Min lowered his head, his face slightly flushed. The Grand Dowager looked at him and asked, "How old are you this year?" He respectfully replied, "In response to you, old madam, I am seven years old this year."

The Grand Dowager nodded; the Empress smiled and said: "Sit down quickly, you must be tired from the day’s lessons." She then turned to Shen Wenli: "Li, are you hungry?"

Shen Wenli shook his head with a smile: "Your Majesty, I am not hungry." He looked at his grandmother: "Grandmother, are you here to pick me up?"

The Grand Dowager smiled widely: "Yes, I am here to pick up our Li." Said Li, and the Eldest Prince sat one on each side of the Grand Dowager. Min quietly sat down in the lower seat and respectfully took the tea offered by Nanny Mao: "Thank you, Nanny!" Nanny Mao looked at him again, smiled, and replied: "No need for courtesy, Master Xiao."

Min held the tea, looked straight ahead, and smiled in return.

The Grand Dowager and the Empress exchanged glances, neither spoke.

A female official then brought refreshments, placing in front of Min a type of pastry he hadn’t seen before, its fragrance tantalizing. Earlier, he had barely eaten a few mouthfuls at noon while dining with strangers in the side hall, and now, already hungry, the aroma made him feel even hungrier.

Min took another sip of tea.

Shen Wenli smiled with his eyes narrow: "Your Majesty, this pastry is truly delicious." The Empress looked on and replied with a smile: "If you like it, take the mold and ask the kitchen at home to make it."

Shen Wenli nodded, stood up, and thanked the Empress.

The Eldest Prince waved a hand and frowned: "You, as a man, shouldn’t always be seeking out food. Don’t forget to revise the lessons taught by the teacher."

"Yes!" Shen Wenli nodded, the Eldest Prince glanced at Min with scrutiny and asked: "Surely you understood it?"

Min placed down the tea cup, stood, and replied: "In response to Your Highness, I only understand partially!" The Eldest Prince squinted his eyes, scrutinizing Min, before saying: "Then go back and read thoroughly!" He scowled at the Empress and said: "Didn’t I hear you have already read the Analects at the mansion? How can you be so dull!"

The Empress furrowed her brow lightly: "You cannot speak of Master Xiao in such a manner." The Eldest Prince’s face darkened as he quickly stood up and left the room without looking back.

"Prince." The Empress was about to speak, then noticed others were present, furrowing her brow without calling out further. The Grand Dowager said: "Let him go, perhaps he is just tired."

Min stood there, quickly glimpsing the Eldest Prince’s departing figure, remaining expressionless.

Shen Wenli shrank his shoulders, softly explaining to the Empress: "Grandmother is right, His Highness listened most attentively, surely he is tired."

The Empress then smiled broadly.

"Your Majesty, Grand Commander Xiao has sent someone to inquire if Master Xiao is here, hoping he has not caused you any trouble." A female official reported from outside.

Min’s heart quietly rejoiced, hearing the Empress say: "Reply to Grand Commander Xiao that I will send Master Xiao over now." The female official answered and left.

The Empress then spoke to Min: "You seem tense, quickly go back, don’t keep your father waiting!" Min acknowledged the words, bowed to the Empress in thanks, and saluted the Grand Dowager before following the female official out of Fengwu Palace.

Once outside the hall door, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief, briskly following the female official toward the palace gate.

The Grand Dowager also bid farewell to the Empress, left the palace with Shen Wenli, and upon returning to the Shen Mansion, she summoned her maid and instructed: "Tomorrow, make a trip to Xuanning Marquis Mansion." With that, she took out a letter: "Give this letter to Qinghe, and remember, don’t alarm anyone else!"

Then she called for Shen Ji and asked: "I recall Fourth Master Xiao took in an actor in the past, and had Xiao Huaimin. Is that true?" Shen Ji laughed and nodded upon hearing this, recounting the romantic escapades of Fourth Master Xiao: "Yes, I even met that actor. Didn’t expect her to become pregnant; Old Fourth really lacked courage, letting her give birth to the child; bringing such a child into the mansion was quite a scandal."

"You really saw that actor?" The Grand Dowager inquired.

Shen Ji was confident: "I saw her, but not closely. Once went to watch a performance, and someone next to me pointed out a person serving by the stage, saying she was Fourth Master Xiao’s new flame. I took a cursory look without paying much attention." He suddenly paused, wondering why his mother was suddenly interested in Fourth Master Xiao’s love affair. So, he asked: "Mother, did something happen?"

The Grand Dowager looked at her son and shared her thoughts: "Don’t mention this to the Empress; she overthinks and tends to imagine things. Don’t make any claims without evidence."

"Mother, you might be overthinking this." Shen Ji dismissed her concern: "The late Empress died in childbirth, and the Third Prince personally sent people to verify it; the body..." he gestured towards the heavens: "was never properly buried, how could there be a problem!"

He wasn’t entirely wrong. The Grand Dowager knew the Third Prince well; he was ruthless, leaving no loose ends. Therefore, after the late Empress passed away, the Third Prince must have sent someone to verify things, unlikely to be deceived...

This suggests that perhaps she was indeed worrying too much?

She paused, but remained uneasy. If that child truly existed, the identity would undoubtedly be the greatest provocation and threat to the Eldest Prince. She couldn’t afford to give anyone a chance to overturn things. Hence, even if it took some effort to investigate and verify for peace of mind, it would still be worthwhile.

She looked at Shen Ji and said: "You weren’t involved or witnessed these events, so don’t trust hearsay." After some thought, she added: "You must find out what really happened back then. The actor allegedly ran away, why she ran away, where she is now, you absolutely must find her."

Shen Ji knew his mother never overlooked anything in her considerations. He had always trusted her without question. However, he had some skepticism about this matter, but despite some inner disagreement, he complied outwardly: "Yes, mother, I will handle it tomorrow."