Yi Xin as a concubine

After Chu Xingchen left, Xin Baoer's life became busy.

They had been together day and night for two years. Although they were not actually husband and wife, they had a tacit understanding like an old married couple. As soon as he left, she naturally took over the things he left behind.

The household affairs of the palace, the overt and covert business operations, and Chu Duanhong's studies.

In the two years since Xin Baoer came back, Xiang Qing's power has been reduced bit by bit. Now she can only manage the one and a half acres of land in her own yard, and this is because she has a good son.

Little Duanhong is now a grown-up boy. The ten-year-old boy is no longer short. When standing together with Xin Baoer, he is only half a head shorter. He is tall and strong, and no longer looks sickly and weak as a child.

"Sheng'er, have you paid your respects to your mother these two days?" Xin Baoer asked softly while sitting in Chu Xingchen's large study, dealing with the piles of documents on the table.

"Yes, I visit my parents every morning and evening, and I never slack off." The young boy answered respectfully, his little face was tense, but the complex emotions in his eyes betrayed his age.

After all, he is still young, and even if he appears mature on the surface, he cannot hide his emotions.

Xin Baoer has always been the most sensitive to emotions. She sighed softly, put down the official business in her hands, moved her skirt slightly, walked slowly in front of the young boy, and reached out to rescue the pen that the child was holding tightly in his hand.

"Sheng'er, you are still a child. You don't need to put so much pressure on yourself. You still have me and your father. You should know that you also have someone to rely on and your family to support you."

The young boy's eyes instantly turned red and he threw himself into Xin Baoer's arms. After a while, a suppressed cry came out of Xin Baoer's arms.

Xin Baoer patted his back lovingly, without saying anything to comfort him, just quietly waiting for him to vent.

When the boy raised his head again, Xin Baoer's clothes were already wet. Looking at his masterpiece, the boy couldn't help but blush.

"You are really the child brought up by your father. You are so mature at such a young age. As for your mother, let her say whatever she wants. She is just a pitiful woman."

Xin Baoer called Lianrong to bring her a new dress, slowly sat down at the round table, skillfully poured out a cup of warm tea, and gently pushed it to the young boy.

The young boy looked a little dazed, and did not move until Xin Baoer came back after changing her clothes. Then he sat down opposite her, picked up the teacup, and drank it in small sips.

Only after he finished the slightly cool tea in the cup did he look up at Xin Baoer with a puzzled look.

"Aunt, are you really not angry with my mother? She has done so many excessive things to you."

The young boy asked cautiously, with obvious hesitation and apology in his tone.

Xin Baoer smiled, her smile was calm and peaceful, as if all those difficulties and frame-ups had never happened, and she asked gently, "It didn't work, did it?"

It's not that she is very generous. In fact, ever since she gained her own power, she seemed to have straightened her back. In the two years outside, she was protected by the little guys under her. They would not take revenge for any grudge, but it's almost the same. Anyway, those who made her suffer would never have bad luck overnight.

But for Xiang Qing, apart from doing it for Xiao Duanhong's sake, she really couldn't bring up any thoughts of revenge. If she had to say something to express her feelings, it would probably be "There must be something hateful about pitiful people!"

"That desolate land not only bound her freedom, but also her vitality and soul. A gentle and graceful lady who believed in the Three Obediences and Four Virtues since childhood, was at a loss as to what to do after encountering a huge change in her life. In order to save herself and survive, she derived all kinds of unrealistic and even immoral ideas. Although we all disagree with them, we have to say that this is the last gap on her staggering path to struggle out.

To her, I am an outsider and an invader. Not only did I barge into the stable space that she was struggling to maintain, but I also snatched away Chu Xingchen, the only person who could bring her a sense of security. Now, hating and blaming me is her motivation to live. If one day she suddenly stops hating and blaming me, it may not be a good thing.

Sheng'er, everyone may not understand her, but I hope you can understand her and tolerate her. After all, she never treated you unfairly in the most difficult times. Her heart is just cold and panicked. You can always warm it up with patience. Your father and I both lost our mothers when we were young, so we don't want you to have this regret. Do you understand?"

“Daddy said that I can be filial to her but I can’t indulge her. I…” The young boy pretended to be mature, with his eyebrows twisted together, and he was obviously very confused.

"Then you need to grasp the balance yourself. People's hearts are biased, and it is normal to have biases. But if one day you hold great power, all your biases must give way to the interests of your country and the people." Xin Baoer rubbed the boy's head with pretended sincerity.

"So Auntie didn't marry Daddy because she was waiting for the time when Daddy no longer needed to consider other things and would only be devoted to you?"

The young boy had clear eyes and a crisp voice, and asked sincerely and solemnly, as if he could make some important decision as long as Xin Baoer nodded.

"Do you think your aunt is selfish?"

Xin Baoer didn't ask him how he could know all this at such a young age, but just asked back with a little curiosity.

The young boy shook his head firmly, showing a rare bit of shyness, and whispered: "You are a good person, not selfish!"

Xin Baoer couldn't help but smile even sweeter.

The two were laughing when Lancao rushed in. She didn't even look at who was in the room and started yelling, "The one in the main courtyard is making trouble again. This has been the nth time since the second master left. If they don't want to enjoy their good days, then why not give up? Miss, you can't always be so easy to talk to, you..."

The chattering sounds stopped abruptly after he saw the person sitting opposite his master. He stood there awkwardly, and when he saw his master's cold eyes, his face gradually turned pale.

"Slap!" When the air was about to freeze, Xin Baoer suddenly ordered in a cold voice.

Lancao had been with Xin Baoer for so long and had almost never been punished. She was stunned when she heard this, but she quickly reacted, knelt on the ground with a plop, and raised her hand to hit her face without hesitation. For a moment, the only sound in the room was "pa pa pa".

I don't know how many times he hit her before the boy woke up from his shock and said, "Auntie, that's enough."

"That's enough. Stop it. Go back and apply medicine. You will be confined for three days and fined three months' salary. If you say anything else, you can leave the house on your own." Xin Baoer gave the order expressionlessly. Her face showed no joy or sadness, but she carried a rare majesty.

"Aunt, I'm sorry, I..." The young boy's face turned pale. He did not stop Lancao on purpose just now. Lancao was the person Aunt trusted the most. They were master and servant in name, but in reality, they were no different from sisters. Logically, he should give face to Aunt.

But Daddy said that he would be the future emperor, and his dignity could not be challenged. Even if his mother was wrong, a servant should not be able to say anything about her.

"I've spoiled Lancao, and she's been talking without thinking. Sheng'er, for the sake of aunt, forgive her this time. If she makes the same mistake again, I will never let her off easily, okay?"

After Lancao left, Xin Baoer's expression relaxed and she spoke softly to Xiao Duanhong.

The young boy nodded in a serious manner, his face tense, and he stood up slowly, bowed to Xin Baoer, and apologized in a condescending manner: "Auntie, Sheng'er wants to rest for a while, go..."

Xin Baoer waved her hand before he finished speaking and said softly, "Go ahead and spend more time with her."

Only after the young boy's figure completely disappeared from her sight did Xin Baoer retract her gaze, sighed leisurely, and raised her hand towards somewhere outside the door.

Lancao walked in slowly, and said with grievance and guilt: "Miss, I know I was wrong."

Xin Baoer helped the person who was about to kneel down to apologize and said earnestly: "Lancao, words can cause trouble. No matter what kind of relationship I have with the Second Master in the future, Sheng'er will always be the one standing at the top. People's hearts are fickle. In the game of power, feelings always come second. After all, that person is his biological mother. The Second Master is unwilling to touch her easily, let alone me? Be more careful in what you say and do in the future."