Farming with kids: My deceased husband returns and I spoil him rotten.

"Alright, all of you can leave now. I need to have a private talk with the girl; it's not suitable for you to listen."

The Queen led Shang Qing inside and spoke to the servants in a very calm tone.

Upon hearing the Queen's words, the servants bowed to her and then left together.

After all the servants had left, the Queen suddenly grabbed Shang Qing's hand and asked nervously, "Why did you come to the palace?"

"Of course I'm here to bring flowers to the Queen, didn't you know? And seeds too, which I went to great lengths to obtain, and I'm giving them to the Queen."

Shang Qing naturally knew why the Queen would ask that question, but she deliberately didn't say it and instead changed the subject.

"If the Queen likes it, she can grow it herself; it's very simple."

Shang Qing was describing the story vividly, but the Queen was very anxious. She held Shang Qing's hand tightly and asked, "Did you see the note I gave you?"

"Of course I saw it. The Queen wants me to escape quickly," Shang Qing said softly.

The Queen gripped Shang Qing's hand tightly: "Now that you've seen it, why didn't you leave? Why didn't you run away? Why are you still staying here?"

Towards the end, the Queen's voice rose slightly, but she was mindful of the people outside, so she didn't speak too loudly.

Shang Qing chuckled lightly: "Your Majesty, it is my own decision not to flee, and you should also know that this Hu tribe is under the control of the King."

"Do you really think I can escape? Rather than trying to escape from here, I'd rather the Queen make me understand what's really going on."

Shang Qing's eyes remained fixed on the Queen.

The Queen put her hand back on Shang Qing's and turned her head to the other side.

Shang Qing saw the Queen's actions and said, "Your Majesty, since you wrote me a note, it means you are on our side."

"You shouldn't have any reservations about me. If you don't trust us, why did you write me a note? Just tell me, maybe I can help you."

The Queen ignored Shang Qing's words and instead changed the subject.

"You just mentioned chrysanthemums. These chrysanthemums are really beautiful, and you've taken excellent care of them. What varieties are they? Could you find me some more seeds to plant?"

The Queen turned her gaze to the chrysanthemums, a slight smile playing on her lips, and said softly.

Shang Qing said calmly, "They are indeed very nice, but these chrysanthemum varieties are hard to find. They are all unique to the capital and the Central Plains. Does Your Majesty wish to go there?"

The Queen was taken aback when Shang Qing so bluntly revealed the origin of the seeds, and for a moment she didn't know how to respond.

When Shang Qing saw the Queen avoiding the topic, she had no choice but to say softly, "Your Majesty, let's go for a walk and see where we can plant these chrysanthemums."

Seeing that Shang Qing was not dwelling on the matter, the Queen quickly nodded and said, "Alright, let's go then."

……

Shang Qing and the Queen left the palace under the pretext of taking a break. The two of them walked around inside. Although it was only the two of them on the surface, she still felt that someone was watching them.

Or rather, to monitor the Queen, Shang Qing observed and indeed spotted a familiar face in the corner.

Shang Qing lowered her eyelids slightly and suddenly asked, "Who is that person over there? I've never seen him before."

The Queen looked in the direction she was looking and saw the person. She knew perfectly well why that person was there.

However, before she could figure out how to explain to Shang Qing, she heard her say, "He looks familiar. He seems to be one of the people who serve the King."

The Queen smiled and nodded: "Indeed, it is someone who serves the King."

“If he’s here, then the King is here too. Where is the King?” Shang Qing glanced around.

Queen Queen looked embarrassed and said seriously to the man, "The High Priestess and I are just taking a walk here. You'd better leave quickly, or we'll all feel uncomfortable with you here."

The man gave the queen a deep look, seemingly lost in thought, before bowing to her and leaving.

Seeing that the man had left, the Queen breathed a sigh of relief and then said to Shang Qing, "There's no one here anymore, let's continue. Did you find a place you liked earlier?"

"Is the Queen feeling particularly relaxed now? It must have been a long time since she's had a day without anyone following her around."

Shang Qing kept her eyes fixed ahead and spoke in a very calm tone.

The Queen's expression froze instantly. She turned her head to look at Shang Qing, unsure of what to say.

"The Queen probably wants to know how I knew. As I just said, that person looked very familiar, so of course I was able to recognize him."

Shang Qing turned his gaze to the Queen and continued, "Actually, you and the King didn't act that way, and I suspect that person is the King's child."

The Queen looked at Shang Qing with a terrifying gaze, and asked in surprise, "How did you know about this?"

Shang Qing shrugged: "Didn't I just say? I was just guessing, and even when I talked to the Queen, I wasn't sure, but seeing the Queen like this..."

"I think my guess was right. It seems that person really is the king's child."

In the end, Shang Qing actually smiled.

The queen closed her eyes in anguish and sighed, "Did you really just guess? Or do you know something?"

"Of course not. I just thought the child looked familiar. At first, I thought the king had a woman. After all, everyone knows that the king and queen are a couple who have been together for life."

Shang Qing continued, "But later, I felt something was wrong, especially with that person just now. He looked too much like the King, so I guessed that he was related to the King."

“You are truly intelligent; no wonder the High Priest took a liking to you,” the Queen said softly.

Shang Qing smiled and said, "I am a woman too. Women can understand women and can help her. Your Majesty, sometimes you have to be strong."

Then Shang Qing spoke to the Queen for a long time, making her think that the Queen understood her.

The Queen was deeply moved by what Shang Qing said to her. She then recounted the King's cold love for her and how the King had withheld a title for the servant's child in order to protect his own reputation.

"The king always keeps the child by his side, bringing him with him every time he comes, deliberately letting you see him to annoy you. How can you tolerate that?"

Shang Qing was surprised that the Queen was so tolerant. Had she forgotten that she was the Queen and that she could vent her dissatisfaction?

The queen laughed and said, "What good is being dissatisfied? Make a scene? Will anyone listen? They'll just think I'm being unreasonable, and no one will want to know what the real reason is."