The Beloved Imperial Consort Chapter 159

“Mistress, the food in the kitchen is already prepared and ready. Shall we begin serving the meal now?” Gui Momo carried Cheng Qing into the room and relayed a message from a maid she had encountered on the way.

“Daddy!” Cheng Qing was overjoyed when he saw Zong Zheng Lin. He stretched out his little hands, wanting to be picked up. 

Mu Xi Yao didn’t hear the little one calling for her. Her beautiful eyes narrowed. She immediately walked over, and took Zong Zheng Lin’s arm, secretly preventing him from picking up Cheng Qing. 

“For now, there’s no rush to serve the meal. Let’s bring Cheng Qing’s food first.” Today, they planned to teach the little one to eat on his own. They could serve the meal after feeding him.

“Momo, take Cheng Qing to sit properly on the small wooden chair and clean his hands while you’re at it.” 

Even though both of them were present, the little rascal called out to Zong Zheng Lin with enthusiasm, caring only about playing and having fun, not giving a thought to her. This habit had to be corrected. If he grew up to regard anyone who provided him with milk as his mother¹ , it would be better to give him a good beating when he was a child. 

Zong Zheng Lin understood her intentions, so he just went over to pat Cheng Qing’s head but didn’t take him to play as usual. Instead, he turned back and sat down at the round table, letting Mu Xi Yao personally attend to cleaning his hands. 

For the first time, the little bun felt ignored by his own dad. He pouted in grievance, and looked at his dad with teary eyes before turning to Mu Xi Yao and calling, “Mummy.” 

Mu Xi Yao handed a towel to Zong Zheng Lin and then went over to kiss Cheng Qing’s cheeks, finally feeling satisfied. 

Children should learn manners from a young age; otherwise, they may grow up to be disliked by others. There were many senior figures within the palace, and to be well-liked and receive more protection, one had to know how to flatter them. 

“Cheng Qing, remember this well. When you meet the Old Ancestor and Imperial Grandfather in the palace, you must greet them first.” The little bun remembered the two people mentioned by Mu Xi Yao very well. As soon as he heard they were people he knew, he immediately started calling out their names with excitement. His appearance was just like when Mu Xi Yao taught him to recognize images. 

Well, he was treating this as a game she was playing with him. Mu Xi Yao was speechless. Raising a son was really nerve-wracking.

As Zong Zheng Lin watched the mother and son talking, as if a chicken was speaking with a duck² , a smile gradually appeared at the corner of his lips. 

Cheng Qing was still so young. It was solely Mu Xi Yao who insisted on teaching him manners and rules. She herself was the most unruly, yet she wanted her son to learn to be disciplined and well-behaved. 

“Cheng Qing, be a good boy. From today onwards, you’ll learn to eat on your own.” As Mu Xi Yao pinched the little bun’s tender face, sure enough, Zhao Momo spoke, “Mistress, a child’s cheeks mustn’t be rubbed or pinched. It would be unfortunate if you hurt him.”  

“Alright, alright. Momo, just say that he might drool; what’s all this talk about hurting him?” Every child drools, so how could her pinch be the cause of it?

Zhao Momo was at a loss; the Mistress’s words were far from being elegant. When the Young Master grows up and learns about how his mother talked about him, how can he not feel ashamed? Glancing at the unperturbed Sixth Highness who wore a mild expression, Zhao Momo couldn’t help but sigh. 

Alas, this one remains uninvolved as ever, merely observing from the side and rarely interfering in Mistress Yao’s child-rearing. It was a pity that Her Ladyship Consort Shu didn’t know about this; otherwise, she wouldn’t let these two Masters look after her precious grandson in this manner.

Mu Xi Yao had someone bring a small wooden bowl and spoon specially prepared for Cheng Qing, and handed them to him, patiently teaching him how to hold them firmly. Afterward, it took a great deal of effort to make the little bun understand that this fresh item was not meant for him to bang and toy with, but rather to be used for feeding him until he was full. 

When you try something new, once given a start, as time goes on, it becomes more and more effortless. Cheng Qing was naturally bright; by mimicking Mu Xi Yao’s actions, he could quickly pick up two or three aspects of it. 

The nursemaid held a slightly larger porcelain bowl and scooped spoonfuls of vegetable-infused rice porridge into his bowl. As she watched the Young Master clumsily send food into his mouth, though his face was messy with porridge, at least he managed to eat some. She couldn’t help but feel delighted. 

Mistress Yao’s thoughts were truly peculiar. She started feeding solid food to the Young Master at such an early age; aside from nursing him twice a day as usual, the rest of the time was either rice porridge, egg custards, or minced vegetable and fruit juices. Fortunately, the Young Master was well-behaved, not only did he not make a fuss, but he has also learnt to eat by himself now. Such a young child, yet so bright – this was something unheard of in this entire capital city. 

“Baby Cheng Qing is the most well-behaved boy.” Since Mu Xi Yao achieved her goal, she generously praised the little one, and showered him with kisses on his tiny face, making him giggle happily. 

Ever since Cheng Qing’s birth, Zong Zheng Lin had witnessed his son being tormented and coaxed by Mu Xi Yao. And now, he could sit obediently in a chair and start learning to eat on his own. A faint smile unconsciously appeared on his lips. 

This woman was not the least bit indulgent with Cheng Qing and handled his upbringing excellently. Except for being a bit delicate in temperature, Mu Xi Yao was well-suited for a harmonious family life. 

After putting in the effort to teach Cheng Qing how to eat, and seeing him eat to his heart’s content, Mu Xi Yao then called the nursemaid to take him for a walk to aid his digestion. This content belongs to thehlifestyle.com, if you see this translation elsewhere, it’s been stolen!

Turning back, she instructed Hui Lan to serve the meal and placed the small jar of osmanthus wine in front of Zong Zheng Lin, “May Qie trouble Your Highness to unseal it.” She was afraid that she might not be able to control the force well if she slapped it down. 

Zong Zheng Lin took the jar, slowly untied the knot, and lifted the entire lid. In an instant, a wine’s fragrance filled the air. 

Mu Xi Yao watched the big boss’s every move with a bewildered expression. All she could think was: I’ve fallen for it again!

Damn it, who said that wine jars were opened by a slap? Did they not see how skillfully her man handled it with just a few moves? 

“Are you not going to serve the wine, Jiao Jiao?” What was she staring at the wine jar so silly for? 

Mu Xi Yao snapped out of it and smiled sheepishly. Luckily, luckily she didn’t do it herself. If she had delivered such a fierce slap in front of the boss, she could already picture herself making a stunning impact and embarrassing herself in front of others. 

She poured nearly half a bowl of osmanthus wine for Zong Zheng Lin, closely watching him, her eyes fixed on him without blinking, waiting for the boss to give his opinion.

She made this herself. Although she was a novice and lacked some finesse, she still should be encouraged, shouldn’t she? If the Sixth Highness disliked it, she would just stay in the study from now on. 

“How is it?” Mu Xi Yao asked. If it weren’t for the big boss forbidding her from touching alcohol, she wouldn’t have to wait so anxiously for his response. 

Seeing her expectant expression, Zong Zheng Lin deliberately slowed down his movements, sipped the drink unhurriedly, and closed his eyes as he savored the taste. 

After a while, he finally said, “Barely satisfactory.” 

The Sixth Highness shook his head. There was no sign of approval in his expression, but rather a sense of reluctance. The airs he put on made Mu Xi Yao grit her teeth. 

Although she didn’t have high hopes and didn’t think she could make the wine satisfactory for him in one try, did he really have to directly shatter her confidence like that? To put it mildly, Mu Xi Yao simply refrained from getting her hands to work to avoid being looked down upon, but when the moment arrived, she had a change of mind.  

Once her temper rose, how could she not come up with some mischievous ideas to annoy him? 

This stinky man didn’t know how to appreciate it, did he? Fine! She will offer it to someone who knows how to appreciate it and savor it slowly. 

“Does Your Highness find it unsatisfactory?” She looked aggrieved, with her fingers clasped and her eyes cast downward. 

Zong Zheng Lin held back his smile and continued to tease her, “Don’t be discouraged, Jiao Jiao. Next time, put more effort into it, and you’ll surely do better.”

Next time? As if there would be a next time! Mu Xi Yao’s proud and wilful nature surfaced. I’m done catering to you! 

“How about Your Highness try some shrimp meat? If this wine doesn’t suit your taste, Qie will have it replaced?” She peeled a shrimp for Zong Zheng Lin while stealing glances at Mo Lan, smiling brightly. 

Translation notes:

[1] Whoever provides milk is your mother is a Chinese idiom that is used metaphorically to describe someone who is opportunistic or easily swayed by personal gain. It implies that such a person will align themselves with whoever provides them with benefits or advantages, similar to a child who depends on their mother for nourishment.

[2] Chicken speak with duck is an idiom that implies a lack of understanding or mutual comprehension between two parties. It highlights the notion of speaking different “languages” or being unable to convey ideas effectively to one another.

Relationship Diagram  (by Sith Kazar)

Previous Chapter | Table of contents | Next Chapter