Counterattack of the Cannon Fodder Chambermaid

Untitled Part 172

The father son pair only returned in the afternoon.

Zhuo'er had long since been unable to maintain the appearance of a crown prince. At this moment, he was carried off the carriage and into the Chenxi Palace by the Jing Emperor.

Right before they got to the main hall, he struggled and wanted to get down but the Jing Emperor didn't let go.

Xiao Hua took him into her arms and gave his blushing little face a kiss.

"Zhuo'er is tired. It's fine to let father carry you. No need to be shy in front of mom and little sis."

Zhuo'er mumbled and didn't respond, his face still red.

Yi Yi went up to her brother and played around with the beads on his headdress. She then asked Zhuo'er to take it off and let her try it on. Zhuo'er was very tired and couldn't be bothered to respond.

A group of palace maids and eunuchs came in to help the Jing Emperor and Zhuo'er take off their imperial outfits. Yi Yi took Zhuo'er's headdress and put it on her head crookedly, asking Xiao Hua if it looked good.

Xiao Hua looked at her daughter and burst out laughing, repeatedly saying that it looked good. Yi Yi then went to ask the Jing Emperor, who said the same thing.

A few minutes later, Yi Yi took the hat off and complained: "This hat isn't easy to wear. Can't see properly from the sides. Brother, how did you walk like this?"

Xiao Hua smiled and took the miniature headdress over and handed it to Ding Lan, "Eldest Princess Yi Yi, just because you can't see clearly doesn't mean your brother can't."

Zhuo'er didn't say anything. He didn't want to admit that he actually couldn't see clearly either, and had almost tripped a few times. Luckily his father had been holding onto his hand, and his father's large sleeves had shielded him from view, preserving his etiquette.

Thinking to this point, he looked at the Jing Emperor. The father and son exchanged a glance of tacit understanding.

***

On the first day of the New Year, the concubines in the rear palace had to pay respects to the empress. This could be counted as giving New Year's greetings.

Because the empress was ill, this was cancelled.

On the second day, Concubine Qiao and the Serene and Tranquil Concubines came to pay respects to the senior concubine.

Concubine Qiao had fallen from the skies back to the ground in a single night. She had been the third highest in status within the rear palace, but was now even lower than the Serene and Tranquil Concubines. They at least had titles, whereas she was now just addressed by her surname. She previously had her own palace, but was now relocated to a side hall according to the rules. Luckily, the Serene and Tranquil Concubines who lived with her in the Longcui Palace wanted to keep things simple now and didn't kick her while she was down.

Of course, the two of them weren't fools. They naturally knew the reason Concubine Qiao was demoted was due to the senior concubine's matters. She was currently the only favored one within the palace, and the two of them naturally wouldn't try to get closer to Concubine Qiao. They didn't step on her, but they didn't interact with her either. Everyone passed their own days in peace.

After the three of them paid their respects, Xiao Hua had them take a seat. After some superficial conversation, the people took their leave.

Xiao Hua didn't know what to say to them, and they were the same way. As women who shared the same man, she had occupied all the rainwater while the rest of them didn't even get a single drop. How could they chat freely with each other?