Phoenix Reborn: the Prime Minister’s Scheming Daughter - Chapter 371

The dog meat sent from Second Prince Mansion almost pushed all the officials into insanity. It was a problem whether they ate it or not. Everyone knew that Second Prince Baili Jinchuan loved dogs. If he knew that they ate the meat, he would probably bear a grudge against them. If they didn’t eat, they would be defying the imperial decree. After all, the Emperor had personally given the decree to divide the meat among the officials.

The atmosphere in the capital gradually became subtle. Many officials did not understand what the Emperor wanted to do. At first, the Emperor suppressed the Fifth Prince and favored the Second Prince. Now, the Second Prince was demoted, the Fifth Prince was promoted to Royal Prince, and the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were caught in the middle. The current situation was chaotic and a mess.

Shen Ninghua supported her forehead with one hand and leaned against the couch, watching Big Boy and Baby Girl playing in the room. Baili Junyi sat next to her with a genuine smile on his face.

Big Boy held the palm-sized ceramic pony and presented it to his sister like he was presenting a treasure. “Sister, here…”

Baby Girl looked at the pony in her brother’s hand and then looked at the box beside her. She shook her head, “Have!”

Baili Junyi ordered his men to make twelve zodiac animals from the ceramic. The potters made about twenty sets of animals and gave the two finest sets to the children. The palm-sized animals were especially cute. Even Shen Ninghua found them very adorable and irresistible.

Big Boy, who was rejected, was a little sad. He lowered his head and pinched the pony’s hoof. He got up and staggered into Baili Junyi’s arms. “Horse… Cow… Gold…”

Baili Junyi lowered his head and picked him up. He often played with the two children, so he naturally knew what Big Boy was talking about. “You want a set of twelve golden zodiac animals?”

Big Boy quickly nodded. “Yes, want!” Baby Girl had a set of white ceramic animals and didn’t want his horse. He wanted to get a set of golden animals because Baby Girl didn’t have the golden animals.

Baili Junyi giggled at his confident tone. “Are you worth a set of golden animals? Should I sell you?”

Big Boy frowned and looked at Baili Junyi as if he was condemning him for being annoying. “Mother… said… treasure.”

Baili Junyi held him and shook him. “Your mother said that you are a treasure, but I never said that.”

“Bad!”

“Haha! How dare you say that to your father! Yes, I am a bad dad, and I won’t give them to you.” Baili Junyi got the upper hand and looked at Big Boy proudly.

Big Boy glanced at Baili Junyi and kicked his calf to come down. Baili Junyi put him down and saw him pounce in front of Shen Ninghua. His chubby little body was half lying on the edge of the couch. His little hand was clenched into a fist and placed in front of his chest. His black eyes were full of pleading. “Mother…”

Shen Ninghua was amused by his appearance. “Yes?”

“Golden Horse… Change…” Big Boy thought for a long time before saying this.

“Change? You mean to exchange your things for a set of golden twelve zodiac animals from me?”

The words were a little complicated. Big Boy took quite some time to understand it before finally nodding. His eyes were moist like a little beast as he looked at her. “Mother, okay.”

Shen Ninghua laughed out loud. Baili Junyi, who was at the side, was happy. When Big Boy was facing him, it was as if he was facing his nemesis as he glared at him in dismay. However, he looked so adorable in front of Ninghua!

“If you give your things to your sister, what else can you exchange for?”

Big Boy picked up the ceramic pony from the ground and placed it in front of Shen Ninghua one by one, along with the other ceramic zodiac animals that were scattered around. “Mother, change!”

Baili Junyi picked him up and patted his butt. “You surely know how to do business and deceive your mother. It really isn’t a loss at all to exchange a set of ceramic animals with a set of gold ones.”

Seeing his expression, Big Boy lowered his head in disappointment, and his head and limbs were hanging limply like a kitten who had been defeated.

Shen Ninghua hurriedly hugged him with pity. “Alright, alright. I promise that I will take the ceramic sets and make a set of golden animals for you.” After saying that, she called Hong Ling over and asked her to keep the ceramic zodiac animals away.

Big Boy was immediately happy. Not minding being spanked by his father, he wiggled in joy and wanted to turn his body to look at Baby Girl on the ground. “Sister… golden… horse…”

Baby Girl slowly got up and walked to Baili Junyi. She stared at her father with a serious face and waved her chubby little hand. “Father… put brother… down.” Baby Girl spoke much more quickly than Big Boy, and her words sounded clearer, which made Baili Junyi especially happy.

Hearing his precious daughter’s order, Baili Junyi quickly obeyed and put Big Boy down. Baby Girl nodded with satisfaction. She pinched Big Boy’s clothes to make them look tidy. Seeing that his clothes became more wrinkled, she patted the clothes again. Finally, she sighed slightly after feeling that she had not learned the skill of tidying up clothes. “Brother, be good!”

Big Boy immediately stood up and grinned from ear to ear. He reached out and grabbed his sister’s hand, looked back at Baili Junyi, and took her to the side to play.

Baili Junyi burst out laughing. “Ninghua, did you see that? That kid is looking down on me. He is showing off to me. He’s so young, but he dares to challenge me. What should I do in the future?”

Big Boy found him too loud and annoying, so he led his sister to the nurse. “Go back… to the small courtyard!”

The nurse and the others quickly looked at Shen Ninghua. After seeing her nod in agreement, they each picked up a child and brought them to the small courtyard next door.

Baili Junyi reached out and pulled Shen Ninghua into his arms, stroking her neck. “Ninghua, I was hurt. That brat pissed me off.”

Shen Ninghua nodded calmly. “Well, I will teach him a lesson later. How can he be so disrespectful to the elders?”

Baili Junyi was even more annoyed. “Disrespectful to the elders? You are clearly mocking me for holding a grudge against a boy! Oh, you take that brat’s side and irritate me!” As he spoke, he hugged her even tighter and reached out to tickle her.

“Haha!” Shen Ninghua laughed so hard that her hair was slightly disheveled. Her clothes were also a little messy. She leaned into Baili Junyi’s arms and panted. “I will definitely help you… teach Big Boy… a lesson!”

After receiving Shen Ninghua’s guarantee, Baili Junyi finally let her go. He lowered his head and looked at her shoulders and messy hair. Her peach blossom face and eyes were filled with love. Feeling his heart beat violently all of a sudden, he bent down and picked her up. “You said I am old? I will show you if I am old or not today!”

The next day, Shen Ninghua woke up when it was late in the morning. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw two little children playing on the side of the bed.

When Big Boy and Baby Girl saw her wake up, they quickly came over and shouted, “Mother, Mother.” When Big Boy shouted, he reminded Shen Ninghua of his twelve golden zodiac animals.

Shen Ninghua moved slightly and felt as if her entire body was falling apart. All the bones in her body were aching. “I know. I remember.”

Only then was Big Boy satisfied. Baby Girl lay on Shen Ninghua’s leg. “Mother, does it hurt? Come, I blow!” As she spoke, she gently pouted her lips and blew at Shen Ninghua.

Shen Ninghua’s face turned red, and she was completely annoyed with Baili Junyi in her heart. He was full of vigor and had no sense of propriety at all. “I’m fine. Thank you, darling.”

Big Boy originally wanted to come over, but Hong Ling called the nurses in to take the children out. Only then did Shen Ninghua get up and put on her clothes. After washing up, she ate with the two little ones.

After breakfast, Hong Ling led an unfamiliar nurse in. Shen Ninghua glanced at her and did not recognize who she was. “Who is…”

“Greetings, Princess Zhaohua. I am Nurse Wei.”

“Nurse Wei, you look a little unfamiliar. I wonder which concubine’s palace you are from?”

“Your Highness, I am from Noble Cosort Li’s palace. Today, I’m here to send an invitation to Your Highness. It will be Her Grace’s birthday in two days, and it happens to be the Hundred Flowers Festival. His Majesty specifically ordered Her Grace to prepare two tables of dishes. Her Grace personally wrote an invitation, hoping Your Highness to join her banquet.”

Noble Cosort Li? Shen Ninghua’s heart skipped a beat. She had very little interaction with Noble Cosort Li. Even when she did, their meeting was not pleasant. In the past, she had never invited her to celebrate her birthday. Why did she suddenly invite her today?

“Alright. I’ll definitely attend her banquet. Hong Ling, send Nurse Wei out.”

“Oh, you don’t have to, Miss Hong Ling. I can go out on my own,” Nurse Wei hurriedly refused, but Hong Ling insisted on sending her to the gate.

Shen Ninghua looked at the invitation in her hand, and her thoughts were fussy.

Hong Ling came back and saw Shen Ninghua in a daze. She was a little worried. “Miss, is this Noble Cosort Li going to declare war on you?”

Hearing this, Shen Ninghua smiled. “She has just been promoted to the position of Noble Consort, and her foundation is still not stable. She can’t act rashly so quickly. If she hadn’t been able to wait even for a while, she would have already been buried alive by the previous Empress.”

“Why did she send the invitation over?”

Shen Ninghua was clueless as well. “Pay attention to the movements in the Palace for the next two days.”

“Yes, Miss, I will. Don’t worry.”

The Palace was silent for a long time. It was not until the day of the Hundred Flowers Festival that it became slightly lively.

Noble Cosort Li had just been conferred the title of Noble Consort, and the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were also highly valued by the Emperor. At this moment, the Palace became particularly busy and lively because of her birthday.

Early in the morning, Noble Cosort Li woke up and let the palace maids dress her up.

It was already the beginning of spring. The weather was exceptionally good. Many flowers had bloomed in the garden outside the hall. Nurse Wei came over with a plate of blooming peonies. Her face was full of smiles. “Your Grace, these are the newly bloomed peonies in the garden. I had the gardener pick the most beautiful ones and send them over. Please select one. You will outshine the flower if you wear it as a hairpin!”

Outshine the flower? Noble Cosort Li immediately laughed delightfully. “I’m already old. Why would I need a peony hairpin?” Despite that, she looked at the plate of flowers and chose the most beautiful one.

“I bet no one will believe it when you say that you are old, Your Grace. If the Third Prince and Fourth Prince are not by your side, no one will doubt you even if you say that you are eighteen.”

Noble Cosort Li smiled even more happily. She waved her hand to dismiss the palace maids, who were serving her. She squinted her eyes slightly. “Is everything ready?”

Nurse Wei quickly lowered her head. “Yes, Your Grace. Everything is ready. Don’t worry. We won’t fail this time.”