Chapter 2: Chapter 831: Imperial Consort Cannot Be Wrong

After the two children left, feeling reluctant to part, Mu Qingge sent a message via carrier pigeon to Rong Jue to let him know she was safe, then washed up and fell asleep.

Having endured the exhaustion of travel for some time, she was utterly drained and slept very soundly.

The next day, when Ji Ziyan and Rong Zhan arrived, she had not yet woken up.

When she finally woke and stepped outside, she saw a child who looked like a little ball of white snow and a delicate, upright youth sitting in the small pavilion in the courtyard of the guest house.

The little child was sitting properly at the stone table, holding a book and clumsily but earnestly flipping through the pages.

The youth was resting his chin on his hand, pointing at the book every now and then.

The two of them seemed to be engaged in a lesson, one learning to read and the other teaching.

They were exceptionally serious.

Hearing the door open, both of them turned their heads.

Mu Qingge stretched and said with a smile, "You two are here so early?"

"It's not early anymore. I've already finished the morning court session and came all the way here, and you still say it's early?" Ji Ziyan didn't stand up. Watching Mu Qingge walk over, he beckoned to the palace servants at the side, "Bring the prepared food over here; we'll eat here."

"Yes."

The servants hurried off to carry out the order.

Duanmu Yage walked up to the two of them and patted the youth on the shoulder, "You had people bring food here?"

"I figured you wouldn't wake up this early. The servants previously in this house are faceless, and the soldiers who came with you wouldn't know how to cook, so I brought two chefs from the palace."

"Not bad, how thoughtful."

Mu Qingge patted his head in appreciation. Seeing her son holding the book and remaining silent, only staring at her with his eyes, her heart softened. She crouched down and asked gently, "Zhan'er, why aren't you saying anything?"

Rong Zhan’s ear tips turned red, and he shook his head.

"He's too happy, and shy," Ji Ziyan immediately read the child's mind and teased, "He woke up earlier than me this morning. After washing up, he ran to my palace before I was even awake. I went to the morning court, and he just waited in the palace the whole time. As soon as I finished, he said he wanted to come out with me to pick you up and bring you into the palace."

Mu Qingge touched her son's cheek and couldn't help but pick him up, "Is Zhan'er being so well-behaved?"

Rong Zhan’s ear tips turned even redder. He felt a bit awkward, but couldn't bear to look away, letting Mu Qingge kiss him several times before he spoke in a childish voice, "Father said I’ve grown up."

"Hmm?"

Mu Qingge didn't understand.

Ji Ziyan chuckled, "Zhan'er said that now that he's grown up, he shouldn't be held like this anymore."

"No matter how much you grow, you're still Mother's child." Mu Qingge held him for a moment, but her arms couldn't take it, so she set him down, "Mother holding her own child has nothing to do with age, you know?"

Rong Zhan nodded obediently.

Mu Qingge was very satisfied. She sat down beside him and asked, "Do you miss your father?"

Rong Zhan paused before nodding gently.

Mu Qingge sighed softly as she watched him.

This child’s personality was exactly like his father’s; neither of them was very good at expressing themselves.

She didn't force it. At that moment, the servants brought the food over—more than ten dishes, covering the entire stone table.

Fortunately, the portions for each dish weren't large, but Mu Qingge still said, "Yan'er, don't be so wasteful next time."

"Alright."

Ji Ziyan didn't argue at all.

Seeing the servants set out three sets of bowls and chopsticks, Mu Qingge frowned, "You haven't eaten yet?"

Ji Ziyan looked helpless, "What can I do? Zhan'er said he wanted to eat with you and refused to eat anything in the palace, so we had no choice but to come here."

Mu Qingge glanced at her son and saw him fiddling with his small fingers, head bowed, not daring to speak.

Father had said that one should not be willful.

Since last night, he had been far too willful.

Seeing him looking like he had done something wrong, Mu Qingge felt both soft-hearted and pained; she couldn't bear to use a harsh tone, "Zhan'er is so good. It was Mother who woke up too late and didn't set a good example. Mother will wake up earlier next time, and that way, our Zhan'er won't go hungry."

Rong Zhan suddenly raised his head, his little brows furrowed as he said seriously, "Mother cannot be wrong."

The day Mother returned, Father said that Mother is the best person in the world.

She is also the hardest-working person, and she is different from them.

Everything she does is as it should be, and everything she does is right.

Mother must not blame herself because of him; if she is blaming herself now, then it must be his fault.

Seeing his serious expression, Mu Qingge burst into laughter.

Her own son—no matter how she looked at him, he was just so cute and so handsome.

Seeing Mu Qingge laugh, Rong Zhan’s face turned red again. Remembering something, he turned to Ji Ziyan and said earnestly, "Little Uncle, I will punish myself today by memorizing three extra chapters, practicing ten more pages of calligraphy, and holding the horse stance for two extra quarters of an hour."

Ji Ziyan raised an eyebrow, not objecting, "Fine, I'll check tomorrow."

"Okay."

Mu Qingge was bewildered, "Zhan'er, why are you punishing yourself?"

For such a young child, one chapter a day was already good, and he was punishing himself with three more? And ten more pages of calligraphy?

And on top of that, starting the horse stance at six years old?

He was only six!

This was too harsh!

Rong Zhan’s little face set, "If I am wrong, I must be punished."

Mu Qingge couldn't keep up with his train of thought. After sorting it out, she said helplessly, "Zhan'er, you aren't wrong..."

Rong Zhan was very stubborn, his voice milky, "I am wrong, Mother doesn't need to speak for me."

Mu Qingge wanted to say more, but Ji Ziyan laughed, "Little Mother, just let him be. Once he has made up his mind and decided on something, it cannot be changed."

"But... the self-punishment is too heavy," Mu Qingge said with a heartache, "I was going to say, since you're both out, we can take our time going into the palace. I wanted to take you both around to have some fun."

"That sounds great, I haven't played in a long time either." Ji Ziyan’s eyes lit up, "How shall we play? Where shall we go?"

"..."

Mu Qingge took a deep breath and reminded him helplessly, "Are you the one from Jueyan, or am I?"

"That's true."

Ji Ziyan nodded and ordered the servants at the side, "Go quickly and find out where there is fun to be had."

"Yes."

The servants hurried off to handle it.

Seeing that no one had picked up their chopsticks, Mu Qingge was truly afraid the child would go hungry, so she quickly said, "Don't just talk and not eat. Let's eat while we chat."

After saying this, she lowered her head and asked her son gently, "Zhan'er, what do you like to eat? Mother will pick some for you."

"Zhan'er can do it himself," Rong Zhan said very seriously, "Mother, you eat."

But she wanted to take care of him.

Mu Qingge said, "You can't reach the dishes that are far away."

Rong Zhan also liked it when Mu Qingge picked food for him and got close to him. Once he heard that, he couldn't suppress his feelings anymore, "Zhan'er isn't a picky eater."

The implication was that anything she picked would be fine.

"Alright."

Mu Qingge smiled and began to fill a small bowl with food for him.

Rong Zhan didn't object and picked up his chopsticks to start eating.

Mu Qingge watched him, unable to look away.

"Mother."

Rong Zhan called out, his ear tips red.

"What is it, Zhan'er?"

"You... eat." Don't stare at him anymore; he was so happy that he could barely hold his chopsticks steady.