It wasn't until the figure before them completely vanished from the Yang residence that the system finally snapped back to reality.
"So... so her entire visit, even those grievances she tearfully complained about just now, were from the very beginning aimed at obtaining a clean identity registration or temporary lodging through Father Yang to evade official investigation!"
So startled that it nearly stumbled over its words, the system could barely form coherent sentences.
And here it had genuinely felt moved for a moment earlier!
Damn, what a complete waste of its system's emotions.
The system rarely got this genuinely angry.
"Wait, what about her saying she didn't have long to live?"
"Was... was that also a lie?"
Too cunning, the system couldn't help but click its tongue in admiration!
Facing her dog's widened pupils from sheer astonishment, An Ning remained noncommittal, as if discussing the most ordinary matter:
"Remember the sachet I gave dad earlier? And the incense frequently used in the study!"
"For others, they're excellent items for calming the spirit and focusing the mind, but for this Second Young Lady whose body is already saturated with medication..."
The effect might be quite different.
As the saying goes, it doesn't matter if the move is old-fashioned—what matters is that it works.
Anyway, the Duke of Cheng'en's household is gone now, and it's time for this one to exit the stage...
If you wound a snake but don't kill it, you'll suffer its retaliation. With such a truly ruthless person, she'd be insane to let her stay.
Sure enough, several days later, after confirming the woman had truly died from illness, An Ning finally withdrew her attention and continued leisurely enjoying outings with her sisters, occasionally teasing the little one in her arms...
Time passed slowly, and during this period, the tremors in the imperial court still hadn't subsided. Under her father's relentless suppression and purge, even the most obtuse princes vaguely sensed something amiss.
"So from the very beginning, us brothers were wrong..."
Terribly wrong indeed!
In the study, the eldest prince currently wore a gloomy expression.
Perhaps the emperor hadn't simply been using them to strike against the second prince and even the Duke of Cheng'en's faction to eradicate them completely—he had also been using the second prince to suppress them, his other sons.
Regarding this purge, the second brother couldn't escape, and neither could they.
He even suspected now that the emperor's earlier delay in moving against the Duke of Cheng'en, instead using slow torture, might have similarly aimed to suppress their development. But why?
Has father's lust for power reached such extremes?
Unfortunately, no one could answer this question...
However, these court disturbances temporarily had nothing to do with the prince's mansion, or more accurately, nothing to do with An Ning as the Princess Consort. Eating, drinking, playing, and teasing adorable babies—An Ning's leisurely life continued undisturbed.
Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, four years had passed.
Under the scorching summer heat, the originally tranquil study occasionally echoed with a young child's clear reading voice, interspersed with a man's gentle instruction almost word by word, sometimes guiding the child's hand from behind.
Before long, a paper covered with childish brushstrokes appeared before them.
"Not bad! Much improved compared to several days ago."
Looking at the slightly immature handwriting before him, Situ Jing rarely offered warm praise.
Instead, the exquisitely featured child beside him pouted somewhat dissatisfied upon seeing this, but quickly resumed proper posture.
"Father, your child believes I can definitely do better next time..."
"Rui'er, haven't I told you, don't rush things in everything. Some words from the palace should just be listened to..."
Gently stroking his son's small head, Situ Jing's eyes unconsciously revealed some complexity.
By the time father and son emerged one after another, more than an hour had passed.
Not far away, a thick block of ice had already formed peaks, making the entire room cool and refreshing. Before the window sill inlaid with glass fragments, freshly picked red peonies still glistened with dewdrops...
In terms of leisure, the contrast between her and the father-son pair was like heaven and earth, but obviously the two had grown accustomed to it.
Seeing the person on the daybed seemed deeply engrossed, father and son instinctively softened their footsteps.
Situ Rui stepped forward first to bow in greeting, his small face quite similar to An Ning's now wearing an extremely solemn expression.
Except for the baby fat still visible on his cheeks, he resembled a refined young gentleman—albeit a miniature version.
Unfortunately, the next second, his tender little face was mercilessly pulled by a pair of jade hands, instantly ruining his composed pose and flushing his jade-like face red:
Yet facing his maternal authority, these words carried no force. Although he faced this every time without exception, the Young Master still couldn't help blushing.
Ignoring the little brat's conflicted thoughts, An Ning directly set down her storybook, her spring-blossom bright face full of earnest assurance:
"Hey, if you want to be an adult, how can you be so thin-skinned? Mother is helping you!"
"This is adult cultivation practice!"
As she spoke, the unscrupulous adult before him nodded to herself. Her slightly curved eyes and radiant smile seemed to illuminate the entire room.
The inexperienced little one instinctively felt dazed for a moment.
Coming to his senses, Situ Rui: "..."
Wait, are you sure you're not just messing with me?
Father... heh, as expected, completely unreliable at times .
Glancing at their connected sleeves and confirming they would dine together at noon, the Young Master fell silent for a moment, then promptly took his leave discreetly.
Actually, the little fellow was quite perceptive in this regard.
The moment he left, An Ning found herself lifted into the air and skillfully landed in a sandalwood-scented embrace.
Sensing the unusual attitude from the person before her, An Ning tilted her head slightly, about to say something, when the man suddenly spoke:
"A-Ning, have you ever thought about changing your identity?"
Oh, finally here, now she understood her father's subtle expression from two days ago...