Regarding this matter, Emperor Yongning had given it much thought.
Now, the marriage between Anle and Qi Xiao has been settled, and when the two children grow up, they can be wed.
During this period, both sides will definitely interact frequently.
However, if he were to allow Anle to stay permanently at the National Guardian General Mansion, he would have to endure days where his daughter is either borrowed or chooses to stay at the mansion on her own.
Though occasionally it’s no problem, he can accept that. But over time, various conflicts would arise. Let’s not even mention the small conflicts; just imagine if the princess’s whereabouts were exposed and exploited by those with ill intentions.
Emperor Yongning couldn’t bear to imagine the consequences if such a thing were to occur.
Therefore, to prevent such negative events, Emperor Yongning firmly shut off this possibility.
"As a princess, the law has always dictated that one can only reside in the palace; there has never been a precedent for living outside the palace."
"So, General Qi, I cannot allow Princess Anle to stay at your mansion for a period of time."
General Qi seemed to have envisioned something, looking quite disappointed, as if he wanted to continue pleading. However, Emperor Yongning’s gaze was so resolute, what good would further pleas serve?
It seems he has to think of another solution.
General Qi pondered day and night but couldn’t come up with a good solution.
Inside the National Guardian General Mansion.
For two consecutive months, the baby’s cries resounded throughout the night.
Madam Qi soothed the baby in her arms, dozing off intermittently.
It’s been a long time since she had a good night’s sleep, constantly dealing with headaches, tinnitus, and feeling drained and listless. She’s truly, truly suffering, but what can suffering solve?
Because this child was fussing day in and day out, several reliable nurses and wet nurses in the mansion had fallen ill from exhaustion, leaving her alone to stubbornly press on, taking care of the child day and night.
And the only one who could stop the little one from crying was Princess Anle. Qi Qin went to Emperor Yongning to borrow the princess to stay in the mansion, but to no avail.
If the child were handed over to other maids, Madam Qi would not feel secure.
Therefore, finding no alternative, Madam Qi had to care for the child by herself.
Even if she couldn’t endure it, she had to grit her teeth and persist.
When Qi Qin returned from work, he saw his wife sitting on the bed, propped up by a large pillow, eyes closed, trying to soothe the child in her disarrayed state.
The child was crying in her arms, but she was too exhausted to comfort him.
She was so very tired.
"Dear, let me take him? You sleep."
Qi Qin took the child from Madam Qi’s arms, but she seemed not to have heard him speak or noticed him taking the child.
Qi Qin sighed, held the little rascal Qi Xiao, found a chair, and prepared to sit down and soothe the child properly. But before he could even sit, the little rascal burst into a loud cry, even more fiercely than he had in Madam Qi’s arms. His little claws were constantly flailing, even grabbing Qi Qin’s beard.
Is this... rejecting his embrace?
Qi Qin’s mouth twitched, "You little rascal, are you trying to wear out your mother? Hmm?"
Holding the child, Qi Qin walked to the adjacent room so Madam Qi could have a good sleep.
But Madam Qi was already startled awake by Qi Xiao’s sudden loud cries, though her mind was still in a daze, and her vision blurry. She saw a tall figure attempting to carry off her child but didn’t recognize the owner of the figure.
She staggered and got off the bed, "Who are you? Why are you taking my child?"
Worried about catching up to the person taking her child, Madam Qi accidentally fell off the bed when getting up. Her knee hit the ground hard, causing sharp pain and possibly an injury.
But she couldn’t care less, her heart all focused on her child.
She needed to catch up to that person and get her child back.
When the person heard Madam Qi fall off the bed, he hurriedly turned back, placed the child on the bed, and quickly bent down to help her up.
As expected, Madam Qi’s knee was injured.
General Qi called for a maid to soothe the child, then went to find medication, carefully applying it to Madam Qi’s injury.
"Miao Miao, look at you, how could you be so careless." Qi Qin was heartbroken seeing the wound on Madam Qi’s knee.
It was only then that Madam Qi recognized who it was trying to carry off her child; she breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing her aching head, "I’m really muddle-headed, didn’t even recognize my husband."
Qi Qin, helping with the medication, asked, "Does it hurt?"
"Not really, just very tired." Madam Qi forced herself to keep her eyes open, trying not to fall asleep. In a while, she would need to continue comforting her son.
"If you’re tired, sleep. Don’t force yourself." Qi Qin gestured for Madam Qi to look at the maid soothing the child beside them, "Those girls can also take good care of the child, you don’t need to worry too much." Thıs text ıs hosted at 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝘯𝘦𝘵
Madam Qi didn’t even glance at those girls.
In the Imperial City, there was a precedent where a noble’s son was smothered by a maid.
So, unless she trusts the person, she will not allow them to take care of the child, even if it means exhausting herself to death.
Qi Qin, seeing his wife had been exhausted for so long, couldn’t possibly not know what she was insisting on.
"If you really feel it’s not manageable, let it go. I won’t bring it up again in the future." Qi Qin sighed, "At worst, until those nurses recover, we’ll suffer a bit and take care of the child ourselves."
Madam Qi said, "Now that’s reasonable."
"Alright, Miao Miao, go to sleep. The year-end is approaching, and I don’t have much to do lately, I can help with the child."
Madam Qi showed a helpless expression, "But he cries when away from Anle or me."
"He doesn’t cry in Anle’s arms, but he cries the same in your arms. You’re just used to it, so his crying isn’t as fierce." Qi Qin really didn’t want this troublesome little fellow to further torment his wife, "So you shouldn’t fuss too much, let him cry, once he’s tired, he’ll naturally stop."
Although Madam Qi understood Qi Qin’s kind intentions, she couldn’t help but glare at him. "What do you mean by ’cry until he’s tired’? Qi Qin, is that something a father should say?"
What should he say to make her willing to sleep?
Madam Qi paused and then said, "Did you not go to the palace to borrow Anle? As long as Anle can accompany our son, he won’t cry. But it’s been so long, yet you haven’t made any progress, have you?"
Qi Qin remained silent.
It’s not that there was no progress, but that the outcome was already decided. To avoid discouraging Madam Qi, Qi Qin had always withheld the information, evading her inquiries by being vague.