A Different Daddy

[Shameless, shameless! That scumbag dad is a grown man, yet he's both weak and shameless...]

[Mommy, you're a third-rank titled lady now. Wanwan agrees that you should get her a different daddy!]

Little Wanwan grumbled inwardly.

Her dad's composure shattered so easily. Whenever trouble struck, he begged Mommy for help; whenever he suffered a loss, he flew into a rage.

Not one person in that family was any good.

Ptooey!

She spat out a mouthful of drool, then blew another bubble.

All she could do was silently stick out her chubby little hand and raise her middle finger.

"Your words are rather amusing, husband. Isn't the custom at a baby's one-month celebration to wear the gifts presented by respected elders? Since Old Madam gave Wanwan this item, she must have known it would be brought out and worn. Wasn't that Jade Bead Strand the gift Old Madam gave the mistress's son? Why blame me?"

Liu Wan questioned him coolly.

Whenever something happened, they came begging to her. Now that everything had gone wrong and they had suffered a loss, they turned around and bit her instead.

"Why didn't you plead for mercy? You didn't even kneel before His Majesty! With your standing and your friendship with the Fifth Princess, His Majesty would at least not have punished us so severely!"

Xie Jin'an clenched his fists. Liu Wan had always put the bigger picture first; he had never imagined she would refuse to help them.

"You think far too highly of me, husband. The Fifth Princess is still waiting for Wanwan and me. We won't be returning home for dinner tonight. Remember to take good care of Old Madam."

Liu Wan had no intention of arguing with him. She dipped in a curtsy, offered a few brief instructions, and prepared to leave.

"Who gave you permission to go?"

Xie Jin'an reached out to block Liu Wan. "A married woman obeys her husband. Who said you could go without my consent?"

[He's just afraid Mommy's status will keep rising, and he won't be able to control her anymore.]

[That scumbag dad is useless! He actually wants to get physical. I'm furious... ah, I can't stand it! Why won't someone come and break his hand?]

Little Wanwan ground her teeth in fury. Ah, she seemed to have forgotten she had no teeth yet. She rubbed her gums until they turned red.

She glared furiously at Xie Jin'an, her round cheeks puffed up and flushed with anger!

They were right outside the palace gates.

Liu Wan froze too, turning to look at him with displeasure.

"Wan'er, come home with me... Aaah!"

Before Xie Jin'an could finish, a guard seized his hand and wrenched it backward.

Crack. Bone-deep pain shot through him. Clutching his hand, he nearly dropped to his knees.

The guard slowly withdrew to Xia Siheng's side and rebuked Xie Jin'an. "How dare you show disrespect to a third-rank titled lady!"

"An Imperial Lady?" Xie Jin'an raised his head and stared at Liu Wan in disbelief.

His wife had actually been granted an imperial title!

[Useless scumbag dad. You're terrible at the game but still insist on playing. Played yourself to death, didn't you?]

[Your eyes must be red with jealousy now. Hmph!]

Little Wanwan raised her middle finger as she grumbled inwardly.

Liu Wan glanced at Xia Siheng and hastily curtsied. "Greetings, Ninth Prince."

When Xie Jin'an saw who had arrived, his legs went weak, and he dropped to his knees too, unable even to utter a threat.

Xia Siheng gave them an indifferent glance, then walked away without saying a word.

Xie Jin'an remained there clutching his hand, rolling on the ground in pain, his heart filled with regret.

"Madam, how do you know the Ninth Prince? I heard he's already past twenty-two and still unmarried. His Imperial Consort Dowager and the Empress Dowager are nearly frantic."

Pan Chun chattered as they walked, asking questions and sharing gossip.

"My aunt was close to the Ninth Prince's mother. When she brought me into the palace in the past, I met him a few times. Unfortunately, my aunt..."

She had died of a serious illness five years earlier.

Pan Chun's heart trembled at that.

[The Ninth Prince! Oh-ho, the biggest villain in this book has appeared! Mommy, the book says the Ninth Prince could play the male lead in the palm of his hand even at the height of his power.]

[His mother isn't his birth mother, either. He was an abandoned son the Late Emperor left in the cold palace, and Consort Ling adopted him.]

[Mommy, do you still remember the jade pendant your aunt left you? You can use it to ask the Ninth Prince for a favor. Oh-ho, Wanwan has finally met the great villain! Incredible, incredible! Mommy, this is incredible. Your good fortune is still ahead of you!]

Little Wanwan's mouth fell open, her face full of astonishment.

As that long stream of thoughts flowed into Liu Wan's mind, she suddenly recalled that when she visited the palace as a child, Consort Ling had indeed been troubled by having no children.

Later, her aunt had suggested that Consort Ling adopt a child, so she would have someone to rely on in the future.

Her aunt's jade pendant had been a gift from Consort Ling.

Consort Ling was still spending her later years in the palace. Liu Wan wondered how she was doing now.

Unfortunately, with her aunt gone, Liu Wan's standing made it difficult to pay her a visit.

Never mind. She could make discreet inquiries about these matters later.

Following a palace attendant, Liu Wan arrived at the Splendid Palace.

The Fifth Princess Xia Zhao's reputation for being favored was truly well deserved. The Splendid Palace was elaborately decorated and glittered with gold, and it was also the palace closest to the Empress Dowager's bedchamber.

Even Liu Wan, who had seen much of the world, was astonished by the enormous coral in the front courtyard.

The fiery-red coral stood taller than a house. Numerous red silk ribbons and wooden plaques hung from it, bearing wishes made by the princess and the palace attendants.

[Mommy, Mommy, the energy of heaven and earth is so abundant here! Hurry and put me down, Mommy!]

The little one in her arms babbled excitedly, kicking both legs straight.

Put... put her down? Liu Wan's eyelid twitched.

Was she supposed to put such a tiny baby on the ground to play in the mud?

[Mommy, hurry and put me under the tree. I want to play in the mud.]

Helpless, Liu Wan could only set her beneath the coral tree. To her surprise, Wanwan sat up on her own and began playing nonstop with leaves and soil.

Xia Zhao came out and instructed the palace attendants to watch Wanwan without stopping her, then took Liu Wan into her bedchamber.

The two had shared quite a few private confidences when a palace attendant outside rushed to report.

"Something terrible has happened, Princess, Madam! The young miss..."

"She's buried herself!"

Xia Zhao jumped three feet into the air, her voice rising. "What did you say?"

Liu Wan was already racing outside, her feet flying.

"Want... bury..." Little Wanwan scooped up soil and covered herself with it. After digging for quite some time, she lay in the earth.

She felt the rich energy of the earth nourishing her body. Her round eyes narrowed in comfort. It felt wonderfully cozy.

"Oh my, whose baby is buried here?"

A dignified, elegant voice rang out. Little Wanwan opened her eyes and saw a richly dressed woman crouching on the ground, studying her.

"Oh! She's alive. What a curious little thing."

"Quick, dig her out! It's been so long since I've seen such an odd little creature."

[Ah! It took me so much effort to bury myself! Don't dig me up! Don't!]

Little Wanwan sobbed up a storm inwardly. The sight of her waving her arms and kicking her legs in fierce protest only made the Empress Dowager more enthusiastic!